Changes in terminology may help the terminally ill The Ministry of Health made changes yesterday to the terminology they use in their descriptions of cannabis-based products. The changes also reach in to the applications themselves, in order to better reflect how applications for medicinal cannabis are assessed. Criteria simply becomes guidelines, but why? According to the Ministry of Health, the …
Joint, bong, vape: Which best for your lung health?
While the negative health effects of cannabis might be minuscule compared with tobacco, inhaling smoke from any source is ultimately going to damage your lungs. Smoking medicinal cannabis, bong, joint or vaporiser? Opinion in the medical community is still divided over exactly how carcinogenic marijuana smoke is to the human body, but one thing is certain: Your method of consumption can have …
Top 5 cannabis strains for pain relief
Treating pain using cannabis? There are three main types of marijuana: Sativa, indica and hybrid. While there are some similarities between them, each has a different effect and is therefore best suited to specific applications. Within these species, there’s a plethora of strains, each with their own appearance, flavour, potency, and mental and physical effects. If you’re a casual user, …
What is Sativex and why is it so expensive?
Sativex and the huge costs for kiwis Although the winds of change are slowly blowing in New Zealand’s direction, as it stands, all medical marijuana products are considered illegal. Well, almost all of them. Sativex, a mouth spray containing cannabis extract, is available to a very select group of people. Who can get a Sativex prescription? According to Medsafe, each spray …
Addiction – 3 most common cannabis withdrawal symptoms
Symptoms usually lead us to the use of medical cannabis, but it’s also wise ask… is cannabis addictive, and what are the withdrawal symptoms of stopping it’s use? Back in the Reefer Madness days, extensive propaganda led people to believe that cannabis was some satan-sent plant with an addiction potential that made heroin symptoms look downright harmless in comparison. A …
Nelson woman cleared of charges for importing medical cannabis
Late night online shopping is an expensive hobby that many of us take part in from time to time, but an increasing number of people are buying one type of product in particular – medicine. Around 58,000 medicines were referred to Medsafe, New Zealand’s Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, between 2006 and 2013, according to stuff.co.nz. Approximately 70 per …
Shaman’s grave hides world’s oldest marijuana stash
The use of cannabis extends back millennia, with evidence indicating that ancient civilisations in Greece, Egypt and other parts of the world made use of medical marijuana to treat their ailments. However, few finds have been as impressive – or as historically important – as the enormous stash of cannabis uncovered in 2008 at the Yanghai Tombs near Turpan, a region …
First-ever study of medical marijuana for PTSD gets the go ahead
The United States has historically taken an incredibly hard-nosed approach to cannabis. In fact, between 2001 and 2010, more than 7.2 million people were arrested for possession of marijuana, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. However, things are slowly changing. Medical cannabis is now legal in 24 states, which has paved the way for an increasing amount of research …
Importing medical cannabis to New Zealand
Planning a trip to New Zealand in the near future but aren’t sure whether you can bring your medical marijuana with you? This article is for you. We’ve put together all the information you need to help you make an informed decision about whether you should try and bring prescription cannabis into the country. Are you allowed to import medical cannabis into …
Can cannabis be used to treat osteoarthritis?
Medicinal cannabis has long been recognised as an effective tool for combating the chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis. However, more research is coming to light that suggests the plant could also be used as more than a symptomatic treatment, and actually address the root cause of this debilitating disease. What is osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease caused by …