Toward the middle of the 19thy century, an Irish physician and professor named William O’Shaughnessy documented the “extraordinary” effects of the Cannabis indicia plant. Based on his first hand experiences with cannabis while he was working as a doctor in India, O’Shaghnessy praised the plant’s ability to treat muscle convulsions and nerve pain. He also urged others researches to explore the plant’s medical potential. According to a comprehensive 2017 report on medical cannabis produced by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, There is no substantial evidence that marijuana can be an effective treatment for chronic pain, and also for some types of muscle spasticity in adults with multiple sclerosis. In the US and around the world, cannabis is now the focus of numerous clinical trials and other research efforts. Experts are examining the drugs ability to treat mental health disorders, digestive disorders, neurological conditions, and many other commonplaces maladies. But while its potencial can be almost limitless, the current evidence supports the use of cannabis in just a handful of medical scenarios. “In my medical practice, I see a lot of patients with pain that don’t respond well to the gold-standard FDA approved drugs.” Say Benjamin Cocchiaro, MD, assistant clinical professor and co-investigator at the Drexel University Medical Cannabis Research Center of Philadelphia. In those situations, cannabis can be a useful alternative.” But, like other drugs, cannabis doesn’t work fot everyone. It also comes with risks that must be weight against its potential benefits. The complexity of the cannabis plant presents challenges. “There are more than 70 chemical entities in cannabis, yet thus far, clinical research has been focused on only a small proportion of them, namely THC and CBD” says Brian Hutton, PHD, an associate professor at the University of Otawa. The drug absolutely has therapeutic potential, but it become with a billion-dollar industry, and a lot of discussion oh it has medicine is being pushed by industry. “Right now we have a lot of people forgoing proven medicine to take something for which there is no evidence of benefit” There’s a lot of optimism about cannabis but like any medicine, experts say, the risks must be considered along the benefits. Adapted from “Time” special edition set/2024.