Medical cannabis, also known as medical marijuana, is a medicinal plant from the plant of the genus Cannabis used in the treatment of a specific symptom or disease. Although the word cannabis refers specifically to the plant, marijuana is used interchangeably, which describes the drug isolated from the leaves and flowers of the plant. Although cannabis has long been used to treat diseases as an analgesic (pain reliever) and antispasmodic, most of the modern times, scientists and doctors are not aware of its health benefits. The discovery of the active tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the 1960s, and the discovery of the structure of endogenous cannabinoid receptors and ligands in the late 1980s and early 1990s, promoted the study of the therapeutic potential of cannabis and its production and production. (Endogenous is what the body produces; in biology, ligands are substances that bind to receptors.) This work found that cannabis can relieve certain conditions, such as severe chronic pain, but make it possible to create different medicinal plants. medicinal cannabis products.
Herbal cannabis products and medicine
Many medicinal products derived from cannabis, in pure and standardized forms, have been developed for medical use. However, the medical use of cannabis remains highly controversial, partly due to the lack of standardization among products to ensure safe and sustainable treatments and partly due to legal disputes. . For example, in the United States, although growing, possessing, and consuming cannabis is illegal, some states have enacted laws that allow the medical use of the herb. Examples of products approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration include cannabidiol (CBD), the active ingredient in cannabis, and some synthetic cannabis-like drugs, namely dronabinol and nabilone. Although the use of herbal medicinal cannabis is permitted in some European countries, it is illegal in the UK. The latter, however, authorized the prescription of a cannabis-derived drug called nabiximols (Sativex).
Despite legal issues, researchers and pharmaceutical companies continue to research and develop cannabis products. For example, a regulated cannabis product known as CanniMed is produced for medical purposes in Canada under Health Canada’s Access to Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMAR), enacted in 2001. Cannabis plants are grown for CanniMed under carefully controlled conditions, along with the drug. designed to contain about 12.5 percent THC. A similar approach has been taken in the Netherlands, where many cannabis products are available, including Bedrocan (19% THC) and Bedrobinol (12% THC).
Medicinal use of cannabis
Outside of Canada and the Netherlands, there is no distinction between weed that is used for recreational purposes and that used for medical purposes. For this reason, medical cannabis can be better understood as the use of cannabis under continuous medical supervision, with a strong diagnosis of the target-disease. Herbal cannabis is used in conjunction with or in combination with other medical and non-medical methods and with the aim of achieving specific therapeutic results. Anecdotal reports and results from randomized clinical trials indicate that cannabis can aid in the management of a variety of conditions including pain, spasticity, nausea, anorexia, and seizures. (In a randomized clinical trial, participants are assigned to different treatment groups.)
Cannabis consumed without supervision is not considered medicinal cannabis. The same goes for cannabis prescribed by a physician who has not properly evaluated the patient, who does not prescribe cannabis as part of a comprehensive regimen, or who does not monitor the patient for the result. Studies conducted in the first decade of the 21st century estimated that the rate of self-medication among people with various medical conditions ranged from 30 to 50 percent (HIV/AIDS) to 10 percent (multiple sclerosis) and epilepsy.
The effectiveness of medicinal cannabis
Medical cannabis is usually given by smoking, vaporization, or in the form of an edible preparation. However, none of these methods have been established, and the effectiveness of edible cannabis preparations has not been evaluated in clinical trials. Smoked cannabis has been evaluated in a small number of controlled trials involving patients with neuropathic pain. In each test, patients experienced a reduction in pain at THC concentrations of 3.9% or more. A zero dose of THC was used as a placebo condition; This process was developed with cannabis in which all cannabinoids have been removed through alcohol extraction. Adverse effects observed in these studies were mild and moderate and included drowsiness, headache, and dry mouth. No misdemeanors or misdemeanors were reported.
Health precautions
The main safety factor related to medicinal cannabis is the ability to encourage or turn to recreational use, which is associated with consequences that range from acute to chronic. Adverse effects include alcoholism, cognitive and motor impairment, elevated heart rate, anxiety, and psychosis in affected individuals. Chronic effects include bronchitis (due to smoking cannabis), psychological dependence on cannabis, lack of motivation and cognitive deficits. Generally, these effects seem to disappear with abstinence.
Medicinal cannabis can be dangerous and may not be recommended if the patient has a personal or family history of psychosis, unstable heart disease, and lung disease. Doctors advise cannabis users not to smoke tobacco, alone or mixed with cannabis. They are advised not to drive or work when starting or changing doses if the drug affects them. Apart from the synergistic effects of cannabis and other psychotropic drugs, such as sedatives and hypnotics, there are no major known drug interactions.
The main purpose of using medicinal cannabis is stress relief and an increase in activity and overall quality of life. Dose reduction (or even complete cessation) of other drugs should be carefully considered. However, clinical evidence for such results is lacking and it is the duty of the treating physician and the patient to work on their agreed goals.
