Several years ago, the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana program was signed into law. Pennsylvania was actually the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana in the United States. At the current moment, we are at number 34! However, not many people in Pennsylvania have gone and received their medical marijuana card. Part of this can be attributed to the fact that the medical marijuana program in this state is somewhat complicated and strenuous. Many people do not want to take the time and effort necessary to apply for their medical card.

However, it is becoming more and more apparent that cannabis has great healing properties and health benefits, and can treat and manage a variety of health conditions and chronic diseases. Because of this, I am an advocate for everyone having access to a medical mariuajana card if they can. So if you live in Pennsylvania, I am writing this article to help you apply and obtain your very own medical marijuana card. For many people that are currently using other prescribed medications to treat their health conditions or manage their pain symptoms, transitioning to a new drug can be a bit scary, especially if you aren’t quite sure how your body will react. However, marijuana is much more natural than other medications and has way less side effects than a lot of other prescription medications that are available. Not to mention, they are much better for your body and less addictive than pain meds like opioids, which causes thousands of deaths in the United States per year. If you are someone who is ready to try a different type of medical treatment and are waiting for the right time or opportunity, let this article be a sign for you to go out and apply for your medical card today! So without further ado, let’s talk about how medical patients in Pennsylvania can apply for their card.

The first thing that you need to check for before getting your medical marijuana card is that you qualify under the list of health conditions listed by the state of Pennsylvania. When the program initially launched in 2016, there were 17 different health conditions that made the list. Now, there are 21 qualifying health conditions that can allow you to receive legal medical marijuana treatment options. Some of these conditions include autism, epilepsy, crohn’s disease, IBD, Parkinson’s Disease, and others that I do not feel like listing. You can check out the list of qualifying conditions for yourself on their website, so go check it out if you need to. If you have a condition that does not fall under the list to qualify in the state of Pennsylvania, you are not able to apply for your medical marijuana card.

However, you can petition for your condition to be added to the list and hopefully you can find a way to get the treatment you need. Making an appointment with your primary care physician or family doctor will be the quickest way to determine if you qualify for medical cannabis. In addition to having the qualifying conditions, your doctor also needs to make sure that you do not have any factors that could cause risk from using medical marijuana. Certain respiratory or cardiovascular problems can be problematic for people using marijuana, and your doctor can also compare what medications you are taking currently that may be ineffective after using cannabis. If you do qualify and your doctor approves, you will be referred by the doctor and cleared for the next steps to get your medical marijuana card.

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time at some point in their lifetimes. Anxiety and stress just occur as part of our human condition. However, have you ever known someone with anxiety disorder? Or have you had one yourself? Anxiety disorders are a much different animal, and various anxiety disorders are becoming more and more of a problem throughout the United States. The pandemic of 2020 and into 2021 did not help with many Americans’ mental health. Apparently, there was a 30% increase in the number of adults in the nation that experienced worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety.

One of the reasons that people seek out the use of medical marijuana is to treat symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety disorders can look different for each person, but we do know that they can be treated with therapy and with medication. However, some of the prescription medications that are currently available for people with anxiety are not necessarily great options. That is why it can be extremely helpful to use medical marijuana as a way to manage feelings of anxiety. Cannabis is much more natural than other synthetic prescriptions that you can find on the market today, and it has way less adverse effects. Marijuana is still a drug though – and like any other drug, it does have its drawbacks. One of those drawbacks actually happens to be that it can make anxiety worse.

That is why it is really important to know which strain of marijuana can be right for you when it comes to treating anxiety. If you struggle with social anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic attacks, or other forms of chronic anxiety, medical marijuana may be able to be an effective treatment method for you. Just keep in mind that there are well over 700 strains of cannabis, so you are going to need some research before you can find the one that is right for you. In this article, we are going to be talking about which strains of cannabis are popularly used for treating anxiety, and which ones we would recommend for you.

