Medical cannabis

Classification and Components of Medical Cannabis

• National Institute on Drug Abuse defines medical cannabis as using the whole marijuana plant or its extracts for treatment.
• A cannabis plant contains over 400 chemicals, with about 70 being cannabinoids.
• Government-approved medications typically contain one or two chemicals, unlike cannabis.
• The complexity of cannabis with its many active chemicals makes classification and study challenging.
• The therapeutic vs psychoactive effects of cannabis products are determined by the CBD-to-THC ratio.

Medical Uses and Recommendations

• Research on the health effects of medical cannabis has been of low quality.
• Some potential uses include reducing nausea during chemotherapy and improving sleep.
• Cannabinoids have been recommended for conditions like anorexia, arthritis, and glaucoma.
• Medical cannabis should be avoided during pregnancy.

Efficacy and Safety in Specific Conditions

• Medical cannabis is somewhat effective in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
• Evidence is lacking on the efficacy and safety of cannabis for treating patients with HIV/AIDS.
• Non-inhaled cannabis has shown little effect in relieving chronic pain.
• Inconsistent results have been found for using cannabis in neuropathic pain and multiple sclerosis.

Cognitive and Psychosis Effects

• Recreational cannabis use linked to cognitive deficits, especially in adolescent users.
• THC exposure can cause transient psychotic symptoms.
• Cannabis use associated with a doubled risk of psychosis.
• Lack of research on long-term cognitive effects of medical cannabis use.

Pharmacology, Absorption, Metabolism, and Excretion

• Cannabis contains over 460 compounds, with at least 80 cannabinoids.
• THC is the most psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis.
• Cannabinoid absorption varies by route of administration.
• THC metabolized in the liver to inactive forms.
• Majority of THC excreted in feces and urine.

Medical cannabis Data Sources