The question of whether alcohol or marijuana is worse for health is being debated once again.

As has been well documented, I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life,” one marijuana doctor said during the interview. I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol. But how apt is the comparison between these substances? While both are intoxicants used recreationally, their legality, patterns of use and long-term effects on the body make the two drugs difficult to compare. Both alcohol consumption and pot smoking can take a toll on the body, showing both short- and long-term health effects, though alcohol has been linked to some 88,000 deaths per year, according to the CDC, while for a number of reasons those associated with marijuana use are harder to come by. And research into marijuana’s health effects is still in its infancy, compared with the rigorous studies looking at alcohol and human health. In a recent study, scientists used MRI brain scans to get a better picture of the brains of adults who have smoked weed at least four times a week for years. Compared to people who rarely or never used the drug, the long-term users tended to have a smaller orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region critical for processing emotions and making decisions. But they also had stronger cross-brain connections, which scientists think smokers may develop to compensate. Short-term health consequences 7 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health-Drinking too much alcohol can quickly kill a person. The inability to metabolize alcohol as quickly as it is consumed can lead to a buildup of alcohol in the brain that shuts down areas necessary for survival, such as those involved with heartbeat and respiration. “You can die drinking five minutes after you’ve been exposed to alcohol. That isn’t going to happen with marijuana,” said a health scientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Marijuana affects the cardiovascular system, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, but a person can’t fatally overdose on pot like they can with alcohol. Alcohol is more likely than marijuana to interact with other drugs. The way that alcohol is metabolized, or broken down, in the body, is common to many drugs that are taken for a variety of conditions acting director of the Division of Metabolism and Health Effects at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This means that for people taking drugs or medications while drinking, the alcohol can increase or decrease levels of the active drug in the body. Because marijuana can impair coordination and balance, there is the risk of hurting oneself, particularly if someone drives or chooses to have unprotected sex while their inhibitions are lowered, Baler said. These are two areas where people using marijuana could hurt themselves for the short and long term. Long-term health consequences The long-term effects of drinking heavily are well known. “Excess alcohol is going to lead to very severe consequences, and chronic excess alcoholis the most likely to lead to a lot of threatening issues. Drinking can lead to alcoholic liver disease, which can progress to fibrosis of the liver, which in turn can potentially lead to liver cancer. The THC content of marijuana across the US has tripled since 1995, according to a large recent study in which researchers reviewed close to 39,000 samples of cannabis. While THC levels hovered around 4%, on average, in 1995, they skyrocketed to roughly 12% in 2014. I emphasize it’s not even clear to the best scientists what are the triggers that allow that progression to happen,” he said, noting that why some people have a higher risk than others of developing liver disease from drinking is not understood medically or biochemically. Unlike alcohol the effects of chronic marijuana use are not as well established. Animal studies have indicated some possible impact on reproduction. Additionally, there is evidence marijuana can worsen psychiatric issues for people who are predisposed to them, or bring them on at a younger age. Finally, because the drug is typically smoked, it can bring on bronchitis, coughing and chronic inflammation of the air passages. Researchers think it’s possible that CBD might be a useful treatment for anxiety disorders, and that’s something that several institutions are currently trying to study. The recent report suggested that evidence of a link between marijuana and an increased risk of most anxiety disorders was limited. Scientists can’t say for sure whether marijuana causes depression or depressed people are simply more likely to smoke. But one study from the Netherlands suggests that smoking weed could raise the risk of depression for young people who already have a special serotonin gene that could make them more vulnerable to depression. Those findings are bolstered by the report, which found moderate evidence that cannabis use was linked to a small increased risk of depression. The report also found substantial evidence of an increased risk among frequent marijuana users of developing schizophrenia — something that studies have shown is a particular concern for people at risk for schizophrenia in the first place. Limitations on what sort of marijuana research is allowed make it particularly difficult to study this sort of effect. Since weed makes blood vessels expand, it can give you red eyes. A case of the munchies is no figment of the imagination — both casual and heavy marijuana users tend to overeat when they smoke. Marijuana may effectively flip a circuit in the brain that is normally responsible for quelling the appetite, triggering us to eat instead, according to a recent study of mice. Some athletes, especially in certain endurance and adventure sports, Florida Marijuana Doctor – Sarasota Marijuana Doctors – Sarasota Florida Marijuana Doctors – Sarasota Florida Marijuana Doctors use can boost their athletic performance. This may be because of anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving effects that make it easier to push through a long workout or recover from one. Marijuana can mess with your memory by changing the way your brain processes information, but scientists still aren’t sure exactly how this happens. Still, several studies suggest that weed interferes with short-term memory, and researchers tend to see more of these effects in inexperienced or infrequent users than in heavy, frequent users. But while early studies showed some evidence linking marijuana to lung cancer, subsequent studies have debunked that association. It’s unclear why marijuana smoke does not have the same result as tobacco smoke on the lungs, but perhaps some beneficial compounds in the marijuana smoke cancel out the ill effects, or perhaps the other health habits of marijuana smokers are different from those of cigarette smokers. But cigarette smoking plays a complicated role in studying the impact of marijuana smoke. Marijuana smokers tend to smoke much less than cigarette smokers, as some may smoke one joint a few times a week. “It’s a very tough epidemiological nut to break. Additionally, researchers looking to study long-term marijuana use have had difficulty in finding people who regularly smoke marijuana but don’t also smoke tobacco cigarettes. And the illegality of marijuana has also limited research in this field. For marijuana, much of the concern is with young people who use the drug, because the drug interferes with the development of the brain while it is still maturing. Please Contact Our Office (All Natural Medical Solutions) to get Started on Your Medical Marijuana Card in Florida today!  

