Questions and Answers: Medical benefits of Cannabis 

Nandor Tanczos, MP for the Green Party provides some answers of commonly asked questions on the medical benefits of Cannabis:

For more info vist : Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos on Medical benefits of Cannabis

How long has cannabis been used for medicinal purposes?
There is evidence that cannabis has been used for over 12,000 years; there are texts from as far back as 2737B.C. which list the medicinal uses of cannabis.

The medical uses of cannabis have recently been rediscovered by researchers and health practitioners around the world, and many countries are recognising these medicinal benefits by enacting changes to their laws.

International Perspective:
Canada: legalized cannabis for medicinal use. Standardised cannabis strains are currently being grown and will be available on prescription by the end of this year. In the mean time, the Minister of Health has so far issued permits to patients allowing them to grow their own cannabis until the official prescription supply is ready.

United States: eight individual states (including Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska) have enacted legislation whereby patients who suffer from certain serious or debilitating medical conditions may be granted authorization to possess marihuana for personal medical use. Patients may also be permitted to grow marihuana for this purpose, since there would otherwise be no legitimate supply.

Australia: The medical use of marihuana is currently prohibited in all states and territories of Australia. However, the government of New South Wales (NSW) commissioned a report to advise the NSW government on whether to allow patients with certain medical conditions to use cannabis. The report recommended a "compassionate regime" whereby patients would be allowed to grow their own cannabis until the government can begin prescribing it.

New Zealand: The New Zealand Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 imposes a ban on the use of cannabis. The Minister of Health has the power under section 14 of the MDA to issue licences permitting medicinal cannabis use. Although applications have been received by the Minister, none have been granted.

No one is claiming that cannabis is a "miracle" drug or cure, but it is becoming clear that cannabis can alleviate the suffering of many people with a variety of conditions.

What are the medical uses of cannabis?
THC and other cannabinoid's have been shown to have analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-convulsant, anti-tremor, anti-psychotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic and appetite-stimulant properties. Research is ongoing into the Neuro protective and immunomodulatory effects of cannabis.

Can people overdose on cannabis?
Cannabis use encompasses 12,000 years of human experience and is now used daily by enormous numbers of people for recreation, yet there is no credible medical report to suggest that consuming marijuana has caused a single death.

Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects; however, researchers have been unable to identify the amount of cannabis which would need to be consumed in order to cause death.

Estimates indicate that a person would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much cannabis as is contained in one cannabis cigarette, and they would have to consume this amount in a short space of time (e.g. less than 1 hour).

What side effects are there from medicinal cannabis use?
All possible side effects are dose dependent. Therapy should start with low doses, slowly increasing, so that the individual dose can be determined and unwanted side effects can be avoided.

Many side effects are dose dependent and generally disappear within hours or 1-3 days without specific treatment