With many countries adopting new guidelines with regards to the cannabis consumption, the WHO has committed itself to hold a special session to review the medical marijuana in the next eighteen months. For More Information visit: https://bit.ly/2zeM7c9

1. UN REVIEWS CANNABIS AS A RELATIVELY SAFE DRUG
With many countries adopting new guidelines with regards to the cannabis
consumption, it has paved the way for The World Health Organization (WHO) Expert
Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) to initiate the first ever steps that can change
the status of medical cannabis under the International Law. The WHO has committed
itself to hold a special session to review the medical marijuana in the next eighteen
months.
UN has recently concluded the 40th meeting of the ECDD, which was held in Geneva,
Switzerland between 4th to 7th June 2018. This session was mostly dedicated to
carrying out an overall review on:
● Cannabis plant and cannabis resin
● Extracts and tinctures of cannabis*
● Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
● Isomers of THC
● Cannabidiol
The final report of this meeting and their respective recommendations are expected to
be available on the WHO ECDD website by the end of July.

2. However, in their preliminary report, the WHO has mentioned cannabis to be of low-
risk that has excellent therapeutic potential. The report also acknowledged that till now
there was no reported evidence of marijuana overdose. It also concluded that the
evidence which associated marijuana use with increased risk of cardiovascular events
is very weak.
The report also emphasizes that preclinical literature to support claims of medical
marijuana medical benefits are present in abundance. It supports the claims that
cannabis can be useful in treatment for various conditions such as appetite stimulation,
chronic pain, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, opioid withdrawal, post-traumatic stress
disorder, and sleep disorders.
Many organizations are getting impatient, as for them 18 months is looking like a long
period. But, this is a positive start as any discussion regarding cannabis has been stalled
for years. However, if ECDD gives positive recommendations to medical cannabis then,
it can possibly be reclassified under the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This

3. process could make fundamental changes in many countries, especially the United
States, where cannabis is still considered illicit drug under the Federal law.
As the countries await the final decision, meanwhile UN is also inviting the public
opinion on whether or not, the cannabis and its extracts should be declassified as a
controlled substance. The United States, being the prominent member of the UN will
also forward the public comments on cannabis scheduling to the international agency.
However, for rescheduling cannabis, the UN General Assembly must vote on the
recommendations. If approved by the General Assembly, this Single Convention will be
regarded as the standard for all the international drug laws. However, the countries
including the United States are responsible for passing or enforcing their own drug
laws.
Although for the UN to have its final verdict, it would surely take some time. But, this
start surely will make a global shift towards cannabis legalization. For now, in legalized
states, you can use Medical Cannabis Card to purchase the plant or its products to
treat the corresponding health symptoms. Online Medical Card, Sacramento, is the
best online cannabis center where you can get the cannabis recommendation almost
instantly.