Dr. Ziva Cooper is the Director of the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids and Professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and the Department of Anesthesiology. She focuses on preclinical and clinical studies on the behavioral and physiologic effects of psychoactive drugs that are of significant public health relevance, including cannabis and opioids. She received her PhD from the University of Michigan in Biopsychology in 2007 in the field of preclinical psychopharmacology. Over the last ten years she has sought to translate preclinical studies of drug action to the clinic using controlled human laboratory studies to investigate the direct effects of abused substances. Her current research, funded by NIDA and industry contracts, involves understanding the neurobiological, pharmacological, and behavioral variables that influence both the abuse liability and therapeutic potential of cannabinoids (cannabis, cannabinoid receptor agonists, and cannabidiol) and opioids. She served on the National Academies of Sciences Committee on the Health Effects of Marijuana that recently published a comprehensive consensus report of the health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. Dr. Cooper also serves on editorial boards, is President of the International Study Group Investigating Drugs as Reinforcers (ISGIDaR), and is Associate Editor of The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
Sitting Down With… Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative in the Jane and... more Sitting Down With… Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative in the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Department of Anesthesiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
By Becky Cotterill, US assistant producer:
"CBD sold here" reads the sign in a shop window in Wa... more By Becky Cotterill, US assistant producer:
"CBD sold here" reads the sign in a shop window in Washington DC.
Adverts like this are popping up across America. Step inside one of these stores and you'll find a range of products from body lotions to gummy sweets to dog treats.
CBD skin care tutorials are appearing on YouTube and big brand companies are using Instagram to launch their CBD products. Ben and Jerry's are even thinking of creating a CBD-infused ice cream.
Ziva Cooper, research director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, has been awarded a $3.5 ... more Ziva Cooper, research director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, has been awarded a $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a five-year study assessing the pain-relieving effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, the chemicals in the cannabis plant.
The grant will fund the first clinical study for the Cannabis Research Initiative, which was founded in 2017 as part of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Cooper joined the initiative as its first research director in January.
“This is an ideal first project as it probes significant public health questions related to the potential medicinal and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, a central mission of the Initiative,” said Cooper, professor-in-residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The project also will examine the addictive properties of cannabis, and assess whether men and women experience the effects of the drug differently.
As New York and New Jersey grapple with the complexities of legalizing marijuana, The Brian Lehre... more As New York and New Jersey grapple with the complexities of legalizing marijuana, The Brian Lehrer Show presents a three-week series called "Reefer Managed," exploring how states are managing legalizing cannabis as a commercial product.
We're starting from square one: What exactly is pot, and how does it get us high? Dr. Ziva Cooper, research director at UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, breaks down the science behind cannabis, and takes your calls.
Sitting Down With… Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative in the Jane and... more Sitting Down With… Ziva Cooper, Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative in the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Department of Anesthesiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
By Becky Cotterill, US assistant producer:
"CBD sold here" reads the sign in a shop window in Wa... more By Becky Cotterill, US assistant producer:
"CBD sold here" reads the sign in a shop window in Washington DC.
Adverts like this are popping up across America. Step inside one of these stores and you'll find a range of products from body lotions to gummy sweets to dog treats.
CBD skin care tutorials are appearing on YouTube and big brand companies are using Instagram to launch their CBD products. Ben and Jerry's are even thinking of creating a CBD-infused ice cream.
Ziva Cooper, research director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, has been awarded a $3.5 ... more Ziva Cooper, research director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, has been awarded a $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a five-year study assessing the pain-relieving effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, the chemicals in the cannabis plant.
The grant will fund the first clinical study for the Cannabis Research Initiative, which was founded in 2017 as part of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Cooper joined the initiative as its first research director in January.
“This is an ideal first project as it probes significant public health questions related to the potential medicinal and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, a central mission of the Initiative,” said Cooper, professor-in-residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The project also will examine the addictive properties of cannabis, and assess whether men and women experience the effects of the drug differently.
As New York and New Jersey grapple with the complexities of legalizing marijuana, The Brian Lehre... more As New York and New Jersey grapple with the complexities of legalizing marijuana, The Brian Lehrer Show presents a three-week series called "Reefer Managed," exploring how states are managing legalizing cannabis as a commercial product.
We're starting from square one: What exactly is pot, and how does it get us high? Dr. Ziva Cooper, research director at UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, breaks down the science behind cannabis, and takes your calls.
