Doug Fine giving a talk on cannabis law reform at London South Bank University. Oh my! (Photo by Jake Lewis)

Instagram, the photo and video sharing network owned by Facebook, is usually associated with light-hearted 'selfie' photos, or amusing memes.

But it also has a darker side, and has become a marketplace for a wide range of illicit goods. So long as you know the right hashtags to search.

Thousands of pictures showing drugs on offer can be found on Instagram by searching keywords.

In response to this investigation by #BBCTrending, Instagram has blocked searches for certain terms associated with the suspected illegal sale of drugs via its service.

"Instagram has a clear set of rules about what is and isn't allowed on the site," a spokeswoman told the BBC.

New research out of the UK may explain why chemicals from marijuana offer protection in various models of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is more common among the aging population and is marked by a widespread loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain.

However, investigators from the Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry at University of Plymouth say that numerous studies have found cannabinoids to protect cells from Parkinson’s-related damage.

Cannabinoids such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] are neuroprotective in animal and cell culture models of Parkinson’s disease.

In the latest study, the team, led by Camille Carrol, Ph.D, identified a mechanism that appears to underlie these benefits.

This is the most joyous news that I have dreamed of writing for years. Legal access to herbal medicinal cannabis in Britain has been achieved!

Following a procedure on which we have offered advice and guidance, a CLEAR member has returned to the UK from Holland with 90g of Bedrocan medicinal cannabis which was prescribed by his UK GP. He declared the medicine at customs, all 18 tubs containing five grams each were examined, he showed the various documentation which we have obtained and he was authorised to proceed.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS in the production of legal drugs from marijuana in Britain has put the spotlight on the potential of ganja as a source of legitimate earnings here.

In a recent article in The Economist, it was disclosed that victims of multiple sclerosis (MS) since June 21 this year can legally purchase a marijuana-based medicine known as Sativex in Britain to alleviate the excruciating pain and spasms associated with their condition.