Citation

Maldonado R, Torrens M. Eur. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2020; 36: 167-168.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.06.009

PMID

32620256

Abstract

Cannabis sativa derivatives have been used from centuries for recreational and medical purposes. However, the discovery of the components of these cannabis derivatives and their mechanism of action have been elucidated only in the recent decades. Indeed, the main psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, was isolated in 1964, by the group of Prof Mechoulam, whereas the main components of the endocannabionoid system, the cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous ligands, and the enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation of these endocannabinoids, have been identified in the 80 and 90 decades (Mechoulam and Parker, 2012).

Cannabis derivatives represent a major health concern tacking into account the high prevalence of consumption for recreational purposes in a large amount of countries worldwide including North America and European countries. This recreational use produces major drawbacks in our modern societies with particular deleterious consequences in young adolescents that present important prevalence of consumption starting at early periods of age. Cannabis consumption in these early periods may have major long-term consequences in brains and personalities that are still under a complex developing process of maturation. Large efforts must be made by scientists, physicians and regulatory authorities to aware our young citizens about the risks of cannabis consumption in these early ages. In addition, the pattern of cannabis consumption has been drastically modified in these last months due to the COVID-19 disease that became a global pandemic on March 11th 2020 changing the daily life of our societies and leading to important changes in the rate of consumption of cannabis and alcohol, among other drugs of abuse.

On the other hand, cannabis derivatives represent pharmacological tools of enormous interest in terms of developing...

Language: en