There is scientific evidence to suggest that cannabis may be useful in treating a wide range of conditions. And wide-scale trials testing the safety and efficacy of cannabis extracts are currently underway in the UK and elsewhere. For instance, cannabis appears to be able to help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy treatment given to cancer patients. The drugs used to treat cancer are among the most powerful, and most toxic, chemicals used in medicine. They produce unpleasant side effects, such as days or weeks of vomiting and nausea after each treatment.
Cannabis is an antiemetic, a drug that relieves nausea and allows patients to eat and live normally.
Extracts also seem to benefit patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, stopping muscle spasms, and reducing tremors. In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the oral use of dronabinol, a cannabis derivative, for people with Aids. There is evidence that cannabis may stimulate the appetites of Aids patients with wasting disease. It may also help relieve the pain of menstrual cramps and childbirth. Campaigners claim the drug is useful in treating depression and other mood disorders.