Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, a new peer-reviewed, open access journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com/), is the only journal dedicated to the scientific, medical, and psychosocial exploration of clinical cannabis, cannabinoids, and the biochemical mechanisms of endocannabinoids. Launching in fall 2015, the Journal will be the premier open source for authoritative cannabis and cannabinoid research, discussion, and debate. The Journal will publish under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY) license to ensure broad dissemination and participation.
The medical use of cannabis has become a global phenomenon. There are now 1.1 million users of legal medical cannabis in the U.S. Increasing numbers of jurisdictions in the U.S. and around the world are allowing access to herbal cannabis, and a broad new range of policy initiatives are emerging to regulate cannabis production and use to conduct high-quality research. Several medicines based on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient of cannabis, have been approved as pharmaceutical drugs as medical therapy for a variety of diseases and neurological conditions, such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, and pain, including cancer and neuropathic pain.
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research will publish fully peer-reviewed, evidence-based original articles, review articles, and perspectives on cannabis, cannabinoids, and the endocannabinoid system. The Journal will publish a broad range of human and animal studies including basic and translational research; clinical studies; behavioral, social, and epidemiological issues; and ethical, legal, and regulatory controversies.
An interdisciplinary community including pharmacologists and psychopharmacologists, toxicologists, biochemists, neurologists, psychiatrists, physicians, and other healthcare practitioners, addiction specialists, and regulators and policymakers are invited to participate in this new open access resource.
Topics in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research will include:
- Biochemical process of the endocannabinoid system
- Cannabinoid receptors and signaling
- Pharmaceuticals based on cannabis and cannabinoids
- Optimal dosing and drug delivery
- Short- and long-term effects on the brain and behavior
- Toxicological studies
- Analgesic effects, including neuropathic pain and chronic nerve injury
- Neurological disorders, including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and glaucoma
- Use of cannabis as antinauseants and antispasmodics
- Immune function and chronic inflammation, including HIV
- Cancer and cancer-related treatment
- Screening and assessment for marijuana misuse and addiction
- Social, behavioral, and public health impact
- Ethics, regulation, legalization, and public policy
Study questions causal link between cannabis and brain changes