Today on the Body of Wonder Podcast we speak with Dr. Ethan Russo, a neurologist and psychopharmacology researcher. Dr. Russo has spent decades researching exactly how cannabis impacts the human body, covering well-known compounds such as THC or CDB, as well as other powerful compounds, like CBG and CBDA.
Cannabis research has caught the attention of medical providers and patients for its many potential health benefits. For decades, cannabis has been categorized as a Schedule 1 drug, which is defined as a drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. While 33 states (as of January 2021) have approved its medical use, it continues to be federally prohibited.
Cannabis contains more than 100 active compounds that react with cannabinoid receptors in our nervous systems. In spite of prohibitive policies, medical researchers around the world have managed to conduct studies. Research reveals a growing body of evidence of the therapeutic potentials. From tempering chronic pain to reducing anxiety, cannabis holds the potential for use.
Dr. Weil discusses the complicated history of cannabis in U.S culture and suggests why it has not widely been accepted as medicine. Dr. Russo addresses the concern over long term cognition problems. Dr. Maizes raises the important question — is it possible to achieve the health benefits of cannabis and not experience the psychoactive effects or “high.” With legal access to cannabis on the rise, we discuss the future medical applications of this substance.
Body of Wonder is hosted by Dr. Victoria Maizes and Dr. Weil and produced by the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. View other Body of Wonder episodes here: https://azcim.org/podcast
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Provided by the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. https://awcim.arizona.edu/
In the Body of Wonder Podcast, Dr. Weil and internationally recognized integrative leader, author, and women’s health expert, Dr. Victoria Maizes will discuss integrative medicine with thought-provoking researchers, authors, and doctors. For two decades, Weil and Maizes have led a training program at the University of Arizona. Today, 2,000 healthcare practitioners have completed the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine and continue to apply the knowledge in their care of patients across the world, develop clinical research, author medical textbooks, and more.
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