[Cannabinoid therapy in practice]

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In recent years, the media and scientists have shown increased interest in cannabis-based drugs. Background information about cannabis-based drugs and their mechanism of action as well as discussion of possible applications as supportive therapy or in palliative medicine, respectively, are presented. In most cases, today’s assessment of cannabinoids relies on studies that are classified as low evidence. Therefore, further studies which involve more participants and evaluate long-term effects are needed.

Cannabinoids for the treatment of rheumatic diseases – where do we stand?

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As medical use of cannabis is increasingly legalized worldwide, a better understanding of the medical and hazardous effects of this drug is imperative. The pain associated with rheumatic diseases is considered a prevalent indication for medicinal cannabis in various countries. The potential medicinal effects of cannabis could be attributable to its influence on the immune system, as it exerts an immunomodulatory effect on various immune cells, including T cells, B cells and macrophages.

Medicinal cannabis: the hype is strong, but the evidence is weak.

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This week, the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence declined to approve medicinal cannabis for use in children with severe epilepsy on the NHS, saying there was not enough evidence to support its use. In 2018, however, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a cannabidiol for use in children with two types of severe epilepsy. So what is the situation in Australia, and is there evidence to support all the hype?

Personal experience and attitudes of pain medicine specialists in Israel regarding the medical use of cannabis for chronic pain

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The scientific study of the role of cannabis in pain medicine still lags far behind the growing use driven by public approval. Accumulated clinical experience is therefore an important source of knowledge. However, no study to date has targeted physicians who actually use cannabis in their daily practice. In this survey, pain clinicians experienced in prescribing cannabis over prolonged periods view it as an effective and relatively safe treatment for chronic pain, based on their own experience.

Impact of Medical Cannabis on Patient-Reported Symptoms for Patients With Cancer Enrolled in Minnesota’s Medical Cannabis Program

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Minnesota’s medical cannabis program is unique, in that it routinely collects patient-reported scores on symptoms. This article focuses on changes in symptom severity reported by patients with cancer during their first 4 months of program participation. Patients with cancer enrolled in Minnesota’s medical cannabis program showed significant reduction across all eight symptoms assessed within 4 months of program participation. Medical cannabis was well tolerated, and some patients attained clinically meaningful and lasting levels of improvement.

Cannabis-based medicines for chronic pain management: current and future prospects

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The medicinal use of cannabis has recently become the focus of much medical, as well as political, attention. This reality of growing use but limited evidence creates unique dilemmas for the prescribing clinician. The purpose of this review is to explore current evidence and gaps in knowledge and offer some practical considerations. The endocannabinoid system is undoubtedly a new and exciting pharmaceutical target for chronic pain management, but transition from preclinical to clinical studies has so far proved difficult.

Cannabis shenanigans: advocating for the restoration of an effective treatment of pain following spinal cord injury

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Cannabis is an effective treatment for pain following spinal cord injury that should be available to patients and researchers. The major argument against the rescheduling of cannabis is that the published research is not convincing. This argument is disingenuous at best, given that the evidence has been presented and rejected at many points during the political dialog. People living with chronic pain should not have to risk addiction, social stigma, restrictions on employment and even criminal prosecution in order to deal with their pain.