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Lumír Ondřej Hanuš

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Lumír Ondřej Hanuš
Born (1947-11-20) November 20, 1947 (age 77)
Olomouc, Czechoslovakia (today the Czech Republic)
Alma materUniversity of Olomouc
Known forIsolation and describtion of Anandamide
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsCannabis research, coca leaves research
InstitutionsUniversity of Olomouc
Hebrew University

Lumír Ondřej Hanuš is a Czech analytic chemist and leading authority in the field of cannabis research. In 1992, he and William Anthony Devane isolated and first described the structure of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter.

Biography

Lumír Hanuš was born in 1947 in Olomouc, in what was then Czechoslovakia. He is a distant kindred of Czech chemist Josef Hanuš (1872–1955).[7]

In 1966, Hanuš entered the Faculty of Science of Palacký University of Olomouc, where the anti-bacterial effects of cannabis were described in 1955. In 1970 professor Zdeněk Krejčí of the Faculty of Medicine's department of analytic chemistry needed an aid, and the undergraduate Hanuš started to work as Krejčí's assistant on research of cannabis and hashish in December of that year. There, Hanuš met also professors Jan Kabelík and František Šantavý, who together with Krejčí laid down the foundations to research of cannabis and its curative effects. From 1971, Hanuš grew cannabis on two large fields in authority of the University. The extracts were used at the University hospital as a cure for aphthae and haze.[8]

Hanuš graduated as Master of Science in 1972 and continued academic career in Olomouc. In 1974 he obtained Doctorate in Science in Olomouc. He pursued his academic and research activities at Olomouc University until 1990. Hanuš also took part in research at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences and continued post-graduate research study at the Masaryk University in Brno (at the time renamed to Purkyně University by the communists). In years 1978–1979 he worked as research fellow of University of Mississippi, focusing not only on cannabis, but also on coca leaves.[9] He became associate professor in organic chemistry in Olomouc in 1994 and obtained Doctorate of Sciences in pharmaceutical chemistry at Charles University in 1995.

Hanuš was for many years in contact with Israeli cannabis researcher Raphael Mechoulam by letter. Following the Velvet Revolution, Hanuš was invited to continue his research at Hebrew University in Israel.[8] In Israel, Hanuš and American molecular pharmacologist William Anthony Devane in 1992 first described the structure of Anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter.[10][11]

Hanuš continues his research in Jerusalem, aiming at isolation of other endogenous neurotransmitters.[7]

Views on cannabis

Hanuš marks cannabis as "one of the safest known medications".[12]

Although in daily contact with drugs, Hanuš used them only once and purely for research purposes.[13] According to Hanuš, alcohol and tobacco should be "black listed" rather than cannabis, as there is a possibility of both physical and psychological addiction to the first two, while there is no possibility of physical and only limited possibility of psychological addiction to marijuana.[8] Moreover, people under influence of marijuana are not dangerous to others. He does not support smoking of marijuana because of the dangers of smoke inhalation. Hanuš is against uncontrolled use of marijuana, but he fully supports its use for medical purposes.[8]

In May 2010, Hanuš took part in a seminar of Czech Parliament aimed at introduction of cannabinoid treatment.[12] The first cannabinoid-based medication was approved in the Czech Republic in April 2011,[14] while possession of up to 15 grams and growing of up to 5 marijuana plants has been decriminalized since January 2010.[15]

Awards

  • September 14, 2005: Hanuš Medal (The Czech Chemical Society in Prague) for the furthering creditable work in the fields of chemistry.
  • November 6, 2006: Memorial Medal (Rector of the Palacký University of Olomouc) to 50th anniversary of revival and reopening of the University in Olomouc at the occasion of delivering 13th annual lecture to the honour of J. L. Fischer
  • April 12, 2007: Doctor honoris causa (Masaryk University in Brno)
  • 2009: nominated for the National Award of the Czech Government Czech Mind (Česká hlava)
  • 2010: nominated for the Patria Award in the Czech Republic
  • 2010: nominated for The 2010 Jack Herer Award Outstanding Hemp Awareness in the field of Medicine
  • April 26, 2010: Outstanding Immigrant Scientist (1990-2010) for his contribution to the State of Israel, Ministery of Immigrant Absorption, Israel
  • May 4, 2011: Doctor honoris causa (Palacký University of Olomouc)

See also

References

  1. ^ The Czech Chemical Society, Prague; for the furthering creditable work in the fields of chemistry
  2. ^ Rector of the Palacky University, Olomouc; to 50. anniversary of revival and reopening of the University in Olomouc at the occasion of delivering 13th annual lecture to the honour of J. L. Fischer
  3. ^ Masaryk University, Brno
  4. ^ 1990–2010, Israel
  5. ^ Palacký University, Olomouc
  6. ^ "Dr. Lumir Hanus". huji.ac.il. Retrieved 2011-05-05.
  7. ^ a b Template:Cz icon "Dr. Lumír Ondřej Hanuš". konopnyshop.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-05.
  8. ^ a b c d Template:Cz icon "Nad léčivými jointy s Lumírem Hanušem". blisty.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  9. ^ Template:Cz icon "Lumír Hanuš". blisty.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  10. ^ Devane WA, Hanus L, Breuer A, Pertwee RG, Stevenson LA, Griffin G, Gibson D, Mandelbaum A, Etinger A, Mechoulam R (1992). "Isolation and structure of a brain constituent that binds to the cannabinoid receptor". Science. 258 (5090): 1946–9. doi:10.1126/science.1470919. PMID 1470919. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Mechoulam R, Fride E (1995). "The unpaved road to the endogenous brain cannabinoid ligands, the anandamides". In Pertwee RG (ed.). Cannabinoid receptors. Boston: Academic Press. pp. 233–258. ISBN 0-12-551460-3.
  12. ^ a b Template:Cz icon "Konopí je jedním z nejbezpečnějších známých léčiv, říká v Izraeli působící profesor Lumír Hanuš". idnes.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-05.
  13. ^ Template:Cz icon "Lumír Hanuš". cro.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-05.
  14. ^ Template:Cz icon "V ČR se smí užívat první lék s výtažkem konopí – marihuany". tribune.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-05.
  15. ^ Template:Cz icon "Pět rostlin konopí a 40 houbiček budou jen přestupek, řekla vláda". lidovky.cz. Retrieved 2011-05-05.

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