Conferences on medical cannabis in Spain and France
List of contents
During September and October 2016, two major events are highlighted in the European medical cannabis agenda, which will be presented on this article. Do not hesitate to participate!
Presentation of the Observatorio Español del Cannabis Medicinal (Spanish Observatory of Medical Cannabis)
This event will be held on Tuesday, 20th September 2016 from 08:30h to 17:30h at CaixaForum, Madrid. The entrance is free mainly thanks to sponsors like Canna, Endoca, Dinafem or the Alchimia Solidària Foundation. The conference room has a capacity of 322 people, so if you want to attend the conference hurry up and fill the form at OECM's website!
The event will start with a presentation of the Observatory by its president Carola Pérez. Researcher Manuel Guzmán - from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid - will talk about the therapeutical potential of marijuana. This renowned scientist will be probably accompanied by his fellow researchers Cristina Sánchez and Guillermo Velasco, also known for their investigation on cannabinoids and their anti-cancer action.
Next, we'll be lucky to hear professor Raphael Mechoulam, renowned scientist from Israel who has devoted his life to the study of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system after identifying and isolating THC for the first time in 1964. Arrived directly from Israel, his speech will be focused on the past, present and future of medicinal cannabis.
The second half of the morning will be dedicated to the possible and diverse models of regulation of medicinal marijuana. We'll listen to Dr. José Carlos Bouso (ICEERS Foundation), Dr. José Martínez Orgado (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Mara Gordon (specialist on medical cannabis extractions from California) and Ana María Gazmuri, director of the Daya Foundation, which was involved on the first legal cannabis crop in Chile.
During the afternoon any patient will be able to talk to the many specialists gathered for this occasion. The most important points raised will be childhood epilepsy and cancer, both moderated by Dr. José Martínez Orgado and Paulina Boadilla, who is president of the Mama Cultiva association. This organisation re-groups parents of children from Chile with refractary epilepsy, cancer or other medical conditions which can be treated with cannabis.
The topic of inflammatory diseases will be moderated by Ekaitz Agirregoitia, while the issue of pains will be led by Dr. García de Palau, an expert physician associated with our own therapeutic clinic in France. Finally, Dr. Javier Pedraza and Dr. Joan Parés - who are known by some of the users of Alchimiaweb's therapeutic clinic in Spanish - will moderate the debate on degenerative diseases.
5th International Conference on pharmacological progress and therapeutic purposes of cannabinoids
About a month later, this time in France, the 5th International Conference on therapeutic uses of cannabis will be held once again organized by the UFCM-I Care association. This event is mainly aimed to professionals of the medical sector, who can find a unique opportunity in France to meet with colleagues and discuss the medical properties of cannabinoids like THC or CBD. The event will be held on Friday, 21st October 2016 from 08:30h to 17h at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Strasbourg. The entrance will be free thanks to the support of sponsors like Sensi Seeds, Volcano or Alpha-Cat. If you're interested, you can fill the form at the UFCMed website.
The first speaker will be Dr. Ethan Russo, a renowned scientist for his studies on the influence of minor cannabinoids and aromatic terpenes on the effect of THC, a sinergy called "entourage effect". He will explain the traditional uses of medical marijuana in France and how it was used by herbalists for its properties, much more efficient than that of isolated cannabinoids.
After this interesting speech, Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen - president of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) - will discuss about post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS), epilepsy, bipolarity and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This physician will also tell us about the measures taken for the development of the new German programme on the medical cannabis industry throughout the country.
Both Dr. Ethan Russo and Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen are co-authors of the books about medical cannabis Handbook of Cannabis Therapeutics and Cannabis and cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Potential.
Later on, Carola Pérez - president of the OECM - will share her view on the importance of government recognition about the medical use of cannabis in Spain. After lunch, professor Rudolf Brenneisen (University of Bern, Switzerland) will talk about the use of vaporizers to inhale smoke-free cannabis.
Professor Annelise Lobstein (Faculty of Pharmacy of Strasbourg) will talk about the different qualities of medical marijuana, focusing on the different strains used and offering tips to enhance our knowledge about this heterogeneity. Then, Dr. Renaud Colson (University of Nantes) will advocate for the public recognision of the right of patients to use medical cannabis basing on historical and comparative perspectives. Finally, Dr. Pavel Kubo from the International Medical Cannabis Patients Coalition (IMCPC) will tell us about the joint efforts of patients to see their basic rights recognized by the United Nations.
We would like to thank both the organizers and speakers of these events for caring about the right of patients to use medical cannabis throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Do not hesitate to tell your doctor about them and to encourage him/her to learn more about the benefitial properties of cannabinoids and terpenes!