According to scientific literature, people who use weed have higher levels of depression and depressive symptoms than those who do not use cannabis – this is not necessarily a statement of cause, but there is a link there. 

Frequent or heavy use in adolescence can also predict depression or anxiety later on in life – especially for girls. In the short-term, cannabis often causes anxious feelings in users. It’s even considered an important risk factor for anxiety disorders, so until more is known about the drug, it’s really not a good idea to be experimenting with it at home if you’re already anxious or depressed.

Even if using cannabis seems to alleviate symptoms in the short-term for some users, it can lead to delay in getting appropriate treatment and to the additional problem of addiction if used regularly. The longer and more frequently someone uses weed, the more and more they will need to get the same effect. This doesn’t treat the cause of the problem and can lead to a range of other health problems further down the track.

There isn’t any clear evidence to suggest that marijuana causes depression. However, there may be a link between the two. Some research suggests regular or heavy users of the drug are diagnosed with depression more often than non-smokers.

Scientific evidence suggests cannabis use can trigger the onset of schizophrenia and other psychoses in those already at risk of developing it. You and your therapists will not always be aware of your personal genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia or other contributing risk factors when suggesting marijuana as an anxiety or depression treatment. For more information about cannabis and psychosis. You can also check out the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Depression and Bipolar Support System.

Marijuana has also been linked with other mental health conditions. If you’re at a high risk of psychosis, it’s important to know that marijuana may trigger schizophrenia or psychosis. Psychosis is a serious mental disorder characterized by a detachment from reality. Symptoms can include hallucinations and delusions.

The potential side effects of marijuana use may depend on the way you take it. Medical marijuana can be taken as a spray, pill, or patches. Research is ongoing with traditional recreational methods, such as smoking or vaporizing. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), compounds in marijuana can help treat symptoms such as.

A study published in 2016 found that people with bipolar disorder didn’t experience significant mental impairment when using marijuana compared to people with bipolar disorder who didn’t use marijuana. Critics of marijuana use for bipolar disorder say that it affects a person’s thinking and memory. This study didn’t find that to be true. The study also found that after using marijuana, the patients with bipolar disorder reported better moods says medical marijuana doctors in Sarasota.

A review published in early 2015 found that using marijuana could make manic symptoms worse in a person with bipolar disorder. They also found that marijuana use could trigger a manic episode.

According to another study from 2015, suicide attempt rates in people with bipolar disorder were higher in those who used marijuana than in those who didn’t use marijuana. The study also found that people who used marijuana were younger at bipolar disorder onset (when their symptoms first started) than those who didn’t use it. This is a concern, as doctors think that a younger age at onset of bipolar disorder causes worse symptoms throughout a person’s life. The effect of marijuana on early onset and suicide rates wasn’t clear however, researchers said.

According to the NIDA, people who carry certain gene types are more likely to experience phycosis.

While marijuana may help some people with bipolar disorder, these studies show that it could also cause problems for others with the condition.

It’s important to keep in mind that the research surrounding the beneficial effects of marijuana use in bipolar disorder is very preliminary. Also, marijuana can affect each person differently, so these results don’t suggest that marijuana can benefit everyone with bipolar disorder.

Although research in the field looks promising, more work needs to be done to assess whether medical marijuana is an effective treatment for depression. Beyond that, only 29 states now allow the use of cannabis however, you must be certified by a medical marijuana doctors in florida near me.

Even if some people report feeling better or more relaxed after they’ve had a joint, this is not going to be the same for everyone. Many people report feeling more anxious and paranoid immediately after using weed, and some even experience panic attacks.

If anyone recommends using an illicit and unproven substance to help treat a serious mental health condition like anxiety or depression, you should always look for a second professional opinion says marijuana doctors in Tampa Florida.

Like anything, just because someone says weed has worked for them or someone they know of, doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.

In an ideal world, we would all love a solid solution to anxiety and depression, but unfortunately the evidence for cannabis just isn’t there at this point. To read more about cannabis and mental health for use with Depression, Anxiety and other qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Florida, please visit our website.

Please Contact Us with any questions or to get started on your Medical Marijuana Card in Florida today!

A large group of physicians, including a former surgeon general and faculty members at some of the nation’s leading medical schools, has formed the first national organization of doctors to call on states and the federal government to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana in the interest of public health.

