Problems of using the therapeutic properties of cannabis in veterinary medicine

More than 350 private veterinarians, as well as representatives of public organizations specializing in the protection of animal rights, sent a letter to the President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez with a request to initiate changes to the regulatory framework regarding the possibility of using pharmacological preparations or medicines based on the therapeutic properties of cannabis in veterinary medicine. On the basis of this kind of appeal, the government of the country has developed a corresponding bill, which is already under consideration in the Senate of the country.

The letter pointed out that not only humans have specific receptors for receiving cannabinoids in the brain. The endocannabinoid system exists in all mammals that inhabit our planet. Consequently, the therapeutic effect of the therapeutically active elements of cannabis takes place not only in relation to humans, but can also be effectively used to treat other vertebrates - dogs, cats, monkeys, horses, birds, etc.

It is in connection with the healing / healing properties of the plant that veterinarians, as well as pet owners, have historically used the plant as a preventive, healing or healing agent for “our smaller brothers”.

Despite the fact that in Argentina the use of cannabis for medical purposes is regulated, as well as the cultivation of plants necessary for self-healing, the “inhuman” use of the therapeutic properties of the plant is excluded from the law. 

More than 350 private veterinarians, as well as representatives of public organizations specializing in the protection of animal rights, sent a letter to the President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez with a request to initiate his amendments to the regulatory framework regarding the possibility of using pharmacological preparations or medicines based on the therapeutic properties of cannabis in veterinary medicine ... In particular, one of the ways to regulate this type of activity is the inclusion of persons using the therapeutic properties of the plant in the register of users published by the national ministry of health of the country. On the basis of this kind of appeal, the government of the country has developed a corresponding bill, which is already under consideration in the Senate of the country.

The letter emphasizes that “The right to treatment or pain relief is a fundamental and fundamental right for both humans and animals. We recognize that we have a historic opportunity to promote and ensure the rights of non-human animals. Just like us, animals have the right to use medicinal products based on the therapeutic properties of cannabis for their health and well-being. Therefore, it is necessary to create a regulatory and legal framework for living beings that are not people in order to use them therapeutically active elements of cannabis. It is very important that prescriptions for flowers or pharmacological preparations based on the therapeutic properties of cannabis, prescribed by veterinarians, have the same validity for organizations that sell similar products to humans. "

Commentary of the specialists of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

All vertebrates, human and non-human, have an endocannabinoid system not only in the brain, but throughout the body. Cannabinoids interacting with the endocannabinoid system in the body can stop or completely remove pain, initiate a significant increase in immunity, as well as the treatment of a number of severe, including chronic diseases. In particular, veterinarians in economically developed countries of the world actively use therapeutically active elements of the hemp plant to treat chronic pain, herniated discs, relieve symptoms of cancer, and stimulate appetite.

When using cannabinoids in veterinary medicine, it must be remembered that there are differences in the density of cannabinoid receptors in different animals. Those. the sensitivity to therapeutically active elements of hamsters, monkeys, horses, cats or dogs is quite different.

In Canada, China or other economically developed countries, the regulatory framework governing the legality of the use of the therapeutically active properties of cannabis in veterinary medicine has not yet been regulated. The first sign in solving this problem of the global hemp market was the American state of Nevada, whose legislators in June 2021 regulated the possibility of using drug-free cannabinoids in veterinary practice.

Information about the situation in the field of “cannabinoid veterinary medicine” is interesting in several aspects at once. It is significant how the government of the country reacted to the appeal of the “veterinary community” of Argentina, having prepared changes to the current regulatory framework. On the other hand, in Ukraine, such difficulties associated with amending the law are not needed. As we have stated more than once before, if only a few relevant ministries issue an interdepartmental order that will regulate the maximum allowable amount of controlled tetrahydrocannabinol in the final product, the goods that are used by veterinarians around the world to treat animals that will contain the allowable amount of tetrahydrocannabinol will be legal for use in our country. The only thing left is to develop and adopt the above mentioned interdepartmental normative legal act.