In today’s post, we will explore how Israeli research is evolving our understanding of medical cannabis, how medical cannabis may impact Covid-19 & the wider impact this may have on society.

Lets dive right in!

The therapeutic properties of Cannabis have been familiar to Mankind long before the popularisation of Marijuana as a recreational drug. The first records of using Weed in healthcare date back to 6000 BC and describe its powerful effect against pains and inflammations.

However, throughout time, Cannabis has become an object of massive cultural attack and abuse. Eventually labeled as a recreational drug, Marijuana has become a center of misconception and numerous faulty stigmas, which remain pretty valid in some regions.

The Middle East – and especially Israel, might be the most controversial field for the study and development of Medical Cannabis and its integration into official healthcare. On the one hand, this region is famous for its advanced medical history. Many ancient records about the therapeutic properties of Weed came from the Middle East. However, a powerful religious lobby and certain local cultural peculiarities make it pretty hard to overcome prejudice and anticipations about the actual impact of Marijuana. Israel has been deeply incorporated with the global community and follows the mainstream social trends. Yet it remains an off-beaten land, Israel has managed to conserve cultural peculiarities that sometimes stall the processes and innovations which may go against established concepts.

That is why Cannabis legalisation is such a complicated matter in Israel. The country sees its social and economic benefits and wishes to follow the progressive views and trends. But traditionally managed by religion and law enforcement – the two most powerful forces, Israel remains reluctant towards such progressive moves.

But the research held in Syqe Medical – one of the leading Israeli Med Tech companies, may revolutionize the way global healthcare sees Medical Marijuana and its benefits. As a result, it can become a big step towards the overall review of the way that people and the state of Israel look at Cannabis.

The research that may change everything

The fact that THC – a psychoactive cannabinoid constituent, has a powerful pain-relieving effect is common knowledge, widely anticipated in the global medical community. However, due to its psychoactive effect that has become the foundation of Cannabis-related stigmas and controversy. In other words, humanity knows and acknowledges the therapeutic effect of Weed. Yet, the very element that provides this effect keeps the remedy in a grey legal field.

However, this summer, Israeli researchers have managed to provide the first clinical evidence that the proper dosage and application of THC can provide the pain-relieving effect while avoiding the controversial side-effects.

Why is this study revolutionary?

Although the study of pain-relieving properties of Cannabis is not a novelty in the Healthcare world, the research, held in the Rambam Clinic in Haifa, Israel has demonstrated some unexpected results.

The research took place in 2020 following the standard international protocol, involving placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-dose study. Except for the pain relief properties, researchers studied the cognitive effect of dosage, psycho activity of patients, and how those features depend on the level of THC dosage in the patients` blood.

The results were published in the European Journal of Pain in the summer, 2020. According to the findings, THC appeared to be efficient for patients suffering from chronic, post-traumatic, and other pains through extremely low dosage.

The concept of micro dosage is one of the most anticipated in modern science. And the results provided by the Israeli research of Medical Marijuana demonstrate that the micro dosage concept is not only viable but has a bright perspective for the development of science.

This approach opens the road for investigation and application of various elements and natural-derived components, which have once been considered dangerous. Since the research published this year was the first official clinical data throughout the whole history of study and application of Weed in healthcare, from now on, humanity has a much wider field for further investigation and application of natural remedies.

The overall study shows that the approach towards medical Cannabis that existed until now is inefficient. Unlike the traditional 1 gram dosage, prescribed for patients until now, using just 500 micrograms dosage proved to be even more efficient with less side effect impact. It means that a regular patient received about 150.000 micrograms of THC before, but this dosage can be 300 times smaller and still have the therapeutic effect.

What does the study show?

According to the experts from the Syqe Lab, the research has demonstrated that the human body is much more sensitive to Cannabis than we have thought before and the whole spectrum of the impact remains in the grey zone for science. We still haven’t studied even half of the possible effects and benefits of applying Cannabis-derived components for various remedies and medications.

It has also opened a wide legal field for further research and development of Cannabis applications in various industries – from healthcare and wellness to the beauty industry, pet care, and various medical fields.

According to Elon Eisenberg, lead researcher and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, the recent research proves that modern science has just a general understanding of the impact of Marijuana on various functions of the human body. From now on, researchers may discover ways to develop and manage this impact, carefully composing and selecting remedies, which will have a more focused therapeutic effect with a much lower risk of complications.

In other words, the recent Israeli study of Medical Marijuana may become a new milestone in medical technologies. It will allow solving the main issue of Med Tech – precise creation of remedies, avoiding side effects.

The impact of medical research on society

While the medical research of Weed continues and looks very promising, the social aspect of Cannabis legalisation remains pretty unclear in Israel. However, the ongoing progress and the willingness of the scientific community to take a closer look at the perspectives of Marijuana in Healthcare, give hope for some optimistic speculations.

It is pretty clear that once further research will prove all the safety and efficiency of using cannabis in healthcare, the global community will instantly demand its widespread acceptance as an alternative to the controversial and vastly discredited Med Tech industry. In this matter, authorities will eventually have to take a step forward and widen the spread and legalisation of Cannabis in healthcare.

It will be an important step towards global acceptance of Cannabis in everyday life. Once it enters the healthcare segment and becomes an integral part of it, people will see a new approach to what once was seen as a recreational drug only.

Another important factor is the economic impact of research and development of Cannabis. The positive effect of Weed legalisation was already proven in many American states, becoming a powerful factor for the post–Coronavirus economy restoration. Being among the countries that suffered most from the Pandemic, Israel will willingly adopt practices of its Western partner, once they prove efficient in a long-term perspective. And the need to develop and conduct medical research as powerful political leverage might be the strongest argument towards the necessity and benefits of global Cannabis legalisation.