History
Cannabis has been used as a medicine for thousands of years. It was listed in an herbal published by a Chinese emperor that may go back to 2800 B.C. In Jamaica, where it was introduced in the seventeenth century by African slaves, it has become the most popular folk medicine. Cannabis in the form of an alcoholic tincture was commonly used in nineteenth-century Europe and the United States as an anticonvulsant, sedative, and analgesic. As late as 1937, extract of cannabis was still a legitimate medicine marketed by drug companies in the US.
Reports on therapeutic use
The ailments for which the medical use of cannabis may be beneficial include: Arthritis, AIDS Wasting Syndrome, Appetite Loss, Asthma, Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder Brain Stroke, Chronic Pains, Crohn’s Disease, Depression, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Glaucoma, Migraine, Movement Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Nausea from Cancer Chemotherapy, Parkinson’s Disease, Tourette’s Syndrome, Ulcerative Depression.
Legal status
Since 1961 following its inclusion to the List of Controlled Substances added to the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the production and distribution of cannabis has been prohibited worldwide. In some countries, use and possession of quantities for personal use have been decriminalised.
The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has been decriminalised in 13 states of the US, as well as in Canada, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany . In these countries patients may obtain, with a prescription from a doctor, permission to obtain or grow the product.
Risks
Smoking cannabis (especially in combination with tobacco) can be harmful for the lungs. Furthermore, long term use in adolescents and adults suffering from psychological disorders can develop adverse effects such as lack of motivation, depression and others.
More information
International Association Cannabis as a Medicine
Medical Cannabis
Research Findings on Medicinal Properties of Marijuana
The most medicinal plant in the world in action
More information on the therapeutic use of other psycho-active substances
