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Medical marijuana for the treatment of arthritis

  • Asks ...

    I have arthritis and my doctor has suggested that I might want to try medical marijuana to control some of the pain and stiffness. I have never used drugs and I have only drank alcohol a few times in my life and I am certainly surprised to be considering using drugs now that I am past 60 years of age.

    I am willing though to do anything that will help me to regain some quality of life. What I want to know though is, will I get addicted to marijuana if I start using it every day? If I decide to use medical marijuana how can I keep myself from getting hooked?

  • Delisted Expert Says ...

    Arthritis can be very painful and debilitating as you know. There are several issues which must be addressed when considering the use of marijuana for medical purposes. These issues involve legal, social, medical issues.

    As for legal issues, there are number of states which have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The Federal government does not sanction the use of marijuana for medical use, but doctors and state governments have the final say, in most cases. If your doctor and the state have sanctioned the medical use of the marijuana, there is no legal issue. For more information go to: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4560#whylegal

    As for social issues, most people are beginning to understand that enormous benefit stems from the medical use of marijuana. It must be made clear that you are NOT getting high from the medical use of marijuana, but are using it for effective pain control and immobility.

    As medical issues, there is enormous information appearing in the public and research arenas, which have proven the usefulness of medical marijuana for a wide variety of symptoms; to include pain control. A book which is highly rated and endorsed on this subject is “Marijuana Gateway to Health: How Cannabis Protects Us from Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease” by Clint Weiner. This book can be obtained on http://Amazon.com

    For more information about the use of medical marijuana in the treatment of arthritis, go to these websites:

    http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4560#research

    http://www.mcsocal.com/blog/medical-marijuana-for-arthritis-an-alternative-treatment-dr-sean-breen

    As this article states “Marihuana is also far less addictive and far less subject to abuse than many drugs now used as muscle relaxants, hypnotics, and analgesics.” Since you do not have a history or expressed tendency for addiction, and with your doctor’s recommendation, I think it would be safe for you to use medical marijuana with little risk for substance abuse or addiction.

    I hope this helps you make the best informed decision that you can make. Your questions and inquiry was excellent and shows you have a desire to have optimal health and treatment. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

     

    John O’Neal, Ed.S., LPC, NCC

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