Journal .

It has long been known that THC and cannabis can help people with cancer better manage the disease.

Cannabis products can help with nausea and vomiting, stimulate appetite, relieve pain, improve sleep and brighten mood. This is described in the scientific literature and reported by many of my patients.

Both ripe hemp seed and hemp seed meal, as well as hemp oil, are useful sources of oils and fatty acids, proteins and amino acids, and fibres and dietary fibres respectively. Technically, hemp seed is a nut that typically contains over 30% oil and about 25% protein, with significant amounts of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

The endocannabinoid system of the skin plays an important role in various biological processes and is considered a promising target for a number of skin diseases, including acne, increased sebum production, atopic dermatitis, itching, psoriasis, and skin cancer. However, to date, no clinical trials have been conducted in this research area and only a few case reports have been published.

I would like to present four cases of various skin diseases from my practice where cannabis therapy was very effective.

Two studies on cannabidiol (CBD), one from basic research and one observation in people with glioblastoma, a very malignant brain tumour, particularly caught my attention this year. One study from October comes from Mexico. According to this study, CBD acts directly against the mitochondria of leukaemia cells (blood cancer), i.e. the power plants of cancer cells, by upsetting the calcium metabolism of the cells.

In 2008, a study was published for the first time according to which various cannabinoids of the hemp plant (THC, cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabichromene and cannabinol) have antibacterial properties against bacteria that can no longer be treated with the usual antibiotics. The problem of antibiotic resistance, i.e. the lack of response of bacterial infections to antibiotics, has increased significantly in recent years. Therefore, new ways to get a grip on this problem are increasingly being sought. New antibiotic substances are urgently needed. Not only the often uncritical use of antibiotics in humans, but also the extensive use of antibiotics in factory farming contribute to the development of resistance.

It is largely undisputed in science that cannabis use can accelerate the onset of schizophrenic psychosis. It is probable that cannabis can increase the risk for the onset of psychosis. Conclusive certainty is hard to come by here. But caution is indicated, so this possibility must be taken seriously, especially in connection with adolescent cannabis use. That is one side.

A recent study from the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health at Saint Louis University in the USA suggests that cannabis use before sex can increase women's satisfaction with orgasm. The internet is full of reports on the effects of cannabis on various aspects of sexuality in men and women, including libido and orgasm. However, scientific research on this topic is limited so far.

In the last issue I reported on the optimal oral intake of CBD. The starting point was a recent study according to which the bioavailability of CBD via the stomach can be considerably increased if a large amount of fat-rich food is taken at the same time. Presumably, a large part of the orally ingested cannabidiol is absorbed through the lymphatic system of the intestine by the simultaneous ingestion of fat, so that the degradation in the liver is reduced. However, an English breakfast with eggs, fried potatoes and bacon and 900 kilocalories is not for everyone. Other fats, such as healthy vegetable oils, can also be used.

Recently, a study from Israel was published, according to which a cannabis extract with high amounts of CBD and low amounts of THC can alleviate symptoms of autism. It thus confirms experiences from medical practice that cannabis can be used to treat this congenital disorder. Autism is a disorder of perception and information processing. It is already noticeable in childhood.

The medical use of cannabis improved mental performance in a study from the USA. The elaborate study with 22 patients was conducted in the USA. The scientists used a test - the so-called MSIT test - which measures certain aspects of mental performance. During the test, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed to measure brain activity during the test. The participants were examined before starting cannabis therapy and 3 months later.

USA -- There's a body of research showing that painkiller abuse and overdose are lower in states with medical marijuana laws. These studies have generally assumed that when medical marijuana is available, pain patients are increasingly choosing pot over powerful and deadly prescription narcotics. But that's always been just an assumption.

Now a new study, released in the journal Health Affairs, validates these findings by providing clear evidence of a missing link in the causal chain running from medical marijuana to falling overdoses. Ashley and W. David Bradford, a daughter-father pair of researchers at the University of Georgia, scoured the database of all prescription drugs paid for under Medicare Part D from 2010 to 2013. 

The preferred forms of ingestion of cannabis preparations for medicinal use are inhalation (smoking cannabis flowers, vaporisation by vaporizer) and oral ingestion (cannabis-based medicines such as dronabinol/THC, Sativex, nabilone and hemp extracts). Less common are rectal use by means of home-made suppositories and external use on the skin.

There are a number of cannabis preparations for medicinal purposes and cannabis-based medicines that have been studied in clinical trials and are available in some countries around the world. These include dried flowers of female plants that can be inhaled or used to produce extracts, the cannabis extract Sativex®, pure THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) or dronabinol, CBD (cannabidiol), nabilone (Cesamet®) and Epidiolex®, a CBD-rich cannabis extract.

The preferred forms of ingestion of cannabis preparations for medicinal use are inhalation (smoking cannabis flowers, vaporisation via vaporizer) and oral ingestion (cannabis-based medicines such as dronabinol/THC, Sativex, nabilone and CBD extracts). Less common are rectal use via homemade suppositories and external use on the skin.

Most of the medicinal effects of cannabis products are based on the cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9-THC or THC. It is also called dronabinol in a medical context. In recent years, the effects of other components of the cannabis plant have also come into focus, including cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), some other cannabinoids and terpenes (essential oils).

In January 2012, in an article in the Hanf Journal about common misconceptions when dealing with cannabis, I had noted that they already start with grammar. I had asked in this context whether it is called the, the or the cannabis. Both in official letters from authorities and in journals of the cannabis scene, it was consistently "the cannabis". About five years earlier, I had consulted the body responsible for grammar in Germany, the Duden. According to the Duden, cannabis was masculine, as well as hemp, so "the cannabis". Errors about cannabis are widespread, so why not with very basic questions, like grammar.

The use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis can have negative effects on the course of pregnancy and the development of the embryo and foetus with long-term effects on the health of the children, including reduced growth of the foetus, malformations and negative effects on mental development.

The best known and most serious is fetal alcohol syndrome, which is caused by alcohol consumption by pregnant women and is associated with malformations and serious effects on the children's cognitive performance.

The most important part of the application for an exemption according to Section 3, Paragraph 2 of the Narcotics Act by the Federal Opium Agency for the use of cannabis flowers from the pharmacy is a medical report. In it, the attending physician(s) must justify why therapy with cannabis is necessary for the applicant. To this end, he/she explains why other therapies have so far been ineffective or have caused severe side effects. He/she presents the medical history, including previous therapy attempts. In the medical report, he/she may refer to medical records of the previously treating physicians or hospitals. He or she also states that any possible benefits of cannabis therapy outweigh the possible risks, and that the patient is likely to use the therapy responsibly.

In recent years, interest in CBD (cannabidiol) for medical purposes has increased significantly. One important indication is forms of epilepsy in children, who often respond very poorly to the usual antiepileptic medications. Today I received an enthusiastic email from the mother of a 5-year-old patient I treat with CBD, saying, "I hope you don't get too overrun with Angelman patients in the near future, but CBD is really the craze."

It is not appreciated by people who defend the current legal status of cannabis to compare the dangers of legal and illegal drugs, especially those of alcohol and cannabis. It is too obvious that alcohol is a more dangerous drug than cannabis.