Medicinal hemp
Colorado allowed medical marijuana for debilitating medical conditions effective in by an amendment to the Colorado Constitution. These three factors create a regulatory abyss that Colorado has not successfully managed. In an attempt to differentiate between cannabidiol CBD from marijuana and CBD from hemp, some definition and limitations must be provided. Extracts from marijuana Cannabis sativa with THC concentrations greater than 0. Hemp Cannabis sativa with a THC concentration less than 0. The CDA does not have jurisdiction over the processing, sale or distribution of industrial hemp and CDA does not license or verify contents or quality of any extracted product.
Hemp Medicinal Uses
Medical cannabis , or medical marijuana MMJ , is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. Short-term use increases the risk of minor and major adverse effects. The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands of years in many cultures.
Medical cannabis can be administered through various methods, including capsules , lozenges , tinctures , dermal patches , oral or dermal sprays, cannabis edibles , and vaporizing or smoking dried buds. Synthetic cannabinoids are available for prescription use in some countries, such as dronabinol and nabilone. In the United States, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical purposes, beginning with the passage of California's Proposition in The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines medical cannabis as "using the whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions".
A Cannabis plant includes more than different chemicals, of which about 70 are cannabinoids. A review stated that the variations in ratio of CBD-to-THC in botanical and pharmaceutical preparations determines the therapeutic vs psychoactive effects CBD attenuates THC's psychoactive effects [15] of cannabis products. It is not clear whether medical cannabis is a useful treatment for any condition. It is recommended that cannabis use be stopped in pregnancy.
Medical cannabis is somewhat effective in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting CINV [4] [17] and may be a reasonable option in those who do not improve following preferential treatment. A Cochrane review said that cannabinoids were "probably effective" in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea in children, but with a high side-effect profile mainly drowsiness, dizziness, altered moods, and increased appetite.
Less common side effects were "ocular problems, orthostatic hypotension, muscle twitching, pruritus, vagueness, hallucinations, lightheadedness and dry mouth".
As of , current studies suffer from the effects of bias, small sample size, and lack of long-term data. A review found only limited evidence for the effectiveness of cannabis in relieving chronic pain in several conditions. When cannabis is inhaled to relieve pain, blood levels of cannabinoids rise faster than when oral products are used, peaking within three minutes and attaining an analgesic effect in seven minutes.
A review considered cannabis to be generally safe, [33] and it appears safer than opioids in palliative care. Cannabis' efficacy is not clear in treating neurological problems, including multiple sclerosis MS and movement problems. There is no good evidence that medical cannabis is effective for treating posttraumatic stress disorder , and its use for this purpose is not recommended.
There is insufficient data to draw strong conclusions about the safety of medical cannabis. Other effects can include impaired short-term memory; impaired motor coordination; altered judgment; and paranoia or psychosis at high doses.
The amount of cannabis normally used for medicinal purposes is not believed to cause any permanent cognitive impairment in adults, though long-term treatment in adolescents should be weighed carefully as they are more susceptible to these impairments.
Withdrawal symptoms are rarely a problem with controlled medical administration of cannabinoids. The ability to drive vehicles or to operate machinery may be impaired until a tolerance is developed. Acute effects may include anxiety and panic, impaired attention, and memory while intoxicated , an increased risk of psychotic symptoms, and possibly increased risk of accidents if a person drives a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
There have been few reports of symptoms lasting longer. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services , there were , emergency room visits associated with cannabis use in These statistics include visits in which the patient was treated for a condition induced by or related to recent cannabis use. The drug use must be "implicated" in the emergency department visit, but does not need to be the direct cause of the visit. Most of the illicit drug emergency room visits involved multiple drugs.
Effects of chronic use may include bronchitis , a cannabis dependence syndrome, and subtle impairments of attention and memory.
These deficits persist while chronically intoxicated. There has been a limited amount of studies that have looked at the effects of smoking cannabis on the respiratory system.
Cannabis smoke contains thousands of organic and inorganic chemical compounds. This tar is chemically similar to that found in tobacco smoke, [52] and over fifty known carcinogens have been identified in cannabis smoke, [53] including nitrosamines, reactive aldehydes, and polycyclic hydrocarbons, including benz[a]pyrene.
Evidence for causing these cancers is mixed concerning heavy, long-term use. In general there are far lower risks of pulmonary complications for regular cannabis smokers when compared with those of tobacco.
There is serious suspicion among cardiologists, spurring research but falling short of definitive proof, that cannabis use has the potential to contribute to cardiovascular disease. If cannabis arteritis turns out to be a distinct clinical entity, it might be the consequence of vasoconstrictor activity observed from deltaTHC and deltaTHC. Research in these events is complicated because cannabis is often used in conjunction with tobacco, and drugs such as alcohol and cocaine.
Cannabis usually causes no tolerance or withdrawal symptoms except in heavy users. In a survey of heavy users The rate goes up to one in six among those who begin use as adolescents, and one-quarter to one-half of those who use it daily according to a NIDA review.
