Introduction

After learning about pharmacology and the everyday drugs we come across, I felt better informed about the reasons why a drug may be illegal or legal. For example, I always believed that illegal drugs were much worse than legal ones such as cannabis over alcohol. However, my definition of ‘worse’ was overly simplistic and did not consider factors like the “Dose-Response Curves”.

Using the example comparison between cannabis (illegal) and alcohol (legal), both drugs are psychoactive and both can have negative consequences on health. During the lectures, I discovered that alcohol does have a therapeutic effect such as lowering risk of depression and, for some people, a reduction in ischaemic heart disease up to a certain amount before it quickly becomes toxic. This surprised me and justified drinking in moderation when socialising with friends. Meanwhile, cannabis, despite its illegal status in many places, also has some therapeutic effects, particularly in medical settings. For instance, it has been used to manage chronic pain, alleviate nausea in chemotherapy patients, and even reduce symptoms of certain neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis. However, similar to alcohol, its dose-response curve shows that while low doses may offer therapeutic benefits, higher doses can lead to harmful consequences, including impaired cognitive function, dependence, and in some cases, exacerbation of mental health issues such as anxiety or psychosis.

The legal status of these substances does not necessarily align with their potential harm or benefit, and this highlights the complexity of drug policy. Both alcohol and cannabis can have therapeutic uses and both can be harmful, but societal attitudes, legal frameworks, and historical context have shaped their availability and use.

Coursework

My coursework consisted of an essay on the history, molecular mechanism, and social aspect of a drug of my choice. I decided to choose cannabidiol (CBD) as I was already involved in a project with it and felt it would help my understanding of this non-psychoactive drug. In retrospect, I am glad I did this as I learnt a lot about the various receptors involved and the reason for society’s growing interest. The complete coursework can be found here.

Chelsea Gardens Visit

It was an eye-opening experience to see so many different species of plants which at times seemed so similar and if it wasn’t for our lecturer, I would not have noticed hemlock, for example. I learnt about its red spots or ‘bloodspots” on the stem and the poison which killed Socrates. I was also impressed by the history, how many of the plants in the garden was brought from abroad, and the culture behind the collector. After this trip, I started considering to grow my own cannabis in Germany where it has recently been legalised due to my interest with cannabinoids and their therapeutic potential.