Author: Frank Schuler

Cannabis Associated With Sustained Improvements In Sleep Quality

Written by Frank Schuler on February 26, 2024. Posted in Science.

Insomnia is a very serious health issue all over the globe. Researchers estimate that as many as one out of every three adults around the world suffers from insomnia. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder in which sufferers have trouble falling and/or staying asleep.

The inability to fall asleep and/or stay asleep can have a dramatically negative impact on a person’s life. A lack of sleep, especially if the lack of sleep is chronic, can result in a person having issues with cognitive functions, including memory loss and the inability to focus. Chronic insomnia can result in major depression in some cases.

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently conducted an analysis in which they examined cannabis use and its impact on sustained improvements in sleep quality. Below is more information about the analysis via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Insomnia patients who consume cannabis products report sustained improvements in their sleep quality, according to data published in the journal Brain & Behavior.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 60 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Cohort participants possessed a doctor’s authorization to access cannabis products. (Since 2018, specialists have been permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Authors assessed the efficacy of cannabis at one, three, and six months.

Researchers reported that cannabis products were “well tolerated” and that they were associated with better sleep, reduced anxiety, and greater quality of life.

They concluded: “More than 40 percent of participants who completed each PROM [patient-reported outcome measure] round reported clinically significant improvement in their sleep quality at each time period. These results show that initiation of CBMP [cannabis-based medicinal products] therapy was associated with improvements in those patients who had previously failed to respond to currently licensed treatments for insomnia.”

Other studies assessing the use of cannabis products in patients enrolled in the UK Cannabis Registry have reported them to be effective for those suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.

Placebo-controlled clinical trial data has previously affirmed the efficacy of plant-derived cannabis extracts in patients suffering from chronic insomnia.

Full text of the study, “UK Medical Cannabis Registry: Assessment of clinical outcomes in patients with insomnia,” appears inBrain & Behavior.Additional information on cannabis and insomnia is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

CBD Dosing Not Associated With Changes In Disease Progression

Written by Frank Schuler on February 21, 2024. Posted in Science.

The research surrounding cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids is still largely in its infancy, and scientists are unlocking new knowledge about cannabis nearly every week, particularly knowledge involving CBD-based research.

A recent example of that can be found in Australia where researchers examined the use of CBD among patients with advanced-stage cancer. For better or worse, the use of CBD does not appear to make changes in the disease’s progress. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Queensland, Australia: The use of CBD among patients with advanced-stage cancer is not associated with changes in either disease progress or survival, according to data published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.

Australian researchers compared outcomes of CBD versus placebo in a cohort of cancer patients. Study participants consumed either CBD (up to a maximum of 600 mg per day) or placebo daily for nearly three months.

No changes in either disease progression or survival were identified between the two groups.

The study’s authors concluded: “No significant difference was noted in disease progression or survival in patients with advanced cancer receiving CBD oil versus placebo in the context of this clinical trial. … Given the effect cannabinoids appear to have on cancer cell growth in vitro, it is not impossible to consider an anticancer role for these compounds, though we saw no specific benefit on disease progression with CBD prescription, or indeed survival.”

While numerous preclinical studies and a limited number of case reports have documented anti-cancer effects associated with cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, these effects have not been replicated in controlled human studies.

Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol oil or placebo in advanced cancer-disease progression and survival: A secondary analysis,” appears in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Additional information on cannabis and cancer is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

Cannabis Use Is Far From A New Thing In Italy

Written by Frank Schuler on February 7, 2024. Posted in Science.

Humans have a long history with the cannabis plant. Hemp fiber was used as far back as 10,000 years ago during the Early Jomon Period in Japan. Consumption for medical purposes goes back at least as far as back as 2,800 BC. Cannabis was included in Emperor Shen Nung’s (regarded as the father of Chinese medicine) pharmacopeia around that time.

Putting humans’ use of the cannabis plant in that context really highlights how recent of a public policy phenomenon cannabis prohibition is. Make no mistake, cannabis is not prohibited because it holds ‘no medical value’ and it is not prohibited because of scientifically backed reasoning. It is prohibited due to the special interests of a handful of people, including lawmakers.

