UN Reviews Cannabis as Relatively Safe Drug

UN REVIEWS CANNABIS AS A RELATIVELY SAFE DRUG With many countries adopting new guidelines with regards to the cannabis consumption, it has paved the way for The World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) to initiate the first ever steps that can change the status of medical cannabis under the International Law. The WHO has committed itself to hold a special session to review the medical marijuana in the next eighteen months.

UN has recently concluded the 40th meeting of the ECDD, which was held in Geneva, Switzerland between 4th to 7th June 2018. This session was mostly dedicated to carrying out an overall review on: ● Cannabis plant and cannabis resin ● Extracts and tinctures of cannabis* ● Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) ● Isomers of THC ● Cannabidiol The final report of this meeting and their respective recommendations are expected to be available on the WHO ECDD website by the end of July.

However, in their preliminary report, the WHO has mentioned cannabis to be of lowrisk that has excellent therapeutic potential. The report also acknowledged that till now there was no reported evidence of marijuana overdose. It also concluded that the evidence which associated marijuana use with increased risk of cardiovascular events is very weak.

The report also emphasizes that preclinical literature to support claims of medical marijuana medical benefits are present in abundance. It supports the claims that cannabis can be useful in treatment for various conditions such as appetite stimulation, chronic pain, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, opioid withdrawal, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sleep disorders.

Many organizations are getting impatient, as for them 18 months is looking like a long period. But, this is a positive start as any discussion regarding cannabis has been stalled for years. However, if ECDD gives positive recommendations to medical cannabis then, it can possibly be reclassified under the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This process could make fundamental changes in many countries, especially the United States, where cannabis is still considered illicit drug under the Federal law.

As the countries await the final decision, meanwhile UN is also inviting the public opinion on whether or not, the cannabis and its extracts should be declassified as a controlled substance. The United States, being the prominent member of the UN will also forward the public comments on cannabis scheduling to the international agency.

However, for rescheduling cannabis, the UN General Assembly must vote on the recommendations. If approved by the General Assembly, this Single Convention will be regarded as the standard for all the international drug laws. However, the countries including the United States are responsible for passing or enforcing their own drug laws.

Although for the UN to have its final verdict, it would surely take some time. But, this start surely will make a global shift towards cannabis legalization. For now, in legalized states, you can use Medical Cannabis Card to purchase the plant or its products to treat the corresponding health symptoms. Online Medical Card, Sacramento, is the best online cannabis center where you can get the cannabis recommendation almost instantly.