Background: Pain is the most frequent indication for which medical cannabis treatment is sought.O... more Background: Pain is the most frequent indication for which medical cannabis treatment is sought.Objectives: The clinical potential of cannabis and cannabis-derived products (CDPs) relies on their efficacy to treat an indication and potential adverse effects that impact outcomes, including abuse liability and neurocognitive effects. To ascertain the extent to which these effects impact therapeutic utility, studies investigating cannabis and CDPs for pain were reviewed for analgesic efficacy and assessments of abuse liability and neurocognitive effects.Methods: A comprehensive review of placebo-controlled studies investigating cannabis and CDP analgesia was performed. Methods and findings related to adverse effects, abuse liability, and neurocognitive effects were extracted.Results: Thirty-eight studies were reviewed; 29 assessed cannabis and CDPs for chronic pain, 1 for acute pain, and 8 used experimental pain tests. Most studies ascertained adverse effects through self-report (N = 27). Fewer studies specifically probed abuse liability (N = 7) and cognitive and psychomotor effects (N = 12). Many studies related to chronic and experimental pain (N = 18 and N = 5, respectively) found cannabis and CDPs to reduce pain. Overall, adverse effects were mild to moderate, and dose-related. Studies investigating the impact of cannabis and CDPs on abuse liability and neurocognitive endpoints were mostly limited to inhaled administration and confirmed dose-related effects.Conclusion: Few studies investigating cannabis and CDP analgesia assess abuse liability and cognitive endpoints, adverse effects that impact the long-term clinical utility of these drugs. Future studies should include these measures to optimize research and clinical care related to cannabis-based therapeutics.
The α2a-adrenergic agonist, lofexidine, reduced cannabis withdrawal-related sleep disruption in t... more The α2a-adrenergic agonist, lofexidine, reduced cannabis withdrawal-related sleep disruption in the laboratory, but side effects (e.g. fatigue, hypotension) limit its utility as a treatment for cannabis use disorder. This study tested the potential efficacy and tolerability of a daily bedtime administration of the FDA-approved α2a-adrenergic agonist, guanfacine, in a human laboratory model of cannabis use disorder. Daily, nontreatment-seeking cannabis smokers (13M, 2F) completed a within-subject study comprising two 9-day inpatient study phases. Each phase tested the effects of daily placebo or immediate-release guanfacine (2 mg) on cannabis intoxication (5.6 percent THC; 2 days), withdrawal (4 days of abstinence) and subsequent 'relapse' (3 days of cannabis self-administration). Ratings of mood, sleep, cardiovascular effects, food intake, psychomotor performance and cannabis self-administration were assessed. An outpatient phase preceded each inpatient phase for medication clearance or dose induction. Under placebo medication conditions, cannabis abstinence produced significant withdrawal, including irritability, sleep disruption and anorexia. Guanfacine reduced ratings of irritability and improved objective measures of sleep during cannabis withdrawal relative to placebo but did not reduce cannabis self-administration. Guanfacine was well tolerated with little evidence of fatigue and only small decreases in blood pressure: no dose was held due to hypotension. Thus, a single daily administration of guanfacine at bedtime improved sleep and mood during cannabis withdrawal relative to placebo. This positive signal supports further studies varying the guanfacine dose, formulation or frequency of administration, or combining it with other medications to increase the likelihood of having an impact on cannabis use.
Illicit drug use among aging cohorts is increasing, yet little is known about functional impairme... more Illicit drug use among aging cohorts is increasing, yet little is known about functional impairments in older drug users. Given the importance of social integration for aging and documented social decrements in cocaine users, we examined social function and its neurocognitive substrates in aging cocaine users relative to carefully matched non-cocaine users. Regular (≥twice/week), long-term (≥15 years) cocaine smokers 50-60 years old (COCs; n = 22; four women) and controls (CTRLs; n = 19; four women) underwent standardized probes of social reward and threat processing during functional magnetic resonance imaging and a behavioral facial affect recognition task. Self-report and peer-report of daily interpersonal function were also collected. COCs, and CTRLs reporting current marijuana or alcohol use, were tested after four drug-free inpatient days. COCs had pronounced problems in daily social function relative to CTRLs indicated by both their own and their peers' reports. Compared with CTRLs, COCs had stronger amygdala responses to social threat versus control stimuli, with no other differences in social processing or cognition. Aging cocaine users appear to have marked, generalized difficulties in 'real-world' interpersonal function but largely intact social processing on laboratory-based measures when compared with appropriately matched controls and tested under well-controlled conditions. Daily social difficulties may be related to transient factors such as acute/residual drug effects or cocaine-related changes in health behaviors (e.g. disrupted sleep and poor diet). These data suggest that interpersonal function may be a valid intervention target for aging cocaine users and warrants further study in older drug users.
