Central to every person is their experience of the world - both around and within them. This phenomenology is the starting point for all wisdom, knowledge and action.
To understand this is to appreciate the importance of the lived experience of all people navigating their path in life. Events, intentional or not, often leave marks that act as reminders and lessons of the past.
Physical, emotional and social insults may cause imbalances, leaving a person struggling and unable to self-soothe. These scars can impair a person in their daily life, overwhelming their own resources to cope.
The wise choice is to seek help. There are multitudes of strategies and techniques to meet such needs and making informed decisions on the optimum strategy is a skill in itself.
The human body has an innate system, purpose-built to manage imbalance and promote recovery from trauma, however caused. Many strategies to manage stress and aid wellness already make use of this system, intentionally or not.
The ‘Endo-Cannabinoid System’ (ECS) is the inherent ‘homeostasis’ (balancing) system found in all animals. Wellness strategies that make use of this system include ‘cold-water swimming’, exercise and even chocolate!
The function of the ECS is to return the body to a steady state, reducing inflammation, anxiety, pain and overactive immune responses, where these have been triggered and require re-balancing.
That this system has been coined the, ‘Endo-Cannabinoid System’ is no accident. The discovery of this entire system, unacknowledged until the 1990s, only came about as a result of research into the plant, Cannabis Sativa, triggered by observations of its use in humans across cultures and time.
The chemical elements found in this plant stimulate the human ECS to a degree that is unsurpassed in nature. This opens the door to a treasure-trove of therapeutic benefits not addressed by the majority of conventional medicines.
As with any intervention, there is no free lunch, however. The ECS is hard-wired into every other human physiological system, due to the fact that it evolutionarily pre-dates most of them by millions of years. Knowing where an intervention in the ECS may cause unintended issues or interactions is therefore a vital in using a, ‘cannabinoid’ therapy wisely.
Modern medicine has developed analytical methods to an extraordinary degree to unlock truth and eliminate bias when testing hypotheses, particularly around the efficacy and safety of medicines. This approach deserves respect and recognition as the, ‘Gold-Standard’ in ‘Evidence-Based Medicine’.
Existing, ‘Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products’, as unlicensed medicines, fall short of this ideal. Research studies are in their infancy and, although showing promise, the widespread use of conventional ‘cannabinoid-based’ medicines remains a distant hope.
It is in this uncomfortable gap between, ‘evidence’ and, ‘experience’ that Medical Cannabis is presently found. The vast multitude of worldwide experiences do not match the scientific rigour of ‘Evidence-Based Medicine’, but the demand for cannabis remains unabated despite multi-generational efforts at prohibition.
That cannabis, as a potent manipulator of the ‘Endo-Cannabinoid System’, has an effect on human physiology and psychological states is undeniable.
That some people with symptoms of pain and/or psychological distress find symptomatic relief from cannabis is also undeniable.
That cannabis has the potential for adverse events, risks and harms to individuals and society is equally undeniable
This is the definition of a medicine.
Society educates and authorises certain people to use their experience, knowledge and judgement to use medicines to relieve pain and suffering. In the absence of, ‘Gold-Standard’ evidence it is the responsibility of such people to, ‘Let Wisdom Guide’.
At Cannabis Clinic Cardiff, we combine lived experience with clinical expertise. We recognise your human story and can support your journey using cannabinoid therapies, whatever your experience of cannabis in the past (or none!).
As an organisation, we are excited to be a part of the evolving relationship that humans have with their, ‘Endo-Cannabinoid System’.
Our approach is one of cautious optimism. Medical Cannabis is neither a panacea nor poison - but used with respect, it offers the hope of a credible alternative where options are limited.
The myriad of potential benefits that can be achieved and the community to be fostered is a force for good in the world.
Join us in making this real.
Your Experience Matters.
Wishing you Health and Happiness,
Dr Dave
Cannabis Clinic Cardiff
Comentarios