Medical marijuana is effective for over 1,000 health problems. It’s still debatable

Poland is currently one of the largest medical marijuana markets in Europe in terms of patient numbers. Since 2017, it has become the 12th European country and one of the few countries in Central and Eastern Europe to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

What is medical marijuana?

Medical marijuana is marijuana used for medical purposes. For its production, sowing varieties of hemp are used. It contains a large amount of CBD and a small amount of THC, so it does not show the psychoactive effect characteristic of cannabis. Both of these substances act on endocannabinoid system receptors located in the nervous and immune systems.

Use of medical marijuana

It is used in the treatment of various types of diseases, with health problems in areas such as rheumatology, oncology, psychiatry, gynecology and dermatology. It has a positive effect on mood, reducing anxiety, tension and sleep disturbances. The most commonly cited medical conditions for which medical marijuana is used are:

• multiple sclerosis, or MS - in this case, the drugs used alleviate the consequences of too much muscle tension;

• epilepsy - thanks to the use of medical marijuana, the number of seizures can be significantly reduced;

• cancer - medical marijuana reduces the reproduction of cancer cells, and also mitigates the effects of chemotherapy;

• Alzheimer’s disease - medical marijuana may relieve the symptoms of the disease, but there is not enough research on this topic;

• Diabetes – marijuana can increase insulin levels and even reduce the risk of prediabetes.

• psoriasis - marijuana is included in creams and ointments that can relieve the symptoms of diseases and positively affect the appearance of the skin.

“Each therapy, including cannabis therapy, must be carried out under the supervision and supervision of a specialist doctor who will ensure the safety of patients. It should be emphasized that the addition of medical marijuana to the classical pain management regimen allows for better pain control and reduced doses of potent opioid drugs, which is associated with a reduction in serious side effects,” said Dr. Magdalena Nita, Medical Director of the Cannabis Medicine Center.

How do Poles feel about medical marijuana therapy?

A survey conducted in 2022 showed that Poles have a basic knowledge of medical marijuana: 59 percent. respondents correctly identified it as a prescription drug.

• 76 percent of those surveyed believe that medical marijuana is a proven efficacy product with a standardized content of active ingredients.

• The majority of those surveyed (84%) had never been offered medical marijuana therapy to themselves or their relatives.

• More than 60 percent of those surveyed expressed their willingness to use medical marijuana therapy after a doctor’s recommendation, and only 10 percent. I would refuse this option.

“Nearly 1/4 of respondents believe that medical marijuana is illegal. This suggests that there is still a lot of work to be done to raise awareness of medical marijuana therapy in Poland,” says Grzegorz Ciezadło, Operations Director of the Center for Cannabis Medicine.

The study “Awareness and attitude of Poles towards medical marijuana therapy” was conducted on April 29 - May 4, 2022 on a representative sample of 1005 respondents using the CAWI method by SW Research.