Abstract:
Cannabis sativa finds application in the medical field as an opioid (medical
marijuana) and as a recreational drug despite the fact that it is a prohibited
drug substance in many countries. Currently, there are reports on the in-
creasing trends in the number of deaths associated with the use of marijuana.
Regardless of these dangers, some countries across the world have legalized
the sale and use of marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes. For
these reasons, this review seeks to explore the emerging trends through which
marijuana is consumed and the chemicals produced in the course of its use.
Furthermore, the use of
Cannabis sativa as medicine especially in the man-
agement of emerging diseases such a Corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19)
and the perceived harms have been reviewed. Relevant literature was identi-
fied from database search published between the period 2012 and 2020 in
PubMed, Crossref, Google scholar, Cochrane and Web of Science. The articles
were considered relevant if they addressed marijuana (
Cannabis sativa) use, its
impacts on users and non-users, carcinogenicity, medicinal value and COVID-19
management. A number of methods by which marijuana is used have been
identified with each method producing different results among users. The
chemicals released during smoking of marijuana and their carcinogenic po-
tential and health effects are reported in this work. Further,
Cannabis sativa
has found significant use in the management of cancer and human immuno-
deficiency virus (HIV/ AIDS) to alleviate pain and improve appetite, respec-
tively. Although marijuana is regarded as a prohibited and toxic drug sub-
stance, there is limited documentation in literature that extensively reports on
its toxicological mechanisms especially its role as a cancer causing agent. On the contrary, most scientific studies have reported its use for medical reasons.
Accordingly, there is need for further research on cannabis application as a
medicinal drug, investigation on its possibility in the managing of the severe
acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-Cov-2) and its epidemio-
logical concerns. Campaigns for the legalization of cannabis for use in clinical
medicine are fundamentally recommended but must take into account possi-
ble toxicological concerns, health ethics and psychotic problems
