Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. [Classification Report. United States Department of Agriculture] Also known as hemp and marijuana, it is a flowering herb which has been associated most often with illegal recreational use. However, in recent years, its medicinal benefits have brought about a change in thought as well as laws regarding both medicinal and recreational usage.
On Thursday, April 11, Dr. Donald F. Slish will deliver a lecture at 7 p.m. explaining cannabis. The venue for this program is the Sandra and Alan Gerry Forum, Room 010 in the Rowley Center for Science and Engineering.
The Pharmacology of Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis will begin with an historical overview as well as the botanical species of cannabis. Slish will also examine pharmacokinetics of use, that is the products and routes of administration. Additionally, he will analyze pharmacodynamics –the effect and breakdown of cannabis drugs within the body and CB1 receptor mechanism. From the neurobiology focus on cannabis, he will describe its effects on pathways and recreational doses of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. Then, he will give a summary of the medicinal uses.
This in-depth program, which is free and open to the public, is presented in cooperation with the SUNY Orange Biology Department.
Donald F. Slish holds a BS in Biochemistry from the University of Scranton and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics. At SUNY Plattsburgh, he teaches General Biology, Cell Biology, the Biology of Cancer, the Pharmacology of Recreational Drugs, and Cardiovascular Pharmacology. Slish has authored and co-authored several books and peer-reviewed articles. His new book is entitled Pharmacology of Recreational Drugs.
The Rowley Center for Science and Engineering is located at 10 East Conkling Avenue on the Middletown campus of SUNY Orange.
Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs at 341-4891 and cultural@sunyorange.edu.