Hope and science to defeat myths about medical cannabis

Image Credit: César Matos

By: Renato Silva / Lupa do Bem – Favela em Pauta

While the topic of medical cannabis is under attack due to the polarized scenario of political debate, in civil society it is possible to find those who deal with the issue to help people to alleviate physical and mental pain. This is the case of Abrace Esperança, a non-profit association, located in João Pessoa (PB), which helps people to access treatments with the oil of hope, as it is called.

The association has been authorized since 2017 by the Brazilian court to cultivate and supply Cannabis Sativa derivatives to its members in the form of oils and ointments.

The foundation of Abrace coincides with the situation of many families fighting for the right to treat their relatives with derivatives of the Cannabis Sativa plant. The creation of the association took place in the face of the despair of the founder’s family, Cassiano Gomes – who, having lived in the United States and having knowledge about phytocannabinoid therapy – decided to help his mother, who was hospitalized with a serious health problem, for means of importing the substance.

From that experience came the intention to help other people and families. The exhibition brought a lot of demand and the need to create Abrace Esperança. According to the press office, the association currently serves more than 20,000 members and is the only Brazilian CNPJ authorized for the cultivation of the herb. “It is an immense responsibility because Abrace is between the pain of the patient and the demands of the Public Ministry. So it’s a legal limbo.”

The Abrace has an injunction, which, since 2017, grants it authorization to grow and supply derivatives to its associates, but this is not a guarantee of simplified work. “Even having this authorization, there are still many things that are obstacles and that get in the way. The very lack of regulation and the urgent need that the patient has. The patient arrives at Embrace already without hope, he has already tried several treatments for serious and chronic diseases, and the treatments do not work. So, these people arrive with a lot of anxiety and the process is bureaucratic”, says the association’s press office.

There is a scarcity of official data on ills and disorders listed among those treated with derivatives of the Cannabis Sativa plant, but the association believes that between 10 and 20 million Brazilians would benefit if the substance were regulated in the country, and points to a way out. “The Abrace encourages other associations to also have their right to legalized cultivation. PL 399 is a regulation that will facilitate this. So, Abrace supports the PL and also believes that many more associations could easily help in this demand to provide medicine to those who need it”.

There’s still a lot to conquer in the courts

The aforementioned Bill is PL 399 / 2015, authored by deputy Fábio Mitidieri (PSD), which aims to enable the commercialization of medicines that contain extracts, substrates, or parts of the Cannabis sativa plant in their formulation.

The benefits that PL 399 can bring are not only medicinal, but also veterinary, scientific and industrial, says the research director of Unigranrio’s Family and Community Health League and medical student, Nathália da Silva. “The regulation of research and the medicinal use of a drug makes it possible to establish safety rules, which, in this case, [concerns] the realization of cultivation for medicinal purposes. In the PL, there is no mention of the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, which excludes this cut from the agenda, and — theoretically — it would already greatly reduce some of the biggest problems related to the discussion of marijuana in society”.

Another who welcomes the approval of regulation for these drugs is pharmacist Fernando Eufrasio. “I see with great eyes [the approval of PL399], envisioning the future, right? Because today the main drugs for the main pathologies: are TDH, seizures, and convulsive episodes. The drugs used today cause many problems and many drug interactions, mainly. Normally, those who undergo treatment for these pathologies always have a polytherapy, which [consists of] two, three, four, or more medications for this control. And there is the problem of interaction, the problem of absorption, in short, there are several problems that we have to deal with and be very careful”.

Fernando says that the situation differs with cannabis-based medicines. “In the studies that have been carried out, in the follow-ups, patients [using these drugs] have not had adverse effects. So, it is today one of the best drug options on the market. I see it with great eyes and actions like this [Abrace] will greatly facilitate access, and contribute to ending this stigma of using cannabis-based medicines”.

Glossary:

Cannabis Sativa – It is a plant related to hops, discovered and used for centuries by different civilizations throughout history with therapeutic and religious effects. Its effectiveness in treating Epilepsy has been recorded for thousands of years.

Phytocannabinoids – These are the substances or compounds present or extracted from the cannabis plant, always of natural origin.

Cultivation Associations – These are community or social organizations whose objective is to promote information, associative cultivation among patients or guardians, or in some cases, such as Abrace, the sale of oils produced with phytocannabinoids.

PL 399/2015 – Bill being discussed in the National Congress that proposes the regulation of cannabis sativa for veterinary, medicinal, research and industrial use. The project does not authorize or discuss legal use by adults and does not allow patients to cultivate their plants or produce their own oils.