Concerning cannabis
It has now been over a year since cannabis has been legalized in Canada. On Nov. 20, as part of Pharmacy Research Day, Dr. John Weber will discuss the impairing effects of cannabis on the brain and behavior.
Dr. Weber has spoken to community groups such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council, St. John Ambulance and Legal Aid Newfoundland and Labrador. He typically gets questions around how much marijuana causes impairment, how long the effects last, whether there are ways to accurately measure impairment, and comparisons between medical marijuana compared to recreational use.
He is also beginning new research on cannabinoids – the active chemical compounds in medical marijuana and the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
“Inflammation in the brain is believed to contribute to neurodegeneration, which likely underlies brain aging (dementia) and diseases such as Parkinsons,” said Dr. Weber. “Cannabinoids appear to have anti-inflammatory properties, so I’ll be investigating cannabinoids in cellular models of neuroinflammation and animal models of Parkinsons disease.”
Presentation to take place on Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m., Health Sciences Centre Main Auditorium (former Faculty of Medicine).