Marijuana and the Cannabinoids


Book Description

Although primarily used today as one of the most prevalent illicit leisure drugs, the use of Cannabis sativa L., commonly referred to as marijuana, for medicinal purposes has been reported for more than 5000 years. Marijuana use has been shown to create numerous health problems, and, consequently, the expanding use beyond medical purposes into recreational use (abuse) resulted in control of the drug through international treaties. Much research has been carried out over the past few decades following the identification of the chemical structure of THC in 1964. The purpose of Marijuana and the Cannabinoids is to present in a single volume the comprehensive knowledge and experience of renowned researchers and scientists. Each chapter is written independently by an expert in his/her field of endeavor, ranging from the botany, the constituents, the chemistry and pharmacokinetics, the effects and consequences of illicit use on the human body, to the therapeutic potential of the cannabinoids.




The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids


Book Description

Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agendaâ€"outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issuesâ€"that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.




Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis


Book Description

At the last Annual Representative Meeting of the British Medical Association a motion was passed that `certain additional cannabinoids should be legalized for wider medicinal use.'' This report supports this landmark statement by reviewing the scientific evidence for the therapeutic use of cannabinoids and sets the agenda for change. It will be welcomed by those who believe that cannabinoids can be used in medical treatment. The report discusses in a clear and readable form the use and adverse effects of the drug for nausea, multiple sclerosis, pain, epilepsy, glaucoma, and asthma.




Marijuana As Medicine?


Book Description

Some people suffer from chronic, debilitating disorders for which no conventional treatment brings relief. Can marijuana ease their symptoms? Would it be breaking the law to turn to marijuana as a medication? There are few sources of objective, scientifically sound advice for people in this situation. Most books about marijuana and medicine attempt to promote the views of advocates or opponents. To fill the gap between these extremes, authors Alison Mack and Janet Joy have extracted critical findings from a recent Institute of Medicine study on this important issue, interpreting them for a general audience. Marijuana As Medicine? provides patientsâ€"as well as the people who care for themâ€"with a foundation for making decisions about their own health care. This empowering volume examines several key points, including: Whether marijuana can relieve a variety of symptoms, including pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and appetite loss. The dangers of smoking marijuana, as well as the effects of its active chemical components on the immune system and on psychological health. The potential use of marijuana-based medications on symptoms of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and several other specific disorders, in comparison with existing treatments. Marijuana As Medicine? introduces readers to the active compounds in marijuana. These include the principal ingredient in Marinol, a legal medication. The authors also discuss the prospects for developing other drugs derived from marijuana's active ingredients. In addition to providing an up-to-date review of the science behind the medical marijuana debate, Mack and Joy also answer common questions about the legal status of marijuana, explaining the conflict between state and federal law regarding its medical use. Intended primarily as an aid to patients and caregivers, this book objectively presents critical information so that it can be used to make responsible health care decisions. Marijuana As Medicine? will also be a valuable resource for policymakers, health care providers, patient counselors, medical faculty and studentsâ€"in short, anyone who wants to learn more about this important issue.




Marijuana and Medicine


Book Description

The medical use of marijuana is surrounded by a cloud of social, political, and religious controversy, which obscures the facts that should be considered in the debate. This book summarizes what we know about marijuana from evidence-based medicineâ€"the harm it may do and the relief it may bring to patients. The book helps the reader understand not only what science has to say about medical marijuana but also the logic behind the scientific conclusions. Marijuana and Medicine addresses the science base and the therapeutic effects of marijuana use for medical conditions such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. It covers marijuana's mechanism of action, acute and chronic effects on health and behavior, potential adverse effects, efficacy of different delivery systems, analysis of the data about marijuana as a gateway drug, and the prospects for developing cannabinoid drugs. The book evaluates how well marijuana meets accepted standards for medicine and considers the conclusions of other blue-ribbon panels. Full of useful facts, this volume will be important to anyone interested in informed debate about the medical use of marijuana: advocates and opponents as well as policymakers, regulators, and health care providers.




Cannabinoids and the Brain


Book Description

"Parker describes the discovery of tetrahydocannbinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, and the further discovery of cannabinoid receptors in the brain. She explains that the brain produces chemicals similar to THC, which act on the same receptors as THC, and shows that the endocannabinoid system is involved in all aspects of brain functioning. Parker reports that cannabis contains not only the psychoactive compound THC, but also other compounds of potential therapeutic benefit, and that one of them, cannabidiol (CBD), shows promise for the treatment of pain, anxiety, and epilepsy. Parker reviews the evidence on cannabinoids and anxiety, depression, mood, sleep, schizophrenia, learning and memory, addiction, sex, appetite and obesity, chemotherapy-induced nausea, epilepsy, and such neurodegenerative disorders as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease. Each chapter also links the scientific evidence to historical and anecdotal reports of the medicinal use of cannabis."--Provided by publisher.




