Pharma’s Great Green Rush Cannabinoids – naturally found in cannabis – and the human endocannabinoid system are proving to be an intriguing target for drug discovery. But what is the real value of this ancient medicine? Stephanie Sutton, James Strachan | 06/21/2017











“It is beyond my comprehension that any humane person would withhold such a beneficial substance from people in such great need simply because others use it for different purposes.”

– Steven Gould, American sci-fi author Cannabis leads a double life. On one hand, it is a recreational drug, the regular use of which has been linked with lower fertility (1), increased risk of psychotic illness (2), and, for heavy adolescent users, impaired intellectual development (3). On the other hand – looking beyond the smoke and the stoners – it has been used medically for thousands of years. Cannabis is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, and its use has been traced to ancient Egypt, India, and Greece, among others.

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About the Authors

Stephanie Sutton

Making great scientific magazines isn’t just about delivering knowledge and high quality content; it’s also about packaging these in the right words to ensure that someone is truly inspired by a topic. My passion is ensuring that our authors’ expertise is presented as a seamless and enjoyable reading experience, whether in print, in digital or on social media. I’ve spent seven years writing and editing features for scientific and manufacturing publications, and in making this content engaging and accessible without sacrificing its scientific integrity. There is nothing better than a magazine with great content that feels great to read.

James Strachan

Over the course of my Biomedical Sciences degree it dawned on me that my goal of becoming a scientist didn’t quite mesh with my lack of affinity for lab work. Thinking on my decision to pursue biology rather than English at age 15 – despite an aptitude for the latter – I realized that science writing was a way to combine what I loved with what I was good at.



From there I set out to gather as much freelancing experience as I could, spending 2 years developing scientific content for International Innovation, before completing an MSc in Science Communication. After gaining invaluable experience in supporting the communications efforts of CERN and IN-PART, I joined Texere – where I am focused on producing consistently engaging, cutting-edge and innovative content for our specialist audiences around the world.