Put Down the Ice Buckets and Pick Up a Joint to Help ALS

Put Down the Ice Buckets and Pick Up a Joint to Help ALS

Cannabis and ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease is something patients are learning more about. This fatal neurodegenerative disorder causes individuals the loss of motor neurons which are contained in the brain stem, spinal cord and motor cortex. This degenerative disease oftentimes dehabilitates individuals and ends up taking control of their life before it takes their life.

There are an estimated 5000 plus people every year who are given the bad news that they are going to live the rest of their lives suffering with this horrible disease. As of current there are very few pharmaceuticals that offer any kind of relief at all. This is an incurable disease that most times only offers individuals 7 to 10 years. Conventional pharmaceutical drugs are not the only option. Thanks to rallying support and growing awareness about cannabis, patients who suffer with ALS are starting to find potential relief.

The United States of America has a patent on medical marijuana stating that it has both neuroprotectant and antioxidant properties. These are both areas in which those who suffer from ALS may see benefits through the slowing down of the disease. This happens because cannabinoids help protect motor neurons. Instead of the ALS attacking and killing more motor neurons cannabis helps to prevent this. It also helps reduce stress deterioration on a cellular level.

Medical marijuana helps those with ALS and those suffering with the symptoms of ALS through a multitude of different medical attributes. Those suffering from ALS often drool where cannabis will help with the dry mouth. Where a lack of appetite comes in to a symptom referred to as wasting cannabis will dencrease that as an appetite stimulant. Spasticity is another symptom ALS sufferers live with that cannabis can help by being a muscle relaxer. Pain is an obvious part of this problem and marijuana is a nonopiate analgesia and anti-inflammatory. There are many other areas in which cannabis can potentially help those who are suffering with ALS.

Dr. Gary T Carter is the medical director of the renowned St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute located in Spokane Washington. In 2014 Dr. Gary T Carter gave a presentation called Patient Out of Time. During this seminar where he was speaking Dr. Carter was quoted saying “we know more about cannabis than 95% of other medicines. Cannabis is custom-made to treat ALS.”

Cannabis helps to treat the symptoms of ALS for patients suffering with this horrible disease. There's a multitude of different ways that you can utilize cannabis as a treatment. Topicals, oil, tinctures, inhalation, and edibles are all methods of consumption that patients with ALS will benefit from.