Cannabinoids and Pain


Book Description

This book presents a well-balanced view of the potential medical use of cannabinoids in pain. It comprehensively covers the current challenges with medical cannabis utilization and provides recommendations for research and future directions. Organized into nine sections, the book begins with an introduction to medical cannabis, including its history, regulations, and the general attitudes of pain physicians on cannabis. Section two explores the biological effects of marijuana via the endocannabinoid system and its complex structure of receptors and enzymes. Sections three, four, and five then delve further into pharmacology and the mechanisms of action applicable to cannabinoids in managing pain. Timely and socially conscious, section six examines the benefits of substituting opioids with cannabinoids for preoperative management. Echoing the book's well-rounded content, sections seven and eight consider the challenges with medical cannabis, including safety and quality control, brain development risks, vaping hazards, and withdrawal. The book then closes with a look at the future of cannabis in medical research. Thoroughly and equitably composed, Cannabinoids and Pain is an invaluable resource for primary care physicians, pain and palliative care physicians, and oncologists.




The Analytical Chemistry of Cannabis


Book Description

A volume in the Emerging Issues in Analytical Chemistry series, The Analytical Chemistry of Cannabis: Quality Assessment, Assurance, and Regulation of Medicinal Marijuana and Cannabinoid Preparations provides analytical chemistry methods that address the latest issues surrounding cannabis-based products. The plethora of marketed strains of cannabis and cannabinoid-containing products, combined with the lack of industry standards and labelling requirements, adds to the general perception of poor quality control and limited product oversight. The methods described in this leading-edge volume help to support the manufacturing, labelling, and distribution of safe and consistent products with known chemical content and demonstrated performance characteristics. It treats analytical chemistry within the context of the diverse issues surrounding medicinal and recreational cannabis in a manner designed to foster understanding and rational perspective in non-scientist stakeholders as well as scientists who are concerned with bringing a necessary degree of order to a field now characterized by confusion and contradiction. - Addresses current and emerging analytical chemistry methods - an approach that is unique among the literature on this topic - Presents information from a broad perspective of the issues in a single compact volume - Employs language comprehensible to non-technical stakeholders as well as to specialists in analytical chemistry




Cannabis and Cannabinoids


Book Description

Study the latest research findings by international experts! This comprehensive volume presents state-of-the-art scientific research on the therapeutic uses of cannabis and its derivatives. All too often, discussions of the potential medical uses of this substance are distorted by political considerations that have no place in a medical debate. Cannabis and Cannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutic Potential features fair, equitable discussion of this emerging and controversial medical topic by the world’s foremost researchers. Cannabis and Cannabinoids examines the benefits, drawbacks, and side effects of medical marijuana as a treatment for various conditions and diseases. This book discusses the scientific basis for marijuana’s use in cases of pain, nausea, anorexia, and cachexia. It also explores its possible benefits in glaucoma, ischemia, spastic disorders, and migraine. Cannabis and Cannabinoids examines all facets of the medical use of marijuana, including: botany history biochemistry pharmacology clinical use toxicology side effects Cannabis and Cannabinoids is a reference work that will become indispensable to physicians, psychologists, researchers, biochemists, graduate students, and interested members of the public. No other book available offers this comprehensive, even-handed look at a deeply divisive subject.




Handbook of Cannabis and Related Pathologies


Book Description

Handbook of Cannabis and Related Pathologies: Biology, Pharmacology, Diagnosis, and Treatment is the first book to take an interdisciplinary approach to the understanding of cannabis use and misuse. Recent worldwide trends toward decriminalizing marijuana for medical use have increased legal use of the drug and recreational use remains high, making cannabis one of the most commonly used drugs. Cannabis has a wide range of adverse neurological effects, and use and abuse can lead to physical, social, and psychopathological issues that are multifarious and complex. Effective understanding and treatment requires knowledge of the drug's effects from across scientific disciplines. This book provides an overview of the biological and pharmacological components of the cannabis plant, outlines its neurological, social, and psychopathological effects, assists in the diagnosis and screening for use and dependency, and aids researchers in developing effective treatments for cannabis-related issues and disorders. Fully illustrated, with contributions from internationally recognized experts, it is the go-to resource for neuroscientists, pharmacologists, pathologists, public-health workers, and any other researcher who needs an in-depth and cross-disciplinary understanding of cannabis and its effects. - Comprehensive chapters include an abstract, key facts, mini dictionary of terms, and summary points - Presents illustrations with at least six figures, tables, and diagrams per chapter - Provides a one-stop-shopping synopsis of everything to do with cannabis and its related pathology, from chemicals and cells, individuals and communities, and diagnosis and treatment - Offers an integrated and informed synopsis of the complex issues surrounding cannabis as a substance, its use, and its misuse