Behavioural pharmacology of cannabinoids

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Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Canada and many other nations. Robust, often fiery, debate continues concerning the adverse consequences of cannabis use, as policy makers and the public grapple with issues of cannabis decriminalisation and the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Fortunately for this debate, the science of cannabis continues to strengthen both in terms of basic research and studies of public health. We now know that cannabis and cannabis-like drugs (cannabinoids) produce their mind-altering effects by binding to and activating specific brain receptors. Another key finding was the discovery of anandamide, the "brain's own cannabis". This small lipid molecule is found in the brains of many species, including humans, and produces behavioural and physiological effects that are similar to those of the prototypical cannabis extract THC. But despite a recent resurgence in cannabinoid research, there remains substantial uncertainty concerning certain key issues in. My research programme uses experiments with laboratory rats to address some of the enduring controversies present in the scientific literature on cannabis, such as: Does cannabis use promote addiction to other drugs? Does it lead to permanent changes in brain function? Does it influence cognition? And does it cause anxiety and depression? My research is also examining the behavioural and neural consequences of combining cannabis with other drugs, and is examining the role of the brain's cannabinoid system in normal behavioural, cognitive, and neural processes, including learning, memory, feeding behaviour, and neurogenesis (the creation of brain cells called neurons). Together, the information gained from this research programme will serve to inform medical and scientific communities, government policy makers, as well as the broader Canadian community about various key issues surrounding cannabis and the behavioural pharmacology of cannabinoids.