If it were not for its problematic public image, cannabis, or marijuana, would be one of the most common crops on earth. It is easy and economical to grow, it can quickly spread to fill fields the size of forests, it is used to manufacture fabric and paper, and for thousands of years its flowers have been extracted to produce medicine for various ailments.

In fact, until the 1930s, many pharmacies kept medications that contained cannabis. So, what happened?

The fact that the cultivation and processing of cannabis into textile was cheaper than cotton posed a threat to the American cotton industry, and like many other monopolies that hire lobbyists, the cotton farmers tried to find the best way to eliminate the competition.

They soon discovered that the flowers of this wonder plant contained psychoactive substances that were used for medical treatment and ritualistic practices, but also to get high. When they completed their aggressive campaign, cannabis had become an illegal drug in most states, even though substances that are far worse, like alcohol or over-the-counter synthetic drugs, are still very much legal. What we were left with was a medicinal plant with amazing healing powers that is prohibited for use because it is an illicit drug.

After my first meeting with the oncologist, I left with prescriptions for more medication than I had taken in my entire life combined. I came home with a box of medications and began reading the accompanying information leaflets.

The box included all kind of medicines: pills to help me sleep and improve my mood (after all, I did have cancer), painkillers with varying degrees of strength, anti-nausea drugs, medications to treat heartburn, allergies, etc. Each pill had a host of side effects, so there were also pills to alleviate the side effects.

I replaced all these pills with one prescription for medical marijuana. The medical marijuana helped me sleep, lifted my spirits, reduced nausea, and stimulated my appetite. Cannabis enabled me to experience this awful journey without having to use sedatives, sleeping pills or anti-depressants.

The only side effects I experienced were scary red eyes and uncontrollable laughter that helped cope with the hardships and pain.

Cannabis serves as an excellent remedy to relieve the symptoms of cancer, Crohn’s disease and other intestinal disorders, and it miraculously treats Parkinson’s disease and epileptic seizures.

Sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder have reported life-altering results in treatment with medical marijuana, as have patients suffering from an ever-growing list of diseases and symptoms. As cannabis research evolves, the plant continues to exhibit remarkable benefits in other areas as well.

Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman’s decision Tuesday to allow medical marijuana to be sold in pharmacies is a declaration, and it announces loud and clear that medical marijuana is in fact a medication. Dispensing it in pharmacies will make things easier for patients. There is no reason for medical marijuana to be obtained any differently than medications containing morphine, codeine or any other sanctioned poison.

Article Source: IsraelHayom.com
Article by: Efrat Roman – founder of Curediva.com, an online store offering non-medical products and lifestyle solutions to breast cancer patients.