Archeologists in Italy recently conducted a project in which they examined bones dating back to the 1,600s. They reportedly found traces of cannabinoids, demonstrating that cannabis use in Italy has occurred for a very long time. Per Popular Mechanics:

“This study reports the first physical evidence of cannabis use in Modern Age in Italy, but also in Europe,” wrote the authors of the study detailing this discovery. The study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, and chronicles the group’s toxicological analyses on human remains that were located in a Milan hospital crypt.

“The presence of these two alkaloids evidences the use of the cannabis plant in the Italian population during the 17^thcentury,” the authors wrote. After investigating the archived documentation of the hospital, the team found that cannabis was not administered as a medical treatment during the 1600s. “Thus, we hypothesize that the subjects under investigation used cannabis as a recreational substance,” the study said. The researchers caution, however, that they can’t rule out other sources of exposure related to medical treatments outside of the hospital.

A project in 2019 in western China also found evidence of the use of high-THC cannabis, with archeologists also discovering a smoking apparatus during the project that was used for consuming cannabis.

“It is quite likely that people came across cannabis plants at higher elevations that were naturally producing higher THC levels.” the researchers stated. Ancient artwork and references from Syria to China hint at an even earlier date of human cannabis use.

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THC Levels Not Correlated With Changes In Driving Performance

Written by Frank Schuler on January 29, 2024. Posted in Science.

Public policies related to driving under the influence as they pertain to cannabis is an extremely important topic. All cannabis consumers should want to keep roadways safe and treat driving while intoxicated by any substance as a very serious matter.

With that being said, just because someone consumes cannabis does not automatically mean that they are too impaired to drive. Also, just because someone has cannabis in their system it doesn’t mean that they are impaired, and for that matter, it doesn’t mean that the cannabis in the person’s system indicates that they consumed recently.

Cannabis can stay in a person’s system for a very long time, and due to how fast the body metabolizes cannabis, having cannabinoids in the system could mean that the person consumed cannabis just hours prior, or a month prior – there’s no scientific way to know for sure once cannabinoids have been metabolized.

Researchers in Canada recently examined THC levels in subjects’ blood and whether or not it correlated to changes in driving performance. Below is more information about the results of the study via a news release from NORML:

Toronto, Canada: The presence of THC in blood is not predictive of detriments in psychomotor performance, according to driving simulator data published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Toronto assessed subjects’ simulated driving performance at baseline and then again 30 and 180 minutes after smoking cannabis. Participants were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old and smoked cannabis (mean THC potency: 19 percent) ad libitum prior to driving.

Subjects exhibited “small changes in SDLP [weaving]” 30 minutes after cannabis inhalation. Investigators described these changes as less pronounced than those associated with drivers with a BAC below 0.05 percent.

Consistent with the results of prior studies, participants decreased their speed after smoking and were more likely to self-assess their performance as “impaired.” Cannabis use did not impact participants’ reaction times.

Subjects’ simulated driving performance returned to baseline within three hours.

The study’s authors concluded: “The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between cannabis and driving and blood THC levels in older adults. … There was no correlation between blood THC concentration and SDLP [standard deviation in lateral positioning] or MS [mean speed]. … The lack of correlation between driving and blood THC fits within emerging evidence that there is not a linear relationship between the two.”

That conclusion is consistent with numerous studies reporting that neither the detection of THC nor its metabolites in blood and/or other bodily fluids is predictive of impaired driving performance. As a result, NORML has long opposed the imposition of per se THC limits for motorists and has alternatively called for the expanded use of mobile performance technology like DRUID.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis and driving in older adults,” appears in JAMA Network Open. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’

Cannabis Use Not Independently Linked To Poorer Educational Outcomes

Written by Frank Schuler on January 29, 2024. Posted in Science.

One of the most serious areas of cannabis public policy pertains to youth consumption. Aside from limited instances of medical use, no responsible cannabis consumer ever advocates for youngsters to be able to consume cannabis.

Unfortunately, cannabis opponents have spread so much misinformation over the years, and in some cases outright lies, that it can seem impossible at times to have a constructive conversation about youth cannabis use and its potential impact.

As with all cannabis public policies, science and facts should lead the way. A recent study in Finland examined cannabis use in adolescents and its potential impact on educational outcomes. It helps provide important context for ongoing discussions. Below is more information about it via NORML:

Helsinki, Finland: The use of alcohol, but not cannabis, in adolescence is independently associated with poorer educational attainment, according to longitudinal data published in the journal BMC Public Health.

