Synopses & Reviews
After alcohol and nicotine, marijuana is the most commonly used "recreational" drug in Western countries. There has already been a growing debate about the medical applications of marijuana and other cannabis-based preparations and increasing pressure to legalize such use; voters in several States in the US in the 1996 and 1998 elections approved prosals to implement such measures. In The Science of Marijuana the author explains the remarkable advances that have been made in scientific research on cannabis with the discovery of specific receptors and the existence of naturally occurring cannabis-like substances in the brain. The book also gives an objective and up to date assessment of the scientific basis for the medical use of cannabis and what risks this may entail. The recreational use of the drug and how it affects users is described along with some predictions about how attitudes to cannabis use may change in the future. Leslie Iversen is a scientist who has worked both in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry and has specialized in the study of drug actions on the brain. The book is written with a minimum of scientific jargon or technical language for readers who want to know more about the science that underlies the current cannabis debate.
Review
"Iversen has written an excellent, well-balanced, non-specialist book covering both the biological and social aspects of cannabis. I strongly recommend it" --Nature
"Not only could healthcare professionals, counselors, and researchers utilize this book as an excellent resource, the non-scientific public would find this book highly readable and insightful. With accurate documentation (over 170 references), the author provide readers with sufficient factual information uponwhich to formulate educated opinions on the issues surrounding marijuana as medicine and marijuana in our culture." --Doody's
"A remarkably well-balanced volume that provides the scientific background for the current debate on marijuana use.... A treasure trove of information about the history of marijuana use and legislation, and it effectively summarizes in lay terms the cannabinoid research that now offers a potential scientific foundation for medical, political, and legal decisions about marijuana." --Science
"Advances in cannabis research, particularly in neuroscience, are admirably described and critically discussed in this book by Leslie Iverson, an eminent pharmacologist with wide experiences both in academia and in industry. He presents the history, biology and medical aspects of cannabis with a critical eye, and superb writing style. Iverson's analysis of the "medical marijuana" issues and of the trend towards legalization is even-handed. He has written a well-balanced, non-specialist book covering both the biological and social aspects of cannabis." - Nature, Vol 407, September 2000
"The 'science' in this text includes history, economics, and some anthropology, as well as the chemistry and pharmacology of marijuana. Of particular interest are sections that discuss the brain's cannabinoid receptor and endogenous cannabinoids, while a review of marijuana's medical uses and possible health risks is very helpful. The book provides a broad, balanced review of this controversial drug and could help bring some light into an area long obscured by entrenched biases." - Guy Lord, MD, Readings: A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health, March 2001
Review
"This is by far one of the best books that discusses marijuana in terms of its use throughout the world."--AIDS Book Review Journal
Synopsis
After alcohol and nicotine, marijuana is the most commonly used "recreational" drug in Western countries. There has already been a growing debate about the medical applications of marijuana and other cannabis-based preparations and increasing pressure to legalize such use; voters in several States in the US in the 1996 and 1998 elections approved prosals to implement such measures. In The Science of Marijuana the author explains the remarkable advances that have been made in scientific research on cannabis with the discovery of specific receptors and the existence of naturally occurring cannabis-like substances in the brain. The book also gives an objective and up to date assessment of the scientific basis for the medical use of cannabis and what risks this may entail. The recreational use of the drug and how it affects users is described along with some predictions about how attitudes to cannabis use may change in the future. Leslie Iversen is a scientist who has worked both in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry and has specialized in the study of drug actions on the brain. The book is written with a minimum of scientific jargon or technical language for readers who want to know more about the science that underlies the current cannabis debate.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [269]-278) and index.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Pharmacology of THC, the Psychoactive Ingredient in Cannabis
3. The Effects of Cannabis on the Central Nervous System
4. Medical Uses of Marijuana--Fact or Fantasy?
5. Is Cannabis Safe?
6. The Recreational Use of Cannabis
7. What Next?