Cannabis as Medicine

CBD and the CB1 Receptor: A Look at Allosteric Modulation with Rob Laprairie, PhD + Liz Thompson, MS | #102

How does CBD affect the CB1 receptor, really?

Rob Laprairie is a cannabinoid researcher out of the University of Saskatchewan who was involved in the discovery of CBD’s allosteric binding activity on the CB1 receptor – leading to a host of speculative theories about how CBD influences the activity of THC. In this conversation, continuing our Train with Mary Jane series, we sit down with Rob and discuss his work studying the CB1 receptor to better understand how CBD and “minor” cannabinoids from Cannabis affect the body. Rob helps break down common misunderstandings about CBD’s effects, explains how our understanding of chemical receptors is evolving, and what the future of cannabinoid research may look like.

“Allosteric and orthosteric pharmacology of cannabidiol and cannabidiol-dimethylheptyl at the type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors”: https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bph.14440

Concussions and the Endocannabinoid System with Patrick Neary, PhD and Liz Thompson, PhDc, MSc | #100

Dive into a journey of discovery with our latest episode of the ‘Train With Mary Jane’ mini-series, where we delve deep into the pioneering research funded by the NFL on Cannabis and its potential to revolutionize the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in athletes. This episode welcomes the return of clinical physiologist Liz Thompson and introduces a new, distinguished guest, Dr. Patrick Neary, PhD – a researcher in the realm of kinesiology from the University of Regina, Canada, with a passion for unraveling the mysteries of concussions and TBIs.

Join us as we embark on an exploration of Dr. Neary’s experience in concussion research, unlocking the intricate science behind concussions, the profound long-term effects of TBIs, and the promising intersection of TBI treatment with the endocannabinoid system. Discover the potential of cannabinoids in altering the landscape of TBI therapy and much more!

For those eager to learn more about the ‘Train with Mary Jane’ initiative and the NFL’s foray into cannabis research for athlete care, visit Mary Jane Athletics or Train with Mary Jane. Don’t miss this captivating episode that bridges the worlds of sports, science, and hope through the lens of cannabis research.

BONUS: Will Insurance Companies Ever Cover Cannabis Expenses? with Liz Thompson PhDc, MSc

After our initial episode concluded with Liz Thompson, we decided we had more to talk about so we hit record! Enjoy this bonus conversation where we explore how Canada handles insurance coverage for Cannabis expenses and what the future of health insurance coverage for Cannabis could look like in Canada and the US.

Train with Mary Jane: Inside the NFL’s Quest to Research Cannabinoids for Athletic Injury with Liz Thompson PhDc, MSc | #99

Elizabeth Thompson is a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan currently working on a project that has started to get international attention – the National Football League’s (NFL) million dollar research project to understand how cannabinoids could impact the health and safety of athletes. In this behind-the-scenes conversation we hear Liz’s story about her personal connection to professional sports, her journey to understand molecular mechanisms of the body, links between the endocannabinoid system and sports injury recovery, and how a moment of inspiration snowballed into the clinical trial now titled “Cannabinoids for Pain Management and Neuroprotection From Concussion” (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06204003).

If you are an athlete, athletic trainer or sports healthcare worker, you have an opportunity to contribute to the NFL research project! Visit www.maryjaneathletics.com to complete a survey so that your experience and voice can be represented in this groundbreaking project!

Learn more at:

https://www.maryjaneathletics.com/

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06204003

https://www.nfl.com/playerhealthandsafety/health-and-wellness/pain-management/nfl-awards-1-million-to-study-impact-of-cannabis-and-cbd-on-pain-management

Looking Back on Cannabis Research from 2023 | BTS 96

Welcome back! In this episode we will spend some time diving into some of the top several scientific research articles about Cannabis that got my attention in 2023. Also, don’t forget to sign up for the 2024 Curious About Cannabis Master Class before we fill up! As of now we have 7 spots left before we are all full for the year. Don’t miss your chance to attend one of the most epic and rewarding Cannabis education events of the year!

Articles mentioned:

Minor, Nonterpenoid Volatile Compounds Drive the Aroma Differences of Exotic Cannabishttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.3c04496

Selected cannabis terpenes synergize with THC to produce increased CB1 receptor activationhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006295223001399

Combined non-psychoactive Cannabis components cannabidiol and β-caryophyllene reduce chronic pain via CB1 interaction in a rat spinal cord injury modelhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0282920

Cannabinoformins: Designing Biguanide-Embedded, Orally Available, Peripherally Selective Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Antagonists for Metabolic Syndrome Disordershttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00599

Cannabis: a multifaceted plant with endless potentialshttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1200269/full

The Science Behind CBG: A Pharmacist’s Perspective with Codi Peterson PharmD MS

Explore the fascinating world of Cannabigerol (CBG) in the latest episode of our podcast! We are joined by our friendly neighborhood pharmacist – Dr. Codi Peterson. As we delve into the hot topic of CBG, we cover its effects on the body and compare it to other medications. We also take an unexpected detour to discuss the influence of AI like ChatGPT in Cannabis education. Join us as we ponder the future of Cannabis content, engage in lively conversation, and learn a lot more about this promising cannabinoid. Tune in now!

