Little Green Pharma

Cannabis has been used medicinally since 1000 BC, initially as an anaesthetic and was introduced from India to Europe around the mid 19th century. 1 It was used for a variety of conditions including rheumatism, convulsions and muscular spasms. 1,2 In the early 1900’s, although medical cannabis was widely used, chemists were unable to create a consistent product because the active ingredients were unknown. By the mid 20th century, cannabis became illegal in most countries around the world and its usage by the medical community ceased. In 1965, Raphael Mechoulam and Yehiel Gaoni isolated THC for the first time which led to a flurry of investigations. 25 years later Mechoulam discovered endogenous cannabinoids as well as the endocannabinoid system, which again reignited interest and research into the plant. 3 The last 20 years has seen a gradual, world-wide re-adoption of cannabis for medical purposes. It has been legalised in Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, many US States, as well as several European countries including but not limited to Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Finland. In the last 45 years there have been nearly 600 studies conducted using medical cannabis, with more than a third of those studies published in the last five years. This renewed global interest in medical cannabis has led to a better understanding of the cannabis plant, and identification of many more active components that have potential benefits across a range of symptoms. Medical Cannabis A Brief History 4