Legalizing Medical Cannabis in Lebanon: the Complex Interface Between Medicine, Law, Ethics, and Economics

Cannabis has been used for centuries for therapeutic purposes. In the last century, the plant was demonized due to its high abuse liability and supposedly insufficient health benefits. However, recent decriminalization policies and new scientific evidence have increased the interest in cannabis therapeutic potential of cannabis and paved the way for the release of marketing authorizations for cannabis-based products. Although several synthetic and standardized products are currently available on the market, patients’ preferences lean towards herbal preparations, because they are easy to handle and self-administer. A literature search was conducted on multidisciplinary research databases and international agencies or institutional websites. Despite the growing popularity of medical cannabis, little data is available on the chemical composition and preparation methods of medical cannabis extracts. The authors hereby report the most common cannabis preparations, presenting their medical indications, routes of administration and recommended dosages. A practical and helpful guide for prescribing doctors is provided, including suggested posology, titration strategies and cannabinoid amounts in herbal preparations obtained from different sources of medical cannabis.

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Mixed methods study of the potential therapeutic benefits from medical cannabis for patients in Florida

Complementary Therapies in Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102669 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 ◽

pp. 102669

Author(s):

John S. Luque ◽

Arinze Nkemdirim Okere ◽

Carlos A. Reyes-Ortiz ◽

Paula M. Williams

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Medical Cannabis ◽

Therapeutic Benefits

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Cannabis Use among Older Persons with Arthritis, Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis: Are We Comparing Apples and Oranges?

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11050532 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 532

Author(s):

Brian Kaskie ◽

Hyojung Kang ◽

Divya Bhagianadh ◽

Julie Bobitt

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Older Persons ◽

Behavioral Outcomes ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Medical Cannabis ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Quality Of Sleep ◽

Impact Processes ◽

Lower Baseline

Although researchers have identified medications that relieve symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), none are entirely effective and some persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) use alternatives. Our study compared cannabis use among PwMS (N = 135) and persons diagnosed with arthritis (N = 582) or cancer (N = 622) who were age 60 and older, enrolled in the State of Illinois Medical Cannabis Program, and invited to complete a survey fielded between June and September, 2019. We used logistic regression to identify significant differences in self-reported effects of cannabis on psychological wellbeing, quality of life, and three behavioral outcomes, and we also considered effects of past year opioid use relative to these outcomes. We found that the majority of individuals from all groups used cannabis to address pain and improve quality of sleep. While PwMS reported lower baseline levels across all five outcomes, we found that the reported effects of cannabis were largely comparable across the groups. We also found that cannabis benefitted persons with sleep and digestive issues regardless of condition, whereas persons who used opioids in addition to cannabis were less likely to experience an improvement in any of the outcomes. This comparative evaluation suggests that cannabis’ effects are not specific to MS, arthritis, or cancer as much as they impact processes common among these distinct conditions. We also found evidence that cannabis may be a viable alternative to opioids for those with these conditions and experiencing pain.

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Foreign Medical Students in Eastern Europe: Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs about Medical Cannabis for Pain Management

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18042137 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 2137

Author(s):

Vsevolod Konstantinov ◽

Alexander Reznik ◽

Masood Zangeneh ◽

Valentina Gritsenko ◽

Natallia Khamenka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pain Management ◽

Medical Students ◽

Foreign Students ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Attitudes And Beliefs ◽

Medical Cannabis ◽

Knowledge And Beliefs ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Middle Eastern Students ◽

And Gender

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of foreign students toward the use of medical cannabis (MC) for pain management. Methods: This study uses data collected from 549 foreign students from India (n = 289) and Middle Eastern countries mostly from Egypt, Iran, Syria, and Jordan (n = 260) studying medicine in Russia and Belarus. Data collected from Russian and Belarusian origin medical students (n = 796) were used for comparison purposes. Pearson’s chi-squared and t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: Foreign students’ country of origin and gender statuses do not tend to be correlated with medical student responses toward medical cannabis use. Students from Russia and Belarus who identified as secular, compared to those who were religious, reported more positive attitudes toward medical cannabis and policy change. Conclusions: This study is the first to examine the attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs toward medical cannabis among foreign students from India and Middle Eastern countries studying in Russia and Belarus, two countries who oppose its recreational and medicine use. Indian and Middle Eastern students, as a group, tend to be more supportive of MC than their Russian and Belarusian counterparts. These results may be linked to cultural and historical reasons. This study provides useful information for possible medical and allied health curriculum and education purposes.

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