Introduction: The Hemp industry in Australia is currently experiencing a strong growth and with that, industrial hemp which has a low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level is being used extensively for a range of applications. Medicinal cannabis products that are made from hemp/cannabis are currently scheduled and prescribed by medical professionals such as doctors and nurse practitioners.
Discussion: So where does naturopathy fit? As naturopaths are not nationally registered, they are not legally allowed to prescribe cannabis in Australia, however, they still have a very good understanding of the plant and the medicinal properties. In addition, there are other components of the hemp plant that have medicinal properties. These include the hemp protein from seeds, terpenes and hemp oil. The hemp plant offers an array of nutrients that can assist many different aspects.
Conclusion: Naturopaths with clinical research experience have the knowledge of the plant as well as the medical understanding to be able to conduct clinical trials and research with cannabis-based products. Clinical trials with cannabis that have been conducted by naturopaths include brain tumours, sleep, fibromyalgia, autism, Parkinson’s disease, metabolic disease, endometriosis, anxiety, in addition to pharmacokinetic studies. Moreover, many literature reviews and surveys have also been conducted by naturopaths in regard to cannabis. Some of these will be discussed in the presentation.