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In an article published by the newspaper Estadão, the specialist in Neurosurgery and founder of the WeCann Academy, Dr. Patrícia Montagner, points out that the lack of information and a persistent stigma in relation to cannabis, with a lot of confusion between medicinal and recreational use, are today the main obstacle to the popularization of the benefits of Endocannabinoid Medicine in Brazil, proven in the care of cases ranging from neuropsychiatric diseases, chronic skin problems to gastrointestinal disorders.
Read the full text on site do Estadão or below:
The confusion between medicinal and recreational use of marijuana needs to be put down
Confusion between medicinal and recreational use (or adult use) of cannabis is a health problem in Brazil. Although we have advanced, we are still far from a mature and healthy environment for cannabis-based therapies in the country. And one of the main obstacles to making progress on this issue is a persistent stigma, fueled above all by the perception of Brazilians in relation to the decriminalization of drug use.
As long as there is an association between one thing and another, people with chronic, incapacitating and refractory diseases are further away from therapeutic alternatives that have been proven to be safe and effective against the often severe suffering they are facing. Who can be against the medicine reaching the sick person in need? Only those who didn’t understand the issue well, I believe. Hence the urgent need for clarification.
When it comes to medical cannabis, the objective of the discussion – including when it comes to legislation – is exclusively to allow patients to have access to medicines that contain chemical elements present in the plant. In this effort, all claims – even authorization to plant, produce and sell cannabis-based products – serve exclusively to facilitate access to health and well-being. At no time does it serve as a pretext for any purpose that is not of primary necessity or issues involving public safety. Just look at the manufacturing and dispensing process of other drugs with psychotropic potential in Brazil.
It is important to highlight that each of the plant’s applications, namely medicinal, recreational and industrial, requires different technical and regulatory understandings. It is not recommended, nor is it expected, that one discussion will influence another. Therefore, too, there should be no “shortcuts” or means for one process to “push” the other. In fact, experience shows otherwise.
In some countries, the decriminalization of recreational use has negatively affected the medical cannabis ecosystem. The predictable effect is explained by the majority of the industry turning to the recreational market, much bigger and more profitable, and leaving the health and needs of patients aside, offering easy access to products that are not well qualified for medical use.
There are thousands of people suffering due to the slow process of making cannabis-based therapies and medicines safe, efficient and accessible in Brazil. Mainly the medical community. Even professionals who do not work directly in the area, but maintain their commitment to science and with better results for patients, need to be more persuasive to the country’s need to allow its citizens to have access to practices that are proven to be safe and effective against a series of illnesses, many of them serious and disabling.
Medical cannabis means health, just as the name suggests. It is about alleviating pain and improving the quality of life of people who have not found relief in the usual therapies. Encourage new and promising areas of Medicine and contribute to the well-being of thousands of families. It’s only against those who still don’t understand.
Patricia Montagner, Neurosurgery Specialist and Founder of WeCann Academy, Global Community and Study Center for Endocannabinoid Medicine
Source: Estadão
Date: 18 de agosto de 2021
