Introduction
Marijuana use for medicinal purposes has been one of the most topical and discussed topics over the last years. However, only recently, “scruffy hippies getting high on their supply in a disorganized underground economy” started to be replaced by specialists with the industrial and scientific approach as the use of medical cannabis becomes more common (Owens, 2019, para. 1). The paper aims to discuss medical marijuana and analyze the challenges and benefits of medical marijuana cultivation.
The History and Today of Medical Marijuana
The history of the medical use of marijuana goes back into ancient history. It is reported that many cultures used marijuana as an analgesic by burning and inhaling its smoke (Ciccone, 2017). Moreover, it was used for medical purposes during the 19th and 20th centuries both in Europe and the United States, until it was restricted. Thus, in 1970 the U.S. Congress included marijuana on the “Schedule I” list of controlled substances.
The classification of marijuana as a substance with a high potential for abuse abolished marijuana as a medicinal agent. As a result, the research into marijuana’s potential clinical benefits was allowed at only one institution – a consortium of the National Institute of Mental Health and The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (Chandra et al., 2017). As a result, it has limited the scope of research and complicated well-controlled clinical trials.
Medical marijuana nowadays is gaining more acceptance and becoming legalized in various countries. In the United States, 33 states, along with the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have allowed the medical use of marijuana (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2020). The potential therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana are quite expansive. They include pain relief, control of nausea, appetite stimulation, anxiety reduction, sedation, and relieving some symptoms of HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and multiple sclerosis (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2020). However, due to the previous restrictions on clinical trials, marijuana’s effectiveness and its connection to other issues, such as opioid abuse, are not studied thoroughly (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019). Nevertheless, legal medical cannabis becomes more widespread, and the industry requirements are growing.
The Challenges of Growing Medical Marijuana
There are different challenges in medical marijuana growing. While it is essential to follow the rules of horticulture, general principles of plant science, and experience of the agriculture industry, it is also crucial to consider the unique qualities of cannabis plants. These measures require a lot of effort but are necessary to produce crops that can be used in science and medicine and be economically efficient.
Thus, the first challenge of the cannabis production industry is its heavy reliance on scientific data. As noted by Owens (2019), “achieving the most efficient production requires growers to do research under controlled conditions to understand how both plant genetics and growing conditions can affect the product” (para. 7). Therefore, the marijuana growing industry needs extensive human resources experienced in plant science, microbiology, chemistry, and other disciplines.
Another issue that is closely connected to the research is producing a product that meets the governmental requirements. FDA is currently developing a guide for the industry that includes several recommendations regarding tests for pesticides, microbiological tests, and other aspects closely connected to horticulture (Food and Drug Administration, 2020). Thus, the cannabis industry workers need to acknowledge these and other recommendations, closely following any legislative changes and requirements for biomass selection, cultivation, harvest, and processing.
Finally, marijuana cultivation could be potentially complicated due to its excessive demands. It has already been identified that cannabis farming is associated with high water and energy demands and local contamination of water, air, and soil (Ashworth & Vizuete, 2017). Moreover, growing cannabis for medical purposes can pose certain security risks. Nevertheless, despite these complications, there are certain benefits to medical cannabis cultivation.
The Benefits of Medical Marijuana Cultivation
The challenges presented above do not limit the potential benefits of medical marijuana cultivation. Thus, the necessity of research behind producing high-quality cannabis creates job opportunities for science graduates and horticulture specialists. It is reported that the industry is already hiring university-educated and trained specialists (Owens, 2019). With the expansion of the legal medical cannabis industry, these prospects will grow as well.
Moreover, the tight regulation of cannabis production and harvesting put on horticulture researchers and practitioners could ensure a sustainable quality level. This would allow the development of effective protocols and best practices that can be used in the future. Furthermore, the optimization of cannabis growing standards would ensure the production of a uniform product that can be used in the research of medical marijuana. Finally, the medical cannabis industry has considerable economic potential that should not be overlooked.
Conclusion
Growing medical marijuana is a complicated horticultural process that requires a lot of research, investment of time and finances, organizational efforts, environmental and safety caution, and extensive human resources. However, it simultaneously creates multiple opportunities for economic and scientific development. Therefore, it is essential to tackle the existing medical marijuana challenges growing to create conditions for the potential benefits to present themselves.
References
Ashworth, K., & Vizuete, W. (2017). High time to assess the environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(5), 2531-2533.
Chandra, S., Lata, H., Elsohly, M. A., Walker, L.A., & Potter, D. (2017). Cannabis cultivation: Methodological issues for obtaining medical-grade product. Epilepsy & Behavior, 70(B), 302-312.
Ciccone, C. D. (2017). Medical marijuana: Just the beginning of a long, strange trip? Physical Therapy, 97(2), 239-248.
Food and Drug Administration. (2020). Cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds: Quality considerations for clinical research guidance for industry.
National Conference of State Legislatures. (2020). State Medical Marijuana Laws.
National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2019). What is medical marijuana. Web.
Owens, B. (2019). The professionalization of cannabis growing. Nature.