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Cannabis will continue to be a viable and beneficial clinical tool, but with ongoing education and research, there is great potential for further discoveries to the application of cannabis in medicine.

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The difference, however, in the cannabis story is that the final clinical utility resides in the plant itself and not just a single compound.

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However, in the case of cannabis and in comparison to the story of opioids, history is showing us a reasonable and feasible path forward.

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Many of these stories have evolved without controversy, while others have been fraught with social and cultural challenges as well as significant health risks.

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In comparison, the parallels to the stories of plant experts becoming pharmaceuticals, and the benefits and acceptance today.

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The medical cultural apprehension surrounding utility of cannabis in clinical practice is understandable.

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Overall, cannabis offers a low risk profile and effective alternative in pain management

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In the United States, 47,000 people died of drug overdose in 2014 and 61% of deaths assosiated with drug overdose involved prscription opioids of which oxycodone and hyderocodone being the most frequently percribed (45-47).

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Use of cannabis as a medicine should be re-evaluated using modern approach of science and medicine to determine its true value as a therapeutic agent.

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We are seeing a general trend towards cannabis once again becoming a part of western Medicine as evidenced by its legal status for medicinal use in Canada (37).

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In light of these developments and based off growing evidence of the medical application of cannabis, the perception of cannabis is once again changing.

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Ultimately, physicians found it difficulty to work around these issues and analgesics such as aspirin, heroin and chloral hydrate, which were easily administered, fast acting and constant, began to phase out cannabis (33).

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Initially the decline in cannabis medical uses were practical: it was insoluble in water making it incompatible with hypodermic needles, and its delayed onset of at least an hour when consumed, posed a challenge for new quick acting analgesics (33).

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As a medication, however, cannabis had many strengths and potential applications, however, one of the main reasons of its initial decline was the growing use of alternative analgesics (33).

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However, in the mid-20th century, the use of cannabis underwent to a major cultural shift going from a medication to the status of being an illicit drug and its therapeutic applications were soon deterred by as a result of changes in the law (33).
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Early in its introduction, cannabis was included in numerous over the counter and prescription drugs and referenced in many medical texts (32).
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In the western world cannabis was only used as a fiber source until the mid- 1800s. However, once introduced for its pharmacological benefits, its quickly played an important role in medicine as early as the 20th century (31).
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Health and Human Development
Joav Merrick - Series Editor