HIV infection leads to blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction that does not resolve despite viral suppression on antiretroviral therapy and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. In preclinical models, cannabis restores BBB integrity.
Dr. Leo Hollister’s excellent article begins to address the need for better understanding of the effects of cannabis use on health. The last five years in the US have seen an increase in advocacy groups extolling the medicinal utility of cannabis.
The mother of a boy with severe epilepsy who is fighting for an NHS prescription of medicinal cannabis has accused health authorities of either “orchestrated cruelty” or “a shambles” after her son was denied access to the drug.
old myths and false beliefs have been discarded
“WE NEED TO PASS THIS BILL IF WE WANT TO GIVE PATIENTS THE ABILITY TO TRY BOTH UNDER RIGHT TO TRY AND UNDER RESEARCH.”
Even in states with legal medical marijuana, federal law prohibits any form of cannabis usage on public school grounds.
“So it’s not just a free for all. It’s for students in great need that really need this medicine,”
While prohibition has been the dominant regime of cannabis control in most countries for decades, an increasing number of countries have been implementing cannabis control reforms recently, including decriminalisation or even legalisation frameworks. Canada has held out from this trend, although it has among the highest cannabis use rates in the world. Cannabis use is universally criminalised, and the current (conservative) federal government has vowed not to implement any softening reforms to cannabis control. As a result of several higher court decisions, the then federal government was forced to implement a ‘medical marijuana access regulations’ program in 2001 to allow severely ill patients therapeutic use and access to therapeutic cannabis while shielding them from prosecution.