Cannabis is more popular than ever, just production alone has grown ten times over the last twenty-five years. Much of the cannabis popularity is based on the fact that in recent years more and more countries are legalizing it.
According to the World Health Organization, there are about 148 million people that at least tried cannabis, which amounts to roughly 4% of the whole world. And that number is possibly a lot higher because cannabis isn’t legal everywhere. So naturally, people from those places won’t disclose if they tried it.
There are more uses to cannabis than just smoking it. It’s often used as a substitute for the medication and also as an industrial material. Today we are going to cover all cannabis uses as well as the legality of some.
Street Cannabis
Many marijuana smokers, especially in areas and countries where cannabis is still illegal, have only one choice and that is to buy it off the street. Which is fine if you don’t really care about your health and the law.
Street cannabis is not taxed and still has a higher price than one that you can get in countries where it’s legal. Cannabis you can find from some street dealers isn’t regulated which means it can contain pesticides and molds that can significantly endanger your health and make serious problems.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels of street cannabis are unknown, which means you will get high because it’s above 0.3%, and the main problem occurs when those levels are too high. High levels of THC can bring some health problems and even some serious ones like schizophrenia.
Aside from the health problems that street-level cannabis can bring, there are also legal problems that can occur. For example, street dealers are people you don’t want to have any business with, and if you are caught with illegal weed you can even go to jail in some countries. So, you see, there are problems on every corner with street cannabis. We would strongly advise everyone to avoid this type of weed and this purchasing method.
Industrial Cannabis
Industrial cannabis, also known as hemp, isn’t the regular cannabis that you smoke or ingest in any way. Although closely connected with regular cannabis, it’s actually used in a lot of industry-related products.
Products like health foods, organic body care, construction materials, biofuels, clothing, plastic composites, and more than 25.000 products can be made from hemp. The main benefit of using hemp is that it’s a renewable source, meaning that you can never run out of it.
As of today, many large corporations are using hemp seed, fiber, and oil as raw materials, some of the corporations that are using hemp products are Ford Motors, and The Body Shop and they are making a wide variety of products.
The main problem with industrial cannabis is that it’s not legal to grow, so many of the major companies that need to import seeds, oils, and fiber from farms are located in Europe, Canada, and China.
But, how is it illegal to grow but not illegal to import? Well, because its the part of the cannabis plant, and with hemp, you also have the cannabis buds that are illegal or you need special permits to grow them.
There is also a belief by the states in which cannabis is still illegal, that if they legalize hemp that cannabis buds will also be legalized. That statement couldn’t be more untrue. Many countries in Europe don’t have legal cannabis but are producing a lot of hemp legally, so there is a way.
Medical Cannabis
The biggest advantage of medical cannabis is that it helps people obviously, aside from that it’s legal. Its commonly used as a substitute for medication.
Here is the list of the medical conditions that you can use medical marijuana for:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- Severe and chronic pain
- Severe nausea or vomiting caused by cancer treatment
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Crohn’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms
What is the main difference between medical cannabis and street cannabis? It’s regulation and THC level of the cannabis. Legal levels of THC are 0.3% and anything above that is considered street level and not legal which can get you in trouble with the law.
The best thing everyone can do regarding purchasing weed is to purchase it from legal cannabis dispensaries. For example, if you are from Oklahoma and you want to purchase cannabis legally you need to first get your marijuana medical card in Oklahoma.
Medical marijuana is heavily regulated, so you don’t have to worry about mold and higher THC levels. Just get it from an official dispensary and enjoy its benefits.
Recreational Cannabis
In some states, cannabis is legal for medical and recreational uses. Be aware that in states where cannabis is legal, you need to have a medical card for both medical and recreational use.
You also need to know if recreational use is legal in your state, as some states have only legalized the medical use of cannabis. In those states, it could still be a problem if you are smoking weed if you don’t have a prescription.
Some of the benefits of smoking cannabis recreationally are:
- Increased appetite
- Increased sense of sight, taste, and hearing
- The feeling of joy and relaxation
So, if you want to relax a little, you can purchase some cannabis and enjoy it. Just be sure that it’s legal so you won’t get in any trouble with the law.
Closing Thoughts
You should now be aware of all uses and types of cannabis you will come across at least once in a while. We recommend staying on a legal and healthy path and avoiding street cannabis at all times.
Be sure to be up to date with your state laws and know whether or not it’s legal to smoke weed and if can you do it recreationally or only with a prescription. Either way, you should get a medical card so you can purchase it from official dispensaries and don’t have any already mentioned problems.