Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Inflammation and the Microbiome

In this module, we will discuss how our gut microbiome and endocannabinoid system influences inflammatory disease states. We will also discuss how the gut and brain communicate and regulate inflammatory states through what is known as the "gut-brain axis."

Sports, Exercise, Recovery, and Cannabis

In this module, we will discuss the role of endocannabinoids in exercise, and how cannabis may impact exercise. We will also discuss the importance of exercise recovery, and how cannabis may impact recovery.

Healthy Aging and Cannabis

In this module, we will discuss the common challenges older adults face while aging such as pain and depression, as well as common treatments used for these conditions tailored to this population. We will also discuss the research on cannabis for these conditions, and discuss the specific risks that this population faces with regards to cannabis use.

The Future of Cannabis Research

In this module, we will do a quick overview of the main takeaways from this series of courses regarding the risks and benefits of cannabis use. We will discuss the controversies around using cannabis as a therapeutic and consider how cannabis could be used as an alternative medicine. We will discuss lingering questions and gaps in the literature and research that need to be filled. Lastly, we will discuss the Citizen's Science Initiative - a crowdsourcing data science project with the purpose of collecting much needed and relevant data on the health effects of cannabis for specific clinical populations.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops and builds on learners' understanding of the endocannabinoid system's role in the body

Examines the medicinal applications of cannabis for older adults, including risks and benefits

Explores the potential of cannabis as an alternative medicine for various conditions

Highlights the importance of exercise recovery and examines the potential role of cannabis in this process

Taught by experienced instructors, Kent Hutchison, a respected researcher in the field of cannabis and health

This course may require learners to have some prior knowledge of biology and health sciences

Reviews summary

Engaging dive into cannabis and aging

Learners say this course provides an in-depth look at cannabis research and its relation to aging. The course is well received by learners who especially appreciated the engaging assignments and informative content. Students praise the course for its helpful explanations about cannabis' medicinal uses and the knowledgeable instructor, Kent. Students do note that there were some technical issues with the assignments. Overall, students recommend this course for those interested in the medical applications of cannabis.

Instructor, Kent Hutchison, is knowledgeable and passionate about the subject.

"Awesome course, greatly enjoyed all 4 of the cannabis units. Kent is an amazing Lecturer"

"I truly enjoyed this segment as it focused on areas of particular interest to me as I fit into the "aging population.""

"Thank you Professor Hutchison!"

Course provides helpful explanations about cannabis research and applications.

"This course was amazing. I took it comming off the completion of a doctorate in a non-clinical psychoneuroimmunology."

"I will place the infographics in my portfolio fand use for educating others."

"Kudos for offering high quality relavant topics."

Assignments are engaging and insightful.

"I loved the excercise and wellness focus of this class . It was the perfect ending to an amazing course."

"Learned new approaches and uses for cannabis with very common ailments. great ideas for research and reducing medication interactions. "

"This course shares evidence of benefits from studies. The research was also eyeopening in the way of bias from risk searching research. Gut microbiome is also broken down and cannabis' role and the affects along with nuerological and diseases related to brain."

Some technical issues with assignments.

"Overall, the specialization was AWSOME. I became a little frustrated towards the end because there were several computer glitches. e.g. uploading documents and getting reviewed so I could move forward."

"I sometimes had a difficult time following the lecture because the professor was speaking so quickly."

"Never got last review on (infographic 4) so never got credit for the 4 courses. Very disappointing. "

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research with these activities:

Practice Identifying Key Concepts

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Practicing identifying key concepts will help you develop a deeper understanding of the material and improve your ability to apply it to new situations.

Browse courses on Inflammation

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Create a list of key concepts from each module.
Find examples of each concept in the course materials.
Explain each concept to a friend or family member.

Explore Advanced Topics

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Exploring advanced topics will broaden your knowledge of the field and help you develop a deeper understanding of the material.

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Identify an advanced topic that interests you.
Find relevant articles or videos on the topic.
Summarize the key points of your research.
Present your findings to the class or a group of friends.

Attend a Cannabis Research Workshop

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Attending a cannabis research workshop will help you learn about the latest research and developments in the field.

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Find a cannabis research workshop in your area.
Register for the workshop.
Attend the workshop and take notes.
Share your learnings with the class or a group of friends.

