Is cannabis a dangerous drug, or is it just a medical plant? Science cuts through the political rhetoric and can provide us with empirical answers. David Mizzi from THINK gets in touch with a number of scientific experts to look past the smoke and better understand cannabis.
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Recently the Richmond Foundation announced that more research needs to be carried out about legalising cannabis. As the University of Malta’s research magazine, we wholeheartedly agree on the importance of research! That’s why we’ve decided to take a look at some of the research that’s already been conducted.
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The answer is coffee. Coffee is drunk by around 80% of Americans. The large numbers call for extensive studies on the effect of this drug on the brain.
Caffeine is a stimulant. It has a similar molecular structure to adenosine, a chemical linked to us feeling tired. Caffeine binds to adenosine and stops it from working. Coffee does not wake you up but makes your body forget it is tired.
Taking that espresso in the morning makes your body increase the number of receptors to caffeine in the brain. This increase makes us dependent on that cup of coffee in the morning to reach normal functional levels. On the other hand, cannabis has minimal risk of long-term addiction.
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Over the last few decades researchers have been unravelling the truth behind marijuana. Prof. Giuseppe Di Giovanni tells us more about its use in medical research.
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