Science & Medical Editor
Dr. Marsh covers cannabinoid pharmacology, clinical research, and the endocannabinoid system. With over a decade of experience in science journalism, she translates peer-reviewed research into clear, evidence-based reporting for consumers and industry professionals.
Your endocannabinoid tone — the baseline activity level of your ECS — shapes everything from your natural mood to how you respond to THC. Here's why it matters and how to optimize it.
THC interacts with your endocannabinoid system to influence appetite, fat storage, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic rate. Here's what the research reveals about the paradox of munchies vs. lower BMI.
A 2026 CU Boulder sleep study maps how THC, CBD, and CBN reshape REM and deep sleep. The dose-specific findings challenge industry claims.
A British Journal of Pharmacology study found CBD and CBG reduced liver fat via a novel mechanism. With zero approved NAFLD drugs, this changes everything.
Scientists finally figured out why cannabis reeks of skunk — and it's not terpenes.
With 7% of pregnant women reporting cannabis use, understanding the evidence has never been more critical.
A groundbreaking study from the University of Colorado links blood type to CYP2C9 enzyme variations that metabolize THC.
German pharma company Vertanical's VER-01 relieved chronic pain up to 2x more effectively than opioids in Phase 3 trials — with no dependence, no...
Aspergillus, Botrytis, and powdery mildew contaminate an alarming percentage of cannabis — even dispensary products.
THC cuts your time to fall asleep in half but suppresses REM. CBD may improve deep sleep without altering dream cycles.
Cannabis inhibits the same liver enzymes that metabolize blood thinners, antidepressants, and blood pressure medications. Some interactions are dangerous.
Sitting in a hotboxed car is different from walking past someone smoking a joint on the street.
Nano-emulsion technology shrinks THC particles from 5,000 nanometers to under 100 — bypassing liver metabolism and hitting in 10 minutes instead of 90.
The endocannabinoid system regulates immune function. THC and CBD both modulate the inflammatory cascades that drive autoimmune conditions.
Calories, onset time, hangover risk, liver damage, social effects, and cost per buzz — how do THC beverages actually compare to alcoholic drinks for...
THC increases heart rate by 20–50 bpm within minutes. CBD may lower blood pressure. Cannabis smoke contains many of the same toxins as tobacco smoke.
Fasting upregulates endocannabinoid signaling. Adding cannabis to the mix amplifies some benefits and undermines others.
THC and CBD interact with the HPA axis — your body's central stress response system — in opposite directions.
Silicon Valley swears by it, but the research on cannabis microdosing for productivity tells a more nuanced story.
CB1 receptors don't just stop responding to THC — they physically retract into the cell.
THC and caffeine interact through overlapping adenosine and dopamine pathways in ways researchers are only beginning to map.
The same genetics grown in Humboldt County versus Colorado versus Oregon produce measurably different cannabinoid and terpene profiles.
A COA tells you everything the label doesn't — if you know how to read it.
Washington and several other states are advancing legislation to let terminally ill patients use medical cannabis in hospitals, nursing homes, and...
A growing body of research suggests that some chronic conditions — migraines, fibromyalgia, IBS — may share a common root: a deficient endocannabinoid...
11-hydroxy-THC is 2-4x more potent than regular THC. Here's exactly what happens in your body when you eat cannabis vs.
Women metabolize THC differently, have more endocannabinoid receptors in reproductive tissues, and report different effects than men.
From Haze and Skunk to Gelato and Runtz — how 50 years of underground breeding created the 6,000+ strains on today's market.
From acne and eczema to psoriasis and aging, a deep dive into the clinical evidence for cannabinoids in dermatology — what works, what doesn't, and...
New research reveals that cannabis directly interacts with gut bacteria, intestinal permeability, and the gut-brain axis.
Companies claim they can match your genetics to your ideal cannabis experience.
Cannabis doesn't just make you think music sounds better — it changes how your brain processes sound.
THCV is the rare cannabinoid getting attention for appetite suppression, energy, and metabolic benefits.
From the NFL to the UFC to Olympic runners, professional athletes are openly using cannabis for recovery, pain, and sleep.
Microdosing THC has gone mainstream, with claims ranging from enhanced creativity to anxiety relief.
Why the same dose stops working over time, how long it takes to reset, and what the latest brain imaging studies reveal about cannabis tolerance at the...
The entourage effect has moved from dispensary folklore to serious pharmacological hypothesis.
Sleep is the top reason adults use cannabis, but the clinical picture is more nuanced than any brand wants you to know.
