ALS and medical marijuana

Star Trek actor Kenneth Mitchell has lost his battle with ALS. Can medical marijuana help other sufferers?

The Fresh Toast – It is a devastating disease and more research needs to be done to help patients. And as for help, what about ALS and medical marijuana?

Each year, approximately 5,000 people in Canada and the United States are diagnosed with ALS, with over 20,000 people infected with the disease. Over 15 people are diagnosed every day. It is estimated that ALS accounts for up to 50% of cases five in 100,000 deaths in people aged 20 and over. The is average Life expectancy The life expectancy of a person with ALS is between two and five years from the time of diagnosis. Some people live longer than five years. More than half of all ALS patients live more than three years after diagnosis, 20 percent live five years or longer, up to 10 percent live more than 10 years, and about five percent live 20 years or longer. What about ALS and medical marijuana?

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal form of motor neuron disease. It is characterized by progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. It is also called Lou Gehrig's disease, after a famous baseball player who died from the disease.

There is currently no cure for ALS, but some treatment options are available.

Cannabis has properties applicable to ALS symptom management, including analgesia, muscle relaxation, bronchodilation, saliva reduction, appetite stimulation, and sleep induction. When it comes to the treatment of ALS, clinical trials of cannabis are critical to help patients from both a disease modification and symptom management perspective. Based on currently available scientific data, it is reasonable to believe that cannabis could significantly slow the progression of ALS, potentially extend life expectancy and significantly reduce the overall burden of the disease.

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However, as ALS progresses, more and more symptoms are noticed. These are the most common symptoms of ALS:

• Twitching and spasms of the muscles, especially the hands and feet
• Loss of motor control in hands and arms
• Impairment of use of arms and legs
• Stumbling and falling
• Drop things
• Persistent fatigue
• Uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying
• Slurred or muffled speech and problems with vocal reproduction

As the disease progresses, the following symptoms may occur:

• Difficulty breathing
• difficulties swallowing
• paralysis

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Otherwise, be an advocate and advocate for more medical research.