MHM Magazine

Issue 6 | 2021 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | 19 MHM Friends and family are increasingly using CBD cannabis products to treat a variety of ailments and medical concerns. A colleague, who previously worked with me in the treatment sector for many years, recently admitted that they have a few plants at home and are taking it as a tea for their moderate medical ailments, swearing that it’s treating them. This from someone who has spent a long time working in the medical treatment of substance use disorders. It raises questions about whether cannabis is safe, if it will help, and whether it will be more damaging in the long run. As a culture, our attitudes around cannabis have altered dramatically in the last two years. More people are willing to try recreational cannabis or CBD products, but what are the hazards, and is there sufficient educational information and research to back up these claims? The South African (SA) Constitutional Court judgement on the 18th of September 2018 decriminalised the private cultivation, possession, and use of cannabis by adults, changing cultural values and perceptions. There are a lot By Adrie Vermeulen National Coordinator for SANCA (South African National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence) IS CANNABIS A FRIEND OR A FOE? Pointers for Medical Practitioners