by Paul Segal, chairman and co-founder of Symtomax
Despite its recent surge in popularity, medical cannabis isn’t anything new. It has been around for thousands of years, incorporated into ancient medicines as a pain reliever. However, it is only within the previous decade that we have seen modern medicine begin to acknowledge the potentially wide-ranging benefits.
Indeed, with increased claims of it benefiting both mental and physical health, it has become the subject of numerous academic and medical studies. Yet, the general understanding of medical cannabis does not seem to be keeping pace.
This is understandable; after all, the various compounds and abbreviations that are so often used in discussions surrounding medical cannabis can be confusing. However, with consumer use of medical cannabis products on the rise, it is vital that consumers have a firm grasp of what these products contain and how they can be used. So, I’d like to offer a beginner’s guide to medical cannabis, to help readers understand the basics about the products, and how they are used.
Start with the source
In order to grasp of the medical cannabis basics, it would be beneficial to begin with an outline of the source.
Cannabis itself comes from, perhaps unsurprisingly, the cannabis plant (also known as cannabis sativa). However, the entire plant is not used in medical cannabis products. In fact, the plant can produce over 140 unique compounds, known as cannabinoids. Of these, only two main cannabinoids are extracted to create medical cannabis products; THC (or, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol)
Whilst sourced from the same plant, THC and CBD have completely different effects on the body, so it is important to understand the fundamental differences between the two.
What’s the difference?
The most important difference to note is that CBD is the non-psychoactive compound, meaning that it does not create the “high” often associated with cannabis. It is THC, which is the main constituent of cannabis, which causes the intoxicating effect; because of this, the volume of THC in medical cannabis products in the UK is limited to 0.2%.
Whilst THC is associated with recreational use, CBD is growing in popularity, largely due to claims of numerous therapeutic benefits. These benefits include easing inflammatory pain, as well as reducing anxiety and insomnia.
What’s more, there is a constant stream of research into the further possible benefits CBD could offer to consumers. With various reports suggesting health benefits being publicised, CBD has naturally captured consumer attention.
How have these abbreviations entered the mainstream?
Put simply, the abbreviations have entered the mainstream because of an influx of consumer engagement, particularly with CBD products; more and more people are purchasing CBD products and openly discussing its benefits.
With such popularity, we’ve seen CBD enter into the commercial market through a wide range of products, from CBD-infused shampoo, to CBD coffees appearing on the menus of some popular coffee houses, to CBD tinctures being sold in department stores.
However, CBD is not yet being sold as a medical product, because there is not yet sufficient evidence to support its medical benefits. That being said, many consumers are exploring products such as CBD oils and supplements to relieve symptoms such as pain and anxiety.
Even without sufficient medical evidence of its benefits, the medical cannabis market is growing at an unprecedented rate. The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis estimates that 1.3 million consumers are spending over £300 million per year on CBD products in the UK, and expect the figure to grow to £1 billion by 2025. This is larger than the total UK consumer spend on Vitamin D (£145 million) and Vitamin C markets (£119 million) combined. The question now, is what the future will hold for such an exciting market.
What next for medical cannabis?
Research into the potential benefits of medical cannabis is being published at an astonishing rate, as the medical profession seeks to uncover its effectiveness in treating various medical conditions. For example, research published by Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2017 suggested that CBD reduces seizures by nearly 40% in children with a form of drug resistant epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome.
As CBD appears set to remain in the spotlight for some time, it is vital that public education keeps pace with the academic research. Afterall, good public understanding of medical cannabis, and the different ways in which its compounds are used will ensure safe and responsible use. What’s more, it will enable the public to understand how the various products can help them and provide possible treatments to their ailments.
For instance, Symtomax are looking to launch their CBD Oral Tab early this year, which will offer an innovative delivery method. The unique route of administration through the inner lining of the mouth not only improves the flexibility of time release, but also safely increases the amount of CBD available to enter the blood stream. Whilst this is just one example, it highlights the rapid technological developments currently taking place in the medical cannabis industry.
Education, both of the various cannabinoid compounds, and the different products, will boost the transparency and trust in this market. This will, in turn, make the medical cannabis market more accessible to consumers, and ensure they have a firm understanding of what the product is, how it’s made, and how it can help them hopefully live healthier.
Paul Segal is the Chairman of co-founder of Symtomax, a leading licensed medical cannabis producer based in Portugal, with the largest cultivation site in Europe. Symtomax is dedicated to the production, research, cultivation, processing and distribution of medicinal cannabis oil to pharmaceutical companies worldwide.
