The UAE’s decision to allow the medical use of industrial hemp has been praised, with the move expected to deliver health benefits without posing a risk of illicit drug use.
A federal decree was issued in December allowing the use of hemp in sectors including health, textiles, construction and packaging.
Prof Michael Barnes, a consultant neurologist who wrote a 2016 report in the UK on the medical use of cannabis, said substances derived from hemp could help with the treatment of a variety of conditions. “Hopefully this will help people in the Emirates, particularly with regard to sleep, anxiety or epilepsy,” he said.
How does it work?
Such potential medical benefits, which may extend to helping with skin conditions and high blood pressure, are caused by a substance in hemp products called cannabidiol, or CBD.
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