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Why do most patients use medical marijuana? Chronic pain

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Slowly but surely, the stigma surrounding cannabis use is losing its grip in the U.S. A new research article  published in the Journal of Health Affairs proposed to determine the exact way people are utilizing medical marijuana.

One of the most common applications for medical cannabis is pain, whether it’s headaches, inflammation, neuropathic pain, spinal injury, muscle soreness or cramps.

Marijuana users have already seen varying degrees with it in treating pain-related ailments, depending on the individual’s biology, type of pain and intensity.

Can Marijuana Be the Answer for Pain?

As cannabis becomes more mainstream, numerous discussions have continued surrounding what drives people to use it the most. Studies have found the answer isn’t recreational use but treating chronic pain. The previously mentioned study found that there were nearly 641,176 registered medical marijuana patients in 2017 and 813, 917 a year later in 2018, but they believe that figure is way lower than the actual number of people who use medical cannabis.

The data shows that 85.5% of these patients with a license to take medical marijuana were using it to find treatment for “evidence-based conditions.” At the top of the list, we find chronic pain with nearly 62.2% of people using it to treat their lasting pain.

What’s more, lots of observational polls have found that many individuals use marijuana for chronic pain, but whether such studies were representative was inaccurate.

More studies suggested that people see marijuana as a better and healthier alternative to NSAIDs and opioids. Some even suggest that marijuana will be the new opioid replacer.

Two recent studies found that states with legalized recreational use and medical marijuana laws may have a decline in opioid prescriptions. In those states, marijuana provided patients equal relief to their other medication, but without the side effects. While 81% said that taking marijuana was more effective than using marijuana and opioids, 97% said that marijuana helps them decrease the amount of opioids they took if they also took marijuana.

How to Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

There are plenty of ways you can get your medical marijuana in Florida. Reliable healthcare companies like Veriheal have a single but well-defined mission – to provide education and wellness to everyone around the world. They do that by connecting patients and medical marijuana doctors online through their platform, to provide recommendations for living a better life.

How can I get a medical marijuana card through Veriheal? 

  • Book an appointment 

There is no need to ramble from one office to another and ask around. Now you can simply schedule and attend an appointment with a licensed physician. If you’re younger than 18 or terminal, then a second physician must evaluate you, and this determination must be reflected on your medical records. Don’t forget to bring your medical history, and Veriheal will help you book your appointment with a licensed medical marijuana doctor.

  • Consult with a MMJ Doctor 

A medical marijuana doctor will be able to evaluate your ailments for 15 minutes and ask any questions you may have about cannabis treatment. Your doctor will enter your data into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. If you live in Florida, then you will have to prove your residency so that the state of FL can accept the application.

  • Get Approved

Once you are accepted and listed with the Florida Department of Health, your MMJ card will come in the mail in about 2-3 weeks. Your medical card will only be valid for 210 days and has to be recertified every 70 days. But once your card comes, you will be able to purchase medical marijuana from your local dispensary.

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