Resources
Helpful websites and literature to enhance further learning:
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse aims to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. This involves: strategically supporting and conducting basic and clinical research on drug use (including nicotine), its consequences, and the underlying neurobiological, behavioral, and social mechanisms involved and; ensuring the effective translation, implementation, and dissemination of scientific research findings to improve the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and enhance public awareness of addiction as a brain disorder.
Washington State Department of Health
One of the first States to legalize marijuana, Washington Initiative 502 passed in November of 2012 and went into effect July 1, 2015. I-502 directed the Washington State Department of Health to implement: a marijuana use public health hotline that provides referrals to substance abuse treatment providers, utilizes evidence-based or researched-based public health approaches to minimizing the harms associated with marijuana use, and does not solely advocate an abstinence-only approach; agrants program for local health departments or other local community agencies that supports development and implementation of coordinated intervention strategies for the prevention and reduction of marijuana use by youth and; a media-based education campaigns across television, internet, radio, print, and out-of-home advertising, separately reaching youth and adults, that provide medically and scientifically accurate information about the health and safety risks posed by marijuana use.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides up-to-date information to identify and address the public health impacts of marijuana use and improve our knowledge about the health effects of marijuana use. The CDC’s goals are threefold: to increase the capacity of CDC and state and local jurisdictions to monitor use patterns and the public health effects of marijuana use through existing surveillance systems; to increase the capacity to identify, monitor, and evaluate effective public health and regulatory practices and policies to prevent marijuana-related harms and; to support state and local efforts to create and disseminate evidence-based information describing the health effects of marijuana.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on the diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. NCCIH was formerly known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
In addition to electronic resources, the reader is also directed to more traditional textbooks that focus specifically on medical marijuana:
- M. Backes 2017, Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana — Revised and Updated, (1st ed.). New York, NY: Hachette Book Group (ISBN: 978-0-316-46418-5)
- J. Fahl, 2017, Medical Marijuana: Complete Guide To Pain Management and Treatment Using Cannabis (Anxiety, Cancer, Symptoms, Illness, Epilepsy, CDB Oil, Hemp Oil, Cures, Growing, Dispensary,(1st ed.). Colorado Springs, CO: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (ISBN: 978-154-729102-1)
- M.H. Moskowitz, 2017, Medical Cannabis: A Guide for Patients, Practitioners, and Caregivers, (1st ed.). Virginia Beach, VA: Koehler Books. (ISBN 978-163-393538-9)
| Previous Section: Module Questions | Next Section: References |