If you visit anywhere with legal cannabis, you're bound to meet people whose lives have been changed by the herb in one way or another. It's helping many people combat personal issues, and it's given the hemp industry a second breath. Discover four major ways cannabis is changing the world.
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Let me guess; you love your herb. Whether you use it recreationally or medicinally, chances are, if you’re reading this, you have a love for cannabis. But did you ever stop to think about how much of an impact this plant is having on our planet?
1. IT’S BRINGING PEOPLE CLOSER TOGETHER
If there’s one thing cannabis is great at, it’s bringing people closer together. There’s always been a strong community surrounding cannabis, and that community is only growing ever since the legalization campaign started taking off recently.
More and more people are coming out about their cannabis use, showing us that cannabis isn’t just for “potheads” anymore. In fact, some people are even re-discovering cannabis now that its use is no longer so stigmatized as it was 50 or 60 years ago.
All across the world, people of all genders, sexual orientations, and color are coming together, united by their love for cannabis. And we all know that we could use a bit more unity in this world!
2. IT’S IMPROVING PERSONAL WELLBEING
The legalization of cannabis has catalyzed a plethora of research into the plant and how it affects the human body. Thanks to this research, we’ve learned that cannabis is much more than just a plant that gets you “high.”
Studies show that the compounds in cannabis like cannabinoids and terpenes have unique health benefits. CBD, for example, has been shown to help relieve stress and anxiety, while also helping to manage physical symptoms like pain and inflammation.
Terpenes like limonene and pinene, on the other hand, have also been shown to help fight inflammation, reduce anxiety and fear, while providing calming, relaxing effects. Many of the other compounds in cannabis have similar effects and even have the possibility be used medicinally (more on that in a bit).
Luckily, the wellness and beauty industries have really embraced the power of cannabis, giving birth to a huge variety of different cannabis-derived products. On the market today, you can find everything from hand creams and moisturisers to nutritional supplements like oils and capsules.
3. IT'S CHANGING LIVES
There is an ever-growing body of research showing that the compounds within cannabis have significant benefits for humans.
There is evidence, for example, that THC can help soothe issues of both the mind and body with its potent effects. Although psychoactive, THC has long been used by those struggling with an upset stomach or loss of appetite, among other issues. CBD, on the other hand, is used to naturally boost the mood, enhance muscle recovery, and ease tension when feeling nervous—all without imparting any psychoactive effects.
The potential of these cannabinoids is largely due to fact that the endocannabinoid system (the system that mitigates the effects of cannabinoids in the body) is involved in many key processes that keep our body operating at its best.
For more information about the medicinal benefits of cannabis, make sure to read through the “Medical” section of our website.
4. IT’S REVOLUTIONIZING INDUSTRIES
One aspect of the cannabis plant that often gets left unmentioned is its ability to transform industries. Hemp has been a staple part of industry for centuries. From being used to make clothes and paper to serving as a potential biofuel, hemp has helped the human race grow ever since we started farming (and possibly even before that).
Thanks to a growing interest in cannabis in general, the hemp industry is also getting more attention.
More people are getting informed about the industrial potential of hemp, and a growing number of companies are once again looking to hemp for specific solutions.
WE’RE NOT THERE YET
While cannabis is definitely making an impact on the world, there’s still a lot of work to do before we really start realizing the full potential of this plant.
The medical industry, for example, still needs to conduct much more research into understanding the plant before it can be adopted as a regular medicine. The same goes for the health and beauty sectors, as well as many other industries that are starting to make use of cannabis. We still have a lot to learn about this plant and its potential.
Besides that, we also still have a long way to go in destroying the stigma around cannabis use. Years of prohibition have created a very unhealthy attitude towards cannabis and its use (be it recreational or medicinal). Unfortunately, while that stigma is beginning to fade, we still have a long way to go before it's gone completely.