Finnish investigators assessed the relationship between the use of cannabis and alcohol by adolescents and lifetime educational attainment in a cohort of more than 6,500 subjects.

They reported that the frequent use of alcohol during adolescence was significantly associated with poorer lifetime educational attainment after controlling for confounders. By contrast, early-onset cannabis use was not a statistically significant risk factor after researchers controlled for other variables.

The study’s authors concluded: “In this large birth cohort study with a 17-year follow-up, younger age at first intoxication, higher frequency of alcohol intoxication, and high self-reported alcohol tolerance at age 15/16 years were associated with poorer educational outcomes by the age of 33 years. These adverse associations were evident regardless of a range of potential confounders, such as behavioral/emotional problems at age 7/8 years and parental education level. The association between adolescent lifetime cannabis use and educational attainment in adulthood was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for potential confounders including alcohol use. Our finding that inherent alcohol tolerance in adolescence was associated with subsequent educational attainment has not been previously reported.”

Full text of the study, “Adolescent alcohol and cannabis use in early adulthood educational attainment in the 1986 Finland birth cohort study,” appears in BMC Public Health.

German Patients Report Major Depression Improvements After Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on January 22, 2024. Posted in Science.

International researchers estimate that as much as five percent of adults around the globe suffer from depression. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to men, and a diagnosis can happen at any age.

Depressive disorder involves a depressed mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time, including activities that a patient used to enjoy. Clinical depression, often referred to as major depressive disorder, is a severe form of depression.

Researchers in Germany recently conducted a study involving medical cannabis and patients suffering from major depressive disorder. The results of the study were favorable. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Essen, Germany: The use of medical cannabis products is associated with reduced levels of depression, according to data published in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry.

German investigators assessed medical cannabis use in a cohort of 59 outpatients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). (Plant cannabis and cannabinoid treatments, such as dronabinol, were legalized by prescription use in Germany in 2017; however, such products are typically only authorized when patients are unresponsive to traditional therapies.) Study participants used cannabis products for 18 weeks.

“Mean severity of depression decreased from 6.9 points at entry to 3.8 points at week 18,” they reported. “A treatment response (>50 percent reduction of the initial score) was seen in 50.8 percent [of study subjects] at week 18.”

The study’s authors concluded: “Medical cannabis was well-tolerated and [the] dropout rate was comparable to those in clinical trials of antidepressant medication. Patients reported a clinically significant reduction of depression severity. Further research on the effectiveness of medical cannabis for MDD seems warranted.”

The study’s findings are consistent with recently published data from the United Kingdom, which determined, “Medicinal cannabis was associated with improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as health-related quality of life, and sleep quality after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment.”

Full text of the study, “Effectiveness of medical cannabis for the treatment of depression: A naturalistic outpatient study,” appears in Pharmacopsychiatry.

Cannabis Associated With Sustained Improvements In Anxiety Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on January 22, 2024. Posted in Science.

Researchers estimate that about 4% of the planet’s human population suffers from some level of anxiety, although, they do not know the exact number. Anxiety often goes undiagnosed for various reasons in certain parts of the world, so the actual rate may be much higher.

Anxiety is often described as involving intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Physical symptoms of anxiety can include a fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and/or fatigue.

Many of the pharmaceutical medications that are currently commonly prescribed to patients for anxiety involve a long list of possible side effects. Some cases of anxiety are so bad that pharmaceutical treatments don’t even work. Fortunately, medical cannabis products may be able to help in some cases.

Below is more information about a recent study via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) exhibit sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of cannabis products, according to data published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 300 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Cohort participants possessed a doctor’s authorization to access cannabis products. (Since 2018, specialists have been permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Authors assessed the efficacy of cannabis at one, three, six, and 12 months.

Consistent with prior studies, cannabis treatment was associated with persistent improvements in patients’ anxiety, sleep, and health-related quality of life. Patients presenting with severe baseline anxiety were most likely to experience a clinically significant improvement in anxiety symptoms at 12 months.

Researchers concluded: “The findings from this cohort study demonstrate that treatment with CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] is associated with statistically significant improvements across anxiety-, sleep-, and HRQoL-specific PROMs [patients-reported outcome measures] after 12 months in patients with GAD. … Results also indicated CBMPs were well tolerated throughout the study. … Patients were prescribed either oils, dried flower, or a combination of both, and this study identified no difference in outcomes at 12 months between treatment groups.”

