On the one hand, we are witnessing an increasing enthusiasm for cannabis, but on the other hand, we are also hearing more and more warnings and stories about the dangers. In order for the many benefits of cannabis to come to your home or your body, it is good to know at least a few basic facts about cannabis or to rebuild your relationship with it.

Hemp and all its concepts

When we read and hear about cannabis, we usually hear the following terms: sativa, indica, medical, industrial hemp, cannabis, weed, marijuana, ganja, hashish, hashish resin or oil, joint, CBD resin, CBD drops, etc. What do these terms mean?

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is roughly divided into the subspecies sativa, indica, and ruderalis. Due to crossbreeding between them, approximately 2,000 subspecies of cannabis are known today.
Industrial hemp is a sub-species of hemp with a low content of psychoactive THC. Hemp with less than 0.2% THC is used in food and textile production, construction, etc., and its female flowers are also used to make therapeutic preparations with CBD.

When we talk about medical cannabis, we are talking about various subspecies of cannabis with high levels of psychoactive THC. From the female flowers of these subspecies of cannabis, THC (but also CBD, CBG, etc.) preparations are prepared for therapy for many diseases and, of course, for recreational use. With the recent change in legislation (cannabis with a high THC content has been classified as plants and substances that are very dangerous to human health due to the serious consequences that their abuse can cause, and can be used in medicine), there is hope that its use for therapeutic purposes will soon return to the service of man. Until the 1930s, cannabis had the status of a medicinal plant.

Cannabis, in addition to grass, marijuana and ganja, is one of the Slovenian slang names for all types of cannabis with a high THC content that are used for recreational purposes. These types are used to make preparations such as marijuana (or grass), hashish, hashish resin or oil. Marijuana (or grass) is prepared from a mixture of dried female flowers (or ganja), which are, for example, rolled into cigarette paper (joint) and smoked. Hashish, hashish resin or hashish oil are preparations made from hemp resin obtained from flower glands (trichomes), which means that they are concentrates of cannabinoids (especially THC, but also CBD, CBG ...) without other cannabis ingredients. Therefore, marijuana is considered a milder drug than the latter. In Slovenia, the sale and use of preparations with a THC content of more than 0.2 % is prohibited. Therapeutic use should be under the supervision of a doctor.

The terms CBD resin or CBD drops refer to preparations made from either medical or industrial hemp. In Slovenia, only processing from industrial hemp is permitted - i.e. with a low THC content (below 0.2 %). CBD resin, which is a concentrate of cannabinoids (especially CBD, CBG, THC, etc.), is also obtained from the flower glands of hemp. Since such resin is more difficult to dose, it is diluted in various base oils, e.g. hemp, palm, etc. This results in CBD drops, liquids, creams and other preparations with different concentrations (%) of the cannabinoid CBD. The sale and use of CBD preparations containing less than 0.2 % THC is permitted and legal. These preparations are intended to alleviate numerous health problems.

Rediscovering cannabis

We did not "discover" hemp today, it was already known to ancient civilizations. The first records about it date back 12,000 years. History reveals that it was used all over the world until the 1920s or 1930s for health, living and spiritual purposes. It was used, for example, to relieve constipation, treat malaria, relieve rheumatic and other pain, for women's problems, to relieve pain during childbirth and operations, for blood poisoning, snakebites, leprosy, parasites, angina ... But also to promote well-being and calm down, for food (seeds, oil ...), ropes, textiles, in construction, etc. In Slovenia, industrial hemp also grew on many family farms before 1937. If you meet any of the representatives of this generation, let your curiosity guide you - ask them about hemp and you will be surprised.

