The Body

Until 1937, cannabis was available in every American pharmacy as a mild analgesic that could be purchased as freely as aspirin is today.[2] In addition, extract of cannabis in an alcohol solution was often prescribed by physicians for a variety of ailments, including migraines, excessive menstrual bleeding, epilepsy, and even tooth decay. Marijuana and THC are currently being studied by medical researchers and may soon reappear as a medicine for glaucoma, nausea, and asthma. Many smokers, convinced that marijuana is medically useful, are not waiting for the results of the research and are smoking for various physical problems without the advice of their physicians. Most commonly, marijuana is used for insomnia, and for various minor pains.
    Smokers commonly find that cannabis helps them fall asleep more easily and also helps them to sleep more deeply. "I've had some of the best and most relaxing nights' sleeping after smoking," says Sarah, and other users concur. Those who are aware of different varieties of marijuana usually report that Colombian is best for sleeping; some Mexican and domestic varieties are reported to leave the smoker far too stimulated to fall asleep. Hangovers are reported occasionally, but are not common.
    Others find marijuana an effective analgesic; this Georgia man smokes whenever he gets a headache:

I've used weed for fifteen years. When I'm bothered by my frequent migraine headaches, one joint will quickly remove the discomfort. I have suffered from hemoplegic migraines for three years and have used all kinds of prescription drugs, but nothing gets rid of the pain as effectively as a joint or two. And I've never had to increase the dosage.

    A teacher in Rhode Island reports:

The other night I was feeling pain because of some pulled ligaments. Instead of taking medication, I got stoned and took a hot bath. I started watching television, and soon I was totally relaxed, not feeling any discomfort at all.

    Lenny recalls that he once injured his hand, and wasn't sure if it was a muscular ailment or a bone bruise. He got stoned and lay in a hot bath and concentrated on his hand. "Within moments I could perceive the way the pain traveled down my wrist and realized that it was a pulled tendon," he says. "I wrapped up the hand in an Ace bandage and stopped worrying about it." A visit to the doctor showed that his diagnosis was correct.
    A Connecticut user observes that one of the nice things about using marijuana as a medicine is that even if it doesn't relieve the ailment, it helps him to endure it:

When I feel bad, the flu or something like that, I will usually smoke a joint. It's hard to tell whether I would have recovered just as quickly without it, but I do know that the experience of waiting in bed when I'm sick is often transformed from a miserable time to a fairly pleasant one.

    A Mississippi man in his late forties has found marijuana beneficial in the treatment of a twenty-five-year ulcer condition. He discovered that a little Mexican grass acts as a tranquilizer. At first, he would smoke every few hours; after some months, however, he cut down on his use:

Now I smoke only to relieve stress. Sometimes I go without any for a few days so my system can get back to normal in case it needs to. I've been smoking for eight years, and haven't had any ulcer problems during that period. I'm not hungry in the mornings or an hour after dinner, and I have no more stomach distress.
    When I think of the effects of marijuana on my condition, I am reminded of Popeye. I think his "spinach" was marijuana, and his strength was superhuman mind function, rather than superhuman muscles.