PAINWeek 2019: Exploring cannabis’ budding potential in the multi-billion dollar pain relief industry

03 Jul 2019 --- A broad scope of latest advances, discoveries and heated debates in medical cannabis research will be covered at the upcoming PAINWeek 2019, a US conference for frontline clinicians with an interest in pain management and alleviation, held on September 3-7, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Nevada. For a full day of the event, experts in the field have been invited to speak on key and emerging topics of politics, economics and healthcare – all pertaining to marijuana’s budding potential in the multi-billion dollar pain relief industry.

“Is cannabis a friend or foe? Hope or hype? Panacea or a gateway drug?” asks Dr. Nuria Thusius, emphasizing a call for greater research-derived insights from the science community. “If it’s legal on a state level and illegal on a federal level, is there a sane solution for patients and providers?”

Dr. Thusius will present Medical Marijuana: Psychiatric and Medical Conditions With Specific Attention to Chronic Pain. “I look forward to updating learners on rapidly evolving endocannabinoid science as well as its promise for pharmaceutical development, and explain how – even if cannabis is rescheduled – the FDA paradigm for approving medications hinders its endorsement.”

Other presentations during the Cannabinoid and Medical Marijuana track include “Reefer Madness Revisited: Taking the Insanity Out of Medical Cannabinoids,” presented by Dr. Michael E. Schatman; “Lost in the Weeds: The Past, Present, and Future of Hemp” in Pain Management, presented by Dr. Stephen J. Ziegler. “The Global Legalization of Marijuana: A Reasonable Solution to Treat Pain…or a Pipe Dream,” also presented by Dr. Ziegler; “Cannabis and Opioids Together: Syn or Synergistic?,” presented by Dr. Christopher M. Herndon and Dr. Bradlee Rea.

At present, medical marijuana is legal in 33 states. Recreational marijuana, with the recent addition of Illinois, is legal is 12 states. 

“As cannabis has taken center stage in world politics and economics, it’s time to take a serious look at its utility in medicine, specifically in pain management,” comments Theresa Mallick-Searle, a presenter at the event alongside Dr. Ethan B. Russo. They will be speaking on “The World According to Cannabinoids: Clinical and Research Updates.” 

“It is also important to have a serious discussion on safety and forgo the hype and rhetoric,” Mallick-Searle stresses.

“I welcome the opportunity to explore and share our knowledge of the endocannabinoid system, how deficiencies in it may contribute to the pathophysiology of numerous common chronic pain syndromes, and what pharmacological interventions may result from current research,” comments Dr. Russo.

Dr. Thusius will present Medical Marijuana: Psychiatric and Medical Conditions With Specific Attention to Chronic Pain. “I look forward to updating learners on rapidly evolving endocannabinoid science as well as its promise for pharmaceutical development, and explain how – even if cannabis is rescheduled – the FDA paradigm for approving medications hinders its endorsement.”

Not only does the current legal landscape offer little room for market proliferation of cannabis products, but certain supply chain issues may prove a further hurdle. An industry report by Rabobank elaborates that there is still much ambiguity as to whether CBD has indeed proven its potential as a new consumer staple, or is slated to become another “has-been cure-all in the supplement aisle.” The analysis, which takes a hard look at the future of CBD in the US, underscores the issue of a possible crash in the hemp market due to supply chain imbalances and legal implications.

Beyond pain relief
Even in lieu of hurdles faced by the cannabis market, the market is buzzing with potential, primarily driven by a rising demand for cannabis-derived cannabidiol (CBD) – growing in demand among patients with anxiety, sleep-deprivation and pain-related issues. A proliferation of related NPD has been observed, as the extract makes its way into mainstream consumer packaged goods. Cannabis industry specialist High Yield Insights reveals that the most common delivery methods of CBD are “edibles” such as baked goods, gummies; oils; vapes and topical beauty skincare products.

And beyond the relaxing and pain-relieving properties of CBD, a recent study of the non-psychoactive compound has found it to have a potential application as a clinical “Trojan horse” – helping slip medications across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and into the brain.

“Currently, we are working with antitumor drugs for the treatment of gliomas. To achieve effective treatments of gliomas, the antitumor drug has to reach the tumor in the brain. This is not easy due to the presence of the BBB. Very high doses of the drug in blood are needed to get small concentrations in the brain. These high doses are responsible for the high toxicity of these drugs which, in turn, limits their use,” researcher Dr. Ana Isabel Torres-Suárez tells NutritionInsight. 

“By increasing the passage of drug to the brain, through using nanocarriers decorated with CBD (like a Trojan horse that carries the antitumor drug inside), we hope to increase the efficacy of antitumor drugs without increasing its toxicity,” she further highlights.

Last May, a synthetically manufactured, non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) alternative, 8,9-Dihydrocannabidiol (H2CBD), was found to be just as effective in treating the frequency and severity of seizures in rats, pointing towards a potential therapeutic application for humans. The research was conducted by chemists at the University of California, Davis, US, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Reading, UK. The extract is backed by scientists as being a non-intoxicating compound and a “safer” alternative to nature-derived CBD, driving further ambitions for a market launch.

By Benjamin Ferrer