Posted on November 5, 2015
“Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal impacts. However, marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in the substantial medical literature explaining a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality … Merely stated, scientists have been not able to give animals enough cannabis to cause death … In practical terms, marijuana can not induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity … In stringent medical terms, marijuana is far much safer than numerous foods we typically consume … Cannabis, in its natural type, is one of the safest therapeutically active drugs understood to man.”– DEA Administrative Law Judge, FL Young, 1988

Maybe the best oppression produced by the current legislation with regard to marijuana is that relating to its potential medical usage. The use of marijuana is mainly regulated under the Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 and according to this it has no medical value. However, present clinical research and the statements of thousands of individuals from the past and present fully oppose this claim.

Cannabis has been used as a medication worldwide for at least 5000 years. It was part of the British Formulary up until 1971 when the Misuse Of Drugs Act was passed, resulting in it being banned. The heyday of cannabis medicine was around the completion of the nineteenth century, where it was utilized for a variety of signs in a number of kinds. The enjoyment of the intro of hypodermic syringes and injectable opiates lowered its usage somewhat, in addition to newer miracle drugs. Nevertheless, in retrospect a few of these new drugs have shown inefficient in some individuals and have dangers inherent in their use. Unfortunately, the present state of our War on (some) Drugs legal policies have actually avoided its legal usage and limited any research efforts that brave researchers have actually attempted.

It appears nearly farcical that currently in the UK, so-called controlled substances such as heroin and cocaine, whilst being illegal to utilize recreationally, are offered on prescription whereas the fairly harmless marijuana plant can not be used, it being deemed ineffective and too dangerous to utilize even under complete medical supervision. This is no longer a popular viewpoint. Numerous studies have actually been done recently, and practically inevitably they have actually come out with support for medical marijuana usage whether the study is restricted to choose groups (e.g. Doctors) or to the general public. Indeed specific mandates in the United States have actually caused some states (for example California and Arizona in 1996) ‘legalising’ marijuana for medical use. However, it is not a possible option as marijuana use is still a federal crime.

Medicinal properties of marijuana

Marijuana has actually been claimed to assist with an a lot of comprehensive signs. Nevertheless, research has developed three significant homes which are medically helpful. Marijuana is:

an analgesic (eases discomfort).
an anti-emetic (alleviates queasiness and vomiting).
a hunger stimulant (induces hunger).

As can be inferred from the above, marijuana has a number of possible applications in medical treatment. Usually, most research study and usage seems to focus on cancer chemotherapy, AIDS and MS. For details of these, and a small amount of the large another array of disorders that individuals have asserted to utilize cannabis effectively for see the medical usages page.One must not limit its possible applications to these symptoms, however. Large quantities of anecdotal evidence and increasing amounts of contemporary research recommend other usages as varied as conditions of the body such as glaucoma, illness of the mind such as Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and until-now untreatable conditions such as certain types of tumour growth. Recent research likewise reveals cannabis has anti-oxidative and neuroprotection properties.

So why is marijuana not offered on prescription?

This question might puzzle some readers! The basic response is that cannabis can not be prescribed for any reason due to the Abuse of Drugs Act. This is obviously not an acceptable response. For a substance to end up being a ‘medication’ and hence formally prescribable, it should be certified by the Medicines Control Firm as being suitable. This needs 2 measures– safety (harmfulness to the user) and effectiveness (efficiency for its designated function). However, marijuana has apparently been consistently shown to be both safe and efficious. In regards to security, cannabis has actually never ever been proven to have actually caused even a single death straight. Its toxicity level is so low that no human has actually handled to take in enough to cause a fatal reaction. This is very unusual for modern-day medications. Every year, through overdoses, allergic reactions, contraindications and for other reasons thousands of people die through making use of legitimately prescribed medications. According to NIDA statistics, the common pain-killer Aspirin kills around 2000 individuals in America annually. As it has actually never been achieved it is unreliable, but experts have estimated that in order to consume sufficient marijuana to die from its toxicity, you would have to have literally a number of countless times the amount that people would make use of to medicate or throughout entertainment. Compare these with legal drugs– Aspirin for instance could be fatal (and is certainly extremely harmful) if simply 20 times the advised dose is taken. When it comes to its effectiveness, ignoring the legal status, time and time again it is shown to assist. Countless individuals testify to how it has helped them, and research study is constantly done which shows significant medical benefits in a broad range of conditions.

As time proceed, the significant issue of using cannabis clinically becomes taken increasingly more seriously. Not only do people head out of their way to treat themselves with marijuana regardless of the possible repercussions of law-breaking, but now a company has actually been set up specifically to investigate the possible healing uses of marijuana. GW Pharmaceuticals is now (lawfully) conducting a research study into medical usages of marijuana. They have encountered no significant unexpected health-related problems and are carrying out trials with the hope of getting a cannabis-based medicine accredited for prescribed usage within 3 years. They will apply for the licence in the near future, and the UK Government has actually suggested that if provided, they will enable the medication to become legal to recommend. More information can be found on our GW Pharmaceuticals page.

In July 2001, Canada ended up being the first country to legalise marijuana for medical usage. In Canada, marijuana can be legally recommended by physicians, albeit under heavy constraints. People with terminal diseases, having less than a year to live, along with those with certain given conditions (for instance HELP, arthritis, cancer) will be enabled to utilize marijuana medicinally if they have a type signed by their medical professional and 2 other professionals. Unfortunately at this time it might be difficult for some people to use it medicinally in practice due to the absence of supply. The certified client or a called agent can grow marijuana for their use, however, no-one else is enabled to cultivate or sell any type of cannabis for any factor. However, the federal government has funded a cannabis ranch which primarily produces materials for research purposes and in the future it is most likely that medical patients will have the ability to get their cannabis from them.

Whatever the case, it needs to be kept in mind that whatever anybody’s personal views are on the topic, thousands of individuals do treat themselves clinically with cannabis. They invest excessive quantities time and money in order to get their supply, without any guarantee of its strength, quality or purity. They risk confiscation, fines, rap sheets and imprisonment. Why would they do this if cannabis was not a reliable medication– certainly so effective it is worth running the risk of everything rather than utilize a medication that the authorities have considered ‘legal’?