A lot of anti-marijuana activists believe that marijuana transforms good, valuable members of society into angry individuals with greasy hair and no future. However, that is most definitely not the case. Quite a few American states have legalized marijuana for personal use, and even more states have legalized it for medical use. Research on the plant has picked up in earnest, yielding surprising results – cannabis actually comes with quite a bit of health benefits! Let’s take a look.
1 – It may help you maintain a healthier weight
Studies have actually shown that weed smokers tend to be at healthier
weights compared to non-smokers. This is true across quite a range of demographics from ages 18 all the way to 74. People who smoke marijuana were more likely to have lower body mass index scores which indicated that they were at healthier weights. They had lower amounts of body fat and visceral fat. Furthermore, they were less at risk for diabetes.
2 – It can actually strengthen your lungs
Contrary to popular belief, smoking marijuana can actually help your lungs rather than harm them. The lung function of weed smokers surpassed those of both cigarette smokers and non-smokers alike. Experts postulate that this may be because of the deep drags that weed smokers take. The constant exercise for your lungs can actually develop them to become more efficient.
3 – It can make you more creative
Weed smokers tend to be more creative in terms of verbal language. Research indicates that cannabis promoted schizotypy and divergent thinking, which are two things indicative of creativity. When people who tested for low creativity smoked weed, their creativity scores increased significantly. Their scores can even be considered highly creative.
4 – It’s great for athletic performance
There are quite a few people who have tested the effects of marijuana on athletic performance. Many have reported that they could tough out their endurance sessions for a longer period of time and were less sore after weightlifting sessions.
5 – It’s much better than drinking
Alcohol is a whopping 114 times more deadly than alcohol. There actually have been no people who have died as a direct result of cannabis. People are also less inhibited than they are when drinking alcohol. Weed is probably the safest drug there is out there.
6 – It can help you wean off harmful drugs
Individuals who were addicted to heroin and other opiates underwent studies where marijuana was a part of their recovery plan. The results were impressive – patients who smoked weed while undergoing treatment for opiate addiction fared a lot better compared to patients who didn’t. They experienced lower levels of anxiety, were able to sleep more soundly at night and were more likely to complete the entire program.
Scientists also discovered that when patients were treated with dronabinol, a compound found in cannabis, they were able to reduce opiate withdrawal symptoms quite significantly.
