Cannabis sativa: Benefits and difficulties of using it for medicinal purposes

Abstract

Cannabis sativa was used for religious, economic, recreational, and therapeutic purposes. In Brazil, the plant is correlated with the country's history since 1500 with the arrival of the first Portuguese caravels, and with African slaves. However, in 1924, in Geneva there was the II International Opium Conference, which disapproved of the use of Cannabis. Scholars believed that it was possible that delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol were an alternative for the treatment of various diseases, with cannabidiol as the main non-psychotropic compound, which acts chemically on mental activity. In view of this, this research brings a major problem, which is: What are the challenges faced by the population that needs the use of cannabidiol for medicinal purposes? One of the questions that the survey cites is the issue of obtaining Cannabis sativa, where a large part with 75% acquired its herb and/or its medicine legally, through ANVISA authorization and medical consultation. However, another 12.5% of the participants acquired it illegally. It is possible to observe that most patients improved, with 93.8% of them noting that anxiety (31.3%) and depression (25.0%) are the diseases that are most treated through the herb by the participants, followed by migraine, Parkinson's disease, headache, chronic pain, skin lesions, fibromyalgia, epilepsy and quality of life. In the report of improvement, a decrease in pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, as well as muscle recovery, improvement in focus concentration, increased disposition and energy, that is,  medical cannabis brought quality of life to the participants. In conclusion, the present work brought blurring of authors and laws, as well as of the comorbidities themselves who make medicinal use of Cannabis sativa. Emphasizing the historical facts, benefits of the plant for the treatment and improvement of comorbidities, the advances through state laws that have been happening in Brazil on  medical cannabis, in addition to the harm that patients face during this journey, such as preconception and high cost.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.026-037