The Endocannabinoid Ocean: Explaining Cannabis Biochemistry through Moby Dick with Lex Pelger

Why is cannabis most likely the oldest psychoactive compound used by humans? Why has it been in the pharmacopeias of every empire since the early Egyptians & Chinese? And how the hell does weed get everybody high in a different way?

According to thinkers like Carl Sagan and Dr. Richard Schultes – the father of ethnobotany, cannabis is most likely the first plant cultivated by humans and the oldest widely-used psychoactive in the world How has this prolific plant lent itself to such a wide range of effects?

The secret is the endocannabinoid system - a chemical messenger system in the body - shared by humans with most of the other life on the planet. The endocannabinoid system maintains a balance between the body and the mind, linking the immune, the hormonal and the nervous system together. 

As one could imagine, the biochemistry of the endocannabinoid system gets complicated quickly. As such, speaker Lex Pelger, has turned to the classic tale of Moby-Dick, using the metaphor of the human brain as an ocean to explain the endocannabinoid system's widespread nature. Likening nerve cells to giant underwater cities and their signalling molecules as fish, he will use this marine narrative to explain the huge number of biochemical and neurological processes affected by the endocannabinoid system. 

It’s a fascinating deep dive into neurochemistry and the hunt for our Great White Whale.

Lex Pelger

With a background in biochemistry, Lex Pelger writes & lectures about the science of psychoactive drugs. He also hosts drug conferences, organizes open-mic psychedelic storytelling tours, and hosts the Lex Files podcast about drugs, spirituality & consciousness. He lives in Bordeaux, France with his wife & daughter (plus one on the way). 

To see his graphic novels about the endocannabinoid system based on Moby-Dick, check out lexpelger.com & join his No Nonsense Newsletter.

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