A growing concern.

摘要

For more than 4000 years Cannabis sativa has been recommended for the treatment of various disorders from malaria and pain to the unlikely indication of absentmindedness. Since its heyday as royal cure-all of choice during the reign of Queen Victoria, social mores, prohibition, and criminalisation have driven the use of cannabis products underground, and the drug was classified as schedule 1-having no therapeutic benefit-in both the UK and the USA.There are many anecdotal reports of beneficial effects of cannabis for symptoms such as neuropathic pain, spasticity, and loss of appetite in disorders as diverse as AIDS and multiple sclerosis. The lure of modern-day folklore surrounding cannabis has led many sick people to seek illegally these purported healing properties. Various . organisations have campaigned for decriminalisation of medical use or have attempted to develop products for medical approval, but drug development is hindered because of the psychoactive effects of the active ingredients. Not only are these side-effects unacceptable for many people, but also they hinder trials in which drug-induced highs lead to unmasking.