There is a famous saying, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Earlier this year, we met this guy Dr. Markus Roggen, Ph.D. As luck would have it, he has a doctorate in Chemistry and is the founder and CEO of Complex Biotech Discovery Ventures LTD, a licensed cannabis research laboratory. With the help and creativity of our viewers, we started to ask him all sorts of questions about cannabis… It was the start of something great, a meeting of minds, scientific and stoner. As it turns out, the cannabis community is quite curious and here we are… the Season 2 Finale!
Welcome to Ask An Expert with Dr. Markus Roggen!
You wanted to know so here you go! Cannabis Q&A with Dr. Markus Roggen
What are the known benefits of using cannabis?
The strongest evidence for the medical benefits of cannabis use is in the relief of chronic pain and in helping with nausea and vomiting with cancer patients. Otherwise, if you trust the marketing, it’s fairy dust and does everything you believe in.
Is weed worse than cigarettes for your health?
No, but that doesn’t mean it’s way better. Cigarettes are just really really bad.
Does smoking weed cause cancer?
First off, I’m a chemist, not a doctor. Second, The National Institute of Science has stated that there is no evidence to support the statement that cannabis causes cancer; there is no evidence that the consumption of cannabis in parents can lead to increased cancer risk in their offspring. There’s also no evidence that cannabis consumption can cure cancer. So, we basically don’t know.
Can you still get high off weed brownies if you eat food right after eating the edible?
Yes, sure. You can get really really high. So, the high is cannabis interacting with your CB1 receptors, and eating food doesn’t interact with those receptors… No traffic jam there.
If I smoke pot and breastfeed, will my baby get high?
No, babies can’t get high at that age. There will be some kind of cannabinoids that make their way through the breastmilk and to the baby. But more concerning is the strong evidence to support that cannabis use in pregnant women will lead to lower birth weight of the child.
A final word from Dr. Markus Roggen Ph.D. – This is the end of Season 2! Thank you for all your questions. I had fun and hope you had fun. Let’s find some more for the next season.
We have been having a blast with this Chemist and we owe it all to your creative curiosity. Thank you for your support in coming up with both interesting and hilarious things to ask him. You have been helping us to:
- Milk the opportunity to pick this guy’s brain and learn as much about cannabis as we can… especially if the information pertains to improving our buzz.
- Trip out this Chemist by being ridiculous and passionate about weed.