Two other activities

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Develop a Public Policy Proposal

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Creating a public policy proposal will help you develop a deeper understanding of the policy-making process and how it relates to cannabis research.

Browse courses on Cannabis

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Identify a public policy issue related to cannabis research.
Research the issue and develop a policy proposal.
Write a policy brief summarizing your proposal.
Present your proposal to a local policymaker or advocacy group.

Contribute to Open-Source Cannabis Research

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Contributing to open-source cannabis research will help you gain experience in the field and make a valuable contribution to the community.

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Identify an open-source cannabis research project.
Contact the project team and offer your help.
Complete a task or contribute to the project in some way.
Share your findings with the project team and the community.

Career center

Learners who complete Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Research Scientist

Research Scientists may find the Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course helpful in understanding the effects of cannabis on various aspects of health. This knowledge may be useful in designing and conducting research studies on the therapeutic potential of cannabis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist

Medical Scientist

Medical Scientists may find the Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course helpful in understanding the effects of cannabis on various aspects of health. This knowledge may be useful in designing and conducting research studies on the therapeutic potential of cannabis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Medical Scientist

Physician Assistant

Physician Assistants may find the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course helpful as it provides an overview of the research on cannabis for conditions such as pain and depression, which are common among older adults. This knowledge can help Physician Assistants make informed decisions about the use of cannabis in their practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physician Assistant

Pharmacist

Pharmacists may find the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course helpful as it provides an overview of the research on cannabis for conditions such as pain and depression, which are common among older adults. This knowledge can help Pharmacists make informed decisions about the use of cannabis in their practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Pharmacist

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Practitioners may find the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course helpful as it provides an overview of the research on cannabis for conditions such as pain and depression, which are common among older adults. This knowledge can help Nurse Practitioners make informed decisions about the use of cannabis in their practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nurse Practitioner

Exercise Physiologist

For Exercise Physiologists, the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course provides a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between endocannabinoids and exercise performance and recovery. This knowledge can be particularly valuable in developing training programs for athletes and other individuals who engage in regular exercise.

See salaries and explore the career path for Exercise Physiologist

Mental Health Counselor

Mental Health Counselors may find the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course helpful as it provides an overview of the research on cannabis for conditions such as pain and depression, which are common among older adults. This knowledge can help Mental Health Counselors make informed decisions about the use of cannabis in their practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mental Health Counselor

Registered Dietitian

Registered Dietitians can benefit from the Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course by gaining an understanding of the role of the gut microbiome and endocannabinoid system in inflammatory disease. This knowledge may be helpful in developing dietary interventions for clients with inflammatory conditions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Registered Dietitian

Dietitian

Dietitians can benefit from the Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course by gaining an understanding of the role of the gut microbiome and endocannabinoid system in inflammatory disease. This knowledge may be helpful in developing dietary interventions for clients with inflammatory conditions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Dietitian

Community Health Educator

Community Health Educators may be interested in the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course as it provides insights into the effects of cannabis on health and aging, which can be valuable knowledge when educating communities about substance use and health.

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Health Educator

Similar to Community Health Educators, the Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course can provide Health Educators with valuable knowledge about the health effects of cannabis, which can be useful in educating the public about substance use and health.

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Chemical Dependency Counselor

Chemical Dependency Counselors can similarly benefit from the Healthy Aging and Future of Cannabis Research course as Addiction Counselors, as an understanding of cannabis' effects on various aspects of health can aid in understanding addiction and providing guidance to clients.

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Biostatistician

The Citizen's Science Initiative, a project discussed in the Future of Cannabis Research module, may be of interest to Biostatisticians as it is a large-scale data science project that involves the collection and analysis of data on the health effects of cannabis. Biostatisticians may find it useful to learn about the methodologies used in this project.

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Substance Abuse Counselor

Substance Abuse Counselors can find the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course useful as they learn about the effects cannabis may have on various disorders and how it may influence inflammation, exercise, and the aging process. This knowledge may help Substance Abuse Counselors understand the full spectrum of addiction and its complexities.

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Addiction Counselor

Addiction Counselors can find the Healthy Aging and the Future of Cannabis Research course useful as they learn about the effects cannabis may have on various disorders and how it may influence inflammation, exercise, and the aging process. This knowledge may help Addiction Counselors understand the full spectrum of addiction and its complexities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Addiction Counselor