Health Effects of Cannabis

  • Controlled clinical trials on the therapeutic efficacy and potential adverse effects of medicinal cannabis/cannabinoid use for individuals with a variety of health conditions (e.g. pain, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, dementia).

  • Preclinical studies on the effects of cannabis/cannabinoids on mood, pain, stress/anxiety-related disorders and mitigation of opioid withdrawal.

  • Longitudinal observational “real-world” studies of individuals using cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

  • Evaluation of drug-drug interactions between cannabis/cannabinoids and other drugs (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, and prescription or OTC medications).

  • Understanding neurobiological mechanisms of cannabis effects via advanced brain imaging and preclinical studies of endocannabinoid system modulation in models of psychiatric illness (e.g. addiction, stress-related disorders).

  • Evaluation of how individual differences (e.g. sex, age, tolerance) impact the risks and benefits of cannabis use.

An RPC performing sobriety testing on Dr. Zamarripa