Publications
on the subject of cannabis
Although the number of patients with mental disorders using cannabis as self-medication is increasing, the current state of knowledge about the efficacy and safety of cannabis-based medicines in psychiatry is still extremely limited. To date, there are no cannabis-based medicines for the treatment of mental illness. There is growing evidence that cannabinoids can improve the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Tourette syndrome (TS), anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read more
Since the 1990s, there has been an extra-parliamentary movement in Germany campaigning for the legal use of cannabis as medicine. This initiative was supported by numerous groundbreaking court decisions. However, the issue has also been repeatedly taken up by parliamentarians from all parties - from the SPD, Die Linke, Bündnis 90/Die GRÜNEN, CDU/CSU to the FDP - and the respective governments.
Whether as flowers, teas, capsules, sprays or oils. CBD has long been regarded as a miracle cure with a positive effect on the human body and psyche - supposedly without any side effects. But how effective are CBD oils really? Professor Kirsten Müller-Vahl is a specialist in neurology and psychiatry at Hannover Medical School and has been working with cannabis-based medicines for 25 years. Read more
Finally, after the paralyzing Corona time, a film premiere"Cannabis as Medicine" can take place on 24.08. at 18.30h in the Wuppertal cinema Rex Filmtheater.
In this film, people who use medical cannabis due to various chronic illnesses will have their say and talk about their experiences with it.
Kevin, for example, uses cannabis as medicine because of his restless legs syndrome, his sleep and anxiety disorders and depression, Bärbel because of her multiple sclerosis and the associated pain and sleep disorders, Stefano because of his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)... read more
Film screenings incl. ticket reservation can be found here
The CBD oil on the market and the products based on it repeatedly cause confusion among consumers, as available information on their legal situation is contradictory. Reports that some products contain more than they should contribute to further uncertainty. However, fears of becoming addicted to drugs are unfounded. Continue on page 28
Professor Kirsten R. Müller-Vahl: The legal position on their classification is just as unclear as their effectiveness.
Reinhard Palmer: The bad reputation of cannabis as a drug makes its medical use just as difficult as the partly inadequate study situation.
Science is currently working on drugs for the symptomatic treatment of Covid-19 diseases.
Cannabis has also come into focus as a medicine. Cannabis medicines not only have a modulating effect on the immune system, but also have a positive effect in terms of increasing resistance to viral infections and thus reducing the patient's risk of infection.
The entire documentation includes an interview with Prof. Dr. Dr. Kirsten Müller-Vahl and can be viewed at the following link:
An article by Gesa Riedewald in the science portal Leafly.
Cannabis products have been used for therapeutic and cultic purposes in many cultures for centuries [1] . In Europe, they were used particularly in the second half of the 19th century to treat pain, spasms, asthma, sleep disorders, depression and loss of appetite.
In the first half of the 20th century, these drugs lost almost all of their importance. It was only after it was possible to determine the chemical structure of the ingredients of the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa L.) that interest in the medicinal use of cannabis products increased again in leaps and bounds worldwide over the past two decades. In the factual discussion about the medical use of cannabis preparations, it is hardly relevant today that cannabis has also been a widespread intoxicating drug for recreational use since the 1960s.
Since the "Cannabis Act" came into force in March 2017, cannabis flowers can be prescribed by a physician in Germany. This raises the question of the indications for which cannabis-based medicines are indicated more than ever before. In addition to theoretical principles, this article provides many practical tips on prescribing cannabis-based medicines.