doi: 10.1556/650.2021.32211.
- PMID: 34747360
- DOI: 10.1556/650.2021.32211
Summary: The assessment of the healing effects of hemp (Cannabis sativa) is changing today, but it is also very controversial. The aim of our work is to present the development of the legal environment related to hemp and its preparations in parallel with the history of the medical use of hemp. In addition to an overview of the current domestic legislation and international conventions related to hemp and its content materials, we present the history of the use of hemp in the light of the literature and the transformation of the drug treasure. The industrial career of hemp began as a raw material in the textile industry, but even before that it was used as a drug and for medicinal purposes. During the 20th century, its use as a psychoactive substance became more widespread, but with the better understanding of the active ingredients of the plant, the weight of its medical application also increased. Currently, several compounds of hemp (cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol) are marketed as drugs worldwide, but preparations containing semi-synthetic cannabinoids (nabilone) and various cannabis products are also marketed as drugs. Its use today is characterized by the fact that, in addition to rational medical use, unprofessional use based on excessive expectations is significant. This can be partly explained by anomalies in the legislation on hemp. As a result, products containing the antiepileptic drug of hemp are available as food and are used without medical control in the hope of many therapeutic effects. It can be stated that the new scientific results, the goals of the companies interested in the field, the consumer needs, the market reality and the legal regulation are not in all cases and in all respects. The longer-term future of cannabinoids in evidence-based medicine is strongly influenced by research that provides a more accurate picture of their benefit-risk profile. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162 (45): 1808-1817. Summary. The opinion about the medicinal value of cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is changing but still remains controversial. The aim of our work was to present the evolution of the regulatory environment of Cannabis and its preparations in parallel with its history as medicine. We reviewed the current national legislation and international conventions on Cannabis and its constituents along with the historical and contemporary medicinal application of Cannabis. The utilization of Cannabis started in the textile industry, but it was applied for recreational and medicinal purposes beforehand. During the 20th century, it was best known for its psychoactivity whereas its medicinal importance increased after elucidating the bioactivities of the active compounds of the plant. Currently different phytocannabinoids (cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol) are marketed as medicines, but semisynthetic cannabinoids and different cannabis-based products are also approved as medicines. Today, there is a trend that goes beyond the rational and medicinal application thus results in an improper form of utilization. This phenomenon could be partly explained by the anomalies of legislative regulations. As a result, products containing the antiepileptic component of cannabis are available as food and used for various medicinal purposes without medical supervision. Evidently, there is no harmony between the new scientific discoveries, the goals of companies involved, the demands of consumers, market realities and current laws in several aspects. Ongoing studies will help to clarify the benefit-risk profiles of cannabinoids and provide major influence on the future of these compounds in the evidence-based medicine. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162 (45): 1808-1817.
