University of Utah to research effect of cannabis on the brain

University of Utah researchers are looking to study the effects of cannabis products on the brain, to shed light on some of the mysteries surrounding medical marijuana, according to an April 29 news report by Fox13Now.com. | Photo by Shidlovski, iStock / Getty Images Plus, St. George News

SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah researchers could soon be looking into how marijuana impacts the brain and if the medical benefits outweigh the risks.

We’re going to study the effect of cannabis products on the brain,” said Jeffrey Anderson, a professor of radiology and imaging service at University of Utah.

University researchers are trying to shed light on some mysteries surrounding medical marijuana.

“We have so much that we don’t know yet about exactly what happens in the brain,” Anderson said.

To find those answers, they plan to use high-tech scans to study the effects of cannabis on the brain. And they’re getting some major financial help.

“A local philanthropist has generously provided funding to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge,” Anderson said.

A $740,000 grant will cover a lot of research and testing of cannabinoids. Scientists plan to have about 40 people participate in the study and say no one will be getting high.

“So THC is the active ingredient that causes psychoactive effects, and then there’s other what we call cannabinoids … like CBD, and that’s one of the compounds that has been of most interest for medical uses,” Anderson said.

Scientists want to see what that oil can do to help treat illness.

Read the full story here:  Fox13Now.com.

Written by FOX 13 NEWS, Fox13Now.com.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright 2018, KSTU. A Tribune broadcasting station.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

2 Comments

  • smith1986 April 30, 2018 at 6:37 am

    Why don’t they study the affects of opioids I bet ya the affects on Marijuana are nothing compared to what pain medications can do. We all have seen or have heard the affects of opioids it can affect more then the brain affects the family as well just trying to find excuses why not to legalize medical marijuana. Everything has Side affects in your health your microwave your phone etc if you out way the devastation of what opioids have done to individuals and family’s u would think more people would be wanting medical marijuana Instead of pills but maybe then if they legalize marijuana the chances to regulate overdoes to kill off the weak, ya can’t overdose off marijuana. Idk this world is just sad and pathetic only gonna get worse I mean I hope for the best just hard to see the best sometimes!!

  • PatriotLiberal April 30, 2018 at 12:44 pm

    “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities,” Ehrlichman said. “We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

    ~John Ehrlichman
    White House Domestic Affairs Advisor (1969-73)

    Sources:
    https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/23/politics/john-ehrlichman-richard-nixon-drug-war-blacks-hippie/index.html
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2016/03/23/nixons-drug-war-an-excuse-to-lock-up-blacks-and-protesters-continues/#7eef994d42c8
    https://www.vox.com/2016/3/22/11278760/war-on-drugs-racism-nixon

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.