420 Day 2019: Health Benefits of Cannabis and Everything You Want to Know About This Day Dedicated to ‘Weed’

Cannabis has been a controversial subject, even after quite a few of the prominent places in the world have legalised the appropriate use of cannabis also called marijuana. However, the cannabis plant has an age-old connection with the number 420 and the day 20th April. 420 day also called 4:20 day, or 4/20, a slang term used in relation to a cannabis culture of consumption of cannabis around the time 4:20 p.m. on the 20th of April. The day's history dates back to the year1971 when five high school students – Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich– from San Rafael, California, used the term in connection with a plan they made to search for an abandoned cannabis crop. Cannabis Laws Across World: List of Countries That Legalised Marijuana in 2018.

They had learned about the abandoned crop via a treasure map created by the person who was growing it. The boys also nicknamed, the Waldos designated 4:20 as their meeting time and hence the day found its unique name. The Waldos called this plan with the phrase "4:20 Louis" and soon after a many failed attempts they finally cut short the phrase to 420 that eventually became their code word for the teens referring to consuming cannabis. While don't deny that cannabis may have its own set of side-effects, various studies and real-life experiences have analysed the health benefits of cannabis. Rhode Island Family Tries Medical Marijuana for Son with Autism: Can Cannabis Treatment Help Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Here are a few health benefits of cannabis:

• Reduces stress and anxiety: Cannabis is known to contain stress relieving agents that can have positive effects psychologically. While it is a known fact that, the leaf of cannabis causes a sense of heightened mood or "high," however, it is known to decrease anxiety and increased social interaction as well. However, on the flipside, excessive consumption can also lead to slower reaction times, impaired coordination, and short-term memory.
• Relief from pain: Cannabis is known to help relieve pain if applied topically as well as by ingesting the leaf. The anti-inflammatory properties can help relieve pain and tension in the body. The pain-relieving effects may last upto 2 hours.
• Combat nausea: Cannabis is known to have positive effects on helping relieve nausea. The giddy, nauseous and pukish feeling can be controlled with cannabis upto a certain extent.
• Better than regular cigarettes: Ingesting or smoking cannabis is known to be less harmful to the body as compared to smoking cigarettes.

Cannabis use is not legalised in India and even possessing weed or marijuana in India is an offence under the NDPS Act.  Cannabis has also been linked to the treatment of Autism. A family from Rhode Island has been using medical marijuana for their 13-year-old who is suffering from Autism.

(This article is written for an informative purpose and should not be substituted for medical advice. Kindly consult your doctor before trying any tips.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 19, 2019 11:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).