Cannabis Medical World

By Michael Condon Jr. 

Cannabis has been rumored to cure just about every ailment under the sun and around the galaxy on foot, twice. Every new marijuana-related treatment is hailed and assailed equally when strapped upon the surgical table of public scrutiny by the ravenous media and Internet hawks. The benefits of raw cannabis, and raw cannabis juicing, have been hotly debated for a few years now in the medical marijuana realm. Some medicos even outright claiming it’s the cure for body cancer and societal cancers, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s take a look at marijuana as a vegetable and start making you think about plotting some chronic next to your tomatoes or cucumbers in your greenhouse next season.

The studies’ proponents of juicing use have shown that THCA (the “A” is for acid!) and CBDA, respectfully, have their own distinct medical benefits, which are minimized or evaporated when decarboxylated. In plant form, THC isn’t prevalent until it is heated, or decarboxylated in fancy speak, by the flame when you smoke, or the oven when you bake it into medi-cookies. For instance, CBD in its raw acid form is a powerful antibiotic, but once smoked, it loses that quality. Of course, there are still plenty of health advantages to smoking high-CBD strains, such as instant pain relief. Some studies have shown acidic cannabinoids are absorbed by our bodies 400 percent better than their neutral metabolites. Though the science on acidic cannabinoids is admittedly scarce.

Terpenes, as you read about in last month’s issue of DOPE, are the components that give different strains diverse aromas and they have many medicinal properties. These terpenes have a boiling point of 100-200 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the type of terpene, and are scorched to nothing when hit with a flame or baked at higher temperatures. Consuming cannabis raw allows these terpenes to enter your system and work as anti-inflammatories, anti-biotics, anti-depressants, anti-virals, anti-candidals, antimalarials and maybe even anti-gun control agents. Flavonoids are also common in raw cannabis and rarely enter into your system through conventional methods of consumption because of their low boiling point.

All cannabis plants can be juiced. Females, males, hermaphrodites, wild, fibrous strains, seeds, resin, sativas, indicas and even the oft-forgotten cannabis ruderalis can be tossed into the old wheat grass juicer. However, we probably shouldn’t expect an “add shot of raw cannabis” option for our Jamba Juice smoothies any time in the near future. Drink to better health!

1.  Use a wheat grass juicer as opposed to Jack Lalanne’s juicer or the Juice Master. Wheat grass juicers are made for leafier foods.

2.  Throw in the leaves. Leaves, buds and stems all contain health benefits. Especially those beautiful fan leaves, which are full of CBD in high-CBD strains.

3.  Be wary of the hairs, which can be sharp and lead to a sore throat. They are evolutionary defenses. They don’t work that well though.

4.  Since you will be consuming the plants raw, be sure to use organic soil, nutrients and clean water.

5.  Mix with carrot juice or another healthy vegetable. The taste of pure cannabis juice is not the most pleasant.

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