Nausea and Medical Marijuana

Marijuana is also effective at reducing nausea and studies have proven that medical marijuana makes for an effective Antiemetic (antinausea) medication.  For people suffering from nauseas from chemotherapy or radiation treatment, smoking marijuana relieves the nausea symptoms quickly.  People are able to eat and keep the food down which helps combat weight loss and muscle wasting.  The reduced nausea will reduce vomiting and reduce stress allowing for improved sleep patterns.  Medical marijuana has also been shown to be effective in helping people with anorexia increase their appetite and improve their mood.  Chronic nausea, a constant sensation where one feels there is a need to vomit, can be alleviated by marijuana as it reduces the nausea feeling, increases appetite, and helps keep the food down.

Medical marijuana is an effective way to treat nausea.  Usually only a small amount of cannabis is needed.  Most only require a few puffs of smoke or a small amount of vaporized gas from marijuana.  It does not have other side effects and it will not only treat the nausea but it will probably increase their appetite as well.

Nausea Reduction

The most common medical application of marijuana is for the reduction of nausea—the extreme nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and AIDS treatment, and even common nausea induced by standard medications for various ailments.  Patients facing such treatments often find that just a small amount of inhaled marijuana can immediately quell nausea.

1999 report by the Institutes of Medicine concluded, "In patients already experiencing severe nausea or vomiting, pills are generally ineffective, because of the difficulty in swallowing or keeping a pill down and slow onset of the drug effect.  Thus an inhalation (preferably not smoking) cannabinoid drug delivery system would be advantageous for treating chemotherapy-induced nausea."

For instance, in 1975, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a "double-blind" study on the effects of oral (ingested rather than smoked) tetrahydrocannabinol on nausea and vomiting.  According to the study, "No patient vomited while experiencing a subjective "high".  Oral tetrahydrocannabinol has antiemetic properties and is significantly better than a placebo in reducing vomiting caused by chemotherapeutic agents."

Proven in many studies, performed by prestigious scientific and medical organizations and individuals, that medical marijuana can (and does) relieve pain and nausea.  In fact, some of these studies go as far back as the 1970s and older.

The vomiting can last over a period of days, to the point that some patients have actually torn their esophagus.  Due to the vomiting and lack of appetite, severe dehydration and weigh loss is normal.  In fact, many cancer patients begin having a reaction before chemotherapy begins, in "anticipation" of the side effects.  Unfortunately, although chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy may be an integral part of their survival, many cancer patients decide not to take the therapies because the side effects are so severe.

Although freedom from nausea and vomiting are two of the most noticed benefits of medical marijuana use, many have reported a reduction in the severity of wasting away.  As well, they have notice a lessening in depression and other "side effects" brought on by the disease, including an increase in appetite.  All of these things together have helped many cancer patients live a better, happier, more comfortable life.

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