THC detection depends on test type, usage frequency, body composition, and metabolism.
Genomic research has demolished the indica/sativa binary.
Every human has an endocannabinoid system regulating mood, pain, appetite, and memory.
Myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, and 12 other terpenes do more than create aroma — they modulate how cannabinoids affect your brain.
The same THC molecule produces radically different experiences depending on how you consume it.
Low-dose THC may reduce anxiety. High-dose THC reliably increases it. CBD appears anxiolytic at specific doses.
HPLC for potency. Mass spectrometry for pesticides. Microbial plating for contaminants.
CBD is the second most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis.
THC gets you high. CBD doesn't. But the pharmacology behind that difference reveals how two nearly identical molecules interact with your brain through...
CBD products are marketed as pain solutions, but the clinical evidence is more nuanced than the labels suggest.
CBN is marketed as 'the sleep cannabinoid' but the clinical evidence is thinner than the hype.
Every cannabinoid starts as CBG. Now researchers are discovering that cannabigerol itself may have powerful anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and...
Chronic pain is the most common reason people use medical cannabis.
The idea that cannabis enhances creativity is one of the oldest claims in stoner culture.
Everything consumers and growers need to know about trichomes — the microscopic structures that produce cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
A head-to-head comparison of cannabis and alcohol across toxicity, addiction potential, organ damage, social harm, and mortality — based on decades of...
PTSD is the most common qualifying condition for medical cannabis in America.
The relationship between cannabis and sexual function is dose-dependent, gender-specific, and more nuanced than 'it makes sex better.' Here's what the...
CBD for epilepsy is the most rigorously tested application of any cannabinoid.
The endocannabinoid system produces the 'runner's high.' Cannabis users exercise more than non-users.
Raw cannabis contains THCa, not THC. The conversion between them — decarboxylation — is the most important chemical reaction in cannabis science.
What happens when THC crosses the placenta, how the endocannabinoid system guides fetal development, and what current evidence says about risks.
How cannabis impairs driving differently than alcohol, why THC blood levels are scientifically useless as impairment markers, and the state-by-state...
How cannabis suppresses nausea at the receptor level, what clinical trials show about dronabinol vs whole-plant cannabis, and why oncologists are...
The relationship between cannabis and mental health is not simple.
A data-driven review of cannabis anti-inflammatory research — COX-2 inhibition, cytokine modulation, autoimmune applications, and how cannabinoids...
Do weed hangovers exist? We review the limited research on post-cannabis symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and dry eyes — plus what actually helps.
Research shows cannabis users have lower BMI despite the munchies. Explore the obesity paradox, THCV appetite suppression, insulin data, and metabolism.
Many adults with ADHD self-medicate with cannabis. Explore the dopamine overlap, limited clinical data, risks vs. stimulants, and what science says so far.
Cannabis withdrawal is real, clinically recognized, and affects up to 47% of regular users.
THC suppresses REM sleep and dreaming. When you quit, REM rebounds with intense vivid dreams.
Cannabis for autism is generating real clinical data.
The munchies are real neuroscience, not folklore. Here's how THC hijacks appetite circuits in your brain, what CB1 receptors do to hunger hormones, and...
Cannabis for migraines has real clinical data behind it.
Does cannabis suppress your immune system? The answer depends on dose, cannabinoid, and health status.
Does cannabis cause schizophrenia? The link is real but complicated.
THC transfers into breast milk and can persist for days.
Cannabis for IBD and IBS has clinical data behind it.
Cannabis affects blood pressure in complex ways — acute drops, compensatory heart rate spikes, and uncertain long-term effects.
Does cannabis help or worsen depression? The answer depends on dose, frequency, age, and genetics.
A critical review of clinical research on cannabis and diabetes, covering insulin sensitivity, fasting glucose, metabolic syndrome, and what the data...
An evidence-based review of cannabis and cancer research — what cannabinoids do in lab studies, what clinical trials show, and why the gap between...
Cannabis does lower eye pressure temporarily, but the effect lasts only 3-4 hours and comes with side effects that undermine its utility.
A review of cannabinoid research in Alzheimer's disease — from amyloid-beta clearance to neuroinflammation.
A critical review of cannabis and fertility research — effects on sperm count, motility, ovulation, IVF outcomes, and hormonal changes in both men and...
Cannabinoids show potent antibacterial activity against MRSA and other drug-resistant bacteria in lab studies.
A review of clinical and preclinical evidence for cannabis in Parkinson's disease — motor symptoms, tremor, dyskinesia, sleep, and quality of life.
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