A literature review found that exposure to marijuana had biologically-based physical, mental, behavioral and social health consequences and was "associated with diseases of the liver particularly with co-existing hepatitis C , lungs, heart, and vasculature". People are provided licenses with the help of which, they can either grow medical cannabis, or purchase it legally throughout the state.
This is done only after precisely reviewing the applications of patients. A systematic review evaluated published studies of the acute and long-term cognitive effects of cannabis. THC intoxication is well established to impair cognitive functioning on an acute basis, including effects on the ability to plan, organize, solve problems, make decisions, and control impulses. The extent of this impact may be greater in novice users, and paradoxically, those habituated to high-level ingestion may have reduced cognition during withdrawal.
Studies of long-term effects on cognition have provided conflicting results, with some studies finding no difference between long-term abstainers and never-users and others finding long-term deficits. The discrepancies between studies may reflect greater long-term effects among heavier users relative to occasional users, and greater duration of effect among those with heavy use as adolescents compared to later in life. Exposure to THC can cause acute transient psychotic symptoms in healthy individuals and people with schizophrenia.
A meta analysis concluded that cannabis use reduced the average age of onset of psychosis by 2. The genus Cannabis contains two species which produce useful amounts of psychoactive cannabinoids: Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa , which are listed as Schedule I medicinal plants in the US; [4] a third species, Cannabis ruderalis , has few psychogenic properties. The most psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant is tetrahydrocannabinol or deltatetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC.
CB1 and CB2 are the primary cannabinoid receptors responsible for several of the effects of cannabinoids, although other receptors may play a role as well. CB1 receptors are found in very high levels in the brain and are thought to be responsible for psychoactive effects.
The low bioavailability is largely attributed to significant first-pass metabolism in the liver and erratic absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Due to the poor bioavailability of oral preparations, alternative routes of administration have been studied, including sublingual and rectal. These alternative formulations maximize bioavailability and reduce first-pass metabolism.
Like cannabinoid absorption, distribution is also dependent on route of administration. Smoking and inhalation of vaporized cannabis have better absorption than do other routes of administration, and therefore also have more predictable distribution. It distributes rapidly to highly vascularized organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys, as well as to various glands. Low levels can be detected in the brain, testes, and unborn fetuses, all of which are protected from systemic circulation via barriers.
DeltaTHC is the primary molecule responsible for the effects of cannabis. Ingestion of edible cannabis products lead to a slower onset of effect than the inhalation of it because the THC travels to the liver first through the blood before it travels to the rest of the body. Inhaled cannabis can result in THC going directly to the brain, where it then travels from the brain back to the liver in recirculation for metabolism.
Smoking has been the means of administration of cannabis for many users, but it is not suitable for the use of cannabis as a medicine. The US Food and Drug Administration FDA has not approved smoked cannabis for any condition or disease, as it deems that evidence is lacking concerning safety and efficacy. Since ancient humans used hemp seed as food, it was quite natural for them to also discover the medicinal properties of the plant.
He recommended the substance for many ailments, including constipation, gout, rheumatism, and absent-mindedness. The Ebers Papyrus c. Surviving texts from ancient India confirm that cannabis' psychoactive properties were recognized, and doctors used it for treating a variety of illnesses and ailments, including insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain, including during childbirth.
The Ancient Greeks used cannabis to dress wounds and sores on their horses, [99] and in humans, dried leaves of cannabis were used to treat nose bleeds, and cannabis seeds were used to expel tapeworms. In the medieval Islamic world , Arabic physicians made use of the diuretic , antiemetic , antiepileptic , anti-inflammatory , analgesic and antipyretic properties of Cannabis sativa , and used it extensively as medication from the 8th to 18th centuries.
Cannabis seeds may have been used for food, rituals or religious practices in ancient Europe and China. Widely cultivated strains of cannabis, such as "Afghani" or "Hindu Kush", are indigenous to the Pakistan and Afghanistan regions, while "Durban Poison" is native to Africa.
The use of cannabis in medicine began to decline by the end of the 19th century, due to difficulty in controlling dosages and the rise in popularity of synthetic and opium -derived drugs. In the United States, the medical use of cannabis further declined with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act of , which imposed new regulations and fees on physicians prescribing cannabis. Pharmacopeia in , and officially banned for any use with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act of Cannabis began to attract renewed interest as medicine in the s and s, in particular due to its use by cancer and AIDS patients who reported relief from the effects of chemotherapy and wasting syndrome.
The use of cannabis, at least as fiber, has been shown to go back at least 10, years in Taiwan. In Mexico , THC content of medical cannabis is limited to one percent. Article 2 provides for the following, in reference to Schedule IV drugs:.
A Party shall, if in its opinion the prevailing conditions in its country render it the most appropriate means of protecting the public health and welfare, prohibit the production, manufacture, export and import of, trade in, possession or use of any such drug except for amounts which may be necessary for medical and scientific research only, including clinical trials therewith to be conducted under or subject to the direct supervision and control of the Party.
