Professor David Finn:

Cannabis, as a plant, and cannabis extracts are complex. Cannabis contains many hundreds of compounds. Most drugs that we approve for pain and other conditions are single molecules, single structures or single chemicals. Therefore, it is difficult to make a direct like-for-like comparison between cannabis in all its complexity as plant material versus individual drugs that are single molecules.

We also have cannabinoids, which are the components of the cannabis plant. These include THC and cannabidiol as well as many other cannabinoids. These are individual molecules and we can look at them. A like-for-like comparison can be done more easily with these compounds. That is one aspect that feeds into it.

Another factor is the history of misuse and abuse. That aspect colours the debate as well. It is not trivial and not to be overlooked.

These are some of the features of cannabis that set it apart from other medicines, to some degree. However, some of the drugs used in the pain field, for example, opioids are also subject to abuse and misuse. A major problem in developed countries and throughout the world is the misuse, dependency and overdose on opioids and so on. We have already approved drugs that suffer from those limitations.