Cannabinoids and Mental Health, Part 1: The Endocannabinoid System and Exogenous Cannabinoids
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services September 1, 2019 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20190813-01 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key findings | Argues that psychiatric nurses need foundational knowledge of the human endocannabinoid system, exogenous phytocannabinoids, and cannabis botany to improve clinical interactions with patients who use cannabis and to pursue further research, given that cannabis use as a substitute for or adjunct to psychiatric medications is rising despite limited evidence of efficacy. |
Abstract
The increasing public acceptance of cannabis and the proliferation of cannabis products in the marketplace has coincided with more patients using the drug as a substitute for psychiatric medications or as an adjunctive treatment modality for psychiatric conditions, despite limited evidence of efficacy. With a goal of furthering harm-reduction efforts in psychiatric nursing, the current article reviews the fundamentals of the endocannabinoid system in humans and the exogenous phytocannabinoids that act on this regulatory neurotransmitter system. The basics of cannabis botany are also reviewed to help nurse clinicians understand the heterogeneous nature of cannabis products. This foundational knowledge will help improve clinical interactions with patients who use cannabis and provide the necessary understanding of cannabinoids needed to undertake further scientific query into their purported benefits in psychiatric disease states. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57 (9), 7–10.]