Cannabis sativa, is a tall plant that generally grows between 8 and 12 feet tall. The leaves are long and thin and are a light green. Depending upon where they are grown there could be some varieties that have a more yellow pigment to protect the plant from intense light, such as is found near the equator. Sativa buds are long and thin and turn red as they mature in a warm environment. When grown in cooler environments the buds may end up being slightly purple. Sativa plants have a sweet and fruity smell and the smoke is generally mild.

Cannabis indica, is plentiful in the Mideast, India, and Central Asia especially Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Pakistan. Generally the indica plant is short, usually between 3 and 6 feet tall. The leaves are shorter and wider than sativa plants. The color of the leaves is usually a dark green and can be tinged with purple. It is a strong smelling plant with a “stinky” or “skunky” smell. The smoke of indicas is generally thick and more prone to cause coughing when inhaled. Indicas are the traditional source of hashish.

The Sativa High:
The sativa high is often characterized as uplifting and energetic . The effects of a sativa marijuana are mostly cerebral. They give a feeling of optimism and well – being, as well as providing a good measure of pain relief for certain symptoms. A few pure sativas are also very high in THC content. They are known to have a quite spacey, or hallucinogenic, effect. Sativas are a good choice for daytime smoking.

The Indica High:
The indica highs are most often described as a pleasant body buzz. Indicas are great for relaxation, stress relief, and for an overall sense of calm and serenity. Marijuana indicas are also very effective for overall body pain relief, and often used in the treatment of insomnia. They are the late – evening choice of many smokers as an all – night sleep aid.

Medical studies show heavy marijuana smokers have suffered severe bronchitis and respiratory infections. Vaporizing marijuana is an excellent way of reducing the irritating respiratory toxins in marijuana smoke. The vaporizer reduces the amount of tar you inhale. Their is quite a bit of tar in marijuana, tobacco and other herbs especially in Marijuana.

Also herbs are smoked on a recreational basis by millions of people across the world. These people can also take advantage of the benefits of a vaporizer.

The effect of vaporizing herbs is generally quite different to smoking. Some prefer the feeling of vaporizing and others prefer the feeling of smoking. Even if you prefer the feelings of smoking, it is very handy having a vaporizer. It can be used from time to time to reduce the harmful affects of smoking. For example if you have a sore throat and would like to consume your herbs. The vaporizer can be used and it should not irritate your throat. Or you may feel that your lungs are congested and need some improving, but you would like some herbs. Then vaporize your herbs and you should see improvements in your health. This is especially the case if you have a cold or the flu. The marijuana/herbs may help to reduce the severity of the symptoms caused by the cold. It may be just to painful to smoke when you throat is sore and lungs are conjested.

If you smoke marijuana and find that you are becoming tired and unmotivated and you do not want to quit using marijuana. Try vaporizing your marijuana and you will get more a of a clean headed high buzz.

Like tobacco, marijuana smoke contains toxins that are known to be hazardous to the respiratory system. Among them are the highly carcinogenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, a prime suspect in cigarette-related cancers. These toxins are essentially a byproduct of combustion, separate from the pharmaceutically active components of marijuana, known as cannabinoids, which include THC. When you burn marijuana it produces quite a lot of tar. Pipes and joints generally do not have proper filters. Bongs are not the answer, because you inhale concentrated smoke.

The vaporizer certainly reduces the level of tar. You will not have to worry about the harmful carcinogens your body is absorbing when you inhale marijuana smoke.

How to use a Marijuana Vaporizer

You take your marijuana buds and cut them up or grind them slightly. This helps increase the surface area. You then place the cannabis in to the cup style bowl and adjust the temperature. Each vaporizer is different so read the directions on how to control the temperature. The vaporization temperature will alter the affect of the herb.

How Does A Marijuana Vaporizer Work

As the heat is applied to your herbs the THC resins inside medical cannabis buds gets hot enough to vaporize. When this happens the good chemicals held within the small resins on the plants actually vaporize out into a thin mist (vapor). The vapor starts to thicken as it gathers inside a clear glass dome. The vapor is now ready to be inhaled through a long tube. Once the marijuana has been fully vaporized, you are left with the remains of the marijuana plant. The remaining chaff is the waste product. This is what you would have inhaled had you smoked the marijuana rather than vaporize it.

What Are The Benefits Of A Marijuana Vaporizer

The greatest benefit is that you do not inhale any of the harmful smoke produced by a marijuana cigarette (joint). However, through the vaporization process you still receive all the active chemical ingredients from the marijuana buds you place in the bowl. When you burn herbs harmful chemicals are created. Vaporizing your herbs reduces the number of harmful chemicals.

According to the investigators at the University of Salerno, cannabinoids (one of the compounds found in medical marijuana) limit cancer cell proliferation and induce tumor-selective cell death.

The authors of the scientific review concluded that, cannabinoids inhibit “tumor growth and migration, angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels to cancerous tumors), [and] metastasis (the transfer of malignant cells from one site to another).” They are also quoted as stating that, “Emerging evidence suggests that agonists of cannabinoid receptors … may offer a novel strategy to treat cancer.”

A 2008 review in the journal Cancer Research reported that the administration of cannabinoids halts the spread of a wide range of cancers, including brain cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lymphoma. This is great news for those who are suffering from the different forms of cancer.

To date, only one clinical trial assessing the use of cannabinoids as anti-cancer agents has been conducted. That trial reported that THC administration decreases recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor growth in patients afflicted with the disease.

As more and more states create laws allowing medical marijuana we expect that the medical community will also come along side and do even more scientific research into the qualities and benefits of medical marijuana.

Estimates show that over 30 million people suffer from arthritis each year. Many of those sufferers have severe joint pain that does not allow them to do the activities they know and love. Even though there are many treatments for arthritic conditions, the biggest problem is that many of them are harmful to your body in other ways. To date, nothing has been found that can reverse the disease and generally it only gets worse as you age, which is why most treatment options focus on pain relief and supplements that help to rebuild cartilage.

For the last 30 or 40 years there has been a lot of controversy over the use of cannabis or marijuana as it is commonly known. Much of this controversy is because of the “hippie” age and the use (or mis-use) of the medicinal plant for getting “high.” However, for hundreds of years marijuana has been used for treating illness and disease. Now that states like Colorado are passing legislation that allows the medical use of marijuana, it is not surprising that more and more people are interested in learning how the use of marijuana can help in treating their pain.

There has been plenty of research done to learn the effects of using the drug in treating joint conditions and as an alternative for other available prescription pain relievers. In 1986, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a pill known as Marinol. The key component in Marinol is THC, a component found in marijuana. This pill was and still is used today for the treatment of nausea from chemothearpy. It has been determined that Marinol (Dronabinol, THC), acts differently than marijuana when smoked and is not as effective.

Aspirin is one of the most commonly prescribed over the counter medications for Arthritis. The problem with this is that aspirin is believe to cause more than 1,000 deaths annually in the United States. Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs are also routinely used for arthritis treatment. These drugs have been the cause of more than 7,600 annual deaths and 70,000 hospitalizations. The long-term use of tylenol (acetaminophen) is considered to be one of the common causes of end-stage renal disease. What this is all boiling down to is the fact that marijuana, when smoked several times a day is often as effective (or sometimes more effective) than NSAIDs or acetaminophen in arthritis treatment, and without any reports of death.

It could be many more years before we finally know the answer to cure arthritic symptoms. However, if you are seeking a way to treat the pain and inflammation that is debilitating you today then medical marijuana may be a better option than what you are currently using.