Cannabis: Home

In this guide

This guide provides key resources related to cannabis and its variants across multiple domains. The guide is still under construction to some extent, so expect to see changes and additions over time.

Definitions

Cannabidiol (CBD): a constituent of cannabis that has been traditionally considered non-psychoactive.
Cannabinoids: one of a class of chemical compounds that act on cannabinoid receptors, cannabinoids can be naturally derived from the cannabis plant or manufactured.
Cannabis: a broad term that can be used to describe the various products and chemical compounds derived from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica species.
Hemp: Cannabis plants with very low levels of THC (not more than 0.3 percent), also know as “industrial hemp”
Marijuana: a Cannabis sativa plant-derived product typically composed from the plant’s dried leaves, stems, seeds, and buds.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis.

All definitions, with exception of "hemp," are from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: The current state of evidence and recommendations for research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24625.

Featured Books

Grass Roots: A History of Cannabis in the American West (ebook) by Johnson, N.
ISBN: 9780870719080

Publication Date: 2017
Handbook of Cannabis and Related Pathologies
Publication Date: 2017
Marijuana: A Reference Handbook (ebook) by Newton, D.
ISBN: 9781610691505

Publication Date: 2013
Weed Land by Hecht, P.
Call Number: HV5822.M3 H43 2014

ISBN: 9780520275430

Publication Date: 2014
Weed the People by Barcott, B.
Call Number: HV5822.M3 B374 2015

ISBN: 9781618931405

Publication Date: 2015

Latest headlines

Reports

The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research (2017)
In one of the most comprehensive studies of recent research on the health effects of recreational and therapeutic cannabis use, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers a rigorous review of relevant scientific research published since 1999. This report summarizes the current state of evidence regarding what is known about the health impacts of cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including effects related to therapeutic uses of cannabis and potential health risks related to certain cancers, diseases, mental health disorders, and injuries. Areas in need of additional research and current barriers to conducting cannabis research are also covered in this comprehensive report.

Credits and Contacts

This guide is authored by Kimberly Pendell, Portland State University Library, inspired and adapted from the Guide to Cannabis Research, Colorado State University-Pueblo Library.