The idea that Cannabis is a gateway drug is still very much ingrained in some of our minds. I can’t help but agree. For me, this plant with my naturally occurring cannabinoid receptor system has been a gateway to many good things. For people like myself, Cannabis is a gateway to sleep, smiles, sex, and good health just to name a few.
In fact, the number of people switching from pills to plants is rising so quickly that heads are turning.
Gramma and Grampa are both on the herbal and the canes are flying out the window. Children and seniors alike are going to legalizing clinics in droves so they can finally live free.
For each, living free means something different.
For many, it means living pain-free and addiction-free for the first time in their lives. I’m speaking of those in the midst of the opioid epidemic or even those on the cusp. They are a faceless, yet growing statistic that we all read about daily. The thing is, there are faces to these statistics and they’re as common as your Gramma and Grampa. Doctors prescribe opioid pain medications to children and seniors every single day. Some are for simple procedures that used to require a popsicle and an aspirin when I was young!
With each dose of Cannabis oil, opioids get titrated down. Each puff of cannabis vapor quells aches, pains, tremors, and metal illnesses.
Is Cannabis a gateway drug even when it gets people off of hard drugs?
There’s a very good reason why Cannabinoids are replacing so many pharmaceuticals for so many conditions. Not only does our endo (naturally occurring) cannabinoid system contribute to our immune system, improving our health, but it also has a way of lessening the negative bias a depressed, sick, or stressed brain can have.
As you know, different regions of the brain are responsible for different things. The two Cannabinoid receptors called CB1 and CB2 are in the region of the brain that controls our emotions. Cannabis turns your frown upside down and makes you giddy for a reason. A veteran friend of mine who recently changed from pills to plants told me he couldn’t believe how many emotions he felt now, where before he was numb. Opioids, and recently Acetaminophen in studies confirm their ability to deaden emotions.
This can feel like a good thing and is often one of the reasons why people continue to take them. When the side effects are this bad, numb is good.
Everyday I read testimonials of healing from new patients using this plant in its many forms. Many enjoy the experimentation and subjective nature of it. You do have to start low and titrate slowly with whatever ingestion method you choose. Many also report other health changes they weren’t expecting but welcomed gladly. With receptors in almost every single part of the body, it’s no wonder why this plant just does a body good! So the next time you hear the rhetoric of Cannabis being a gateway drug, challenge them with your knowledge and remember to duck for flying canes!
– Dianna Donnelly
Dianna Donnelly is a Cannabis educator, blogger, and free-lance writer living in Kingston, Ontario. She counsels new patients on the safe and effective use of medicinal cannabis and believes that with enough time, cannabis, and coconut oil she can heal the world.