The convention thus allows countries to outlaw cannabis for all non-research purposes but lets nations choose to allow use for medical and scientific purposes if they believe total prohibition is not the most appropriate means of protecting health and welfare. The convention requires that states that permit the production or use of medical cannabis must operate a licensing system for all cultivators, manufacturers, and distributors and ensure that the total cannabis market of the state shall not exceed that required "for medical and scientific purposes".
In the United States, the use of cannabis for medical purposes is legal in 33 states, four out of five permanently inhabited U. In December , however, the Rohrabacher—Farr amendment , which prohibits the Justice Department from prosecuting individuals acting in accordance with state medical cannabis laws, was signed into federal law. The method of obtaining medical cannabis varies by region and by legislation.
In the US, most consumers grow their own or buy it from cannabis dispensaries in states where it is legal. In the United States, health insurance companies may not pay for a medical marijuana prescription as the Food and Drug Administration must approve any substance for medicinal purposes.
Before this can happen, the FDA must first permit the study of the medical benefits and drawbacks of the substance, which it has not done since it was placed on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act in Therefore, all expenses incurred fulfilling a medical marijuana prescription will possibly be incurred as out-of-pocket.
Organizations that have issued statements in opposition to the legalization of medical cannabis include the American Academy of Pediatrics , [11] American Psychiatric Association , [] and American Society of Addiction Medicine. The American Medical Association [] and American College of Physicians [] do not take a position on the legalization of medical cannabis, but have called for the Schedule I classification of cannabis to be reviewed.
The American Academy of Family Physicians similarly does not take a position, but does support rescheduling in order to facilitate research. Cancer Research UK say that while cannabis is being studied for therapeutic potential, "claims that there is solid 'proof' that cannabis or cannabinoids can cure cancer is highly misleading to patients and their families, and builds a false picture of the state of progress in this area".
Hemp oil compared to medical cannabis oil differs significantly. The plants origin, its uses and its cannabinoid content to name a few helps to differentiate the. Hemp (Cannabis sativa with a THC concentration less than %), having been excluded from medical marijuana rules, has been given to the Colorado.
Medical cannabis , or medical marijuana MMJ , is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. Short-term use increases the risk of minor and major adverse effects. The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands of years in many cultures. Medical cannabis can be administered through various methods, including capsules , lozenges , tinctures , dermal patches , oral or dermal sprays, cannabis edibles , and vaporizing or smoking dried buds.
In terms of crops, hemp stands as one of the earliest plants to be domesticated.
Industrial hemp is the term given to the stalk, seeds, oil, and leaves of the cannabis Sativa plant. These materials are used to create industrial products like building materials, textiles, paper products, personal care items, health supplements, and much more.
Hemp As Medicine | A History of Hemp As Medicine Since Ancient China
Industrial vs Medicinal Hemp. Hemp fibre is the longest, strongest and most durable of all-natural fibres. Hemp cultivation requires no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides. Grown in rotation with other crops such as corn, hemp farming is completely sustainable. Although better known for its industrial uses, hemp is also making waves in the medicinal fields.
Hemp & Cannabidiol: What is a Medicine?
With 23 states and the District of Columbia having legalized medical marijuana to some degree, health-related cannabis products are growing. Some of these products are hemp-based and some are marijuana-based, but what is the difference? Hemp and marijuana are two varieties of the same plant, cannabis sativa. Hemp refers to a variety that has agricultural and manufacturing uses, while marijuana is the name traditionally given to plants grown for their psychotropic effects. Differences include:. Another distinction between hemp-based and marijuana-based products is their legality. Products derived from marijuana can only be sold in states that have passed medical marijuana legislation. Hemp-derived products, on the other hand, are legal in all 50 states. Until recently, hemp was illegal to grow in the United States, so all hemp-based products were imported.
Most plants are used first in folk remedies. There is a good chance that hemp was used medicinally long before the effects were recorded.
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Medical cannabis
If you pay any attention to the world of marijuana or even the world of politics, you have probably heard about this plant called hemp. So, what is hemp? Hemp is a close relative in the marijuana plant—both members of the cannabis family. For decades, in other areas of the world, hemp has been one of the most versatile crops in popular circulation, used for paper, textiles, manufacturing, and even medicinal purposes. All parts of the hemp plant can be used. Hemp is praised both for its wide range of applications, and the ease with which it is grown. As a high yield crop, many farmers see not only as a profitable asset, but a way to reduce deforestation and erosion happening to our environment. However, due to its relationship with the marijuana plant, hemp is still somewhat controversial. Hemp and marijuana are closely related both by cultural perception and biology. So, what can be said about the hemp vs weed conversation? Though the plants share quite a bit of DNA, they differ substantially in their application. All parts of the hemp plant, like the stalks, have very strong fibers and used to make everyday materials for manufacturing and textiles industries.
Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) for Medicinal Purposes: Cultivation under German Growing Conditions
Hemp , or industrial hemp , is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. Although cannabis as a drug and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol THC , they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content. In those languages "hemp" can refer to either industrial fiber hemp or narcotic cannabis strains. Hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel.
