International Cannabis Business Conference Blog – Page 44 – International Cannabis Business Conference

Cannabis-Induced Psychosis Is Rare Without Pre-Existing Conditions Per Meta-Analysis

Written by Frank Schuler on July 30, 2024. Posted in Science.

One of the most common talking points for cannabis opponents is that ‘cannabis is bad for human brains.’ Many older cannabis observers will attest that this talking point is as old as cannabis prohibition itself.

Such cannabis opponents will cherry-pick public mental health data and present it out of context to try to ‘prove’ their point. Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for compassion and logical reasoning, proper scientific research demonstrates that cannabis opponents are wrong.

A team of researchers in Switzerland recently conducted a meta-analysis regarding psychosis and cannabis use, controlling for pre-existing mental health conditions. Below is more information about the methodology and results of the analysis via a news release from NORML:

Lausanne, Switzerland: Cannabis consumption rarely triggers episodes of acute psychosis in those who do not have a pre-existing psychiatric disorder, according to the results of a meta-analysis published in the journal Nature: Mental Health.

An international team of researchers from Switzerland and the United Kingdom reviewed the relationship between marijuana use and cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms (CAPS) in 162 studies involving over 210,000 cannabis consumers.

Researchers reported that the risk of psychosis “appears most amplified in vulnerable individuals,” particularly those with “pre-existing mental health problems” such as bipolar disorder. By contrast, they acknowledged, “[N]either young age of onset of cannabis use nor high-frequency use of cannabis or the preferred type of cannabis (strains high in THC, strains high in CBD) was associated with CAPS.”

Overall, they estimated that 0.5 percent of those who consume cannabis may experience a psychotic episode during their lifetime. That percentage mirrors estimates published in a prior study involving 233,000 European marijuana consumers. The authors of that study concluded, “Rates of CAPS as observed here are comparable to rates of other drug-induced psychosis, such as alcohol-associated psychosis (around 0.4 – 0.7 percent).”

The studies’ findings push back against claims that marijuana exposure is a frequent trigger for psychosis and other mental health disorders.

Full text of the study, “Assessing rates and predictors of cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms across observational, experimental, and medical research. Additional information on cannabis and mental health is available from NORML’s white paper, ‘Cannabis, Mental Health, and Context: The Case for Regulation.’

Thailand Reverses Course And Will Regulate Cannabis Instead Of Prohibit It

Written by Hazel Norman on July 30, 2024. Posted in Policy.

In recent years Thailand has served as arguably the wildest nation on earth from a cannabis public policy observer standpoint. For many decades, Thailand had some of the harshest cannabis laws on the planet, which is why it was such a tectonic shift when Thailand decriminalized cannabis in June 2022.

Since June 2022, cannabis commerce has increased across many parts of Thailand, and the country is now a top international cannabis tourism destination. The increase in cannabis activity has resulted in calls by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to reverse course and reclassify cannabis as a narcotic, even though Thailand’s cannabis policies are working as intended.

Thailand’s historic cannabis policy shift in 2022 was designed to pave the way for the nation’s emerging cannabis industry to become a regional and international cannabis industry leader. Every household in the entire country could sign up initially to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants, which a reported 1.1 million citizens of Thailand have done.

During Thailand’s historic change in 2022, the nation’s Public Health Minister indicated that there would be no plant limit for the government’s cannabis cultivation program. Thailand’s government also gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up for the program.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand agreed to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward after the 2022 policy change. Researchers estimate that Thailand’s 2022 policy change resulted in roughly 12,000 cannabis dispensaries opening nationwide. The dispensaries operate on three-year licenses from the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicines and employ an estimated 60,000 people.

Mere weeks ago, Thailand was set to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic. However, in recent days Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin indicated that his prohibition policy pursuit would be abandoned, and instead of re-banning cannabis in Thailand, lawmakers would seek to properly regulate the nation’s emerging industry.

“According to the source, Srettha instructed Somsak to push for a bill to regulate the use of marijuana instead of reinstating the plant on the list of Category 5 Narcotics. The aim of the bill should be to ensure marijuana is used for medical purposes, research and for certain products.” stated The Nation in its local reporting.

Thailand was at risk of being the first nation in modern history to decriminalize cannabis and then re-criminalize it. Cannabis opponents around the globe were starting to point to Thailand as ‘evidence’ of ‘failed cannabis reform.’ They will now have to pivot their arguments, which will be no easy task given the fact that cannabis policy modernization is succeeding in many parts of the world.

Currently, cannabis is expressly legal for adult use at the national level in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Additionally, regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot programs are operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and cannabis is legal for adult use in 24 U.S. states and Washington D.C.

Thailand’s cannabis policy differs from the previously mentioned jurisdictions in that only low-THC cannabis varieties are permitted.

Canadian Patients Report Cannabis Effectively Treats Musculoskeletal Pain

Written by Frank Schuler on July 30, 2024. Posted in Science.

Musculoskeletal pain is a health condition that affects bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and/or muscles. Injuries, particularly ones that involve a fracture, are a common contributor to a patient developing musculoskeletal pain. Arthritis can also cause musculoskeletal pain.

