CCSF Library: Cannabis Studies: Background Research

Background Sources

Background sources (also known as reference sources) are tertiary and contain information we "refer" to, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. These are good sources to use to get started - when you need ideas for how to narrow your topic, or could use more words to describe your needs (such as when thinking of keywords to put into a search box.)

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Credo Reference offers background information on topics from hundreds of full-text general and subject-specific reference/encyclopedia titles, as well as 500,000+ images and audio files and over 1,000 videos.
Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Trusted overview information, including Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, magazines and periodicals, and other research, written by Nobel laureates, historians, curators, professors, and other notable experts.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
An online collection of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. Small searchable and downloadable collection of electronic books on a variety of subjects.

▶ Check out our video on how to use e-books for research.

Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
The "Overview" entries in this multidisciplinary database are very good background sources. Overviews are found at the top of the individual Topic pages.
Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
While not strictly "reference," this video database is a great multidisciplinary source to find background information.

Science Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Includes hundreds of science magazines, journals, reference books and high-quality videos, as well as science experiments and a vast image collection.

Medical Marijuana: California is the First to Legalize (1995–2018)
This encyclopedic entry on medical marijuana in California could be helpful for understanding the context of legalization in our state. From Opinions Throughout History: Drug Use & Abuse. Includes the text of the 1996 Compassionate Use Act and the earlier laws that led to it.
The Adult-Use Marijuana Act: Issues and Impacts
Describes challenges faced by local governments implementing legal cannabis in California. From Legal Marijuana: Perspectives on Public Benefits, Risks and Policy Approaches (Credo Reference).
Marijuana
Overview of marijuana from a health perspective, including pharmaceutical preparations, health effects, and a glossary of key terms. From Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health (Credo Reference). Notice the related entries on topics such as tetrahydracannabinol, cannabinoid.
Restricting Marijuana Research Threatens Public Health
Viewpoint Essay from 2019 by the editors of the New York Times, from Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection.