Weed Research

Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agendaâ€"outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issuesâ€"that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.

Some people suffer from chronic, debilitating disorders for which no conventional treatment brings relief. Can marijuana ease their symptoms? Would it be breaking the law to turn to marijuana as a medication? There are few sources of objective, scientifically sound advice for people in this situation. Most books about marijuana and medicine attempt to promote the views of advocates or opponents. To fill the gap between these extremes, authors Alison Mack and Janet Joy have extracted critical findings from a recent Institute of Medicine study on this important issue, interpreting them for a general audience. Marijuana As Medicine? provides patientsâ€"as well as the people who care for themâ€"with a foundation for making decisions about their own health care. This empowering volume examines several key points, including: Whether marijuana can relieve a variety of symptoms, including pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and appetite loss. The dangers of smoking marijuana, as well as the effects of its active chemical components on the immune system and on psychological health. The potential use of marijuana-based medications on symptoms of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and several other specific disorders, in comparison with existing treatments. Marijuana As Medicine? introduces readers to the active compounds in marijuana. These include the principal ingredient in Marinol, a legal medication. The authors also discuss the prospects for developing other drugs derived from marijuana's active ingredients. In addition to providing an up-to-date review of the science behind the medical marijuana debate, Mack and Joy also answer common questions about the legal status of marijuana, explaining the conflict between state and federal law regarding its medical use. Intended primarily as an aid to patients and caregivers, this book objectively presents critical information so that it can be used to make responsible health care decisions. Marijuana As Medicine? will also be a valuable resource for policymakers, health care providers, patient counselors, medical faculty and studentsâ€"in short, anyone who wants to learn more about this important issue.

At the last Annual Representative Meeting of the British Medical Association a motion was passed that `certain additional cannabinoids should be legalized for wider medicinal use.'' This report supports this landmark statement by reviewing the scientific evidence for the therapeutic use of cannabinoids and sets the agenda for change. It will be welcomed by those who believe that cannabinoids can be used in medical treatment. The report discusses in a clear and readable form the use and adverse effects of the drug for nausea, multiple sclerosis, pain, epilepsy, glaucoma, and asthma.

Herbicides are of great importance in weed management and are one of the most widely used pesticide groups for weed control across the globe. Concerns around the residual effects of these intensively used chemicals are equally widespread. Offering a new direction for research that focuses on herbicide behavior and its impacts on the environment, this book covers the use of radioisotopes in weed research and the detoxification of herbicides. Applying technological advances in radiation detection, Radioisotopes in Weed Research explains how isotopic techniques can be used to identify degradation products and trace the fate of herbicides applied to crop plants. This book provides essential information on the historical use and recent advances of radioisotopes in weed research. It demonstrates the potential these methods offer the field of weed science in gaining a better understanding of the behavior of herbicides in plants and soil and working to ensure the continuous, effective, and safe use of herbicides, minimizing harmful impacts on ecosystems. Features: Explains the radiometric method with studies of radiolabelled herbicides and includes case studies as examples Describes radiometric methods to study the behavior of herbicides in soil from transport and transformation to retention Elucidates the absorption, translocation, and metabolism studies of herbicides in plants Authored by a team of leading scientists, this book is written for professors, researchers, extensionists, graduate and undergraduate students, rural producers, and other professionals involved in weed science.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT MARIJUANA AND HOW DO WE KNOW IT? Marijuana is the most frequently consumed illicit drug worldwide, with over 158.8 million users, according to the UN. Responding to public pressure, the US federal government is likely to legalize recreational marijuana within the next few years. With increasing numbers of people using cannabis both medically and recreationally there are many looming questions that only science can answer. These include: What's likely to happen, both good and bad, if the US legalizes marijuana? What are some simple, science-based rules to separate fact from fiction and to help guide policy in the highly contentious marijuana debate? Exactly what is cannabis doing in the brain that gets us high? A journey through THC neuroscience Does cannabis really have medical benefits - what's the evidence? To what extent does cannabis impair driving? Can smoking marijuana in adolescence affect IQ or risk for developing schizophrenia? Is marijuana safe to use during pregnancy? Reviews the endocannabinoid system and why our bodies are full of "weed receptors" Introduces readers to the various forms of marijuana: flower, dabs, hash, edibles, shatter, vapes, tinctures, oils and synthetics, THC, CBD and terpenes. Demonstrates how and why cannabis affects different people very differently. Discusses how MRI and PET scans can help show the effects of marijuana on the brain. Discusses long-term effects of adolescent and adult cannabis use. Examines the evidence for cannabis’s role in increasing the risk for schizophrenia-like illnesses.

Fundamentals of Weed Science provides an introduction to the basic principles of weed science for undergraduate courses. It discusses several aspects of weed biology and control, and traces the history of herbicide development. The book begins with an introduction to weeds, covering their definition, characteristics, harmful aspects, and the cost of weed control. This is followed chapters on weed classification, the uses of weeds, weed biology, weed ecology, allelopathy, the significance of plant competition, weed management and control methods, and biological weed control. Later chapters deal with herbicidesthe most important weed control tools and the ones with the greatest potential for untoward effects. Students of weed science must understand herbicides and the factors governing their use as well as the potential for misuse. These chapters discuss chemical weed control, the properties and uses of herbicides, factors affecting herbicide performance, herbicide application, herbicide formulation, ecological impact of herbicides, pesticide registration and legislation, weed management systems, and the future of weed science.

It is important that scientists think about and know their history - where they came from, what they have accomplished, and how these may affect the future. Weed scientists, similar to scientists in many technological disciplines, have not sought historical reflection. The technological world asks for results and for progress. Achievement is important not, in general, the road that leads to achievement. What was new yesterday is routine today, and what is described as revolutionary today may be considered antiquated tomorrow. Weed science has been strongly influenced by technology developed by supporting industries, subsequently employed in research and, ultimately, used by farmers and crop growers. The science has focused on results and progress. Scientists have been--and the majority remain--problem solvers whose solutions have evolved as rapidly as have the new weed problems needing solutions. In a more formal sense, weed scientists have been adherents of the instrumental ideology of modern science. That is an analysis of their work, and their orientation reveals the strong emphasis on practical, useful knowledge; on know how. The opposite, and frequently complementary orientation, that has been missing from weed science is an emphasis on contemplative knowledge; that is, knowing why. This book expands on and analyzes how these orientations have affected weed science’s development. The first analytical history of weed science to be written Compares the development of weed science, entomology and plant pathology Identifies the primary founders of weed science and describes their role

This book presents the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the current and potential future state of weed science and research. Weeds have a huge effect on the world by reducing crop yield and quality, delaying or interfering with harvesting, interfering with animal feeding (including poisoning), reducing animal health and preventing water flow. They are common across the world and cost billions of dollars’ worth of crop losses year on year, as well as billions of dollars in the annual expense of controlling them. An understanding of weeds is vital to their proper management and control, without which the reduction in crop yields that they would cause could lead to mass starvation across the globe. Topics covered include weed biology and ecology, control of weeds and particular issues faced in their control. Authored and edited by internationally renowned scientists in the field all of whom are actively involved in European Weed Research Society working groups, this succinct overview covers all the relevant aspects of the science of weeds. Weed Research: Expanding Horizons is the perfect resource for botanists, horticultural scientists, agronomists, weed scientists, plant protection specialists and agrochemical company personnel.