Cannabis: medicine, food or illicit drug?

The opinion about the medicinal value of cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is changing but still remains controversial. The aim of our work was to present the evolution of the regulatory environment of Cannabis and its preparations in parallel with its history as medicine. We reviewed the current national legislation and international conventions on Cannabis and its constituents along with the historical and contemporary medicinal application of Cannabis. The utilisation of Cannabis started in the textile industry, but it was applied for recreational and medicinal purposes beforehand. During the 20th century, it was best known for its psychoactivity whereas its medicinal importance increased after elucidating the bioactivities of the active compounds of the plant. Currently different phytocannabinoids (cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol) are marketed as medicines, but semisynthetic cannabinoids and different cannabis-based products are also approved as medicines. Today, there is a trend that goes beyond the rational and medicinal application thus results in improper form of utilisation. This phenomenon could partly be explained by the anomalies of legislative regulations. As a result, products containing the antiepileptic component of cannabis are available as food and used for different medicinal purposes without medical supervision. Evidently, there is no harmony between the new scientific discoveries, the goals of companies involved, the demands of consumers, market realities and current laws in several aspects. Ongoing studies will help to clarify the benefit-risk profiles of cannabinoids and provide major influence on the future of these compounds in the evidence-based medicine.