Benefits of cannabis and drugs with cannabinoids discussed in Ukraine

Attitudes towards marijuana around the world - at least for medical use - are gradually changing. Medcon is allowed in many European countries, in the United States they again started talking about the decriminalization of cannabis at the federal level, and Canada in 2018 became the second state after Uruguay to fully legalize cannabis. In Ukraine, hemp, together with its active substances - cannabinoids - is included in the list of prohibited drugs.

The government has so far ignored the proven benefits of cannabinoids in the treatment of a number of diseases against which conventional medications are ineffective. However, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Human Rights responded to the petition to legalize the medical consultation, which gained more than 25 thousand signatures, by starting the development of a corresponding bill.

A sign of the readiness of the Ukrainian community of doctors and scientists for medical marijuana can be considered a lecture on cannabis at the 7th annual international scientific conference held in Kyiv in April. Igor Kutsenok, professor of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, read it. Below we will briefly describe the thesis of his speech, but first a little background on the interaction of medical cannabis with the human body.

Cannabinoids, man and law

The active substances in cannabis interact with the body's endocannabinoid system (ECS). Consists of lipids and receptors, located in different parts of the brain, controls the perception of pain, appetite, reproductive and immune function, the transfer of information between neurons, short-term memory, fine motor skills, motivation and the reward system. There are more than a hundred cannabinoids in marijuana, but the highest content is THC - responsible for the psychotropic effect of cannabis - and CBD (cannabidiol), which does not have psychoactive properties.

Studies show different degrees of usefulness of both substances, but CBD has a big popularity in the medical field. The World Health Organization considered the results of numerous scientific works convincing and is preparing a project to exclude cannabidiol from list 1 of narcotic substances. She will recommend that countries move this component of marijuana to schedule 2. There are substances here that need to be controlled, but they have proven medical effectiveness. Professor Kutsenok spoke about the same at his lecture.

Professor Kutsenok on the effects of CBD on the body

The content of cannabidiol in hemp extract is about 40%. There are studies that prove its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiemetic effect. Due to this, medical cannabis and, in particular, an extract with a high content of CBD are prescribed to relieve the side effects of chemotherapy: nausea, pain, loss of appetite. Marijuana stimulates appetite, which makes it useful also for eating disorders (anorexia) and severe weight loss in AIDS patients. Professor Kutsenok also talked about the effects of cannabis on mental health:

Depression. Studies have shown that cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabidiol have a marked antidepressant effect, but noted that more research is needed for a definitive conclusion.

Schizophrenia. So far, there is no significant evidence of the benefits of marijuana for the treatment of this disease, but there are studies that reveal the effect of ECS on its development. In particular, in patients with the acute phase of schizophrenia, the concentration of the substance anandamide, which produces the ECS, is higher. Scientists still don't understand why this is happening. There is also evidence from several studies that cannabidiol reduces the symptoms of schizophrenia. At the same time, he had fewer side effects than the drugs used for this.

social phobia. Research shows the benefits of CBD in curing this disorder. This is a great success because social phobia is difficult to treat with conventional medications.

PTSD. There is evidence for a reduction in the frequency of traumatic flashbacks with marijuana use. A feature of PTSD is that the images caused by triggers are very vivid and realistic. The person re-experiences the traumatic experience without realizing that everything is happening in their imagination. Kutsenok stated the need for further research, but also noted the absence to date of negative effects from such treatment.

The professor also spoke about the benefits of CBD in reducing the frequency of seizures in epilepsy, including in children. Studies have shown that so far this is the most effective way to deal with severe forms of the disease. Summing up the benefits of cannabis, he listed all the diseases and conditions where marijuana and, in particular, cannabidiol helps:

• neuropathic pain;
• spastic form of multiple sclerosis;
• anorexia;
• glaucoma that does not respond to conventional therapy;
• nausea and other effects of chemotherapy;
• eating disorders;
• anxiety disorders;
• severe forms of epilepsy;

schizophrenia (based on some data).

The side effects of cannabidiol Kutsenok attributed the likelihood of negative interactions with other drugs that the patient takes, as well as changes in liver enzymes in some people - the reasons for this process have not yet been sufficiently studied. Another consequence of taking the professor called drowsiness.

About Addiction and Withdrawal

Cannabidiol is not addictive because it does not have a psychoactive effect. Accordingly, discontinuation of medications containing it does not cause a withdrawal syndrome. The probability of developing addiction and using marijuana is quite low - 9-10%. For comparison, it is 15% for alcohol and 32% for nicotine. The withdrawal syndrome when you stop using cannabis passes in a fairly mild form. Its main manifestations are insomnia and irritability.

How to Use Cannabis Medically

Doctors consider smoking marijuana the most inappropriate way to obtain a therapeutic effect. The main problem is the lack of a clear dosage of the active substance and the combustion process harmful to the lungs. As an alternative, it is suggested to use a vaporizer that heats the leaves to the desired temperature. Each breath in this case will give the necessary amount of useful substances.

There are also cannabis products. Some of them contain synthetic analogues of THC, which are not inferior in effectiveness to vegetable ones. These drugs are primarily prescribed in the United States for cancer patients and people with HIV. Another cannabis-based medicine is in the form of a spray used to relieve pain and relieve spasms in people with multiple sclerosis.