Background: Pain is the most frequent indication for which medical cannabis treatment is sought.O... more Background: Pain is the most frequent indication for which medical cannabis treatment is sought.Objectives: The clinical potential of cannabis and cannabis-derived products (CDPs) relies on their efficacy to treat an indication and potential adverse effects that impact outcomes, including abuse liability and neurocognitive effects. To ascertain the extent to which these effects impact therapeutic utility, studies investigating cannabis and CDPs for pain were reviewed for analgesic efficacy and assessments of abuse liability and neurocognitive effects.Methods: A comprehensive review of placebo-controlled studies investigating cannabis and CDP analgesia was performed. Methods and findings related to adverse effects, abuse liability, and neurocognitive effects were extracted.Results: Thirty-eight studies were reviewed; 29 assessed cannabis and CDPs for chronic pain, 1 for acute pain, and 8 used experimental pain tests. Most studies ascertained adverse effects through self-report (N = 27). Fewer studies specifically probed abuse liability (N = 7) and cognitive and psychomotor effects (N = 12). Many studies related to chronic and experimental pain (N = 18 and N = 5, respectively) found cannabis and CDPs to reduce pain. Overall, adverse effects were mild to moderate, and dose-related. Studies investigating the impact of cannabis and CDPs on abuse liability and neurocognitive endpoints were mostly limited to inhaled administration and confirmed dose-related effects.Conclusion: Few studies investigating cannabis and CDP analgesia assess abuse liability and cognitive endpoints, adverse effects that impact the long-term clinical utility of these drugs. Future studies should include these measures to optimize research and clinical care related to cannabis-based therapeutics.
Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, p... more Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agenda—outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issues—that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.
Cannabinoids combined with opioids produce synergistic antinociceptive effects, decreasing the lo... more Cannabinoids combined with opioids produce synergistic antinociceptive effects, decreasing the lowest effective antinociceptive opioid dose (i.e., opioid-sparing effects) in laboratory animals. Although pain patients report greater analgesia when cannabis is used with opioids, no placebo-controlled studies have assessed the direct effects of opioids combined with cannabis in humans or the impact of the combination on abuse liability. This double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study determined if cannabis enhances the analgesic effects of low dose oxycodone using a validated experimental model of pain and its effects on abuse liability. Healthy cannabis smokers (N = 18) were administered oxycodone (0, 2.5, and 5.0 mg, PO) with smoked cannabis (0.0, 5.6% Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) and analgesia was assessed using the Cold-Pressor Test (CPT). Participants immersed their hand in cold water (4 °C); times to report pain (pain threshold) and withdraw the hand from the water (pain tolerance) were recorded. Abuse-related effects were measured and effects of oxycodone on cannabis self-administration were determined. Alone, 5.0 mg oxycodone increased pain threshold and tolerance (p ≤ 0.05). Although active cannabis and 2.5 mg oxycodone alone failed to elicit analgesia, combined they increased pain threshold and tolerance (p ≤ 0.05). Oxycodone did not increase subjective ratings associated with cannabis abuse, nor did it increase cannabis self-administration. However, the combination of 2.5 mg oxycodone and active cannabis produced small, yet significant, increases in oxycodone abuse liability (p ≤ 0.05). Cannabis enhances the analgesic effects of sub-threshold oxycodone, suggesting synergy, without increases in cannabis’s abuse liability. These findings support future research into the therapeutic use of opioid-cannabinoid combinations for pain.