The group — which is announcing its formation Monday, under the name Doctors for Cannabis Regulation (DFCR) — is endorsing the legalization of marijuana for adult recreational use, a break from the position of the American Medical Association, the largest organization of doctors and marijuana doctors in fort lauderdale in the country. DFCR argues that the prohibition and criminalization of marijuana use does more harm to the public than good. Citing hundreds of thousands of annual marijuana arrests, racial and economic disparities in marijuana enforcement, and the role of prohibition in keeping marijuana prices high and lucrative to violent drug dealers, the physicians say that creating a legal and regulated marijuana market is the best way to ensure public safety, combat the illicit drug trade and roll back the negative consequences of strict enforcement policies on disadvantaged communities.

The emergence of the group comes at a crucial moment in the national debate over marijuana legalization. More than 60 percent of the public now says that it supports marijuana legalization. Support for allowing medical use of marijuana with doctors’ supervision is closer to 90 percent. Over 35 million Americans use marijuana recreationally each year, according to the latest federal statistics. Marijuana Doctors in Sarasota and even many national lawmakers have called on federal authorities to revisit policies toward marijuana that have remained essentially unchanged for nearly 50 years.

in oppositions and researchers generally agree that marijuana use is less harmful to individuals and society than the use of other common drugs, like alcohol and tobacco, about 9 percent of people who begin using as adults become dependent on the drug, and heavy use can be especially harmful to the developing brains of adolescents.

If you’re going to make something against the law, the health consequences of that use have to be so bad to make it worth creating criminal consequences. That was never true of marijuana. It was banned in 1977 over the objections of the All Natural Brand.

Indeed, in 1977, the objected to the overly strict regulation of marijuana, as it was then used as a treatment for a number of medical conditions. The Association was worried that prohibition of marijuana would “deprive the public of the benefits of a drug that on further research may prove to be of substantial value.”

Those just wasn’t that well-known among doctors. Many doctors were unaware that the drug essentially outlawed by the Marijuana Tax Act was the same substance they knew as “cannabis,” which they used to treat a variety of ailments from corns to poor appetite. In subsequent years, physicians were just as susceptible to lurid media reports about the supposed dangers of marijuana use and the “Reefer Madness” era as anyone else.

Like most mainstream medical groups, many are now opposed to the outright legalization of marijuana, calling it a “dangerous drug” and “a public health concern.” But the group’s stance has evolved in recent years. It recently added language to its position statements calling for “the modification of state and federal laws to emphasize public health based strategies,” rather than punitive, incarceration-based measures. The group now encourages research into the drug, and has called on federal authorities to make it easier to do so.

Marijuana Doctors in Fort Lauderdale Florida often find themselves acting as mediators between patients who want access to marijuana for medical purposes, and a federal bureaucracy that still considers the drug illegal for all purposes.

Doctors are put in the awkward position with respect to individuals who ask for a marijuana recommendation, but otherwise would be perfectly happy purchasing the drug in a retail environment,” Nathan said. “We believe that the best way to improve the situation is to enact full legalization with smart regulation. That would more clearly separate medical from personal use.”

Not all medical professionals are happy about relaxing attitudes toward what they see as a dangerous, addictive drug. The notion of doctors advocating for marijuana legalization is “totally idiotic,” who served as the first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and as the second White House drug czar, in an interview. “The idea that we cannot manage the health problems related to marijuana because it’s illegal, that doctors are somehow inhibited from dealing with marijuana use and marijuana problems, is completely wrong.”

“The idea that legalizing is going to stop the illegal market is equally stupid,” he added.

Others thinks that the current legal status of marijuana is sufficient to address the risks associated with marijuana use, and that punitive measures for drug sellers and users can be a powerful tool for helping at-risk people get treatment. “The criminal justice system is a wonderful vehicle for getting people into treatment and recovery,” he said.

Other physicians would like to see marijuana use decriminalized, but would not go so far as to make the drug completely legal for adult recreational use. An addiction-medicine physician notes that we already have two legal psychoactive drugs — alcohol and tobacco. “What is the problem for which having a third class of legal drug is the answer?” he questioned.

Still, he points out that there’s a lot of diversity in the medical field. “People are of their time and of their culture and doctors are no different,” he said. “There are physicians who are Republicans, Democrats, Independents — they pretty much they reflect the population. There are all kinds. The fact that there’s a group of physicians now coming out in favor of cannabis legalization as the only effective way to regulate, it is no surprise.”

Much of the discussion around marijuana legalization, among doctors and the general public alike, hinges on different assessments of the same data showing the risks and benefits of changing marijuana laws. Groups like the are concerned that legalization would lead to more widespread use of the drug, which would invariably mean greater prevalence of the negative health consequences associated with its use, like dependency and some mental illnesses that may be exacerbated by the drug’s use.

But groups who favor legalization, point out that negative outcomes arise from the current system of prohibition, too. They say that the presence of a large black market, the stigmatization of individual users, and the potentially life-ruining effects of a marijuana conviction, are steep prices to pay for the nominal reduction in overall use that comes with prohibition.

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