Banished for a hundred years for its psychoactive effects, cannabis is back in force in the pharmacopoeia. By closely studying this plant, scientists now distinguish the substance so highly prized by its followers, the THC (delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol), many other cannabinoids (especially Love Hemp CBD Oil) which they are just beginning to break through the therapeutic effects.
Research is conducted all over the place to understand their mode of action, to develop the varieties of cannabis most suited to each pathology, or even develop drugs derived from these cannabinoids. From pain relief to the possible treatment of certain cancers, the prospects are immense but clinical trials are still few. Without waiting for the results of the studies, many patients with serious diseases practice self-medication in research most often an analgesic effect or anti-nausea. Tomorrow, the unprecedented properties of cannabis will rank this plant in the category of useful drugs? Or will its drug status ban the trivialization of its use in medicine?
In the country, drugs authorized but not marketed
Sativex is a mixture of THC and CBD spray for patients with multiple sclerosis – is the only cannabis-based drug to have received a marketing authorization in the country (in 2014). But it is still not marketed for lack of price agreement between the Almirall laboratory and the state. The sick must therefore buy it at a high price abroad. Three other drugs are available provided that the doctor requests a temporary authorization for nominative use (exceptional procedure): Marinol (THC) and Cesamet (THC) against nausea induced by chemotherapy; Epidiolex (CBD) against certain forms of epilepsy.
Therapeutic properties
Cannabis is used primarily to relieve the pain of certain serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis, AIDS or cancer.
This plant is not just a drug. It also has therapeutic effects thanks to the many cannabinoids that compose it. In countries that allow it, it can be consumed in its natural state (oil and cannabis herb) or in the form of medicine (spray, capsule, tablet) to relieve pain caused by certain diseases: multiple sclerosis, AIDS , cancer. In the country, cannabis is classified as narcotic because of the psychoactive substance (THC, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol) it contains, which alters the behavior. As such, its cultivation and consumption are prohibited.
However, while varieties sold for recreational use may contain up to 20% THC, other varieties are characterized by a very low THC content and by the presence of CBD (cannabidiol), which has the advantage of having therapeutic effects (especially calming or anti-inflammatory) without being psychoactive. French law allows the cultivation of cannabis varieties that contain less than 0.2% THC.
The Last Words
One caveat however, only the seeds and stems can be valued, which is of interest to manufacturers of textile hemp, but less the medical sector, because it is from the flowers that cannabinoids are extracted. It is therefore not easy to obtain these varieties for therapeutic purposes. Despite a strong call to order by the Mildeca, shops that, in the country, recently sell cannabis to less than 0.2% of THC, continue, for now, to stock up on countries where legislation on hemp cultivation is more flexible: Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands.
