Working at a medical marijuana dispensary in Denver has allowed me to see a wide variety of people, who all use cannabis for different reasons. One of the most common things patients tend to look for is a strain or two that will help them to sleep at night, either because of chronic pain or insomnia.
For those searching for a strain of cannabis for sleep aid and pain relief, an indica is most likely the best bet for you.
Indica strains are higher in the cannabanoid CBD, which has little to no psychoactive effect and has been proven to help patients with pain relief; many people who complain that indica makes them sleepy are experiencing that feeling because of the higher CBD and CBD content of a good indica strain. These strains still do contain THC and when smoked or consumed as an edible will still have some “head high”, but it won’t be a strong as a sativa strain.
A vast majority of Kush strains are great options for indica. The word “indica” is actually said to come from the Hindu Kush mountain range that stretches from Afghanistan to Pakistan, where these kinds of strains are said to have originated. There are many, many, many different variations and crosses of Kush, from the classic OG Kush to all kinds of crazy strains like Diamond Kush, Purple Kush, Kush Dawg, and lots more.
I agree that it seems far less harmful than many of the drugs we are forced to take for pain, RLS and insomnia...is it prescribed in England??
Hello there Funnyfennel
I just searched if they are legal in England, I am not sure but reading this document may help to get better understanding about legality of using med-marijuana in England :
Couln't open doc. but thanks...will keep my eye on cannabis laws for the future..
I just copied the doc for you :
4. Is Marijuana Good Medicine?
In 1996, public opinion polls typically found that more than 60 percent of American people support legal access to medical marijuana. California became the first state to allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes. Since then, several other states have approved its use to curb pain and nausea. More than 51 million Americans now live in the 8 states where medical marijuana users are protected by state law. Still other states are actively considering such action. At the same time, the U.S. Justice Department continues to prosecute marijuana law violators, including some medical users, at a record pace. State and local police make approximately 700,000 marijuana arrests in the United States each year. Even if only one percent of those arrested were using marijuana for medical purposes, then there are more than 6000 medical marijuana arrests annually. Thus far, the federal government has not prosecuted any doctors who recommend marijuana to patients. In 1998, by a vote of 310 to 98, the U.S. House of Representatives opposed state "efforts to circumvent" federal laws by legalizing marijuana "without valid scientific evidence." The Senate concurred.
Is marijuana good medicine? In early 1999, the National Academy of Sciences reported in a study commissioned by the White House that marijuana can be effective in treating chronic pain, nausea, and AIDs-related weight loss. The study also rejected the common notion that marijuana use leads to the abuse of other drugs. At the same time, the report argued that marijuana is no wonder drug. Its effects "on the symptoms studied are generally modest, and in most cases, there are more effective medicines available." The report also soundly criticized the delivery system. University of Michigan researcher Stanley Watson, a co-director of the study, stated that "marijuana has potential as a medicine, but it is undermined by the fact that patients must inhale harmful smoke." Finally, the report called for further research.
Interestingly, there are several U.S. citizens who have won federal government approval to smoke marijuana. Irvin Rosenfeld, a 43-year old Florida stockbroker, is one. He smokes 10 to 15 cigarettes daily to control pain from a rare form of cancer that was contracted when he was 10. "There's not as much tension, not as much pain," says Rosenfeld, whose muscles and blood vessels stretch over tumors on the ends of his arm and leg bones.
However, marijuana is used illicitly by many glaucoma and AIDS sufferers who rely on it to control their symptoms. In a 1991 study of oncologists, 48 percent said they would prescribe marijuana if they could, and 44 percent said they had recommended it to patients. The 1999 National Academy of Sciences report did not support proponents who claim marijuana is helpful in combating glaucoma, migraine headaches, and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
What are the arguments against its legalization, at least for medical purposes? Federal government officials fear that any sanctioned use would lead to further liberalization of drug laws, which could in turn lead to increased drug use. Others argue that newer drugs and therapies do what marijuana once did particularly for nausea from chemotherapy. Moreover, smoking marijuana is harmful to the lungs and may produce both hormonal and reproductive problems.
