Cannabis, the genus of flowering plants commonly known as marijuana, may create medicines that can help cure nicotine addiction, say University of Nottingham pharmacologists who have been studying the cannabis-like compounds which exist naturally in our bodies (endocannabinoids), and are exploring their potential for medical treatment. This includes treating conditions as diverse as obesity, diabetes, depression and addiction to substances like nicotine.
Scientists have known about endocannabinoids since the mid-1990s. This led to an explosion in the number of researchers looking into the future medical uses of cannabinoids and cannabis compounds.
Dr Steve Alexander, Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences, focused on a number of these projects in editing the first themed podcast for the British Journal of Pharmacology.