Marijuana May Help Treat Eczema

Some cannabis-derived treatments are now being tested for their ability to help certain skin diseases as reported in a new story from nonprofit journalism news service Inside Science (ISNS).

In a new video for Inside Science News Service, executive producer Karin Heineman interviews Robert Dellavalle from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who explains how some compounds found in marijuana might help stop itching and pain in people suffering from skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis.

Inside Science is an editorially independent nonprofit journalism venture operated by the American Institute of Physics.

Eczema affects millions of people, causing an itchy, painful rash. There are medications, but they don't always work for patients. Researchers now want to investigate if marijuana can offer some relief for some skin conditions.

The cannabis plant has anti-inflammatory properties that can help with inflammation, itching and pain. The plant produces chemical compounds called cannabinoids; THC and CBD are the most widely known and understood. CBD however, does not make users "high" -- it is non-psychoactive. Researchers want to study whether a drug containing the CBD compounds can help with some skin diseases.

The video talks about ongoing clinical trials for testing marijuana for certain skin diseases and the regulatory hurdles that researchers have had to overcome for testing marijuana -- a drug that is still considered a controlled substance, and under federal law is illegal, whether you live in a state that legalized it for medical or recreational use, or not.