Like I mentioned earlier, it is important to keep in mind that each strain of cannabis has its own set of effects. While they are often similar to each other, they are not entirely the same. Sativa and indica, both of which are categories of cannabis strains, can have very different effects on the user. Instead of taking a strain that is entirely sativa or indica, it seems best to take a hybrid stain of the two – at least, when it comes to treating feelings of anxiety. So here are a few strains that are great for treating anxiety disorders:

The first strain that we are going to be talking about is called Chocolate Chunk. This strain is just as delicious as it sounds, and it is also very effective for treating anxiety. In fact, many people consider it to be one of the best strains for doing so. The strain is almost completely indica, meaning that it works as a strong sedative to help you calm down and relax. If you feel that your anxiety is keeping you from sleeping, as it can in many patients, this strain is a good one to smoke right before bedtime. You will be able to calmly drift off to sleep without all those thoughts racing through your mind.

Another great strain for dealing with anxiety is called Amnesia Haze. This strain lives up to its name in the fact that it is quite powerful. This is a sativa-dominant hybrid strain, meaning that it has a much higher THC content than other similar strains. It will help you to feel relaxed but won’t cause you to fall asleep in the middle of the day.

Many Americans, like myself, have to deal with an overwhelming amount of stress on a regular basis. We all lead much busier lives than we want to, and it is no secret that mental stress and anxiety that may just seem to be in our heads can manifest itself in very physical and unpleasant ways. What do I mean by that? Well, we can all identify the physical symptoms of stress in our lives. Some people get headaches that will not go away despite taking ibuprofen or tylenol. Other people deal with intense stomach problems that can cause digestive issues and uncomfortable stomach pains. Personally, I always have to go to the bathroom when I get overly nervous, anxious, or stressed, and I absolutely hate having to deal with it. Some people have a really hard time getting through the day without dealing with stomach and digestive problems. Balancing your digestive tract is one of the basic functions of the human body, and it is really important to try and get things figured out down there if at all possible.

Interestingly, your diet and level of nutrition can be a huge factor in making sure that you are having healthy bowel movements. I say this is interesting, because most people think of dieting as avoiding fats and sugars and whatever else is considered unhealthy. However, when it comes to eating right, we have to keep in mind how our gut health and gastrointestinal tract are faring as well. Did you know that 70% of your immune system functioning starts with a healthy digestive system? Well, now you do. So there is a real correlation between eating the right types of foods and maintaining a health, balanced, and functional lifestyle. The interesting thing about the human body is that everything seems to be connected one way or another. If one part of the body slows down or malfunctions, other parts of the body are bound to follow suit eventually. This type of event can create severe health problems in the long run. So, with all of that being said, how can CBD help?

It is no secret that CBD can be really effective for treating inflammation. What is inflammation? Most people assume that it is just swollen skin on the epidermis. ACtually, the more painful and severe inflammation takes place within the body and can really affect your day to day life. Medical patients that use CBD report significantly less levels of inflammation and pain. Also, it is true that CBD can be taken in a variety of ways. You can use tinctures and oils, edibles, or even capsules or pills. Also, CBD is great for relieving stress.

Stress is actually really impactful on the human body. Sort of going along with what I said earlier, stress can manifest itself in physical ways that we could never even imagine. Many studies have been done that show the correlation between stress and poor immunal health, digestive function, and brain activity. We truly are not ourselves when we are stressed. Also, stress can have even more detrimental effects on our minds and bodies if it is long term. So how can we fight back against stress? Well, the biggest way is to eliminate what it is that is stressing you out. However, some people just feel stressed about normal things in their everyday life. If that is the case, medical marijuana like CBD or THC products may be effective means of treating anxiety or chronic stress. Millions of people use cannabis everyday to manage and treat their overwhelming amounts of stress, and you could too!

There may be a significant amount of change coming to the United States in the wake of Covid-19. This pandemic has undoubtedly changed our society and the way that our country functions (and we are still seeing changes), and one of those changes is the increased demand for marijuana from a medical standpoint. The year 2020 was the most booming and profitable year for the marijuana industry, and it became widely more accepted to use cannabis in 2020 than the year prior. The reason for this is because people were dealing with a lot more stress, anxiety, and mental health problems overall that lead to them using marijuana’s health and relaxation benefits to cope. Since then, there has been a shift in the policies and viewpoints of governments that may indicate marijuana being decriminalized in the near future. Out of the 50 states in America, over 30 of those have legalized medical marijuana programs, and about 14 of those have also legalized marijuana for adults to use recreationally. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before weed becomes legalized on a federal level.

