ABOUT MEDICINAL CANNABIS

Cannabis is a plant. When the cannabis plant is mature, it produces an oil containing chemicals called cannabinoids.¹ These cannabinoids have a range of medicinal properties. This isn’t unique. In fact, more than 100 approved medicines are derived from a plant.² This includes some of the world’s most well-known medicines like aspirin (used for the treatment of pain, fever, and inflammation), morphine (pain), digoxin (heart failure), and paclitaxel (cancer). As an example, aspirin is modelled after salicylic acid, a chemical found in several plants, including Salix alba, the white willow tree.³

Just like these plant-derived medicines, the term ‘cannabis-based medicines’ refers to any medicine that is based on cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant. Medicinal cannabis, on the other hand, differs from classical medicines and represents a new category of medicinal products. Medicinal cannabis uses cannabis flowers or extracts and makes them available in new pharmaceutical forms and with various concentrations and mixtures of the active substances.

Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals produced by the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant contains over 100 cannabinoids.⁴ The two most researched and most used cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC) and cannabidiol (also known as CBD).⁴

Yes. The human body has molecules called endocannabinoids. They interact with the body’s cannabinoid (CB) receptors, just like cannabinoids that come from the cannabis plant. This natural system, which is still being researched, seems to regulate appetite, sleep, pain sensation, and other physiological functions in the brain. That’s why activating the system with external cannabinoids may have a medicinal effect.^8,9

Among botanists (plant scientists), there is still no definitive agreement on how to classify the differences in the cannabis plant. Three species were initially proposed: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Cannabis sativa is the most used form in the West. It is a taller plant that is grown in warmer regions. In contrast, Cannabis indica is a shorter plant that is grown in cooler climates. Cannabis ruderalis is the smallest of the plants, but it grows the quickest. In terms of cannabinoid content, Cannabis ruderalis has the least THC but it can be high in CBD. However, over time, this classification system has been challenged, since all three plant types can inter-cross successfully and produce fertile hybrids, which contradicts the definition of species. When thinking about the medicinal application of the cannabis plant, creating divisions according to the basic plant characteristics (like height) is often vague and pointless. Creating logical divisions according to the chemical profile makes more sense when thinking about medicinal applications.¹⁰ This has resulted in three main types: chemovar I (THC dominant), chemovar II (a balance of THC and CBD), and chemovar III (CBD dominant).¹¹

There are many medicinal cannabis products available today. Medicinal cannabis is available in three types: chemovar I (THC dominant), chemovar II (a balance of THC and CBD), and chemovar III (CBD dominant.¹¹ They are available in different formulations, such as a dried flower (whole or ground) that is appropriate for inhalation and oral solutions such as oils, capsules, and sublingual sprays. To learn more about each type of product, how it is used, and its unique characteristics, please proceed to the EVIDENCE FOR MEDICINAL CANNABIS section.

Hemp refers to varieties of the cannabis plant that contain less than 0.2% THC by dry weight.¹² So, the only difference between hemp and cannabis is the profile of the cannabinoids that they include, some of which have medicinal features. Hemp products can contain CBD; however, hemp is often used for a variety of non-medicinal products due to the strength of plant fibers. This includes various textiles. Sometimes, the terms hemp and cannabis are used interchangeably, but they are different.

Not really. Cannabis is the official term that is accepted worldwide, especially in the scientific community. That is why the active substances in cannabis are called cannabinoids. Marijuana is a term that is primarily used in the United States, and although no one is certain, the term ‘marijuana’ appears to have some origins from Mexico. Because of negative political and social campaigns against cannabis in the early 20th century in the United States, the term ‘marijuana’ has had a negative connotation since then.¹³