Cannabis grows in many parts of the world, but the main centres of commercial production include north and west Africa, south America, middle and far East. Increasingly being grown indoors in Europe. The main Psychoactive ingredient of cannabis is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
The earliest recorded medical use of cannabis was in China, 4,000 years ago, and many cultures have valued its medicinal properties since. Nowadays, synthetic forms, known as marinol and nabilone, are sometimes used as an Anti-Emetic to control nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. Proponents believe that cannabis could be used to beneficial effect in a range of illnesses from glauComa to multiple sclerosis (MS). Medical cannabis is prescribed for nausea, pain and alleviation of symptoms surrounding chronic illness, but its use remains controversial. Low level THC and other cannabinoids have been shown to have Analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-convulsant, anti-tremor, anti-psychotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic and appetite-Stimulant properties. Research is ongoing into the medical effects of cannabinoids.