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a significant public health concern given their widespread use a... more Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a significant public health concern given their widespread use and severe effects associated with intoxication. However, there is a paucity of controlled human studies investigating the behavioral and physiological effects and pharmacokinetics of these compounds. Designing a reliable method to administer consistent, concentration-dependent synthetic cannabinoids is an integral component of controlled study of these compounds. Further, optimizing methods to assess the parent compounds and metabolites in plasma is critical in order to be able to establish their pharmacokinetics after administration. To develop a reliable method to administer smokable, concentration-dependent SCs, cigarettes were prepared with plant matter adulterated with increasing concentrations of the first generation cannabinoids found in SC products, JWH-018 and JWH-073. Cigarettes were assessed 1–6 months after preparation using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to determine compound stability over time and concentration consistency throughout the cigarettes. Optimal conditions to detect metabolites in human plasma as a function of storage temperature (−4 °C to −80 °C) and time (24 h - 1 month) were also determined. Analyses verified that the method utilized to develop SC cigarettes yielded consistent, concentration-dependent products within 25% of the expected concentrations. JWH-018, JWH-073 and metabolites in spiked plasma were stable under the time and temperature conditions; concentrations were within ±20% of target values. These studies provide techniques and methods to conduct controlled investigations of the dose-dependent effects of first generation SCs to begin understanding risks associated with use.
Recent policy changes have led to significant increases in the use of cannabis for both medical a... more Recent policy changes have led to significant increases in the use of cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes. Although men are more likely to endorse past month cannabis use and are more frequently diagnosed with Cannabis Use Disorder relative to women, a growing proportion of medical cannabis users are reported to be women. The increased popularity of cannabis for medical purposes and the narrowing gap in prevalence of use between men and women raises questions regarding sex-dependent effects related to therapeutic efficacy and negative health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids. The objective of this review is to provide a translational perspective on the sex-dependent effects of cannabis and cannabinoids by synthesizing findings from preclinical and clinical studies focused on sex comparisons of their therapeutic potential and abuse liability, two specific areas that are of significant public health relevance. Hormonal and pharmacological mechanisms that may underlie sex differences in the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids are highlighted.
Each year, over 300,000 individuals in the USA enter treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD). T... more Each year, over 300,000 individuals in the USA enter treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD). The development of effective pharmacotherapy for CUD is a priority. This placebo-controlled study examined the effects of zolpidem alone and in combination with nabilone on cannabis withdrawal and a laboratory measure of relapse. Eleven daily, non-treatment-seeking cannabis users completed three, 8-day inpatient phases; each phase tested a different medication condition in counter-balanced order. On the first day of each phase, participants were administered placebo capsules t.i.d. and smoked experimenter-administered active cannabis (5.6 % Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)). On days 2-8, the participants were administered capsules containing either placebo (0 mg at 0900, 1800, and 2300 hours), zolpidem (0 mg at 0900 and 1800, and 12.5 mg at 2300), or zolpidem (12.5 mg at 2300) and nabilone (3 mg at 0900 and 1800). Cannabis withdrawal, subjective capsule effects, and cognitive performance w...
Glial activation is hypothesized to contribute directly to opioid withdrawal. This study investig... more Glial activation is hypothesized to contribute directly to opioid withdrawal. This study investigated the dose-dependent effects of a glial cell modulator, ibudilast, on withdrawal symptoms in opioid-dependent volunteers after abrupt discontinuation of morphine administration. Non-treatment-seeking heroin-dependent volunteers (n = 31) completed the in-patient, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject and between-group study. Volunteers were maintained on morphine (30 mg, QID) for 14 days and placebo (0 mg, QID) for the last 7 days of the 3-week study. Volunteers also received placebo (0 mg, PO, BID) capsules on days 1-7. On days 8-21, volunteers were randomized to receive ibudilast (20 or 40 mg, PO, BID) or placebo capsules. Subjective and clinical ratings of withdrawal symptoms were completed daily using daily using the Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) and Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS). Medication side effects were also monitored. Relative to the first 2 ...
There are no FDA-approved treatments for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Preclinical research has sh... more There are no FDA-approved treatments for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Preclinical research has shown that the 5HT-2c agonist, lorcaserin, attenuates cue-induced reinstatement of THC-seeking and self-administration. The goal of this placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, within-subject human laboratory study was to examine lorcaserin’s effects on cannabis intoxication and self-administration. Lorcaserin (10 mg BID) was administered during one of two 13-day inpatient phases, and placebo during the other; each phase was separated by ≥ 7-days of washout. Inpatient phases comprised: 1) standardized cannabis administration (7.0% THC) at no financial cost (intoxication), counterbalanced with 2) the option to self-administer cannabis following either 0 or 3 days of abstinence. Cognitive task performance, food intake, subjective ratings of drug effects, objective/subjective sleep measures, and tobacco cigarette use were also assessed. Fifteen normal-weight, daily cannabis users (4F, 11M) not seeking treatment for CUD completed the study. Lorcaserin significantly reduced cannabis self-administration following 0 and 3 days of cannabis abstinence, and also reduced craving for cannabis during abstinence. Lorcaserin produced small but significant increases in positive cannabis ratings and body weight relative to placebo. Lorcaserin also reduced tobacco cigarette smoking on days of cannabis administration relative to placebo. During abstinence, subjective but not objective measures of sleep quality worsened during lorcaserin maintenance. Overall, lorcaserin’s ability to decrease drug-taking and cannabis craving in non-treatment seeking cannabis users supports further investigation of 5HT-2C agonists as potential pharmacotherapies for CUD.
