While you may associate it with narcotics and drug abuse, cannabis is more than just a plant used to get high. Also known as hemp, the Cannabis sativa has long been used for its medicinal benefits, and you can actually use a tea brewed from it to treat headaches, insomnia, anxiety and arthritis.

The practice of making cannabis tea is said to have begun in India and Jamaica. In the latter, women are said to have used it to treat morning sickness, nausea, stress and anxiety.

Cannabis tea’s health benefits are thanks to a compound called cannabidiol (CBD). Studies have shown that the CBD in cannabis tea helps in pain control. This applies to a wide range of conditions, from migraines to arthritis.

In addition, CBD has been shown to help enhance mood, which helps it fight stress and anxiety. One animal study in 2014 found that subjects given CBD experienced lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Finally, CBD lacks tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), this is the substance responsible for the high weed gives when smoked – the main reason it’s caught the eye of the authorities.

For the longest time, cannabis was actually legal throughout most of the world. It was only during the early 20th century that governments made it illegal.

But the tide is turning and cannabis is once again being legalized for medicinal purposes across the globe. Some of the U.S. states and territories that have legalized cannabis include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Washington and the District of Columbia – although the federal government has yet to legalize it.

Meanwhile, cannabis is also legal in countries such as Canada, Uruguay, Australia, Jamaica, Thailand and the Netherlands.

Making your own cannabis tea

While you can just brew cannabis tea like you would regular tea, using something fatty helps the compounds in cannabis to mix better under high heat. The recipe below uses a bit of virgin coconut oil to get this effect. In addition, it also allows for the addition of extra ingredients such as honey, cinnamon, mint or lemon to give the tea an extra burst of flavor.

Ingredients for three mug-sized cups:

• 1 gram of ground cannabis
• 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil
• 1 teabag of any tea of your choice
• 4 cups of water
• honey, lemon, mint or cinnamon to flavor (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil the four cups of water in a medium-sized pot. Once boiling, add the virgin coconut oil and allow it to dissolve.
2. Add the cannabis into the boiling pot. Turn the temperature down to a simmer.
3. Simmer for 15 minutes. Simmering at low temperatures helps preserved the more nuanced flavors of the cannabis.
4. Take the boiling mixture and strain out the cannabis with a fine strainer or a cheesecloth.
5. Add the teabag into the pot. You can also add your desired extras such as honey, lemon, mint or cinnamon sticks. Steep for about three minutes
6. Remove the teabag and stir to incorporate the infused virgin coconut oil throughout then pour into a cup or cups.

Take note that your cup of cannabis tea will have a subtle weedy flavor no matter what you add, but you can add some milk and natural sweetener to balance it out. In addition, if you have CBD oil, you can substitute that in place of the ground cannabis and virgin coconut oil.

Cannabis tea is a great way to experience the healthy benefits of cannabis and CBDs. A warm cup of this flavorful tea can help you relax and deal with anxiety and insomnia, while also providing a host of other health benefits. just be sure to check with your local laws to see whether it’s legal where you live.

For more on the health benefits of cannabis and CBDs, follow CannabisCures.news.

Sources:

MedsNews.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

EurekaSelect.com

Fool.com

Thrillist.com