Until its prohibition in 1937, extracts of Cannabis sativa (marijuana) was one of the top three most prescribed medicines in the US. When it became illegal, its use as a medicine became restricted. Despite these regulations research on the medical use of cannabis continued.

The active compounds in cannabis are similar to a class of molecules in our bodies called endocannabinoids. Both bind to receptors in the brain and throughout the body called cannabinoid receptors. This system influences our immune system, protects nerve cells from premature death, and influences mood, memory, appetite, sleep and movement.

The Genetic Science Learning Center is a science and health education program located in the midst of the bioscience research being carried out at the University of Utah. Our mission is making science easy for everyone to understand.