WATCH | MEDICINAL CANNABIS UNCOVERED
When it comes to medicinal cannabis and CBD, we know many of you have a lot of questions and we are here to be a hub where you can come to keep informed. We will cover everything from the basics of THC & CBD to the science behind products. It’s a new industry so there’s a lot to learn and we will be continuously learning and researching for you, working hard to bring you up to date information around medicinal cannabis and the medicinal cannabis industry.
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Why Medicinal Cannabis?
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What is it that makes cannabis stand out from other plants?
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But what makes cannabinoids effective in medicine?
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How Do I Access Medicinal Cannabis in New Zealand?
Questions? We've answered a few of the most commonly asked questions below.
Why Medicinal Cannabis?
Medicinal cannabis effectively treats a range of chronic, painful, and life-altering afflictions.
- Chronic pain management
- Epilepsy medication
- Huntington’s disease treatment
- Alzheimer’s medication
- Parkinson’s disease treatment
- Insomnia
- Autism
- Autoimmune diseases
- Crohn’s disease
- Colitis
- Fibromyalgia and more.
What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is considered the master regulatory system of the body. It helps us maintain homeostasis (aka balance) in our bodies by communicating with other biological systems and helping other systems in the body stay healthy.*
What does the Endocannabinoid System Support?
We can’t say it enough: Balance. When life throws us curve balls and external or internal stressors disrupt the body’s function, the ECS is activated to return it to stability. ECS health is so important in our ability to function because of all the broad processes the ECS regulates such as balance, appetite, sleep, mood, memory, immunity, and more.
Elaborate on Endocannabinoids…
The human body produces compounds called endocannabinoids that bind to endocannabinoid receptors to support homeostasis. Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body: in the brain, organs, connective tissues, glands and immune cells. Considered “a bridge between body and mind,” endocannabinoids help support and protect our immune system, nervous system and virtually all organs in the body.
What is CBD?
What is CBD?
CBD, otherwise known as Cannabidiol, is one of the most well-known phytocannabinoids found in the hemp plant. CBD’s claim to fame is its ability to support happy mood, balance and wellness.*
What are the effects of CBD?
CBD is a phytocannabinoid, and has been shown to help the ECS preserve the body’s natural supply of endocannabinoids. Science has demonstrated that supplementing our supply of endocannabinoids with phytocannabinoids may help the body’s ability to thrive in a wide variety of ways.*
How Is It Different Than Marijuana?
Long story short, Hemp and Marijuana are two different species of the same plant family — similar to a Roma Tomato and a Cherry Tomato. The main difference between these two species is the level of THC, so consider Hemp to be Marijuana’s sober botanical female cousin, containing less than 0.3% of THC.
What’s the difference between THC and CBD?
What’s the difference between THC and CBD?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two primary cannabinoids that occur naturally in the Cannabis sativa plant. Both of these interact with the cannabinoid receptors found in the human body and brain, but they differ dramatically in their effects.
CBD is non-psychoactive which means that it will not get you high. Because of this trait, CBD appears more frequently than THC in dietary and natural supplements. Research studies indicate that CBD may be useful in helping with: Pain (neuropathic, chronic, cancer-related, etc.) Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Acne, Psoriasis, Depression, Diabetes, Nausea, and Anxiety.
THC is the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant and is the primary agent responsible for creating the ‘high’ associated with recreational cannabis use. Research studies indicate that THC may be useful in helping with: The side effects of Chemotherapy, Multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, Spinal injury: Lessen tremors, Nausea, and vomiting, Chronic pain, Inflammation, Digestive health, as well as many other chronic conditions.
Can You Get “High” Off Hemp?
What is Hemp?
Hemp is a nutrient-dense plant that’s used across the globe as food, fiber, supplements and medicine. Hemp stalk and seeds contain terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, chlorophyll and amino acids and its flowers contain phytocannabinoids like CBD.
What’s a Cannabinoid?
This is a great question to tackle early on. To put it simply, cannabinoids promote balance and overall wellness by moderating the communication between the cells of our bodies.* There are two types of cannabinoids: endocannabinoids, which our body naturally creates and phytocannabinoids, which are derived from cannabis and hemp.
So Phytocannabinoids come from Hemp?
Exactly. Phytocannabinoids are hemp-derived (and other cannabis species) cannabinoids that are found in the flowers of the hemp plants. In fact, hemp contains over 100 types of phytocannabinoids including, CBD. These phytocannabinoids work naturally with the body’s endocannabinoid system and other natural body systems to help regulate a variety of processes like appetite, sleep, mood and immunity.* Endocannabinoid receptors found throughout the brain and body work with phytocannabinoids found in the plant to help support homeostasis, the body’s natural state of balance.*
Can You Get “High” Off Hemp?
Recently, people have started smoking hemp in the form of pre-rolled cigarettes, or bought as “buds” that look similar to marijuana. Smoking “hemp flower” can be very relaxing, but it won’t make you “feel high” like smoking marijuana. That’s because these legal hemp buds are high in a compound called CBD, but extremely low in the compound THC.
