Cannabis to the service of medecine

(MFI) As stated in a report from 19/06/97 the Academy of Sciences published last spring in Paris, the long-term consumption of cannabis is dangerous to your health. But researchers also evoke researches taking place in the USA on " the effects potentially beneficial to one’s health " The report of the Academy of sciences on cannabis, published in Paris last April, is alarming. According to the researchers, the consumption of indian hemp keeps growing in France and mostly upon young people. Between 1988 and 1993, the proportion of youth from second degree level consuming cannabis went from 6% to 12%. But beyond numbers, it is the effect of the cannabis on the consumers’ health which interests the scientists (1) First finding: "the addiction to cannabis is modest when compared to that of heroin or morphine". Nevertheless, precise the researchers : "The studies carried out only on cannabis preparations at 3% THC (The main active molecule of cannabis). However, the appearance on the market of new species called red hemp has 20% THC could lead to another conclusion". Second finding from the researchers: Cannabis is toxic and its excessive consumption is dangerous to ones health. According to their experimentation, they note that : the consumption of hemp leads to acute and chronic psychic and commportamental trouble. It’s long term use may lead to pulmonary problems, arterial pressure modifications, and a strike on ones memory. More unexpected were the passages of the report stating the " potentially beneficial effects from cannabis in therapy." Experts disclose : "It would not be conforming to the scientific objective to pass under silence the medical breakthroughs on the usage of cannabis in therapy". And to add : "antalgic general effects are reported in an editorial of the New England of Medecine by the Dr.J.P. KASSIRER for whom marijuana would be susceptible to attenuate in a clear fashion the sufferance of many patients with AIDS or cancer." As well explain the researchers , the therapeutic effect of the cannabinoids (derived from cannabis) has been clinically researched for the people suffering from : Hypertension, of alcoholism, asthma, insomnia. In the USA, a synthetic cannabinoid has a therapeutic indication, for nausea and vomiting linked to the chimiotherapy against cancer. " It is also in the United States that the debate on the therapeutic effects potential is the most advanced. Indeed, California and Arizona have voted for the legalization to therapeutic usage of the indian hemp, in contradiction with the federal law ! In France, studies started only in 90s and we are barely getting to an exploratory first phase. The main problem is that in France and in the USA, the same problem concerning a new drug. The Pfizer laboratory has been trying since many months to dissociate the cannabis negative effects from more positive effects without success. One must remain precautious and to remind everyone that Cannabis is a drug the consumption of which can have terrible effects on your health. The side effects proponed by cannabis and these side effects are not proven by science. The devastating consequences on our health is not yet proven by medecine.

(1) molecular aspects, physiological and cellular from the intake of cannabis. Rapport no389 de l’académie des sciences, Edition Lavoisier, Paris.