There are a number of chronic and debilitating illnesses that may be treated
effectively with
medical marijuana. In Pennsylvania, there are 17 conditions that can qualify a patient for
medical marijuana use, including Crohn’s disease. These conditions
can be painful, debilitating, and even life-threatening, but it is possible
that marijuana use may alleviate some of the symptoms and bring relief
to patients.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory
bowel disease that causes the lining of the digestive tract to become
inflamed. It can cause severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, fever,
weight loss, fatigue, and malnutrition. The disease may affect as many
as 700,000 Americans, and there is no confirmed cure for the disease.
Treatments may be able to bring relief from symptoms and can help bring
the disease into remission. Medical cannabis has been a recent topic of
study to determine if it can be an effective treatment for those suffering
from Crohn’s disease.
Several studies have found the use of cannabis or the cannabis-derivative
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to have positive effects for patients with
Crohn’s disease. Cannabinoids can be anti-inflammatory and have
been found to reduce pain, nausea, and general feelings of unpleasantness (Schicho & Storr, 2014). Cannabis use may also have positive mental and social effects and was
discovered to have positive effects on patients’ general health
perception, social functioning, and ability to work, as well as reducing
physical pain and depression. The patients also reported an increase in
body weight and BMI scores, which may indicate better nutrient absorption
and increased appetite (Lahat, Lang & Ben-Horin, 2012). Other studies reported that patients found marijuana use to be very
helpful to relieve pain, nausea, and diarrhea (Ravikoff, et al., 2013). In addition to reducing physical pain, cannabis may also increase appetite
and encourage more restful sleep. These positive effects may even reduce
the need for other medications to control symptoms (Naftali, et al., 2013).
While there is no cure for Crohn’s disease, it is possible that medical
marijuana use may greatly reduce symptoms or even bring symptoms into
remission (Naftali, et al., 2013). For sufferers, this can be welcome
news. Medical marijuana can be another option for patients who have had
little success with traditional treatments.
Our Pennsylvania medical marijuana attorneys understand the powerful benefits
for patients that medical cannabis can offer, and we are passionate about
protecting the rights of these patients. At
Sacks Weston Diamond LLC, we will work tirelessly to help you with your medical marijuana case.
Contact our offices today to request a
free case evaluation.