Interview #42: More about Cannabis - Adolescents, Legalisation, Psychosis (with Professor Valerie Curran and Dr Will Lawn)

This week, Anya and Alex speak to Professor Valerie Curran and Dr Will Lawn about their research into the effects of cannabis on adolescents.

We discuss some surprising results from their recently completed study, CannTeen, that are contributing to making our understanding of what happens when a developing brain is exposed to cannabis more nuanced. We talk about what happens when adolescents and adults receive different doses of THC and CBD in an MRI scanner. We find out if science has confirmed the munchies?! We hear about some cannabis myths that are being busted. We also think about how science can inform our discussions around the legalisation/decriminalisation of cannabis.

Professor Val Curran founded and directed the Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit at UCL, she is a clinical psychologist. She’s had an illustrious career researching the psychological effects of drugs such as MDMA, stimulants, ketamine and cannabis on our brains.

Dr Will Lawn is a psychology lecturer at King’s College London, with research interests spanning cannabis and opioid overdose, as well as ketamine, cigarettes and addiction more broadly. He previously worked as a post-doctoral researcher coordinating the CannTeen project that we’ll discuss today, and conducting research into different addictions and treatments.

Further Reading on the CanTeen Study: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychopharmacology/trials/cannteen

Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova

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