Why CannaScience.org Exists

Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances on Earth, and also one of the most poorly understood by the people who use it. The popular conversation about cannabis oscillates between two poles: advocacy that overstates therapeutic benefits and dismisses risks, and prohibitionist messaging that overstates harms and ignores therapeutic potential. Neither serves consumers, patients, clinicians, or policymakers well.

CannaScience.org occupies the space between these poles. We present cannabis science at a graduate level — named researchers, specific study designs, effect sizes, confidence intervals, and honest acknowledgment of what we do and do not know. Our goal is not to tell you whether to use cannabis but to give you the scientific foundation to make that decision with genuine understanding of the pharmacology, risks, benefits, and research limitations.

What Makes Us Different

CannaScience.org differs from other cannabis education resources in several specific ways:

• Depth over breadth. Where our partner site TryCannabis.org covers state laws, dispensary guides, and practical consumer information across 40+ state and city sites, CannaScience goes deep into the science — endocannabinoid system pharmacology, clinical trial methodology, drug interaction mechanisms, and research frontiers
• Named sources. Every major claim cites the specific researcher, study, journal, and year. We name Meier, Rogeberg, Jackson, Di Forti, Hjorthøj, Tashkin, Mittleman, Mechoulam, McGuire, and the dozens of other scientists whose work defines this field. You can verify every claim we make
• Honest uncertainty. We explicitly identify where evidence is weak, where studies conflict, where confounders limit causal inference, and where the answer is genuinely "we don’t know yet." Cannabis science is full of open questions, and pretending otherwise is dishonest
• No product sales. We do not sell cannabis products, recommend specific brands, or accept advertising. We have no financial relationship with any cannabis company, testing laboratory, or advocacy organization

Part of the TryCannabis.org Network

CannaScience.org is part of a network of 40+ educational websites operated by the TryCannabis.org project. The network includes state-specific cannabis law guides (NevadaCannabis.com, JerseyCannabis.org, AlaskaCannabis.org, and many others), city-level guides (BostonCannabis.org, SanFranciscoCannabis.org), and specialized resources:

• TryCannabis.org — the network hub with research summaries, dosing guides, safety information, and links to all state and city sites
• CannabisDependence.org — dedicated to cannabis use disorder education, self-assessment, and treatment resources
• CannaScience.org (this site) — deep-dive cannabis science for readers who want more than summaries

Our Sources

CannaScience.org content is sourced from peer-reviewed scientific literature and authoritative institutional reports:

• NASEM 2017 — The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids, the most comprehensive systematic review of cannabis health evidence ever published
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — drug approvals, adverse event reports, and regulatory guidance
• PubMed / MEDLINE — the primary database of biomedical literature, operated by the National Library of Medicine
• ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry of ongoing and completed clinical trials
• Primary journal publications — we cite original research in PNAS, The Lancet Psychiatry, JAMA Psychiatry, Molecular Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, Circulation, Science, and other peer-reviewed journals

What We Are Not

CannaScience.org is not a medical resource. We do not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or clinical guidance. Nothing on this site should be used to make healthcare decisions without consulting a qualified medical professional. Cannabis science is a foundation for informed decision-making — it is not a substitute for the individualized clinical judgment that only a healthcare provider can offer.

If you or someone you know is experiencing problematic cannabis use, CannabisDependence.org provides evidence-based information about cannabis use disorder, self-assessment tools, and pathways to treatment.

If you find inaccurate information on this site, please contact us. We prioritize corrections and take accuracy seriously.