Under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the Justice Department ruled that the federal Controlled Substances Act bars any medical use of marijuana. In late 2002, two seriously ill medical marijuana patients in California charged the federal government, Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson, and Attorney General John Ashcroft with violating the Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. As of this writing, the cases are ongoing (see mpp.org/releases/nr100802.h....
McMahon, P. (1999, March 18). Panel: Pot can be medicine. USA Today, 1A. Rogers, A. (1997, January 13). Seeing through the haze. Newsweek
Factors in Drug Use
Deborah Franklin's "Is There an Addictive Personality?" provides an excellent summary of the factors supporting drug use. As she points out, most researchers now believe that a combination of biological, psychological, and social influences push drug users to addiction. Franklin cites the following factors.
1. The nature of the drug itself is important. The more intense the euphoria and the faster it is over, the more likely it is that users will take large doses of the drug often. This explains why crack cocaine is more likely to produce dependency than the slower-acting powder cocaine and why both drugs are more likely to be addictive than a hallucinogen such as LSD. Furthermore, if a drug triggers painful withdrawal symptoms, as is characteristic of alcohol, barbiturates, and narcotics, a heavy user is more likely to continue use to avoid the pain.
2. Biological factors are also important. Having had an alcoholic parent increases the risk of a drinking problem, partly because of inherited body chemistry. Abuse of other drugs may also have a genetic component. Some researchers believe that certain people experience the exhilaration of a drug's high, as well as the pain of withdrawal, more acutely than others because of genetic differences in the way their bodies metabolize the drug. Although there is a lot of evidence that the use of narcotics to control the pain of cancer or surgery does not lead to addiction, the use of narcotics to control chronic back pain or migraines may do so; because small doses may be ineffective, people will increase the dosage in hope of obtaining relief.
3. Psychological factors that seem to support drug use include feelings of depression, low self-esteem, powerlessness, and the absence of values-for example, religious tenets-that encourage sobriety.
4. The social factors contributing to drug use include a barren environment that offers few opportunities or alternative pleasures. Urban slums, prisons, and war zones are prime examples. Social norms also govern the acceptability of drug use. For example, in the United States, it is generally permissible to drink alcohol in the early evening but not in the morning. It's okay to get drunk on a Friday night with friends but not alone on a Monday night. Finally, having a plentiful, cheap drug supply increases use, especially if most of one's friends and mentors are drug users.
Franklin, D. (1990, November/December). Is there an addictive personality? In Health, 44.
I hope it helps some
Ah, punched in Indica marijuana into the search box of rls and look what popped up... its worth it to bring this article up to the front again as more and more people are turning to it. It's becoming more medicinal than a back street dirty drug that a lot of people used to refer to it as. It's no longer for "druggies" and people that just want to get high..
• in reply to
Nice legs Ok ill try it then Rahim is every were now
Because marijuana is illegal in many places but still desired for the pain relief effect, what would one go to the streets to ask for? Would one go to a dealer and ask for Indica Marijuana? Would we get laughed at for that or is a street drug whatever kind they have is what you get? Growing our own is just not an option because we have kids, grandkids that we don't want to set a bad example to by breaking the law.. We might want to keep it our own secret since society looks badly at breaking the law..
I don't want to spend the time fighting for rights, I just want to buy some from someone. There is not a dispensary within 1000 miles of where I live and I cannot grow any.. do you know how to go about getting the strain that I need for relief?
My sons friend puts it in chocolate bars
Over here, one drug test - and they do it often - randomly... you are without a job. All jobs hire on the contingency that your drug test will remain clean for as long as you work there and any positive test results in the end of your employment. Usually there is a contract or at least a verbal discussion that takes place. That's just the way that it is.
Because of Z I need to stay here, but my heart is wondering in between the drug of MMJ or Z.
Keep a good position for me, who knows may be one day I woke up and said, hey let's pack up for USA.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Cannabis and Buprenorphine for Severe RLS. 
Anyone tried CBD Oil?
Cannabis research.
