Between Science and Big Business: Tapping Mary Jane’s Uncharted Potential

Abstract

At the intersection of science and medicine, government policy, and pop culture, cannabis has prompted society since the beginning of recorded history. And yet, there is comparatively little replicable data on the plant, its constituents, and their capacity to modify human physiology. Over the past decades, several findings have pointed toward the importance of the endogenous cannabinoid system in maintaining homeostasis, making it an important target for various diseases. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge on endogenous- and plant-based cannabinoids, address the issues related to cannabinoid-based drug discovery, and incite efforts to utilize their polypharmacological profile toward tackling diseases with a complex underlying pathophysiology. By fusing modern science and technology with the empirical data that has been gathered over centuries, we propose an outlook that could help us overcome the dearth of innovation for new drugs and synchronously redefine the future of drug discovery. Simultaneously, we call attention to the startling disconnect between the scientific, regulatory, and corporate entities that is becoming increasingly evident in this booming industry.

Nuevos espacios clínicos para Cannabis sativa y hongos Psilocibe en Chile

“…(B) controversias científicas Desde los años noventa se postula la existencia de un "sistema endocanabinoide humano", con un papel central en la homeostasis de procesos metabólicos y celulares ubicuos y fundamentales (Lu & Mackie, 2016). Este sistema fisiológico opera a través de una serie de moléculas, llamadas endocanabinoides, virtualmente idénticas a las encontradas en las resinas de las flores del Cannabis (Grotsch & Fokin, 2022). A la identificación e investigación de este sistema a nivel molecular, llevada a cabo desde diferentes núcleos universitarios del primer mundo, se debe agregar la investigación clínica, que va mostrando la efectividad del Cannabis en el tratamiento de diferentes enfermedades, por ejemplo, aquellas asociadas a inflamaciones y dolores crónicos, lesiones neurológicas y otras entidades nosológicas asociadas a estas categorías (National Academy of Sciences, 2017).…”

“…Por otra parte, existen empresas, especialmente canadienses, australianas e israelíes (tales como Khyron Life Sciences, Cannopy Growth, Tilray, AusCann y otras) exclusivamente centradas en la investigación, desarrollo y en la comercialización de productos del Cannabis, con líneas médicas y recreativas diferenciadas, las cuales han intentado aterrizar, con diversa fortuna, en algunos países latinoamericanos. En la medida en que nuevos mercados de Cannabis medicinal y/o recreativa se abren en los principales países occidentales, como Canadá, Alemania, Inglaterra y Estados Unidos, incluso la gran industria farmacéutica va entrando en el negocio de la Cannabis legal (Grotsch, 2022).…”

Attitudes and Knowledge of Medical Students in South of Israel Toward Medical Cannabis

“…1 The substances affect 2 principal cannabinoid receptors, CB1, which is found primarily in cells of the central nervous system, and CB2, which is found in the immune system and in hematopoietic cells. 2,3 The effect of cannabis on humans is not fully understood. Many studies have documented its widespread use in the treatment of anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, asthma, diarrhea, epilepsy, and malaria.…”