Other studies assessing the use of cannabis products in patients enrolled in the UK Cannabis Registry have reported them to be effective for those suffering from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.
Full text of the study, “A cohort study comparing the effects of medical cannabis for anxiety patients with and without comorbid sleep disturbance,” appears in Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.

German Patients Say Cannabis Is “More Effective” Than Conventional Medications

Written by Frank Schuler on January 15, 2024. Posted in Science.

Germany is home to a robust medical cannabis program, with patients having various options from which to source their medicine. Prescriptions for medical cannabis products became permitted in Germany in 2017.

Comparatively, many other countries that permit medical cannabis have far more restrictive policies and regulations. In many ways, Germany’s medical cannabis patient base serves as a great source for research and data, as it is more reflective of what a medical cannabis program should involve.

A survey of pain patients in Germany recently found that many patients report cannabis as being “more effective” compared to other conventional medications. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Berlin, Germany: Patients with chronic pain and other conditions report that cannabis is often more effective than conventional treatments, according to survey data published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

German researchers surveyed patients’ experiences with cannabis products. (Plant cannabis and cannabinoid treatments, such as , were legalized by prescription use in Germany in 2017; however, such products are typically only authorized when patients are unresponsive to traditional therapies.) Over 200 patients participated in the survey. Most respondents suffered from chronic pain and over two-thirds of the survey’s participants consumed cannabis flowers or plant-derived extracts.

Consistent with numerous other studies, patients reported reductions in their daily pain following cannabis therapy. Patients also said that they were less likely to be either anxious or depressed while using cannabis. Participants reported “greater satisfaction” with cannabis and said that it was “more effective” than their prior therapies. Ninety-four percent of those surveyed reported holding more positive attitudes toward cannabis following treatment.

“The results of this cross-sectional survey suggest that most surveyed outpatients treated with prescription cannabinoids in Germany subjectively experience health benefits and symptom reduction associated with these therapies,” the study’s authors concluded.

Full text of the study, “Patients’ perspectives on prescription cannabinoid therapies: A cross-sectional, exploratory, anonymous, one-time web-based survey among German patients,” appears in Frontiers in Medicine. Additional information on cannabis and chronic pain is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Physicians Endorse Cannabis-Based Treatments For Young Cerebral Palsy Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on January 15, 2024. Posted in Science.

Arguably the most sensitive area of cannabis research and policy pertains to young people, for a multitude of reasons. The history of cannabis propaganda and targeting young people is complicated, to say the least.

However, in limited and controlled instances, emerging research is demonstrating that cannabis use for medical purposes can be effective in treatment strategies for younger patients. Young patients with severe epilepsy and medical cannabis are a particularly promising area of research.

A recent survey in Switzerland found that a growing number of physicians are endorsing cannabis-based treatments for young patients with cerebral palsy. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Bern, Switzerland: Physicians are recommending cannabis-based treatments for children suffering from cerebral palsy (CP), according to survey data published in the journal Children.

Swiss researchers surveyed 70 physicians with experience treating children with cerebral palsy. Physicians participating in the survey resided in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Forty-seven percent of respondents reported having authorized cannabis-based therapies (e.g., Dronabinol, Epidiolex, whole-plant cannabis extracts, or CBD) to their pediatric patients, typically as an adjunctive therapy. Doctors were most likely to recommend cannabinoids for treating seizures, spasticity, and pain. Sixty-nine percent of respondents reported that cannabis-based treatments provided either “strong” or “moderate” effects on CP symptoms.

The study’s authors concluded: “This international online survey assessed the prescribing practices of cannabinoids in children with CP by their treating physicians. The participating physicians acquired their knowledge about cannabinoids mainly outside their medical training. The physicians frequently prescribed differing formulas of cannabinoids for various indications in children with CP. The most common indications were epilepsy, spasticity, and pain, and treatment was initiated as co-medication or second-line treatment. Overall, physicians perceived a moderate efficacy of cannabinoids and no long-term side effects.”

Survey data published last year in the journal Orthopedics reported that 17 percent of US pediatric patients with CP are using CBD supplements to mitigate disease symptoms.

Full text of the study, “Prescription practices of cannabinoids in children with cerebral palsy worldwide – A survey of the Swiss cerebral palsy registry,” appears in Children.