An internationally respected cannabis authority, Michael Backes is a member of Maui Grown Therapies’ Science and Medical Advisory Board, serving as the Education Advisor.

KAHULUI — Maui Grown Therapies’ educational online event, Maui Grown Mana’o is back. Episode 11, “The Endocannabinoid System and Pain,” featuring Education Advisor and author Michael Backes, will air in June.

Backes is a highly regarded researcher and expert in cannabis science and the endocannabinoid system. His book, “Cannabis Pharmacy, the Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana,” has long been Amazon’s best-selling book on the subject.

He is a member of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines and the American Herbal Products Association.

The endocannabinoid system regulates many different functions in the human body. such as memory, digestion, motor function, immune response and inflammation, appetite, blood pressure, bone growth and pain, among others. Despite the many functions this system regulates, it was not until the early 1990s that a team at the National Institute of Mental Health first identified endocannabinoid receptors in lab rats. Since then, there have been over 20,000 scientific studies referencing cannabinoids in the last two decades.

Cannabinoids found in cannabis interact with the endocannabinoid system to modulate pain. In his presentation, Backes will discuss the four types of pain, the benefits of treating pain with cannabis, the precautions of using cannabis with conventional pain medications and the importance of finding the right compounds to treat specific conditions.

“For over 4,000 years, physicians have used cannabis as a medicine in the treatment of pain. Cannabis has advantages over conventional pain medication in that it may contribute other health benefits beyond the distraction of pain,” said Backes.

The Maui Grown Mana’o event will happen on Thursday, June 10, at 11 a.m and will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

To register for this educational event, visit mauigrown.com.