Abstract

PROSPERO GARCIA, Oscar E et al. Marihuana: Legalization and Medical Care. Rev. Fac. Med. (Méx.) [online]. 2019, vol.62, n.6, pp.6-23.  Epub Dec 22, 2020. ISSN 2448-4865.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fm.24484865e.2019.62.6.02.

Despite the fact that the use of marihuana is illegal in most countries of the world, it still is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide. 8.6% of the Mexican population, between 12-65 years old, has smoked marihuana at least once in their lifetime (2017). There has been a significant increase in the number of consumers in the last few years. Fatal cases associated with cannabis use had not been recognized for a long time, however, lately, deaths due to a cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) and deaths from self-mutilation have been reported. Although marihuana synthesizes several active substances with potential therapeutic properties, nowadays, the greatest use of marihuana in our country and in the world is recreational.

This review discusses the consequences of using marihuana for recreational use, the social and health contexts regarding legalization and potential therapeutic uses of compounds isolated from the plant based on the scientific literature. Our contribution is to warn people about the potential negative impact on the health of recreational use marihuana and the urgency of supporting the research of its effects on the brain. Similarly, we aim to identify the active principles with potential therapeutic use.

Keywords : Marihuana; recreative use of marihuana; legal marihuana.

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