Cannabis extends lifespan

 By Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu

Parliament has legalized the cultivation and management of cannabis for industrial and commercial purposes.

This follows the approval of the Narcotics Control Commission Regulations 2023 which legalizes cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 0.3.

Hence, in this article, I explore the science behind cannabis for medicinal use and not recreational use.

Cannabis, Science

I will do my best to simplify it: Cannabis is made up of more than 120 components, which are known as cannabinoids. Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are the two most well-known and researched cannabinoids.

THC is responsible for the “high” that many people associate with cannabis, while CBD is a non-intoxicating, non-euphoric component, which you may have seen in the form of oils, gummies, drinks, and other products for medical purposes.

How is cannabidiol different from marijuana, cannabis, and hemp?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, a cousin of marijuana, or manufactured in a laboratory. One of hundreds of components in marijuana, CBD does not cause a “high” by itself.

According to a report from the World Health Organization, “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…. To date, there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”

Lowering blood pressure 

One study by Jadoon et al.(2017) found that CBD lowered the blood pressure of human participants. It reduced their resting blood pressure as well as their blood pressure after stress tests including mental arithmetic, isometric exercise, and the cold pressor test.

Another study by Garza-Cervantes et al.(2020) found that CBD could be useful for those with high blood pressure because it can influence the contractions of the heart muscle and help widen blood vessels.

A case study conducted by Sultan et al.(2020) used 26 healthy men and showed that treatment with 600 milligrams of CBD for 7 days decreased blood pressure significantly as compared with a placebo group. The worrying thing was that after 7 days, there was no effect.

Reducing inflammation 

A study by Xiong et al.(2012) found that  CBD has been proven to help reduce inflammation and the neuropathic pain it can cause.

 Stopping relapse in drug and alcohol addiction 

Gonzalez-Cuevas et al.(2018) study found that  CBD can support people who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. A preclinical trial with lab rats determined that CBD reduced the stress-induced cravings, anxiety, and lack of impulse control that often cause people to relapse.

Anxiety disorders 

Blessing et al.(2015) study found that CBD could be effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mental disorders

Pinto et al.(2020) review study demonstrates that CBD contains properties that could help decrease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and even psychosis.

A previous study by Elms et al.(2019) also found that CBD was effective in decreasing PTSD-related symptoms, including nightmares, in adults. These studies used CBD oil on some mental health disorders to provide a clue for its natural alternative treatment.

 Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders 

A study by Martínez et al.(2020) found that CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids can effectively be used to prevent and treat GI disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and more. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties are key to reducing and preventing symptoms.

Neuroprotective

Years of studies have gone into using CBD to treat epilepsy and other seizure syndromes. A recent study by Morano et al.(2020) showed it can have positive effects in reducing symptoms and seizure frequency.

 

A recent study by Haddad et al.(2022) found that nabiximols (Sativex) spray that has both CBD and THC  could decrease pain and muscle spasticity in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

A previous study by Devinsky et al.(2017) found that CBD oil decreased seizure activity in children with Dravet syndrome, but it also caused some adverse reactions.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)(2020) has approved one CBD product, Epidiolex, for the treatment of several seizure disorders and seizures caused by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a rare genetic disease that causes benign tumors to grow in the brain and other body areas. Available here: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-indication-drug-containing-active-ingredient-derived-cannabis-treat-seizures-rare.

A  recent study by Chayasirisobhon S(2021) found limited evidence that CBD could be useful  in improving the quality of life   of other neurological situations, such as:

1. Parkinson’s disease
2. Huntington’s disease

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

1. Motor disorders like cerebral palsy

 

Averting cancer improves Quality of Life. 

Cfah.org revealed the many ways that CBD has been used to help alleviate the effects of chemotherapy. It goes beyond that, for instance, Lukhele et al.(2016) found it can prevent cell growth and induce cell death in cervical cancer cell lines and it has numerous anti-cancer effects(Kis et al.2019) that can help prevent a variety of cancers, treat tumors, and benefit the immune system.

A recent study by O’Brien K(2022)also found that  CBD improves the quality of life(QOL) of some cancer-related symptoms and side effects related to cancer treatment, such as nausea, vomiting, and pain.

Pain

A study by Hill et al(2017) found that  Cannabis has been used to treat pain since 2900 B.C., in  Chinese medicine. The scientists held that components like CBD may be responsible for these effects.

The endocannabinoid system is involved in regulating functions like pain sensation. The body produces neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids that bind to cannabinoid receptors.

Due to this, Darkovska-Serafimovska et al.(2018) study found that CBD could reduce chronic pain by going into the endocannabinoid receptor activity, decreasing inflammation, and interacting with neurotransmitters. Boehnke et al.(2021) study showed that it is useful in rheumatic diseases like fibromyalgia.

Side Effects

Though CBD has many health benefits, it also has a drawback.  For instance, in one study by Chesney et al.(2020) CBD  may trigger diarrhea, changes in appetite and weight, and fatigue in some people.

The review by Chesney et al.(2020) also found the following side effects: abnormal liver function test, drowsiness, sedation, and pneumonia,  in childhood with epilepsy.

This notwithstanding, another study by Vázquez et al.(2020) found that the side effects do not emanate from CBD, but interact with other medications, such as clobazam, and various drugs.

One must also choose high-quality CBD products in the marketplace, or buy from products that have been third-party tested for quality and purity.

For instance, NuLeaf Naturals and Bluebird Botanicals are two examples of brands that sell CBD products that undergo testing by accredited third-party laboratories and offer batch reports on their websites.

 

Take home

Studies have found that CBD for medicinal purposes has several benefits.  CBD Laws in Ghana could be a game changer in the healthcare industry. Natural practitioners and pharmaceutical companies could formulate several drugs from CBD.

Studies even found that CBD could be used as a natural sleep aid(Suraev et al.2020). even clinical trials demonstrate that CBD and THC combination could prolong the life of some people with an aggressive form of cancer called glioblastoma-brain tumour(Twelves et al. 2021).

Also study by Gonzalez-Cuevas et al.(2018) found that CBD could help improve anxiety and depression in people who are addicted to certain drugs, including heroin.

Also, what is approved by Parliament for medicinal use is Cannabis of THC 0.3 which has little to no psychoactive effects and can be purposed into ropes, paper, and other building materials among others.

Parliament has yet to address  THC with a higher concentration for medicinal use.

The difference is that THC is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, which means it causes the sensation of getting high that’s often associated with cannabis. However, unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive.

References

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