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Herbal Seniors: Why Seniors today are Smoking Cannabis

There are a number of senior citizens in the US today who have turned to smoking cannabis for medical purposes in recent years. Some use cannabis treatment exclusively whereas others who supplement other forms of treatment with various cannabis based therapies.

One thing is for certain; cannabis holds numerous benefits when used as a form of medication. Further, it not only lacks but also mitigates some of the damaging and at times painful side effects that go hand in hand with allopathic treatment. In any case, the herbs benefits and outshine any side effects relating to intoxication.

Why Seniors Today Are Smoking Cannabis

There are a number of reasons why seniors today are smoking cannabis however there are some which stand out more among others. Here are some of the most common reasons that older people take to smoking the herb.

Chronic Pain

As we age, our bodies begin to deteriorate in a number of ways, for example, age-related diseases such as arthritis, neurological disorders and fibromyalgia to name a few. The aging process leaves many seniors to contend with excruciating and often debilitating levels of pain. The problem with allopathic pain medication, apart from the fact that it can often be ineffective, is the numerous side effects. These include liver toxicity as well as tolerance building and at times addiction.

The THC as well as the CBD present in cannabis work as inhibitors that enhance natural pain mitigating systems within the body. This allows for pain relief without half the side effects that regular pain medication would bring on.

Alzheimer’s

Only those who have experienced or witnessed this illness first hand can know just how immensely heart breaking it can be. Though research in this area is still underway, what we now know is that THC found in cannabis has the potential to slow down the production of proteins that facilitate the onset of Alzheimer’s. It also facilitates the brain’s natural cell building abilities and fights cell denaturing.

A number of seniors are known to take small doses of THC to help with their Alzheimer’s.

Glaucoma

This condition involves the accumulation of fluid within the human eye. This accumulation causes pressure to shoot up resulting in serious nerve damage to the eye. The allopathic treatment for this among other things involves the application of eye drops multiple times a day.

On the flip side, cannabis is known to reduce pressure within the eye. What is even better is that the effects last much longer than the drops so seniors need only smoke a joint or two a day to keep things in check.

Parkinson’s

A degenerative illness, which results in the eventual loss of muscle control and coordinated movement, Parkinson’s is a tough one to contend with. Symptoms include tremors as well as muscle spasms that cannot be controlled. Further symptoms involve losing one’s sense of balance and issues with sleep among others.

Though there is still no cure for Parkinson’s allopathically, smoking or ingesting cannabis is known to greatly reduce the symptoms as well as associated discomfort.

Appetite

A loss of appetite might not be a disease however undernourishment can be a big deal if you’ve crossed the age of 60. Further, a loss of appetite is not uncommon when it comes to old age. This could be a side effect of medication being taken or for any other reason.

Many seniors smoke cannabis to normalize their appetites and actually draw some pleasure out of eating that might otherwise have been lost.

Sleep

Many seniors suffer from issues relating to sleep and more still complain about not getting as much sleep as they might have in their younger days. Certain strains of cannabis, particularly those associated with the Indica family have relaxing effects on the body and can help with sleep. This is the reason numerous seniors have traded in their toxic sleeping pills for softer and more natural sleep medication.

Cancer

Cancer was actually one of the deciding factors in the legalization of medical marijuana as far back as the mid 90’s! The initial kicker was that cannabis effectively mitigated the numerous unpleasant side effects that would occur as a result of chemotherapy.

Upon further research however, it also became apparent that cannabis helped kill malignant cancerous cells. Last but not least, cannabis also helps prevent further spreading of cancer around the rest of the body. Numerous seniors as well as others suffering from cancer make cannabis a regular part of their treatment and recovery plan.

Winding Down

The reasons listed above are not the only ones that seniors might take cannabis for. Taking cannabis to help with anxiety, depression as well as conditions like multiple sclerosis is not uncommon. In any case, the herb has proven to be a useful addition to our current medical repertoire.

If someone close to you has recently been recommended medical marijuana, you can help them along by purchasing bongs, dab rigs, pipes or other paraphernalia that they can smoke out of. Just swing back to our collection and take your pick!

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