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Besides its broad therapeutic potential, constantly proved in scientific publications, the medical Cannabis also plays a leading role in the medical panorama of the future, due to the possibility of economic and social development. Although still stigmatized due to lack of information, the Cannabis for therapeutic use is already legalized in several countries, including Brazil..
After Resolution 327 of the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in 2019, Brazil has regulated the procedures necessary for the manufacture and marketing of Cannabis-based products in the country. The sector is also booming in the pharmaceutical industry, in clinical analysis laboratories and, of course, in universities, which are developing increasingly robust research on the subject.
In this article, we bring you some factors that justify the growth potential of medical Cannabis, explaining why this global market has been moving billions and, at the same time, consolidating the Cannabis as one of the main therapeutic tools in the medicine of the future. Check it out!
Why Cannabis is a sure bet for the medicine of the future?
In the second half of the 20th century, scientific discoveries around the Endocannabinoid System have driven a series of promising studies on the therapeutic properties of Cannabis. Although the therapeutic use of the plant dates back centuries, scientific publications help to deconstruct the stigmas that still prevent the consolidation of this practice in some parts of the world.
In the last decades, research has grown exponentially, also driven by the legalization of the medicinal and recreational use of the plant in several countries. The growth reverberates in the economy, with billion-dollar projections for the coming yearsThe opening of specialized clinics around the world is another clear indication of this expansion related to the Medicine of the future. Here are the factors that illustrate this scenario:
Legalized in over 40 countries
Some countries are protagonists in the process of legalization of Cannabis, such as the pioneering Netherlands, Canada, Uruguay, Israel, and the United States – despite its strong history of repression of the plant in the second half of the 20th century.
Today, medicinal and recreational use of Cannabis is already authorized in more than 40 nations. The most recent announcement came from Mexico, a country that also has a significant history of conservatism.
In recent years, however, a new mentality towards Cannabis has been being built. Without a doubt, the thousands of scientific publications on the subject and the expansion of its medical use have contributed a lot to this.
It is worth remembering that in countries that have legalized the recreational use of the plant, consumption is tolerated with important restrictions. After all, the risks of substance abuse are also already well known scientifically.
A Billion-Dollar Market
The trade in Cannabis flowers, as well as in food and beverages containing THC (one of its active ingredients), has moved 18.3 billion Dollars in 2020 in the United States. That rate represents a 70% increase compared to 2019. In addition, the economy records that the trade sector on Cannabis has employed more than 320,000 people in the country, in contrast to the pandemic.
Even in countries where Cannabis is only allowed for medical use – such as Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, and Chile – the prospects for economic growth are also promising. In Brazil, the pharmaceutical industry estimates that the cannabinoid therapy will be able to move 4.7 billion Reais in the coming years.
More than 300 patents of Big Pharma
Another clear indication that Cannabis is consolidating as a protagonist in the medicine of the future are the 316 patents already registered by Big Pharma. A study by New Frontier Data foresees that, 3 years after the regulation of sales in Brazil, the country will have about 3.9 million patients using Medical Cannabis.
In relation to the CBD,, one of the main phytocannabinoids used in this therapy, the forecasts of the report Global Cannabidiol Market 2019-2027, by the Verified Market Research, points that this market is expected to move 358.8 billion Dollars by 2027.
Exponential growth of research
The scientific proof of the therapeutic properties of Cannabis are largely responsible for the paradigm shift around the medical use of the plant. Although research into the discovery of the Endocannabinoid System date back to the last century, the studies are currently gaining much more robustness and scientific rigor.
There are already about 26,000 scientific articles published in PubMed on the use of medical Cannabis in the therapeutic management of different symptoms. In addition, new and promising possibilities are being explored, such as the antineoplastic potential of the cannabinoids..
The medical and clinical conditions for which the use of medical Cannabis is widespread include:
- Chronic pain;
- Anxiety and depression;
- Post-traumatic andstress disorder;
- Symptoms of the climateric period;
- Muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders
- Reduced appetite and weight loss in the context of HIV/AIDS;
- Severe and refractory epilepsy.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Parkinson Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia.
The more science evolves in this area, the more security we have for the wide legalization and dissemination of medical Cannabis. The medical community, in turn, needs to appropriate this knowledge to incorporate this therapeutic tool in their medical practice, safely and effectivelybecause there is no doubt that medical Cannabis will be one of the leading players in the Medicine of the Future.
The WeCann Academy is prepared to help you get ready for this scenario. We have brought together experts from around the world in a global study community in endocannabinoid medicine to bridge scientific knowledge and practical experience in a highly qualified way.
Do you want to join our community? Contact us and learn more about it!
References
Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária. Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada – RDC nº 327, de 9 de dezembro de 2019. Diário Oficial da União. 2020.
New Frontier Data. Cannabis Medicinal no Brasil: Visão Geral. 2018.
Veja. Tendência mundial por legalização da maconha anima mundo dos negócios. 2021.
Verified Market Research. CBD Consumer Health – Global Market Outlook (2019-2027). 2020.
Visual Capitalist, The Big Pharma Takeover of Medical Cannabis. 2019.
