The Economics Tutor

We know that the marijuana plant has all kinds of medicinal benefits to offer us, but how much do we know about the flower itself? In this article, we’re breaking down the cannabis plant, piece by piece, to familiarize ourselves with the terms! While it’s not necessarily important for the average user to know these terms, it sure is interesting! Breaking Down the Cannabis Plant Cannabis plants can be male, female, or even hermaphrodite, but the flower we use is always female. The male plants exist simply to fertilize the female plants. Hermaphrodite plants can technically do both, but they’re not nearly as helpful or easy to work with, for that matter. I think it’s safe to say that just about any adult can recognize the marijuana flower. Cannabis grows on long, skinny stems, with those iconic flowers extending out from the nodes. Cola The Cola refers to the cluster of tightly grown buds. Smaller Cola can be found along the lower branches, however the main Cola will be found at the ...

There are dozens of variations in the effects of different marijuana strains. For this reason, most dispensaries break the medicinal benefits down into two categories: Indica and Sativa. This makes it much easier for consumers to choose the strain that will help treat their symptoms most effectively. Is Indica or Sativa better for treating your symptoms? Take a look at the breakdown, below, for a better understanding of which may be right for you! Indica or Sativa: The Breakdown Indica Indica strains usually contain a higher THC Level. THC is the compound that produces the classic marijuana high. It often causes a feeling of drowsiness or “couch-lock.” For this reason, this category of marijuana is better used at night time. It will produce a body high, making you feel extremely relaxed. Indica acts not only as a sedative, but  works to relieve feelings of anxiety, pain and nausea, as well. Sativa Sativa strains typically contain a higher level of CBD. This makes them an excel...

Over the last few decades, the issue of antibiotic resistant bacteria has gone from concerning to downright scary. This is due to both over prescribing by doctors, and overuse by patients. While many people believe that taking antibiotics (even when they don’t need to) will benefit them, it actually just speeds up the rate of resistance. Furthermore, research into the development of new antibiotics has stalled. Luckily, research suggests that we may be able to fight antibiotic resistance with cannabis! “Major Global Threat” In 2016, the World Health Organization director, Dr. Margaret Chan stated the antimicrobial resistance is becoming a “major global threat.” The rate of infection and number of deaths seems to increase each year. Fight Antibiotic Resistance with Cannabis Cannabis contains antibiotic properties in several of its non-psychoactive cannabinoids (medicinal components). Back in the 1950’s, Sativa strains showed promising signs as an antiseptic, but scientists were unab...

As we get older, our bodies begin to deteriorate. From blood pressure medication to arthritic pain, we develop needs for prescription drugs. Although these drugs can be highly-effective at treating the conditions that come with aging, they can also be potentially dangerous. For this reason, more and more senior citizens are switching to CBD oil, in place of these prescription drugs. Reasons Why Senior Citizens are Switching to CBD Oil Less Pills The older that we get, the more medications we are put on in order to maintain homeostasis within the body. While different ailments usually require separate prescription medications, CBD oil is able to treat a wide range of symptoms. This means that we can reduce the number of pills we have to take, simply by choosing CBD oil instead. Less Side Effects Prescription drugs can produce negative side effects on their own, but it can be even worse when  several prescriptions are combined. When compared to the side effects of common medicat...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can negatively affect every single aspect of a person’s life. Aside from making it difficult to get out of bed each morning, PTSD can interfere with even the most basic of daily tasks. Common medications prescribed to treat symptoms of PTSD, can produce dozens of negative side effects. These side effects can be even worse than the original symptoms, which is why so many medical marijuana patients are choosing to treat PTSD with cannabis, instead. What is PTSD? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety condition, caused by a traumatic event, such as military combat or assault. There are 3 common symptoms associated with the condition: flashbacks, social isolation, and hyper arousal. These symptoms are caused by a change in brain chemistry (hyper-responsive stress and adrenaline hormones) over time. More specific symptoms of PTSD may include one or more of the following: persistent fear, horror, anger, guilt, and/or shame diminished interest or par...

