By Henry Lowe, Errol Morrison, Nadine Wilkins, Contributors 
"It creates vital energy, the mental powers, and internal heat, corrects irregularities of the phlegmatic humour, and is an elixir vitae" - 17th Century Materia Medica, The Rajavallabha.
INTRODUCTION
IN RECENT times, interest in marijuana has been shifting dramatically from the emphasis on abuse to its medical potential. The debate and issues have been focusing on its potential in evidence-based medicine (based in knowledge and experience and informed by scientific rigour) as against belief-based medicine (based on custom, judgement, intuition and lacking scientific analysis).
The name marijuana is being used herein to describe the unpurified Cannabis plant substances including leaves or flower tops whether smoked or consumed in some other form. The effects of marijuana will be taken to refer to the composite effects of its various cannabinoids, of which Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol are the two most abundant.
The debate rages on both locally and internationally, and historically and increasingly Jamaica is pivotal in the discussions around the socio-medico-legal question. To assist in this process, the International Cannabis Research Institute (ICRI) has been launched and registered in Jamaica. Its remit is to promote research, awareness and education on the Cannabis plant.
MAJOR RESEARCH DONE IN JAMAICA
In the early 1950's, in a book titled 'Ganja', W. Barrett published a review on the use and effects of marijuana from his findings in his Jamaican study of marijuana smoking. By the mid 1970's Vera Rubin and Lambros Comitas contributed significantly to the development of literature on the subject as a result of their extensive studies in Jamaica. Their works included: 'The Ganja Vision In Jamaica' and 'Ganja in Jamaica: A Medical-Anthropological Study of Chronic Marijuana Use'. John Hall in 1974 was invited by the United States Senate to report on his findings in his Jamaican study of marijuana smoking.
By the late 1980s Manley West and Albert Lockhart reported on early work that had begun with an associate researcher, Henry Lowe and which eventually resulted in an extract from Cannabis which lowered intraocular pressure on topical applications. This extract has been marketed as Canasol and now awaits further identification and characterisation. In combination with the beta-blocker, Timolol, it is also available as Cantimol. West has also latterly described another Cannabis extract Asmasol, reportedly effective in reducing bronchospasm. Local psychiatric studies on its medicinal properties have been reported by Frederick Hickling et al.
All these works have been cited and collated in the comprehensive work,
'Marijuana Cannabis Ganja: the Jamaican Connection' by Lowe and Morrison, 2001.
(Part 2: Current international research)
Dr. Henry Lowe, Chairman of the Environmental Health Foundation, Kingston, Jamaica; Prof. Errol Morrison, Dean of the School for Graduate Studies & Research, University of the West Indies; Ms. Nadine Wilkins, Senior Projects Officer, Projects Office, University of the West Indies (Mona).
