Therapeutic cannabis is a very delicate issue and the debate around it is still very lively. In Italy, the use of treatments containing active substances based on cannabis for medical purposes is provided only when conventional treatments do not achieve the desired results.
The Ministry of Health establishes that therapeutic use only occurs when:
"it cannot be considered as a proper therapy, but rather a symptomatic support treatment to standard treatments, when these have not produced the desired effects, or have caused intolerable side effects, or require dosage increases that could lead to the appearance of side effects".
What do studies on therapeutic cannabis say?
Research on therapeutic cannabis is still evolving. Since the UN declared knowledge of the medical properties of cannabis, scientific research has been facilitated, and studies have been significantly expanded.
Especially studies related to diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
More and more people are turning to cannabis to relieve chronic pain from certain diseases, and the studies and scientific evidence of its effectiveness are substantial.
Individuals with chronic illnesses report that cannabis has reduced pain by 40% for spinal cord injuries, HIV or complex regional pain syndrome, muscle and joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, according to the 2017 NASEM report.
Arthritis was the main reason why the elderly started using cannabis in a 2019 Colorado survey, followed by back pain. Overall, 79% stated that its use alleviated the pain from these issues.
Insomnia
By binding to cannabinoid receptors on brain cells, THC and CBD could work together to sleep better, at least in the short term, in people with insomnia due to pain, obstructive sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety.
A little THC helps, but too much could keep you awake. Too little CBD could interfere with good sleep, while a higher dose can help you doze off longer with fewer nighttime wake-ups, according to a recent review from Palo Alto University.
Parkinson's Disease
Some clinical studies have been conducted with therapeutic cannabis on people with Parkinson's disease. The active ingredients in marijuana are called cannabinoids (CBD). They act on two types of receptors: type 1, whose activation would be linked to an improvement in tremors and involuntary movements, and type 2, which would have a neuroprotective action. The results showed an improvement in tremor, stiffness, bradykinesia, as well as sleep and pain.
At the same time, there are not enough studies claiming such effectiveness to make therapeutic cannabis a way to cure Parkinson's disease.
Cannabis-Based Medicines
Sativex is a medicine based on cannabis extracts used to reduce painful spasms in multiple sclerosis. Its active ingredient is a plant preparation consisting of a mixture of two cannabis extracts, cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Since 2013, neurologists in Italy can also prescribe cannabis extract-based products, such as Sativex.
In 2016, our country started a national production of medical cannabis at the Military Chemical Pharmaceutical Plant in Florence (SCFM), thanks to the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Defense, in order to ensure access to such therapies at adequate costs and safely.
