National Cannabis Awareness Month is observed every year in April, and it’s a time designed to raise public awareness about cannabis and its medicinal uses. Although this plant and the products derived from it have been demonized over the years, an increasing number of people are recognizing the medical value of cannabis.

Currently, it is being used to ease pain, help people with chronic diseases gain the weight they need to survive, and control nausea. There are also ongoing studies determining cannabis’ potential value in relieving symptoms of Crohn’s Disease, IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome), and epilepsy.

The History of National Cannabis Awareness Month

Even though April has been the host to 420 day, a holiday that occurs on April 20th and celebrates the smoking of cannabis for recreational purposes, there wasn’t a month dedicated to it until 2016.

This is when MariJ Pharmaceuticals founded National Cannabis Awareness Month. The purpose of this month was to raise awareness about cannabis and to help further legislation to make medical cannabis legal in more states.

Facts About Cannabis

Although it can be hard to keep track of current laws regarding cannabis legalization, we still think it’s worth taking a moment to give some facts about cannabis that we have in our possession. Below are the facts about cannabis that we feel everyone should be aware of while observing National Cannabis Awareness Month.

• In the U.S., Federal Law still prohibits the use of the Cannabis sativa plant or its derivatives.
• Under Federal Law, CBD derived from hemp is legal.
• The psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is THC.
• Although states allow THC to be used for medicinal reasons, people can still be arrested by the Federal Government, even in U.S. states where it’s legal.
• Medical cannabis can be administered in different forms, including oil, pill, liquid, powder, dried flowers, or edibles.
• Cannabis has been used by humans for over 5,000 years.

Observing National Cannabis Awareness Month

One of the primary ways to celebrate National Cannabis Awareness Month is by learning more about cannabis and the benefits it brings to people.

Once that’s been done, people can explore all of the products that cannabis is used in, for both medicinal and recreational purposes. Everyone observing this month is also encouraged to spread the word about it online using the hashtag #CannabisAwarenessMonth.