Cannabis 101 Online Course

Course Syllabus

Module 1 – History

• Early History of Cannabis Use
• Cannabis in the West
• U.S. Prohibition History
• The Medical Implications of U.S. Prohibition
• Medical Cannabis Today
• Hemp vs Cannabis
• Brief Chronology of History in Spain and throughout Europe

Module 2 – The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)

• Introduction of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
• Largest Receptor System
• ECS – Video Explainer
• Newly Discovered
• Chemical Bridge to All Bodily Functions
• Homeostasis
• Healthy Body = Healthy ECS
• ECS – Downloadable Graphic
• Dr Jake Felice – What is the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)? Video Interview
• Largest Neurotransmitter System of all “the body’s supercomputer”
• 1964 discovery of THC and CBD – Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D and Yehiel Gaoni, Ph.D
• The Scientist – video regarding Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D discoveries
• Allyn Howlett, Ph.D  – Isolating THC in the brain – 1998
  • No cannabinoid receptors in the cardiac and respiratory centers of the brainstem therefore no overdose from cannabis
• Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D found in 1992, brain chemical that mirrors the effects of THC
  • Two brain chemicals – anandamide, Sanskrit word “ananda” brain chemical that mimics THC and CBD, 2-Arachidonoylglycerol, which they named 2-AG.
• Endogenous Molecules “endocannabinoids”.
• CB1 receptors, and CB2 receptors
• Cannabinoids and how they attach to receptors
• CB1 receptors
  • Located in the central nervous system and affect many brain functions including movement, anxiety, stress, fear, pain, appetite, reward, and motor control
• CB2 receptors
  • CB2 receptors control the release of cytokines, immuno-regulatory proteins, that are linked to inflammation during illness or after injury.
• Retrograde Inhibition
• Lack of education on the Endocannabinoid System
• Clinical Studies
• At a Glance – Downloadable Infographic
• Homeostatsis
• Humand Thriving Behavior and the ECS

Module 3 – One Plant, One Complex Chemical Factory

• Minor Cannabinoids: CBG CBC CBN THCV
• Terpenes
• The Entourage Effect & Tolerance / ECS Down Regulation
• Botanical vs. Single Molecule Compounds & Cannabinoids and Opioids

Module 4 – Getting Cannabinoids into the Bloodstream

• Inhalation: Smoking vs. Vaporization
• In the News Discussions
• Cannabis Flower vs. Concentrate
• Different Concentrate Consistencies
• Extraction Methods
• Winterization
• Concentrates Using Solvents
• Solventless Concentrates
• Edibles, Oral Mucosal, Topicals and Suppositories
• The Role of the Medical Provider
• The Role of the Dispensary: Experts within the Dispensary

Module 5 – Patient Centered Dosing

• Considerations Before Medicating with Cannabis
• Set and Setting
• Drug-Drug Interactions
• Relative Contraindications
• Youth Under 25
• Patients and Cardiac Conditions
• Patients with Psychiatric Diagnoses
• Immunocompromised Patents
• Biphasic Effect
• Finding the Appropriate Dose
• Recommended Ratios for Specific Illnesses

Module 6 – Clinical Practice

• Anxiety Disorders
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Gastrointestinal Disorders
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Migraine Headaches
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neurodegenerative Disorders
• Neuropathy
• Pain
• Palliative Care
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorders
• Sleep Disorders
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Endometriosis
• Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
• Menopause

Module 7 – Medical Myths and Facts

• Gateway Theory, Addiction and Brain Function
• Impaired Motivation, Memory and Mental State
• Lung Damage, Usage Patterns and Overall Danger