TREATING DIABETES WITH CANNABIS
One of the first big reports ever published by the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC) purported that cannabis can have the following benefits for PWDs (people with diabetes):
stabilizing blood sugars (confirmed via “a large body of anecdotal evidence building among diabetes sufferers”)
anti-inflammatory action that may help quell some of the arterial inflammation common in diabetes
“neuroprotective” effects that help thwart inflammation of nerves and reduce the pain of neuropathy by activating receptors in the body and brain
“anti-spasmodic agents” help relieve muscle cramps and the pain of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders
acts as a “vasodilator” to help keep blood vessels open and improve circulation
contributes to lower blood pressure over time, which is vital for diabetics
substituting cannabis butter and oil in foods “benefits cardiac and arterial health in general”
it can also be used to make topical creams to relieve neuropathic pain and tingling in hands and feet
helps calm diabetic “restless leg syndrome” (RLS), so the patient can sleep better: “it is recommended that patients use a vaporizer or smoked cannabis to aid in falling asleep”
Evidence for all of this still stands, and has in fact been corroborated and built upon in the past decade.
A milestone study published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2013 concluded:
cannabis compounds may help control blood sugar
marijuana users are less likely to be obese, and have lower body mass index (BMI) measurements — despite the fact that they seemed to take in more calories
pot smokers also had higher levels of “good cholesterol” and smaller waistlines
However, as mentioned, there is a whole body of evidence showing that marijuana is effective in treating eye disorders, chronic pain, sleep disorders, and a number of other ailments often associated with diabetes. So if you are living with one or more complications of diabetes, marijuana may very well ease your pain or slow the progression of the disorder you’re living with.
The biggest risk of marijuana use with diabetes is probably hypoglycemia; there are a lot of concerns that PWDs’ glucose levels will drop, unnoticed by the patient until they are in dangerous territory.
So in other words: marijuana *could* help you reduce blood glucose levels, feel better, more relaxed and pain-free, but you also need to be careful.
Is It Legal?
Well, that depends.
From marijuana to minimum wage, states across the country are ringing in 2022 with new laws that will go into effect in the new year. January 1 is typically a day when laws passed in the previous year go on the books, Christina Ruffini reports for "CBS Saturday Morning."
The nation's capital will join 15 states where recreational pot is legal. New York will become the second largest state after California where it's legal to light up. However, medical use of marijuana is gaining acceptance fast.
So how do you get a medical marijuana card that allows you legal access to medicinal cannabis? There are generally three basic requirements:
1. proof of residence of the state or territory in which it is legal
2. an eligible “serious medical condition” — definitions differ by state (California for example adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 that calls out any chronic condition “that either substantially limits a person’s ability to conduct one or more major life activities” and specifically lists diabetes. Elsewhere, eligible conditions include complications of diabetes like eye disease or chronic pain from neuropathy)
3. clearance from a doctor willing to prescribe it to you.
