Weed Science: Cannabis Controversies and Challenges

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WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT MARIJUANA AND HOW DO WE KNOW IT? Marijuana is the most frequently consumed illicit drug worldwide, with over 158.8 million users, according to the UN. Responding to public pressure, the US federal government is likely to legalize recreational marijuana within the next few years. With increasing numbers of people using cannabis both medically and recreationally there are many looming questions that only science can answer. These include: What's likely to happen, both good and bad, if the US legalizes marijuana?What are some simple, science-based rules to separate fact from fiction and to help guide policy in the highly contentious marijuana debate?Exactly what is cannabis doing in the brain that gets us high? A journey through THC neuroscienceDoes cannabis really have medical benefits - what's the evidence?To what extent does cannabis impair driving?Can smoking marijuana in adolescence affect IQ or risk for developing schizophrenia?Is marijuana safe to use during pregnancy? Cover Weed Science: Cannabis Controversies and Challenges Copyright Dedication About the author Foreword Acknowledgments Chapter 1 - Introduction Beginnings Reference Chapter 2 - Good science and bad science Good science, bad science, and how scientific data can be reframed Does Marijuana cause psychosis? References Chapter 3 - Holi References Chapter 4 - Ethnobotany, botany, and archaeology What is Cannabis? What’s the difference between cannabis and hemp, how do we classify them, and why does it matter? Where and when in the Earth’s history did cannabis first emerge as a distinct plant? When did the Cannabis plant translate into human agriculture? When and where was cannabis first used for its mind-altering properties? How do we classify different kinds of cannabis plants? References Chapter 5 - Neuroscience How the brain works What is the endocannabinoid system? How was the ECS discovered? How early did cannabinoid receptors originate in evolution? What are some broad properties of ECS components? How did people figure out what the ECS and its components do? Molecular studies of receptor structures Measuring human CB1 receptors with PET scans What body functions is the ECS responsible for? Brain development, brain maintenance, and beyond Reward circuits Memory Stress, anxiety, and mood Other organ systems The immune system and inflammation Cannabinoid activity via receptors outside of the conventional ECS (and in Scotland) How do THC, CBD, and other plant cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system? What are synthetic cannabinoids? Cannabidiol, the “Cure-All.” Is CBD an effective drug, and if so for what conditions? And what about all those other health claims? CBD’s mechanism of action Cannabidiol and pain CBD interactions with THC Can CBD get you high? Revelation number two: why the ECS turns out to be different than our initial expectations How are psychopharmacologist and pharmaceutical companies trying to build new endocannabinoid-related drugs? References Chapter 6 - Psychology + human behavior Abstract Keywords An introduction to intoxication What are motivations for peoples’ use of cannabis? Purposeful controlled recreational intoxication Recreational use taken to an extreme Specific use to heighten perception to explore one’s internal world and to increase creativity Medical use Misguided self-prescribed psychotherapy The subjective experience of being stoned Expectations and placebo effects Inter-individual biological differences Experience with the drug Touch, temperature, and taste Space and time Paranormal phenomena such as ESP Bodily experiences Social interaction Sexuality Cognitive processes: memory Cognitive processes: thought Emotions Control of intoxication Identity and spiritual experiences Sleep and dreams After-effects and miscellaneous effects Dose-related effects Can neuroscience explain cannabis acute effects? Control of intoxication References Chapter 7 - Epidemiology How many people are using cannabis regularly, what percent of adults and teens and for what reasons? Schizophrenia: epidemiologic studies Does using cannabis lower your IQ? Are medical marijuana laws associated with changes in either nonmedical prescription opioid use or prescription opioid use ... Does opening a marijuana dispensary affect crime rates? What are trends in terms of type of use? Who is at risk for cannabis use disorder (CUD)? References Chapter 8 - Toxicology What are some major concerns regarding health effects of cannabis to the user, and to other people? Automobile driving Psychosis and delirium Delirium Short-lived, acute psychosis Acute, persisting psychotic state Chronic psychosis resembling schizophrenia Acute human laboratory challenge studies How might THC cause psychosis? Dual diagnosis patients Schizophrenia treatment trials with cannabidiol (CBD) Are there biological differences in individuals with psychosis who have histories of significant adolescent cannabis use? How do we define “abuse,” “dependence,” and “substance use disorder?” Disordered use, dependence, and addiction More on Structural and functional brain imaging consequences of cannabis use Long-term effects of cannabis use Long-term effects of youthful cannabis use in older adults Pregnancy effects How dangerous is cannabis overall as a recreational substance? And how do its risks compare to those of other recreational ... References Chapter 9 - Chemistry, chemical analysis, and extraction. Terpenes to tinctures Chemovars Meet the terpenes Where and how are cannabinoids and terpenes synthesized in the cannabis plant? Terpene chemistry What are behavioral effects of terpenes in humans? Cannabis concentrates References Chapter 10 - Medical marijuana and clinical trials Conceptual difficulties Studies with cannabidiol What’s the evidence for utility of medical cannabis in other conditions? Currently available legal cannabinoid drugs and their indications What are the arguments against using medical marijuana? Recommendations References Chapter 11 - Economics Where are things headed? Who may benefit financially from marijuana legalization, and who may potentially lose out? What is likely to happen to cannabis prices over time? Is youth marketing of cannabis in our future? Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) It’s all about marketing What are some of the procedural hurdles to be overcome? What are some alternative possibilities? References Chapter 12 - Summary Set age limits on cannabis sales Limit drug potency Reduce cannabis consumption rates Improve product quality and ensure uniformity and safety Dispensaries and point of sale procedures. License budtenders and cap retail cannabis outlets Appropriate product pricing Teaching teens using facts and avoiding inappropriate scare tactics; providing education that works Can we identify individuals at high-risk for psychosis, and prevent them from using cannabis? Reducing marijuana-impaired driving Changing drug laws and drug policies Testing for drugs in the workplace, following legalization What are the research issues of the future? Prolonged use of concentrates Risks of illicit vaping New sources of cannabis and cannabinoids The future of medical marijuana What can we learn from Canada’s experience? References Index Back Cover