Abstract
There is extensive research on the safety, toxicology, potency, and therapeutic potential of cannabis. However, uncertainty remains facilitating continued debate on medical and recreational cannabis policies at the state and federal levels. This review will include a brief description of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system; a summary of the acute and long-term effects of cannabis; and a discussion of the therapeutic potential of cannabis. The conclusions about safety and efficacy will then be compared with the current social and political climate to suggest future policy directions and general guidelines.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13311-015-0380-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
There are more than 60 systematic reviews and meta-analyses discussing the safety, toxicology, potency, and therapeutic potential of exogenous cannabinoids
This review provides a summary of the current research on the safety and efficacy of exogenous cannabinoids, including a brief description of the chemical constituents of cannabis and how it interacts with the endocannabinoid system; a summary of what is known about the acute and long-term effects of cannabis; and a discussion of the therapeutic potential
The side effects of conventional medications are weighted against the potential benefits, but this same logic is rarely applied to discussions of medical cannabis
Summary
There are more than 60 systematic reviews and meta-analyses discussing the safety, toxicology, potency, and therapeutic potential of exogenous cannabinoids. Despite the acute and chronic side effects of cannabis use, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting the therapeutic potential of cannabis This is likely facilitated, in part, by the fact that certain cannabinoids, like CBD, have been wellstudied and are well tolerated and safe in humans, even at high doses and chronically [94]. The literature suggests only mild adverse physical effects associated with medical cannabis use for treatment of MS, recent studies of cannabis use in patients with MS have reported cognitive diminishment and impairment of cerebral compensatory mechanisms when compared directly with patients with MS who have not used cannabis [99,100,101]. While public perspective trends suggest continued state-based legislative change, the lack of federal regulation and infrastructure poses serious safety concerns
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