Hemp medicine
With 23 states and the District of Columbia having legalized medical marijuana to some degree, health-related cannabis products are growing. Some of these products are hemp-based and some are marijuana-based, but what is the difference? Hemp and marijuana are two varieties of the same plant, cannabis sativa. Hemp refers to a variety that has agricultural and manufacturing uses, while marijuana is the name traditionally given to plants grown for their psychotropic effects. Differences include:. Another distinction between hemp-based and marijuana-based products is their legality.
What’s the Difference Between Hemp vs. Marijuana?
Most plants are used first in folk remedies. There is a good chance that hemp was used medicinally long before the effects were recorded. What is clear, though, is the long history of using hemp for multiple purposes, researching its effectiveness on a variety of symptoms and maladies. Ancient China is where we first encounter medicinal use of hemp.
From around BCE on, hemp was used in tools, clothing, shoes, and food. Emperor Shen-Nung developed topical hemp oils and teas to aid in pain relief. Later on, other pharmacopoeias would list the medicinal effects of flowers, leaves, and seeds of the cannabis plant. Hua Tuo was the first person on record to use cannabis as an anesthetic in the second century. He notes that this plant can also aid in the treatment of blood clots, tapeworms, and hair loss.
Hemp has likely been used as a natural herbal medicine since very ancient times. The first written use of hemp as medicine comes from ancient China. The Romans had a long history of hemp use. Circa 77 AD, Pliny the Elder noted how helpful hemp was for the extraction of insects from ears and for pain relief. However, he made sure to note excessive use can negatively affect sexual performance. Around the same time, Disocorides wrote a pharmacopeia listing the medical benefits of hemp.
These include assisting with ear pain, stomach-related issues, and burns. By AD, Galen mentions again the ability of hemp to relieve pain, but notes that it can cause stomach pain, headaches, and dehydration. Cannabis use was popular among many people in Middle Eastern regions, especially due to the prohibition on alcohol from Islam.
These are far from the only regions known to utilize hemp plants medicinally. In India, the Atharvaveda lists hemp as a sacred grass. Hemp has been found buried with Ancient Greeks. Later writing would highlight both pain relief and inflammation. Hemp spread across the world through travel and use as fibers. Across Europe, hemp was used to treat tumors and coughs — as well as recreationally.
By the sixteenth century, hemp was one of the main crops grown in England. During this century, physicians Garcia de Orta and Li Shih-Chen discovered new uses for the plant — to improve appetite and as an antibiotic, respectively.
By the seventeenth century, hemp had made it to North America. It was grown in Jamestown and other colonies for use in clothing, building materials, and sails. He noted the analgesic effects in addition to its ability to relax muscles. Patients with rheumatic diseases, cholera, tetanus, and hydrophobia were all treated with hemp under his care. Just before the Civil War, the third edition of the U,S. The U. Dispensatory does as well, adding medical cannabis.
It was known to be intoxicating, yes, but also pain relieving and sleep inducing. Hemp was recommended for a variety of health issues from neuralgia and convulsions to depression and gout. At the end of the nineteenth century, Dr.
A historic Colonial-era pharmacy in Cuba. Still, medications like Chlorodyne — a cannabis and morphine combination to treat stomach issues — grew in popularity. On top of that, folk remedies and snake oil cures often included cannabis in addition to other drugs and medications.
When the war on drugs began, cannabis was prohibited , leaving patients using it for medical reasons often out of luck. In the s, extracts and synthetic cannabis drugs were developed to help treat nausea associated with chemotherapy use for cancer and autoimmune conditions.
Others were used to treat glaucoma as well. During this decade, the U. While these programs helped patients with glaucoma, cancer, and other conditions, they were often short-lived due to DEA restrictions. Arizona followed quickly. By the early s, Canada legalized MMJ as well. Although research on hemp, cannabis, and marijuana is incredibly restricted in many places, the last decade has seen an increase in medications using these plants.
The twentieth century quickly saw changes in attitude towards cannabis, from intrigued to fearful. The Pure Food and Drug Act in began to crack down on cannabis use by imposing restrictions on foreign and interstate traffic. Down the line, this law would also create the FDA. By , California and other states began to prohibit the use of cannabis, often targeting Mexican immigrants in raids use the act. The Marijuana Tax Act classified hemp and marijuana as the same thing, something that still creates roadblocks today.
By this time, marijuana was banned in over twenty states. During World War II, though, regulation of these laws was lessened to aid in the production of hemp materials for the war effort. By , hemp and marijuana cultivation was banned under the Controlled Substances Act. States could allow cultivation of industrial hemp but, like dispensaries in weed-legal states today, farms could be raided by the DEA.
Cannabis was labeled as a Schedule 1 drug, which has heavily restricted research over the last nearly fifty years. Because of the intense limitations posed by the war on drugs, research on cannabis has been conducted at only a few universities across the United States.
A row of vials of CBD oil, a nutritional extract made from hemp. Only in recent years has science begun to rediscover the benefits of medicinal hemp and cannabis.
In , President Obama signed the Farm Bill which helped eliminate some of the issues around growing hemp so that, currently, 30 states allow industrial hemp cultivation. That number looks to be growing, too. This is a great thing for people who rely on CBD to treat their health issues.