Tobacco and cannabis co‐users (T+CUs) have poor cannabis cessation outcomes, but the mechanisms u... more Tobacco and cannabis co‐users (T+CUs) have poor cannabis cessation outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying this are not well understood. This laboratory study examined the effects of (1) the partial nicotinic agonist, varenicline, on tobacco cessation among T+CUs, and (2) varenicline, alone, and when combined with the cannabinoid agonist nabilone, on cannabis withdrawal and a laboratory model of cannabis relapse. Non‐treatment‐seeking T+CUs were randomized to active‐varenicline or placebo‐varenicline, and completed a 15‐day outpatient phase; varenicline was titrated to 1 mg BID during days 1–8, and participants were instructed to abstain from tobacco during days 9–15. Participants then moved inpatient for 16 days, where they continued their outpatient medication and tobacco abstinence. Inpatient testing included two, 8‐day medication periods, where active‐nabilone and placebo‐nabilone were administered in counterbalanced order, and measures of acute cannabis effects (days 1–2), with...
Background: Despite the critical role of choice processes in substance use disorders, the neurobe... more Background: Despite the critical role of choice processes in substance use disorders, the neurobehavioral mechanisms guiding human decisions about drugs remain poorly understood. We adapted a neuroeconomic framework to characterize the neural encoding of subjective value (SV) for cannabis versus non-drug rewards (snacks) in near-daily cannabis users. We also assessed the impact of cannabis and snack stimuli (‘cues’) on SV encoding.Methods: Twenty-one non-treatment-seeking cannabis users (≥4 days/week; 1 female) participated in an inpatient, crossover experiment with four counterbalanced conditions: 1. neutral cues/cannabis choices; 2. cannabis cues/cannabis choices; 3. neutral cues/snack choices; and 4. snack cues/snack choices. In each condition, participants were exposed to cues before an fMRI scan during which they repeatedly chose between 0-6 cannabis puffs/snacks and a set monetary amount, with randomly-selected choices implemented. The SV signal was operationalized as the neur...
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Media by Ziva D Cooper
"CBD sold here" reads the sign in a shop window in Washington DC.
Adverts like this are popping up across America. Step inside one of these stores and you'll find a range of products from body lotions to gummy sweets to dog treats.
CBD skin care tutorials are appearing on YouTube and big brand companies are using Instagram to launch their CBD products. Ben and Jerry's are even thinking of creating a CBD-infused ice cream.
The grant will fund the first clinical study for the Cannabis Research Initiative, which was founded in 2017 as part of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Cooper joined the initiative as its first research director in January.
“This is an ideal first project as it probes significant public health questions related to the potential medicinal and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, a central mission of the Initiative,” said Cooper, professor-in-residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The project also will examine the addictive properties of cannabis, and assess whether men and women experience the effects of the drug differently.
We're starting from square one: What exactly is pot, and how does it get us high? Dr. Ziva Cooper, research director at UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, breaks down the science behind cannabis, and takes your calls.
"CBD sold here" reads the sign in a shop window in Washington DC.
Adverts like this are popping up across America. Step inside one of these stores and you'll find a range of products from body lotions to gummy sweets to dog treats.
CBD skin care tutorials are appearing on YouTube and big brand companies are using Instagram to launch their CBD products. Ben and Jerry's are even thinking of creating a CBD-infused ice cream.
The grant will fund the first clinical study for the Cannabis Research Initiative, which was founded in 2017 as part of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Cooper joined the initiative as its first research director in January.
“This is an ideal first project as it probes significant public health questions related to the potential medicinal and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, a central mission of the Initiative,” said Cooper, professor-in-residence of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The project also will examine the addictive properties of cannabis, and assess whether men and women experience the effects of the drug differently.
We're starting from square one: What exactly is pot, and how does it get us high? Dr. Ziva Cooper, research director at UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, breaks down the science behind cannabis, and takes your calls.