When the body is experiencing pain, many run to the medicine cabinet for an aspirin, ibuprofen, steroid or a pain pill. Others are treating their pain and inflammation with cannabis. “I have successfully gotten off of all opioids and Advil. Now, I solely use cannabis. My treatment plan has gone from taking a handful of pills to using a natural product that doesn’t negatively affect my liver. It’s safe and I’m not addicted to pills anymore,” says a patient at Tucson SAINTS Dispensary.

The two cannabinoids that are responsible for a decrease in swelling in cannabis are THC and CBD. Both THC and CBD release neurotransmitters throughout our bodies that help with pain, inflammation, mood and sleep. THC is the molecule that attaches to the receptors in our brains and makes us feel “high”. If too much THC enters our bodies, it can make us feel nervous, anxious or paranoid. CBD, however, does not give that euphoric feeling, but it helps with anxiety, pain, arthritis, stomach issues, nerve pain, sleeplessness and inflammation, with little to no side effects.

When the entire plant is used, cannabinoids and terpenes work together allowing the compounds to influence each other. This is often referred to as the entourage effect: meaning that the compounds work better than separately. In simple terms, it’s best to use both THC and CBD together, instead of just using THC or pure CBD, for treating a wide range of symptoms and conditions.

Cannabis works well for patients who have colitis, IBS, other stomach disorders, pain, arthritis and migraines, and is known to help assist in the healing process. There are many different products—containing both THC and CBD—sold at Tucson SAINTS Dispensary that help patients with pain and inflammation, including tinctures, cannabis flower, salves/topicals, inhalers, patches and concentrates.