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Can Cannabis End The Suburban Heroin Epidemic?

Can Cannabis End The Suburban Heroin Epidemic?

Culture

Can Cannabis End The Suburban Heroin Epidemic?

The heroin epidemic has reached an all-time high death rate in suburban areas. You might think that heroin is just a drug that you see on TV or in the movies, but it has increasingly infested it’s way into the ‘burbs and the country. But could cannabis be the savior and finally put a stop to this horror.

In middle America, heroin is becoming the new drug of choice for teens because of how easy it is to get and how inexpensive it is. However, this has lead to an outbreak of overdoses and death.

In Columbus, Ohio between 2010 and 2016, the death toll related to heroin use has jumped from 50 to over 3,000 people.  According to a new University of Cincinnati study, one in five people in Ohio know someone who is struggling with a heroin addiction.

So what is there to do? How can you help someone who is struggling with a drug that is so powerful and addicting?

The answer might lie in medicinal cannabis.

Cannabis has recently been shown to reduce the addiction of opioids and pain killers. Those that have suffered from chronic pain have stated in a recent study that cannabis has both reduced their pain and addiction to pills.

Michelle Ham, who has diagnosed painkillers for a bad back, reported that painkillers made her feel like a zombie, that she was emotionless and was only living, not enjoying.

However, after a friend introduced her to cannabis, she was able to go back to volunteering and to live the life that she wanted without the use of opioids.

Pennsylvania recently became the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana. Sen. Mike Vereb indicated that medicinal marijuana was the only thing powerful enough to stop the addiction to opioids or heroin abuse.

However, a study has found that there is a scientific reason that cannabis can stop a heroin addiction.

The component THC, which releases into the body after smoking cannabis dronabinol. Dronabinol is the active ingredient that stops withdrawal symptoms and prevents the body from naturally wanting to take in more of a drug, specifically in this case heroin.

Cannabis also curbs the anxiety and insomnia that comes with withdrawal symptoms. The paranoia that an addicted person gets from a lack of dopamine, which is what controls pleasure in the body.

Cannabis, however naturally releases dopamine into the body allowing the user to get a sense of pleasure and will less likely to feel depression because of a lack of drug.

The heroin epidemic is terrible and killing off many young lives. However, cannabis could, in fact, be the natural remedy to curb this awful addiction.

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