The Science

Cannabis Medicine applies science to the use of cannabis-based medicines to manage various diseases and their symptoms.  This begins in the laboratory, where active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are measured.  In Illinois, cannabis testing laboratories are measuring more than 20 different APIs.

THC (psychoactive) and CBD (non-psychoactive) – chemical compounds known as cannabinoids – are the two major APIs in the cannabis plant. Differing ratios between THC and CBD lead to different clinical effects.  In addition, the cannabis plant contains hundreds more minor active ingredients, each with its own effects.  It’s the unique combination of these major and minor ingredients – a.k.a., the “entourage effect” – that determines the clinical effects of any given cannabis-based medicine.  In Illinois, cannabis testing laboratories are measuring more than 20 different APIs.

We humans make our own THC and CBD.  The human Endo-Cannabinoid System (ECS) includes neurotransmitters (similar to THC and CBD) that trigger cannabinoid neuroreceptors. Found in every organ system, the ECS is essential for human life. This is the major reason that cannabis medicine works the way it does.

For the past century clinical studies have been limited by legal prohibitions.  Even so, they’ve provided strong evidence that cannabis-based medicines – depending on the combinations and doses of APIs – are effective in the management of a wide range of symptoms and diseases, e.g., pain, insomnia, nausea, and anxiety.

Interested in learning more about the science? Read about our lecture options here