My guess is that this will occur within the next 10 years or so. But what will that look like at a ground level? Well, it’s hard to know for sure. But what we do know is that the current White House administration is looking to decriminalize weed and impose a federal excise tax on the cannabis industry. This would significantly change the incarceration rates for individuals who are caught using cannabis, and would also allow for previous offenders that are serving time for marijuana related charges to be expunged. So what would decriminalizing marijuana do for our great country? Well, there are actually lots of different benefits and opportunities that would be created by the complete federal legalization of cannabis. In this article, we are going to talk about a few of those. 

Firstly, decriminalizing cannabis would significantly impact veterans and their access to medical cannabis. When it comes to health care needs, one of the more in-need people groups in America are our very own veterans. Many veterans would testify in saying that their VA does not necessarily do a great job in aiding with the usage of cannabis for veterans that are suffering from chronic pain, diseases, PTSD, and other qualifying conditions. This is because veterans have had to seek the recommendation for medical marijuana usage from sources outside of the VA, which can be very expensive. Some veterans were not able to afford doctor visits outside of the VA, and thus could not get qualified and referred for medical marijuana coverage. Decriminalizing medical marijuana would make it so that veterans have a much easier time getting the medical treatment they need, and they would not need to pay out of pocket for other medical professionals to help. 

Secondly, legalizing medical marijuana on a federal level would allow states to make their own decisions regarding the use of cannabis and how their policies will be enforced. This means that states do not necessarily have to comply with the federal standards and let medical cannabis programs be utilized in their state. However, most states will probably go ahead and follow suit with the federal government. Over half the states in the United states currently have legalized medical marijuana, so it makes sense that federal decriminalization of the plant would encourage other states to do the same and cash in on that sweet tax revenue from the cannabis industry. I am looking forward to the day that medical marijuana is available to all patients who need it, regardless of the state that they live in.

Sleep is super important for us. Most Americans can probably testify that they do not get enough sleep every night. I usually try to get between 8 and 9 hours of sleep a night, but it doesn’t always work out that way. The truth is, we can become so busy and so worked up in our lives that we barely have enough time to get some sleep here and there. Part of this can be attributed to all of the blue light that we love to soak up from our phones, and also the large amounts of caffeine that we drink throughout the day. I love drinking coffee, and this is definitely something that greatly affects my sleeping patterns and schedules. However, for some people, not getting enough sleep is a nightly occurrence due to certain health conditions or chronic pain.

These patients can be kept awake into the early morning hours due to the symptoms of their health condition or the severity of their pain. Getting through the week can be an extreme struggle when it comes to not getting enough sleep. Also, it is worth mentioning just how ineffective and useless a lot of over the counter sleep medications can be. Plus, if you are relying on more serious medications like ambien to fall asleep, you may end up having some long term sleep problems caused by the side effects. So what’s the solution?

Well, it might be as simple as using certain marijuana strains to help you sleep better at night! After all, marijuana is used to treat so many different health conditions, it is really no surprise that it can also be used to help people sleep. Cannabis can help people with insomnia by relaxing them and helping them to feel tired, but also by relieving some of the symptoms from their health condition and chronic pain. So today, we are going to be talking about some of the most effective marijuana strains for helping people fall asleep and stay asleep.

It is important to make the distinction between certain cannabis strains when talking about sleep. The reason for this is because a lot of cannabis strains are different from each other and have very different effects. While some strains are great at helping you to fall asleep and relieve pain, others can leave you feeling very wired and energized, and that will not be helpful to fall asleep. So, in order to help educate you on the strains that are best for sleeping, I have written this article out. Indica dominant strains are generally associated with more relaxing, calming, and sleepy highs that can make you feel sensation all over your body. You may find yourself the comfiest you’ve ever been while smoking some indica dominant weed. So if you are wanting to fall asleep, these strains will be your best bet.

The first strain that you should try is called Sweet and Sour Widow. Some of you may make the connection between this and White Widow, which is a relative of this marijuana strain that is also helpful for sleeping. The reason that I bring up Sweet and Sour Widow is because of how well it balances THC and CBD that makes up this strain. Another great strain for falling asleep is called Skywalker. This strain is known for its fruity aroma and will help you drift off to sleep in no time. Plus, using these strains will help you to feel calm and euphoric as you drift off to sleep. Most people who smoke weed can attest to how well they sleep that night. However, you may experience some strange dreams!