CBD research has been going on for over two decades. Unfortunately for people living with chronic conditions, past and current restrictions on hemp research mean a delay in relief of their symptoms. Many have missed out on the potential benefits hemp could bring them due to restrictions, laws, and stigma.
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. Check it out. Kirsten Schultz is a sex educator and writer currently based in Wisconsin. Through their work as a queer disability activist, they have earned a reputation for tearing down barriers while mindfully causing constructive trouble. They have worked with organizations all around the world, including Healthline, Pfizer, the University of Guelph, and the Arthritis Foundation.
You can learn more about them and their work at kirstenschultz. Your email address will not be published. Laura Michele, Lic. Hemp has been helping people heal for millennia. Post Views: 12, We Recommend Reading. Guides Secret Nature. Guides Kit O'Connell. Guides GVB Biopharma. Kirsten Schultz Kirsten Schultz is a sex educator and writer currently based in Wisconsin.
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New health benefits associated with hempseed oil. Written by David McNamee on February 1, Hemp is a crop full of oils with potential health benefits. Hemp & Cannabidiol: What is a Medicine? R. L. Hilderbrand, PhD. Additional article information. Colorado allowed medical marijuana for debilitating medical.
Colorado allowed medical marijuana for debilitating medical conditions effective in by an amendment to the Colorado Constitution. These three factors create a regulatory abyss that Colorado has not successfully managed. In an attempt to differentiate between cannabidiol CBD from marijuana and CBD from hemp, some definition and limitations must be provided. Extracts from marijuana Cannabis sativa with THC concentrations greater than 0.
Most plants are used first in folk remedies.
More than 60 cannabinoids not found in any other plant to date have been identified in cannabis. The cannabinoid distribution varies between different cannabis strains and usually only three or four cannabinoids in concentrations above 0.
Hemp As Medicine | A History of Hemp As Medicine Since Ancient China
Cannabidiol CBD has been recently covered in the media, and you may have even seen it as an add-in booster to your post-workout smoothie or morning coffee. What exactly is CBD? Why is it suddenly so popular? CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis marijuana. While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana , it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant.
What is CBD Oil?
By Jeffrey Stamberger. Cannabidiol is just one of over 85 cannabinoids presently identified in the cannabis plant. First discovered in the late 's, the endocannabinoid system regulates the body's homeostasis, or general state of balance. Like an acrobat on a highwire, as the environment around us impacts our normal balance, the endocannabinoid system "connects" by mediating our body's reaction to keep us level. Once absorbed, CBD stimulates the endocannabinoid system by interacting with its cannabinoid receptors. This interaction makes the endocannabinoid system more active so that it can better regulate the body and keep functions in balance and ensure that they run optimally. CBD and its natural balancing benefits promote overall wellness and simply help you feel better. CBD oil made from hemp is non-intoxicating and will not cause any euphoric effects, but how using CBD oil makes you feel can vary from person to person. Some of our regular CBD consumers have reported an awakening effect after using the product while others have said they experience a heightened sense of calm.
While medical marijuana gets all of the media coverage these days, CBD-rich hemp used in a medicinal or therapeutic capacity has also been shown to provide numerous benefits. Both hemp and marijuana are a derived from the sativa L species of the cannabis plant.
While there are few genetic differences between hemp and marijuana plants, there are drastic differences in terms of cannabis slang, legal interpretation, and use of the plants. In practical terms, the differences between hemp and marijuana are quite significant. Below, we will take a close look at the similarities and differences of marijuana vs.
Hemp and Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes: Is There a Difference?
Hemp , or industrial hemp , is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. Although cannabis as a drug and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol THC , they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content. In those languages "hemp" can refer to either industrial fiber hemp or narcotic cannabis strains. Hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel. The inner two fibers of the plant are woodier and typically have industrial applications, such as mulch, animal bedding, and litter. When oxidized often erroneously referred to as "drying" , hemp oil from the seeds becomes solid and can be used in the manufacture of oil-based paints, in creams as a moisturizing agent, for cooking, and in plastics. Hemp seeds have been used in bird feed mix as well. Hemp seeds can be eaten raw, ground into hemp meal, sprouted or made into dried sprout powder. Hemp seeds can also be made into a liquid and used for baking or for beverages such as hemp milk and tisanes. In the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs treats hemp as a purely non-food crop, but with proper licensing and proof of less than 0. A gram portion of hulled hemp seeds supplies calories. Hempseed's amino acid profile is comparable to other sources of protein such as meat, milk, eggs and soy.
How Hemp is Used in a Medical and Therapeutic Capacity
The pandemic has hilighted the use of Hemp as Medicine, with increased sales of cannabidiol oil, or CBD, to help people feel better. While many small businesses are struggling during the current crisis, one small business in Charleston, S. CBD products provide relief for pain, inflammation and anxiety. Click here to read more. Thailand has a long tradition with Hemp as Medicine. The first health clinic in Thailand to focus entirely on cannabis has opened its doors in Bangkok this week. To help launch the clinic, patients can obtain free treatment for the first two weeks of opening. Over two thousand patients have already signed up at the clinic for the next few months.
