Medical Marijuana May Help Transplant Patients

In recent years, the use case for marijuana for medicinal reasons has expanded exponentially. As the drug becomes widely accepted across the US, more research has been done to better understand the effects of marijuana on certain ailments.

Everything from Alzheimer's to Epilepsy is said to benefit from the components of a marijuana plant and now a new study shows that the drug which has long disqualified patients from receiving a transplant could actually aid in their recovery.

Mouse Study

Scientists at the University of South Carolina have found that Tetrahyrodcannabinol, the psychoactive component of marijuana, may help to delay the rejection of organs in transplant patients. The study examined the effects of THC on mice that received skin grafts and found that those exposed to the drug were better able to accept a foreign graft.

Related Link: Marijuana-Specific Doctors Can Make It Difficult To Take Medical Marijuana Seriously

New Uses

Based on this data, scientists believe that THC suppresses a patient's immune response, something that could prove beneficial for transplant patients or those struggling with other inflammatory diseases. For marijuana supporters, the data represents another reason why federal laws should be relaxed in order to make studies like this one more accessible.

Still Some Concerns

Much like many other studies touting the effectiveness of marijuana treatments, the scientists at the University of South Carolina cautioned that the results don't tell the whole story. So much is unknown about how marijuana affects the human body that the possibility of using THC in this capacity for humans any time soon is slim. However, it illuminates a new use case and will likely encourage researchers to continue finding ways to use marijuana components to fight illnesses and improve patients' quality of life.