October 29, 2010
Blurb
The most common misconception, in my opinion, is that marijuana is viewed as being either all good or all bad, when it is clearly neither. Does marijuana have potential medical benefits? Without a doubt: Cannabinoids in marijuana reduce nausea and vomiting, appear to improve one’s ability to tolerate certain types of pain, and may have effects on inflammation and/or spasticity for those with muscular sclerosis. Is smoking the best route by which to administer these cannabinoids? No. Smoking has been shown to produce changes in lung function consistent with the development of cancer. Can marijuana produce abuse and dependence? Yes. It has a lower risk of doing so than legal drugs, such as alcohol or nicotine, but it still can become a drug that is difficult for daily smokers to quit.
Read more at http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/10/debunking-myths-about-the-physiological-effects-of-marijuana-5-questions-for-neurobiologist-margaret-haney/
Read more at http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/10/debunking-myths-about-the-physiological-effects-of-marijuana-5-questions-for-neurobiologist-margaret-haney/
Margaret Haney, professor of clinical neuroscience and co-director of the Substance Use Research Center at Columbia University, has investigated the neurological and physiological effects of marijuanafor more than a decade.