Endocannabinoids are a group of chemicals that exist within the human brain and various drugs like marijuana (hence the endo meaning within and cannabinoids… cannabis). They are the chemicals that are able bind to our CB1 and CB2 receptors to give us the psychotropic effects of smoking marijuana. In addition to the standard psychotropic effects, there are also innumerous beneficial effects ranging from decreasing nausea to helping cancer patients eat to remain healthy. Marijuana has over 400 chemical compounds that work in tandem to cause the effects normally associated with smoking or consuming marijuana. While scientists have tried to isolate the compounds that have been shown to help with nausea/pain control (THC for example), when taken without the other 400 chemicals their effects appear mitigated, and some of the negative side effects associated with marijuana become more pronounced. Leading some to believe that nature has perfected something that scientists will never quite replicate.
Regardless of one’s opinion on marijuana, we should agree that it shouldn’t have been classified as a schedule I drug. Schedule I drugs are drugs that have a high potential for abuse and have exactly zero medical benefits associated with them. With states legalizing medical and recreational usage of marijuana more research is starting to show it has beneficial effects when used correctly. This means that it should not be a schedule I drug, and at most a schedule II drug (a drug that has a high potential for abuse but has medically relevant uses). Whatever your opinion on recreational use of the drug there is no doubt that it should be reclassified as a lower schedule drug.
It is my opinion that since the endocannabinoid system within the brain is vaguely understood the use of recreational marijuana should be postponed until more is understood. Currently the only two known receptors for endocannabinoids are CB1 and CB2, however researchers believe that there might be as many as four receptors (if not more). While not knowing how many receptors might be found within the brain is semi common, what is concerning is how readily people are willing to consume a drug that scientists don’t even understand some of the effects of. While predicating recreational use of a drug based off of complete understanding of the compound is more than a little outrageous, not to mention impossible (since scientists will rarely, if ever, claim to know everything), waiting until medically useful background is established is important. Understanding the long term impact of smoking marijuana that is quantified in cold hard statistics is the biggest factor right now in preventing me from supporting marijuana as a controlled substance (i.e. alcohol). While I honestly doubt that research will discover that long term exposure to marijuana will cause harsh, irreversible side effects like smoking cigarettes, there are already side effects that are seen when comparing cognitive faculties of people who have smoked since they were in their teens versus those who smoked after their brain completely matured.
Ultimately my opinion is exactly that, my opinion. It is no more valid, or invalid than anybody else, but ask yourself this: is the risk of being wrong about marijuana in the short term worth the possible side effects about legalizing it before it’s medically better understood?
Endocannabinoids and their Classification
