What science says about Cannabis / CBD

Cannabis is considered one of the most controversial plants. It is also a hot discussion topic because of its potential to treat certain diseases. Currently, there is plenty of scientific research and evidence on the benefits and harmful effects of cannabis.

Nevertheless, most experts agree that more research is needed to better understand both the plant’s positive and negative aspects. However, researching cannabis is a challenging task because cannabis is made up of hundreds of components, and each plant might be different from the other.

The effects of the plant can also change due to many factors, including frequency of use and how the plant is grown. This makes it very challenging to properly assess and understand the various benefits and harmful effects of this plant.

Opinion in favor of using cannabis:

Many supporters of cannabis believe that the plant is useful as medicine because of the unique composition of certain cannabinoids such as THC and CBD that can be beneficial in treating many conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, chronic pain, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, nausea, and cancer. Researchers are publishing studies to back up these statements.

Supporters of cannabis argue that many large pharmaceutical companies are fighting the legalization of cannabis even though there is a lot of supporting evidence that proves that cannabis is beneficial for numerous health conditions.

Pharmaceutical companies are fighting it because they will lose a lot of money if cannabis replaces their drugs.

That is why pharmaceutical companies accuse cannabis of being addictive and continue to fight against promoting any natural solution because it can be cheap, easy to use, and non-beneficial for these organizations.

In a recent interview, the CEO of New Frontier Data stated that Big Pharma (the global pharmaceutical industry) could lose up to $18.5 billion if all 50 states legalize cannabis because they would prescribe fewer pills to patients.

Supporters of cannabis also argue that there is a lot of scientific evidence showing that not all cannabinoids found in cannabis are addictive. For instance, the psychoactive cannabinoid THC is considered addictive and makes people feel “high.” However, the non-addictive and non-psychoactive cannabinoid, CBD could help treat many health conditions.

Opinion against using cannabis:

On the other hand, many medical experts are against the use of cannabis, even when it comes to medical purposes.

They argue that the drug has many negative effects, and it’s not possible to predict how each individual will react to the drug. They believe that legalizing the drug, even if just for medical purposes, will lead people to believe that cannabis is good for one’s health.

This is especially worrying in younger adults because their brain is still developing, and cannabis can negatively affect the brain and memory. Many doctors are also against prescribing cannabis for medical purposes because they believe that patients will become addicted to it.

Opponents also claim that it is very difficult to determine the appropriate  cannabis dosage that they can prescribe to patients. Unlike legalized drugs, cannabis is very difficult to regulate because it contains many cannabinoids, and its concentration differs in each plant depending on how it is grown and bred.

For instance, compared to 10 years ago, the amount of THC, the main cannabinoid in cannabis, has increased by more than 20 times in some plants. Therefore, it is very difficult to regulate the different types of cannabis as well as its doses in medication.

Opponents of the use of cannabis also argue that there is not enough scientific evidence to prove that cannabis is useful in treating medical conditions. The opponents believe that it should not be prescribed to patients until its beneficial effects are clear. Therefore, more research is required to provide stronger evidence for this topic.

Published: September 2020