One thing that we are now sure of, is the ability of cannabis to treat wildly different symptoms, associated with dozens of unique medical conditions. Many people, however, are still unaware of how the plant actually accomplishes this. For this reason, we’re addressing exactly how marijuana affects the systems of the body and produces such a wide range of medical benefits. How Marijuana Affects the Systems of the Body It’s important to understand that each of the systems below, rely on one another to keep the body functioning optimally. If one system is not functioning properly, all of the other systems will begin to suffer. Marijuana acts as a buffer, to help these systems function as they should and keep you healthy & happy! The marijuana plant itself is made up of hundreds of different elements. The elements mainly responsible for the medicinal benefits are called cannabinoids. Chances are that you’ve heard of the two most popular cannabinoids: THC and CBD. These componen...

Often times, when we think of medical marijuana, we picture it treating conditions like anxiety, depression, etc… Surprisingly enough, some people even utilize marijuana for weight loss! While cannabis is usually associated with increasing appetite, it can actually be quite beneficial as a weight loss method. Proven Cases The American Journal of Medicine performed a study that showed regular marijuana use led to lower levels of fasting insulin and decreased belly fat. Your body normally gets its energy from the food that you eat. Fasting lowers insulin levels, forcing the body to pull its energy from stored fat, instead. Marijuana use lowers insulin levels which allows the body to shed excess weight, especially around the abdominal area. Back in 2011, another study was conducted by the American Journal of Epidemiology . It found that obesity rates are actually 33% lower in people who use marijuana regularly. Furthermore, using marijuana will also reduce stress & cortisol leve...

There are dozens of medical conditions and illnesses that marijuana has successfully treated. From anxiety, to the side effects of cancer treatment, or sleep disorders, to PTSD, marijuana seems to be able to do it all. This leaves us wondering, is there anything that it can’t do? In this article, we’re asking the question, “Can marijuana treat Parkinson’s Disease? What is Parkinson’s Disease? This is a permanent, nervous system condition, that typically gets significantly worse over time. Common symptoms include changes in posture, tremors, stiffness, slowed cognition, and movement/speech difficulties. While the disease itself is not fatal, it can produce fatal complications. How is it Typically Treated? Often times, Parkinson’s Disease symptoms are commonly treated with prescription medications. Although these drugs are usually helpful, they can produce a wide range of negative side effects including but not limited to: ankle swelling skin conditions constipation diarrhea ha...

Do you have trouble falling and/or staying asleep at night? According to the United States Institute of Health, nearly 70 million Americans suffer from different sleep disorders. A large portion of these people treat their conditions with prescription medication, but these drugs can create more problems than solutions. For this reason, we’ve made a list of the most common sleep disorders that you can treat with medical marijuana. Sleep Disorders that You Can Treat with Medical Marijuana 1. Sleep Apnea This is a quite common condition that causes the person to stop breathing for up to 30 seconds at a time. Sleep Apnea interrupts the body’s oxygen flow, causing you to feel groggy and unfocused the following day. Medical Marijuana can actually reduce sleep apnea in the short-term. Furthermore, there are no negative side effects associated with the treatment. 2. Insomnia Some of the most common symptoms of Insomnia include: difficulty falling and/or staying asleep, drowsiness, irritab...

Have you ever found yourself wondering where marijuana gets all of its incredible medicinal properties from? While cannabinoids like THC and CBD have a lot to do with it, there’s also another extremely important element involved, called terpenes. In this article, you’re going to discover what terpenes are and why it’s so important to know your terpenes. What are Terpenes? First and foremost, terpenes are the aromatic oils that provide marijuana with its highly unique scent. There are more than 100 of them that can be found in the cannabis plant alone. Pretty much any plant or fruit that you can think of contain terpenes. They’re what make citrus smell like citrus, mint smell like mint, and so on! Terpenes change more than just the smell of marijuana, they also provide each strain with it’s own unique physiologic effects. Furthermore, each strain contains different combinations of terpenes (and cannabinoids.) It is highly recommended that if possible, you smell the different strains ...

If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, your doctor has probably written you a prescription for an antidepressant. The problem is, many of these drugs can produce some seriously negative side effects. While you never want to stop using a prescribed medication without the green light from a medical professional, you may want to consider treating your depression with medical marijuana, instead. Don’t get us wrong, antidepressants can be helpful and extremely beneficial to some . For others, however, the side effects can make symptoms (and depression) worse. In this article, we’re going to go over the benefits and side effects of commonly prescribed antidepressants and medical marijuana. Commonly Prescribed Antidepressants Some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants include Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. When you suffer from depression, you have an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters, and are responsible for mood and emotions. Antid...