In recent years, medicinal cannabis has gained space in public conversation and medical practice, including among those suffering from diabetes. However, the gap between popular perception and what science has proven remains wide. Despite the media enthusiasm, experts agree: cannabis does not cure or control diabetes, although it can offer partial relief in some associated symptoms.
Uneven regulation and rising expectations
Countries like Uruguay or Italy have been regulating the medicinal use of cannabis for years, while others—like Spain—are just beginning to do so. In the latter, a recently approved Royal Decree will allow it to be prescribed only in hospitals and under specialized medical control.
In Mexico, its use for medicinal purposes has been legal since 2021, but restricted to products with health registration and a medical prescription. It is not approved to routinely treat diabetes, and many of the oils or supplements available are marketed without quality guarantees or strict oversight.
This lack of homogeneous regulation complicates research and feeds a market full of promises that are difficult to verify.
What is known so far
Cannabis contains two main compounds: THC, with a psychoactive effect, and CBD, without this effect and with a different safety profile. Products can vary in purity, concentration, and form of use (oils, capsules, vaporizers), making it difficult to compare results between studies.
Even so, the available scientific literature offers some clear conclusions:
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Does not control glucose. No cannabis-based medication is approved for “lowering sugar.” Promises in this regard lack clinical basis.
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May relieve neuropathic pain. Some small studies show that cannabis may reduce pain in people with diabetic neuropathy, although results are variable and they are not a substitute for other treatments.
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Moderate effect on sleep. By reducing pain, some people rest better, but the overall benefit is slight.
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Risks in type 1 diabetes. Recreational use has been associated with more episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication caused by excess ketones in the blood and urine.
In short, its possible benefits are partial and specific, while the risks and lack of standardization remain relevant.
The big unknowns: dosage, safety and duration
The main questions about medicinal cannabis remain unanswered:
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What type of product is most suitable?
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At what dose and for how long?
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For whom is it beneficial or harmful?
Available products feature varying combinations of THC and CBD, with no standard dosages or solid studies establishing their long-term safety. Nor are its effects on the liver, memory, mood or cardiovascular system known after months or years of continuous use.
Additionally, both THC and CBD can alter the action of common medications, changing their absorption or potency. Therefore, medical support is essential.
Specialists also warn about the low quality of many products on the market: independent analyzes have detected contaminants and compositions different from those declared on the label. The lack of control and certification represents one of the greatest current risks.
How it acts in the body
The human body has a natural system, the endocannabinoid, that regulates appetite, pain, mood and inflammation. Cannabis substances act on the same receptors, functioning as “keys” that fit into biological “locks.”
This interaction can modulate pain or reduce inflammation, but also cause side effects: drowsiness, anxiety, changes in appetite or mood alterations. Therefore, finding the right dose and combination becomes a complex clinical challenge.
Network pharmacology: a promising new approach
An emerging line of research, known as network pharmacology, studies how cannabis compounds act on multiple genes and proteins involved in diseases such as diabetes.
This method makes it possible to identify, through computer simulations, which molecules could have broader and less secondary therapeutic effects. Although there is still no evidence in humans, this approach could serve to guide future clinical trials and separate scientific evidence from pseudotherapeutic marketing.
What science and prudence agree in stating
Medical cannabis is not a substitute for conventional diabetes treatments. Its use can be useful to relieve certain symptoms, but requires strict medical supervision, laboratory tests, and knowledge of possible interactions with other drugs.
While scientific evidence expands, experts recommend caution: be well informed, avoid self-medication and distrust products without health registration.
The promise of medicinal cannabis remains in the study phase. What science offers today is not a cure, but a warning: hope must be accompanied by rigor.
Source: TheConversation.