The reason why today, when we hear the word cannabis, we first think of illegal drugs, drug addicts, etc., and not of the many potentials that cannabis offers for health and living, is that we have lost our relationship with cannabis in a relatively short time. When they began to universally prosecute it (in America, for example, marijuana has been banned since 1937, and in Europe since 1971) and educate us about its harmfulness, we lost interest in it. Thus, the media, with the help of industrial (paper magnates, plastic producers, tobacco, alcohol industries, etc.) and pharmaceutical magnates, managed to push cannabis into oblivion for a while. The most useful plant in the world has become nothing more than an illegal drug. But it seems that today we are witnessing its rise again! An increasing number of modern scientific studies (more than 100,000) from around the world prove that cannabis as a plant is very effective in either alleviating or treating many ailments, and is also extremely useful in nutrition, cosmetics, and industry.

The health potential of cannabis

Hemp contains various medicinal substances – cannabinoids, terpenes and others. The most well-known are its cannabinoids. There are over 100 different ones, of which THC and CBD are the most researched today. Cannabinoids are found in the hemp glands (trichomes) on the female flowers of the plant. Cannabinoids are used by hemp to protect its own seeds from diseases. They are important not only for the survival of hemp, but, as recent studies have revealed, also for our health. Cannabinoids bind to cannabinoid receptors in our body and thus regulate the functioning of the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system (EC) is described by many as the body's largest, long-ignored biochemical communication system, as it influences mood, metabolism, memory, movement control, the immune system, reproduction, pain perception, appetite, sleep, bone development, anti-inflammatory protection of the brain, etc. The body's own cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) usually bind to the EC receptors. The body produces them itself when we are young and healthy, but as we age, their levels begin to decline, so replacing them with cannabis cannabinoids (CBD, THC, etc.) can be a beneficial aid for a number of diseases.

The European Industry Association for Hemp (EIHA) states that the cannabinoid CBD, according to the studies known so far, shows great potential for treating various problems. These include anxiety conditions (e.g. post-traumatic stress), obesity, epilepsy, dystonia, diabetes, cancer, neurodermatitis and Alzheimer's disease. In smaller doses, CBD is also said to be important for maintaining our health, as it is said to prevent infections and control inflammation and protect our nervous system. CBD is said to be a neuroprotective antioxidant that protects the brain and nervous system even more strongly than vitamin C or vitamin E. You can read more about the beneficial effects of the CBD cannabinoid in the book How to Preserve Your Brain.

Dr. JA Červek believes that cannabinoids (THC and CBD) can help with many problems, including those that are poorly manageable with modern treatments. These include neurodegenerative diseases (multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – ALS, dyskinesia), neuropsychiatric disorders (Alzheimer's disease, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety), chronic pain, appetite disorders, nausea, itching and others. They currently represent an important supplement in the treatment of cancer, but it seems that they may also act as a medicine.

The potential of cannabis for living

Experts estimate that over 25,000 different products are made from hemp today. In addition to its use for therapeutic purposes, body care (soaps, creams, etc.) and food (seeds, seed oil, protein powder), its fibers can also be used to produce a wide variety of human- and environmentally friendly products.

Hemp clothing is more body-friendly than clothing made of plastic or even cotton. Hemp clothing breathes, has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties, is durable, soft and gentle. Since hemp does not require pesticide protection, its cultivation is also more environmentally friendly than, for example, cotton cultivation. That is why you will not find traces of pesticides on hemp textiles.

Due to the extraordinary durability of hemp fibers, various materials are also made from hemp today, e.g. for making skateboard decks, which are more resistant to cracking or breaking than those made from classic materials. The use of hemp for construction purposes (for insulation, floors, building walls, roofs, etc.) is also becoming increasingly popular. Houses built from hemp material are three times more earthquake-resistant than houses made of concrete. A great advantage of hemp is its environmental friendliness. If it were used, for example, to make paper, it would help preserve forests. Since it is an undemanding plant, it can grow in different climates without special care. Due to its good resistance to pests, it does not require the use of harmful chemicals that poison our planet.

Text: Adriana Dolinar, Dr. Vet. Med., President Associations for the Awakening of the Whole Man and external collaborator of the project Together for the Health of Man and Nature and the information center – Zadravje.net.

Source: https://www.zazdravje.net/zdrava-hrana/konoplja-za-zdravje-in-bivanje/