#CBG #CannabisCommunity #Cannabinoids #HempProducts #PharmacyInsights #CannabisEducation #ChatGPT #FutureOfCannabisContent #CannabisPodcast #CuriousAboutCannabis #CodiPeterson #JasonWilsonMS #HempScience #Cannabigerol #CannabisIndustry #CannabisCommunity

Seeing Through The Smoke: Separating Cannabis Facts from Fiction with Peter Grinspoon, MD | BTS 92

In this behind-the-scenes episode we catch up with physician and medical Cannabis educator Peter Grinspoon, MD to talk about the ways in which Cannabis is misunderstood – both by the anti-Cannabis camps and the pro-Cannabis camps. We talk about the clinical data around medical Cannabis, what issues Cannabis has demonstrated efficacy in treating, the limitations of medical Cannabis and more.

We also spend some time diving into Peter’s background, talking about his late father Lester Grinspoon, MD who authored a landmark book entitled Marihuana Reconsidered which was published in 1971 and paved the way for the medical Cannabis movements that would follow. We also discussed Peter’s brother Danny’s struggle with cancer, which claimed his life at the age of 15, and the role Cannabis played in enhancing Danny’s quality of life before he died. Later in life Peter would struggle with a grueling opiate addiction which he would later go on to write about in his 2016 book Free Refills: A Doctor Confronts His Addiction. Toward the end of the show we talk about what it was like growing up around famed scientist and science communicator Carl Sagan, who was a good friend of the Grinspoon family and also a Cannabis user.

Peter just released a new book entitled Seeing Through The Smoke: A Cannabis Specialist Untangles The Truth About Marijuana available now.

This was a special episode for me, personally, because Peter’s work, the work of his father, and the work of Carl Sagan all had big impacts on how I came to think about Cannabis and science education. I hope you enjoy!

#CannabisEducation #MedicalCannabis #MedicalMarijuana #CannabisIndustry #CannabisCommunity #Cannabinoids #Addiction #CarlSagan #LesterGrinspoon #PeterGrinspoon #Cancer

Cannabis and the Convergence of Neurodivergence with Miyabe Shields PhD | BTS 87

Disclaimer: In this episode, we discuss some heavy topics that touch on mental health struggles and suicidal ideation. None of the information in this episode or any other Curious About Cannabis episode should be considered medical advice. All of our content is for educational and entertainment purposes only.

In this raw behind-the-scenes episode I had the chance to catch up with endocannabinoid system researcher and science communicator Miyabe Shields, PhD. We spent much of our time together discussing the convergence of Cannabis, mental health, and neurodivergence – addressing many of the taboos and social stigmas associated with altering consciousness and treating the mind with Cannabis.

This is almost certainly just the beginning of a series of conversations that Miyabe and I will be having as we continue to unpack their fascination with the endocannabinoid system and natural products science – so stay tuned for more!

#Cannabis #CannabisResearch #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #Spectrum #Consciousness #CannabisEducation #MedicalCannabis #CannabisForMentalHealth #Psychology #NaturalProducts #CuriousAboutCannabis

CBD, Pain and Opioids: Bringing Translational Research to Cannabis with Maria T Rivera-Garcia PhD | BTS 86

In this behind-the-scenes interview we talk with Dr. Maria T Rivera-Garcia about her research investigating the effects of CBD-rich whole plant extract vapor on pain and opioid reward seeking behavior in female rats in a study titled, “High-CBD Cannabis Vapor Attenuates Opioid Reward and Partially Modulates Nociception in Female Rats”.

While on the surface this may seem like a simple study about how CBD influences opioid use – there is actually a lot more going on here. First of all this study utilized female rodents, which is very uncommon. The vast majority of preclinical rodent research uses male rodents almost exclusively due to reasons we unpack during the episode. This has led to a gross under-representation of sex differences in biomedical research.

Second, Maria and colleagues decided to utilize the vapor of whole plant CBD-rich Cannabis extract rather than using CBD isolate that is often diluted and injected, ultimately leading to results that do not accurately reflect real-world situations.

Together, these two decisions point to a common theme that is woven into this research study – scientists need to focus on doing research that better represents the real world. The results from this study are fascinating, so get your notebook ready and let’s dive in!

Link to the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772392522000451

About Maria:

Maria Teresa Rivera-Garcia has a major in psychology and a minor in neuroscience from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where she started defining her academic interests towards the study of neurobiological mechanisms of addiction. After undergrad, Maria did a Master and a PhD in Neuropharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, her research focused on the neurochemical effects of solvent inhalation and its relation with the development of psychosis. Maria moved to the US in 2016 to pursue her postdoctoral training in the Oregon and Health and Science University, studying sex and age differences in dopaminergic function and how this is related to psychiatric illnesses, including addiction. In 2020, Maria joined Legacy Research Institute to complete her second postdoctoral stay under the guidance of Dr. Adie R. Wilson-Poe, where she studied the pharmacological interaction between opioids and cannabinoids in pain-oriented models. Recently, Maria got accredited as Qualified Mental Health Provider and became a member of the Cascadia Health clinicians team, currently providing services within the Child and Family Program.

#CannabisEducation #CBD #CBDOil #WholePlantExtract #WholePlant #FullSpectrum #BroadSpectrum #Hemp #HempExtract #MedicalCannabis #Addiction #MentalHealth #Opioids #CuriousAboutCannabis

I am Curious About Cannabis with Jason Wilson MS | BTS #69

It’s time to get personal in this unique behind-the-scenes episode as I take time to talk about my own personal history with Cannabis and how the Curious About Cannabis platform came to be!

Learn more about my journey at www.jason-wilson.com

Learn more about Natural Learning Enterprises at http://www.naturaledu.com

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