WHAT IS MEDICINAL CANNABIS?

Medical Cannabis stems from the plant, Cannabis Sativa/Indica, which is made up of a ‘full spectrum’ of cannabinoids and can be used to treat chronic illnesses or alleviate symptoms.

University of Melbourne psychiatrist Professor David Castle said Medical Cannabis would be beneficial to people who were not getting the desired treatment from their current medication.

Medical Cannabis has been shown in multiple studies to offer a more efficient alternative to patients suffering from a, currently specific, set of ailments and diseases.

It will also offer an alternative to synthesised pharmaceutical products on offer, the majority of which come with a veritable encyclopaedia of side effects.

WHO CAN GET IT?

Children with severe epilepsy will be able to access medicinal cannabis from 2017.

So far the government is just focusing on this one group of patients while cultivation and manufacturing industries are set up in the state to support ongoing supply.

It could be extended to people with other serious illnesses in the future, medicinal cannabis will be beneficial to people with a whole range of diseases.

It’s helpful for people with muscular dystrophy (progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles) and has been shown to have positive results when used in tackling cancer and chemotherapy side effects.

The side effects of chemotherapy can include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, increased risk of infection, muscle weakness, loss of appetite and hair loss – to name just a few. Cannabis has been proven to alleviate a number of these side effects, which left untreated can be excruciatingly uncomfortable.

Cannabis has elements that can stimulate appetite and is good for people with anorexia and beneficial to people with HIV and AIDS.

It’s is hoped that the pool of patients who will have access to medical cannabis will grow as the social stigma detaches.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

There are over 400 natural compounds in medical marijuana and, of these, eighty are only found in cannabis plants. These eighty special compounds are known as cannabinoids. Cannabinoids relieve symptoms of illness by attaching to receptors in the brain that look for similar compounds that occur in the human body, such as dopamine.

There are five major cannabinoids in medical marijuana that are particularly effective for relieving symptoms of illness, and each one produces different physical and psychological effects. This is why certain strains of medical marijuana are bred to have different amounts of each cannabinoid and are recommended for different conditions.

TERPENES

Let’s take a look at one of the components that make up the ‘smell’ of marijuana. Between 10% and 30% is composed of terpenes, which are aromatic molecules produced in the resin (essential oils) of the plant. Most of the scents and smells that we associate with plants are the result of terpenes (and flavonoids). Interestingly, cannabinoids do not have any aroma or smell.

More than 100 different terpenes have been detected in marijuana, and there are many more if we consider the different variations of each one. For example, the typical smell of citrus fruits comes from terpenes called limonenes, but these can vary in concentration. The limonenes of a lemon are identical to the limonenes of an orange, but each variety is defined by a different smell, resulting from tiny differences in the proportions or the form of the limonenes that it contains.

Here we list the main terpenes found in Cannabis Sativa and its effects on our health. You will see that percentages can vary widely from one variety to another,:

WHO CAN CULTIVATE AND MANUFACTURE

As things stand the Victorian government has yet to issue its guidelines for cultivation or manufacture licenses.

Victoria is currently the only state to have finalised its legalising of medical cannabis.

All other licensing schemes will be presented as the states see fit.

In essence, the federal government has removed any potential roadblocks, making it possible for the governments at the state level to submit applications to have medical cannabis available in their own states.

However, there have been no moves to decriminalise cannabis in a holistic sense. It is still very much as illegal as it was before.

“Licences to manufacture medicinal cannabis products are expected to be required from both the Victorian and Commonwealth governments. These licences are also not yet available.

For information about medicinal cannabis manufacturing opportunities, please visit the Commonwealth Department of Health website and the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website at:

http://www.health.gov.au/

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/dpcs/medicinal-cannabis.htm”