After all the major breakthroughs made by the founding fathers of cannabis research, a new generation of scientists have kept the momentum going through more crucial discoveries and innovations: Cooper, Russo, and Hazekamp. This proves that the hype around cannabis’s sweeping potential is well-deserved.
Arno Hazekamp – The Chemical Structural Patterns of Cannabis
Hazekamp helped create the Dutch medical cannabis program and explores the secrets within the chemistry of cannabis. He’s largely responsible for the term “chemovar,” which takes the idea of cultivars – cultivated varieties, one step further into the chemical patterns which can be observed amidst a specific group of cannabis plants. [1, 2]
Hazekamp expanded the understanding of specific cannabis properties beyond the simplistic distinction between indica and sativa, the random names of cannabis varieties, or one-off patient experiences. He believes the same plant doesn’t always produce the same effects when obtained from different places, or when used by different people.The aim of his research is to bring consistency to the cannabis experience by educating patients and even budtenders to know which effects stem from which chemical constituents and combinations, instead of them relying only on plant names and extremely broad differentiation.
Jon Cooper –Consistency of the Cannabis Experience
Even though Jon Cooper, CEO of ebbu, a cannabis biotechnology company, hadn’t set out to be a cannabis entrepreneur and innovator, he’s known as the engine behind potentially one of the most groundbreaking lines of cannabis products:Genesis.
Genesis was also born out of the inconsistency of the cannabis experience, but unlike Hazekamp’s work, which has been more about educating rather than creating, its aim is to offer formulations which deliver very specific types of effects and high without the unwanted side-effects which sometimes occur, like extreme couch lock or anxiety.
Now, Cooper is shifting his focus towards cannabis genetics at ebbu, engineering cannabis plants which contain specific cannabinoids.
Ethan Russo –The Entourage Effect and More
Renowned neurologist and psychopharmacologist Dr. Russo is considered a true leader in contemporary cannabis research. He’s responsible for a great body of enlightening research not only on cannabis’s medical properties and their everyday applications, but also on the complex mechanism behind those complex effects.
Dr. Russo’s prominent critical review paper Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effectsilluminated the magnitude of the entourage effect and helped bring it into the spotlight. [3]
Dr. Russo has advocated for cannabis as a substitute of opioids and respectively as a solution to the opioid crisis. He has contributed research on clinical endocannabinoid deficiency and how CBD helps treat it and respectively improves various, wide-spread medical conditions like migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other treatment-resistant syndromes. [4]
Cooper, Russo, and Hazekamp are more than worthy successors of the pioneers of cannabis research, not only continuing their legacy, but by starting ones of their own for other cannabis innovators to be guided by.
References:
- Fischedick, J. and Hazekamp,,Cannabis-From Cultivar to Chemovar, Drug Test Anal., 2012, Jul-Aug;4(7-8):660-7.[Journal Impact Factor = 2.993, Times Cited = 73]
- Hazekamp, A., et al., Cannabis: From Cultivar to Chemovar II—A Metabolomics Approach to Cannabis Classification, Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2016, 1(1): 202-215.[Journal Impact Factor = N/A, Times Cited = 24]
- Ethan Russo, Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects, Br J Pharmacol. 2011 Aug; 163(7): 1344–1364.[Journal Impact Factor = 6.81, Times Cited = 512]
- Ethan Russo, Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency Reconsidered: Current Research Supports the Theory in Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, and Other Treatment-Resistant Syndromes, Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2016;1(1):154–165. [Journal Impact Factor = N/A, Times Cited = 28]
