Hemp, also known as cannabis, is one of the oldest useful plants in the world. The plant belongs to the genus hemp and is also used medicinally, among other things.
Occurrence and cultivation of hemp
Most hemp species are separately sexed, which means that male and female flowers do not grow on the same plant. The original home of hemp is in Central Asia. Today, both cultivated and feral hemp are found worldwide. The hemp plant prefers temperate to tropical zones. The annual herbaceous plant can grow up to five meters tall. Most species of hemp are heterozygous, meaning that male and female flowers do not grow on the same plant. The male plant, the so-called femel hemp, is thereby more weakly developed than the female hemp. The female hemp (hemp hen) is also more densely branched and bears more leaves. However, there are also intermediate forms. The hemp plant has a long strongly woody taproot. Numerous lateral roots branch off from this. These can grow up to two meters long. The green angular stem arises from the root. It has a diameter of about 15 millimeters. In the bark part of the stem are fiber bundles, the hemp fibers. The leaves of the hemp plant consist of 5 to 9 leaf fingers. The individual leaf fingers are lanceolate and toothed at the edge. The female flowers grow in the form of false spikes in the leaf axils. The flowers of the male plants are in panicles. The pollination of the female flowers is carried out by the wind. From a botanical point of view, the fruit of the hemp plant is a nut. However, in general, the fruit is usually called hemp seed. It is a dry and closed fruit, contains seeds. This seed is located in a fruit shell.
Effect and application
The hemp plant contains so-called cannabinoids. THC is certainly the best known cannabinoid. Other cannabinoids are cannabidiol or cannabigerol. C.
Cannabis products are said to have a positive effect on various diseases. For example, cannabis active ingredients are said to alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis due to their antiatactic and antispastic effects. Although the disease is not cured, the symptoms improve significantly. Drugs made from hemp can also be used in cancer. Patients who are treated with chemotherapy often suffer from nausea and vomiting. Cannabis is able to relieve the nausea and vomiting and also has an appetizing effect. Many chemotherapy patients are emaciated, so weight gain is highly desirable. The appetite-enhancing effect is also why cannabis is used in AIDS patients. Cannabis can also produce good results in the treatment of spastic paralysis, chronic nerve pain, and Tourette’s syndrome. The American Institute of Medicine recommends cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain, musculoskeletal disorders, arthritis, anorexia and depression. Cannabis extracts are used therapeutically. These have a standardized active ingredient content and are produced from the female cannabis flowers. Synthetically produced cannabinoids can also be used. However, natural cannabis medicines contain other ingredients in addition to the main cannabinoids, so their effects may differ from the synthetic preparations. Hemp seeds play an important role in nutritional therapy. They are rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins such as vitamins A, B, C, D and E. They also contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and linolenic acid. Due to their ingredients, hemp seeds and the hemp oil extracted from them are among the so-called superfoods. The fibers from the hemp bark are an important raw material for textiles. Hemp is also used as natural insulation material, cigarette paper or for the production of lightweight panels and as fuel.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Cannabis has been used as a medicinal plant for thousands of years. As early as 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor of the time is said to have recommended cannabis resin for the treatment of gout, rheumatism and women’s diseases. The ancient Egyptians also took advantage of the healing properties of hemp. Hemp also had its place in the medicine of St. Hildegard of Bingen. In the 18th century, cannabis was also used in European orthodox medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, cholera and tetanus.In the 19th century, cannabis was still a component of a popular over-the-counter sleep aid. The tide turned in the first half of the 20th century. On the one hand, seemingly more effective and cheaper preparations appeared on the market. On the other hand, legal restrictions followed, as cannabis was classified as an intoxicant. Many negative effects on the psyche were attributed to the use of cannabis. In 1944, a study by the then New York mayor disproved many of the postulated negative effects of cannabis use. As a result, further studies on the hemp plant were banned under penalty of law. According to the Narcotics Law, both the acquisition and possession of all plant parts of the hemp plant are punishable by law. An exemption for use as a medicine was made in 2009. Since May 2011, cannabis has been among the prescription medicines. However, only the finished medicines, usually drops or sprays, are marketable, not the individual plant components. However, patients can apply for an exemption to purchase cannabis flowers via the Federal Opium Agency of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. The prerequisite for this, however, is that patients can prove that other therapies have not been able to alleviate their suffering to date. In addition, it must be proven that therapy with the usual cannabis medicines is not possible, as the costs are not covered by health insurance, for example. Therapy with cannabis flowers is many times cheaper than therapy with the corresponding finished medicines. In 2014, the Cologne Administrative Court ruled that in individual cases, patients with chronic pain should be allowed to grow their own cannabis.
