Medical Usage of Cannabis
2009.04.08
Even though cannabis is considered to be used as a drug only, in past times its great qualities as a medicine were not underestimated. The hands of ancient healers were not so stayed with law and ethic restrictions, so they could prescribe marijuana in great variety of cases. And the effects could vary from actual curing to none, or curing based not on cannabis qualities, but on placebo effect.
Usage of cannabis as a medicine goes deep into the history of ancient India and Middle East. There marijuana and hash were widely use as analgesic, antiepileptic and anticonvulsive remedy. Its usage started not less than in 28th century B.C. In ancient Greece cannabis was used as a veterinary drug. The first mentioned usages of marijuana in European medical practice are in the period of Great Britain colonizing India in the middle of the 19th century when army surgeons used cannabis for basically the same purposes as the Indians. Due to the influence of British Colonial Forces cannabis medicines had become widespread in Britain, The USA. Later, in the middle of the 20th century cannabis was used as a cure for alcoholism. Actually, heroin and other strong drugs were used as well, so one addiction was basically replaced by another one.
Nowadays usage has far more restrictions, in some countries its banned completely. Anyway, marijuana and medicines made of it are successfully used for improving the conditions of cancer and AIDS patients. THC is used to fight nausea caused by some anticancer drugs, for that purpose its usage is approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In some countries like China or Canada cannabis is legally used as antiemetic medicine for cancer patients. However, no advantages compared to traditional drugs have been found during the research so marijuana is prescribed in cases of personal intolerance to other medicines. Positive psychological effects of cannabis can help in unintentional weight loss or depression cases that are actually common among cancer or AIDS patients as well. Cannabis can bring some joy and happiness, so why not let people who are suffering that much get some more of their life? Especially, when their disease is lethal.
According to recent news of The Guardian the scientists of one of the leading research centers of Madrid have found that cannabis can prevent memory losses of Alzheimer's patients. Their preliminary research shows that THC slows down the cell actions that cause neuron damage. Actually, cannabis seems to be a nice remedy for neurological problems. It has positive effect on Parkinson's patients, limits neurological damage from some strokes.
Legal status of cannabis medical usage is really different in different countries. Some do not allow any research, like the US, others can delegate the right to do scientific research to some specific companies like the UK. In my opinion, governments of all countries should more care about how many lives cannabis may save or make easier than about the perspectives of its misuse. Being not able to help is a great tragedy for the doctors who would be most ready to use marijuana to heal, but they cannot.