Abstract

Medical marijuana is a growing branch of alternative medicine, although many associate it with treatment for cancer, studies have shown that treatment with medical marijuana can help diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, bipolar disorder, various epileptic disorders, and chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia. However, studies on the full range of medical marijuana’s abilities are very limited in quantity and quality. What we do know is that there are two types of cannabinoid receptors in the body and that they are found throughout the body and intracellularly. Furthermore, in some cannabis shops in Canada there are over 200 strains of cannabis, all with varying levels of different cannabinoids. This is amazing but also poses a problem when it comes to finding the best strain for each disease. When it comes to doing a clinical study, there are many variables that may skew the results and cause inaccurate results. The biggest problem is the placebo effect. Furthermore, many studies only test one intake method and one strain which is makes it difficult to find what is the best method of intake and what is the best strain for each disease. While we may never be able to accurately know the full range of capabilities of marijuana, our knowledge is growing every day and with further testing and more states legalizing it in the U.S.A. our knowledge could expand greatly over the next few years.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 5-10-2018

Mentor

Suzanne Byrd

Mentor Professional Affiliation

Biological Sciences

Access Options

Restricted Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Chemistry

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