ABSTRACT
The muscle relaxant properties of cannabis are well-known and prevail in all cultivars, but are more pronounced in the indica varieties, most likely due to the additional relaxant properties of β-myrcene. The cannabinoid content of the cannabis is also important as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is thought to be a stronger muscle relaxant than cannabidiol (CBD). Spasticity specifically involves disordered neurotransmission and may be more responsive to THC, yet patients report relief from mixed CBD/THC products. Surprisingly, little research has been done clinically investigating the antispastic and muscle-relaxant properties of cannabis. This chapter presents case reports of five patients with complaints of muscle spasm, spasticity or fasciculations. Cannabis was most effective for muscle spasm, less effective for the more severe cases of spasticity and not effective at all in the case of fasciculations. In the case of simple muscle spasm, topical cannabis applied to the affected area is clearly therapeutic.
