Case for legalising medicinal bhang

A cannabis plant. FILE PHOTO | PABLO PORCIUNCULA | AFP

What you need to know:

  • One way to advance cannabis research is through physicians collecting data on patients who use cannabis as alternative medicine.
  • There are reports of women in the Luhya community in western Kenya using cannabis pre and post childbirth to ease labour pains and facilitate faster healing to the birth canal.
  • There are reports of the theft of unique cannabis plants only found in Congo with active ingredients against diabetes

There is increasing curiosity among youth and the liberal middle class in Kenya about cannabis.

This is evident in the agitation amongst small groups for cannabis friendly laws as the first step towards its legalisation.

There is, therefore, a need to put everything into perspective, especially from the scientific and research perspective that I am very familiar with, being one of the few Kenyans involved in one of the ground-breaking phase three clinical trials with cannabis in epilepsy.

One way to advance cannabis research is through physicians collecting data on patients who use cannabis as alternative medicine.

In Kenya, that would be tapping into the rich reservoir of indigenous knowledge from communities by organised research into the factors associated with cannabis use amongst them.

There are reports of women in the Luhya community in western Kenya using cannabis pre and post childbirth to ease labour pains and facilitate faster healing to the birth canal.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

This, like all traditional knowledge, is curated in the interactions of generations of mothers with their daughters and traditional birth attendants.

With the influence of Christianity and uncertainty about medicinal properties of cannabis as well its illegality, this practice among the Luhya and other communities has been discouraged.

However, emerging empirical evidence shows the beneficial anti-inflammatory actions of both Cannabinoids (CBD) and Tetra-hydro-cannabinoids (THC) --- one of the main compounds in the plant.

It is plausible that the synergistic actions of CBD and THC could be helping women with healing after childbirth. It is also possible that the psychoactive ingredients of THC help with post-partum depression, making the post- childbirth more bearable.

We need collaboration between scientists in Kenyan universities to investigate such practices and other traditional medicinal cannabis use. This would build up knowledge from the community using science to validate and preserve it.

SMOKE CANNABIS

In early 1990s in the United Kingdom, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), reported relief from cannabis use.

While it was illegal to smoke cannabis, the judicial system was sensitive to the debilitating illness, and set them free whenever they were arraigned for cannabis use.

Patients’ support groups agitated for change in laws to allow cannabis use.

This also led to the formation of multi-million-dollar pharmaceutical firms such as GW Pharmaceuticals that is not only leading in cannabis research, but also holds over 50 patents of medicinal cannabis strains.

GW is partnering with universities in the US such as North Carolina University, and in Europe to advance research.

It is hoped that research on multiple forms of epilepsy will inform North Carolina’s decision on whether to legalise it for medicinal use.

NATURAL SOURCE

There is an urgent need to characterise cannabis strains across Africa and build a genetic database.

This would ensure that it is classified as a valuable natural resource whose movement out of Africa is controlled.

There are reports of the theft of unique cannabis plants only found in Congo with active ingredients against diabetes.

These strains somehow found their way to the Netherlands with millions of dollars being made without any benefits going to the Congolese.

Secondly, African governments need to invest in preclinical research to develop cannabis related pharmaceutical products.

In the US, success was achieved through television and online media campaigns.

EPILEPTIC SEIZURES

CNN and other media shaped public opinion through documentaries such as “Weed”, focusing on life-changing moments among patients with uncontrolled epileptic seizures.

Charlotte Figi, born on October 18, 2006, has been described as “the girl who is changing medical marijuana laws across America”.

While she was the face of the agitation for its legalisation, her case and those of other patients was backed by testimonies from parents and physicians.

What is the way forward for Kenya? Cannabis activists must be very specific about what they want to achieve. Do they want decriminalisation of recreational cannabis use?

Legalisation for medicinal use first or to legalise cannabis completely? Poor medical record keeping makes it impossible to document possible benefits and/or adverse effects of cannabis.

The solution is to provide grants to universities for research. There is traditional knowledge lying in our communities waiting to support the agitation for legalisation of cannabis in Kenya.

Mr Odero is a clinical research specialist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. [email protected]