Those who are suffering from mesothelioma often feel as if they don’t have any hope. This aggressive form of cancer is a disease that spreads quite rapidly, can’t be diagnosed until it has settled into the body and is hard to treat. There is almost no chance of a remission or cure of this disease. In the modern era, many people are starting to seek treatment from alternative therapies in the hopes of getting better treatment and a relief from the unpleasant symptoms of cancer.
One of the most popular alternatives for persons suffering from cancer and other painful and chronic disease is medical marijuana. The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and twenty-eight US states have decreed that “Mary Jane” is legal for medical purposes. Although the federal government still has not legalized cannabis, the statewide expansion of medical marijuana is looking very promising for cancer patients.
“MJ” is a drug that is gleaned from a plant called cannabis. This plant originated in Asia, but is now grown all over the world. There is a resin in the plant that contains compounds called cannabinoids. These compounds are psychoactive, which means that they act on the central nervous system and can affect both the mood and consciousness. For decades, the cannabis plant has been in high demand for spiritual, medicinal and recreational purposes. In the United States, marijuana is still a schedule I controlled substance, which means that by federal law it is illegal for any type of use. As mentioned above, however, there are many states where the drug can be taken under strictly regulated circumstances.
Currently, there are two prescription drugs that have been created based on the way that cannabinoids react in the body and are available to patients in states where cannabis for medicinal purposes is legal. One is Dronabinol, which is typically prescribed to persons in order to treat vomiting and nausea that results from chemotherapy. It is also given to AIDS and HIV patients to assist in the reversing of weight loss and improving appetite. The other drug is called Nabilone. It is used for similar ailments as Dronabinol, but is considerably stronger and is more of a last resort.
A life with cancer is very stressful. Frequently, cancer patients suffer from emotional distress, depression, anxiety and sleep problems. Cannabinoids have been shown to be quite useful at reversing these problems. In animal studies, cannabinoids have been shown to have a solid anti-anxiety effect.