Medical Uses of Marijuana

Clint Werner, Author, Marijuana Gateway to Health: How Cannabis Protects Us from Cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease

If using marijuana can reduce our chances for developing a variety of cancers as well as dementia from Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, asks Werner, why is it still illegal? Sixteen states have approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but the federal government continues to battle these efforts, claiming that there is no evidence that marijuana is safe or effective. Werner says that surprising scientific discoveries tell a different story. Werner argues that research has uncovered a previously unknown but significant biological communications and regulatory network known as the endocannabinoid system, which influences nearly all of our physiological activity. He explains that the unique compounds found in the cannabis plant, the cannabinoids, closely mimic and supplement the health-protective activity of our bodies’ own endocannabinoids, which work to prevent and interrupt disease processes through the endocannabinoid system.

MLF: Health & Medicine
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Bill Grant