Happy 4/20! Listen along to this mini series, as we dive into a brief history of the origins of cannabis, the science behind THC and how it works with the human body, and the red tape that halted research around this and other plant medicines.

Resources and References:

Ahn BS, Kang S, Lee KH, Kim S, Park JS, Seo HS. A Literature Analysis on Medicinal Use and Research of Cannabis in the Meiji Era of Japan. J Pharmacopuncture. 2020 Sep 30;23(3):142-157. doi: 10.3831/KPI.2020.23.3.142. PMID: 33072412; PMCID: PMC7540234.

Bie B, Wu J, Foss JF, Naguib M. An overview of the cannabinoid type 2 receptor system and its therapeutic potential. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2018 Aug;31(4):407-414. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000000616. PMID: 29794855; PMCID: PMC6035094.

Chayasirisobhon S. Mechanisms of Action and Pharmacokinetics of Cannabis. Perm J. 2020 Dec;25:1-3. doi: 10.7812/TPP/19.200. PMID: 33635755; PMCID: PMC8803256.

Congress.Gov. (1791, December 15). U.S. Constitution - Tenth Amendment | Resources | Constitution Annotated | Congress.gov | Library of Congress. Constitution.congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-10/

Crocq MA. History of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system
. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2020 Sep;22(3):223-228. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2020.22.3/mcrocq. PMID: 33162765; PMCID: PMC7605027.

Day, A. (2000). Famous Firsts in the Ancient Greek and Roman World2000372David Matz. Famous Firsts in the Ancient Greek and Roman World. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland & Co 2000. 154 pp, ISBN: 0 7864 0599 6 £26.25 UK distribution by Shelwing Ltd, Folkestone. Reference Reviews, 14(7), 44–45. https://doi.org/10.1108/rr.2000.14.7.44.372

DEA. (2025). Drug Scheduling. Www.dea.gov; United States Drug Enforcement Administration. https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling

Manual, B. (2014, October 17). Marijuana’s History: How One Plant Spread Through the World. Live Science; Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/48337-marijuana-history-how-cannabis-travelled-world.html

Marijuana Policy Project. (2018). State Marijuana Regulation Laws Are Not Preempted By Federal Law. MPP; MPP. https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/state-marijuana-regulation-laws-are-not-preempted-by-federal-law/

National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (UK). Alcohol-Use Disorders: Diagnosis, Assessment and Management of Harmful Drinking and Alcohol Dependence. Leicester (UK): British Psychological Society (UK); 2011. (NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 115.) 2, ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE AND HARMFUL ALCOHOL USE. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK65500/

Parker L. (2026, March 12). Cannabis Through the Ages. The MIT Press Reader. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/cannabis-through-the-ages/

Ren M, Tang Z, Wu X, Spengler R, Jiang H, Yang Y, Boivin N. The origins of cannabis smoking: Chemical residue evidence from the first millennium BCE in the Pamirs. Sci Adv. 2019 Jun 12;5(6):eaaw1391. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw1391. PMID: 31206023; PMCID: PMC6561734.

Wyatt, C. (2024, May 14). Cannabis in Ancient Civilizations - How Marijuana Impacted Myths & Realties - Likewise Cannabis - Dispensary Near Me. Likewise Cannabis - Dispensary near Me. https://likewisecannabis.com/cannabis-in-ancient-civilizations-how-marijuana-impacted-myths-realties/