Dr. Igor Grant, Director of the CMCR, is prominently featured in a recent article in Newsweek reviewing a comprehensive report on the medical efficacy of cannabis and cannabinoids published in JAMA. While Dr. Grant acknowledged the reviewed report as "comprehensive" and "very useful," he offered a crucial critique, noting that the authors appeared to have a "definite slant," tending to "emphasize many of the negatives, including potential side effects."
Dr. Grant provided necessary nuance on two major points. First, he cautioned against conflating recreational use with medicinal use, asserting that the risk of developing a Cannabis Use Disorder is "very unlikely to be a problem in the clinical setting" for older patients being treated for chronic conditions. Second, he pointed out that while the review highlighted cardiovascular risks, other research has shown there is "actually no statistically reliable evidence" linking cannabis use to increased risk of conditions like hypertension or myocardial infarction. Dr. Grant’s insights underscore the need for scientific reviews and public discussion to maintain a balanced perspective and avoid generalizing data from recreational use to controlled medicinal applications.
Read the full article here.