According to international researchers, 1.71 billion people suffer from musculoskeletal conditions globally. Musculoskeletal conditions are reportedly the leading contributor to disability across the planet, with low back pain being the single leading cause of disability.

A team of investigators in Canada conducted a survey asking about musculoskeletal pain and cannabis use, with survey participants reporting that cannabis therapy effectively treats their condition. Below is more information about the survey and its results via a news release from NORML:

Toronto, Canada: More than one in five patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (MSK) report having used cannabis to manage their symptoms and 90 percent of them perceive it to be effective, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Canadian researchers surveyed 629 patients with chronic MSK pain. Twenty-three percent acknowledged having used cannabis therapeutically. Over 90 percent of consumers said that it was either “very,” “somewhat,” or “slightly” effective at managing their pain, improving their sleep, and reducing anxiety-related symptoms. More than half (57 percent) perceived cannabis to be more effective than other analgesic medications, and 40 percent acknowledged decreasing their use of traditional pain medications following their use of cannabis.

The study’s authors concluded: “One in five patients presenting to an orthopaedic surgeon with chronic MSK pain are using or have used cannabis with the specific intent to manage their pain, and most report it to be effective. … Future double-blind placebo-controlled trials are required to understand if this reported efficacy is accurate, and what role, if any, cannabis may play in the management of chronic MSK pain.”

Survey data published last month reported that one in four cannabis consumers use it primarily to achieve pain relief.

Full text of the study, “Understanding the epidemiology and perceived efficacy of cannabis use in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research. Additional information on cannabis and pain management is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

Czechia’s Legalization Model Continues To Take Shape

Written by Johnny Green on July 23, 2024. Posted in Policy.

Europe’s cannabis movement is gaining momentum, and one of the best examples of that can be found in Czechia where a recently leaked document is providing insight into the adult-use legalization model that is being pursued there.

Ever since Germany announced its plans to pursue adult-use legalization, international cannabis policy observers have kept a close eye on the Czech Republic where leaders expressed a strong desire to follow Germany’s lead.

According to the leaked document that recently surfaced, which was provided to the International Cannabis Business Conference by local activists, what is being reportedly pursued in Czechia is a combination of home cultivation, cultivation associations, and ‘a regulated cannabis market.’

Personal cannabis possession and home cultivation are currently legal in multiple European nations – Malta, Luxembourg, and Germany. Cultivation associations are also currently permitted in Malta and Germany.

“The current prohibition leads to the fact that there are more than a thousand people convicted of cannabis crimes in prisons, which burdens the state budget with costs of over CZK 700 million per year,” emphasized Tomáš Vymazal, a member of the Rational Regulation (RARE) board and chairman of the Safe Cannabis Association, in a press release provided to the International Cannabis Business Conference.

The Registered Association Rational Regulation (RARE) was established at the beginning of 2024 with the aim of supporting rational cannabis regulation in the Czech Republic based on scientific knowledge and the best foreign experience. Its founders are the Czech industry cluster CzechHemp, the Legalizace.cz association, and the Safe Cannabis Association, which ‘brings together producers, distributors, and consumers of hemp extracts and hemp products.’

“The new legislation would lead to a significant decrease in the number of persons prosecuted, convicted or imprisoned for possession and cultivation of cannabis, which would result in annual savings of up to 1.2 billion CZK.” Vymazal stated.

The leaked document surfaced as cannabis advocates inside and outside of the Czech Republic continue to grapple with the news that Czech Republic National Anti-Drug Coordinator Jindřich Vobořil is resigning from his position. Vobořil has served as a top advocate for modernizing Czechia’s cannabis policies and regulations.

“We consider the departure of Jindřich Vobořil, a key expert on addictions, to be unfortunate and risky, especially considering the fact that his position in the negotiation of a comprehensive drug policy reform will change, because from the position of the national anti-drug coordinator, he could solve the issue not only professionally, but also cross-party, which is now endangered,” said the chairman of the RARE association, Robert Veverka.

A limiting factor in all legalized European nations, which will also presumably prove to be the case in Czechia to some extent, is current European Union agreements. EU policies limit the level of adult-use cannabis commerce that can be conducted within its member nations to cultivation associations and research pilot trials.

With that being said, if cultivation associations and pilot programs proliferate in Czechia, and adults can cultivate their own cannabis, the end result would effectively be widespread legalization, similar to what is expected in Germany. Regional cannabis pilot trials are already operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland with no reported issues, and are expected to launch in Germany by the end of this year.

According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), nearly 30% of Czech adults have consumed cannabis at least once in their lifetimes and 11.1% report having consumed cannabis within the last year. The average rate for once-a-year consumption across Europe is 8% according to EMCDDA data.

A cannabis reform win in Czechia will add further momentum for overall European reform efforts, which will, in turn, build momentum for global reform efforts. People around the world can support cannabis reform efforts in Czechia by making a donation to the Responsible Reform organization. More information, including how to donate, can be found on the organization’s website.

CBD Mitigates Symptoms In Adolescents With Autism In Brazilian Study

Written by Frank Schuler on July 23, 2024. Posted in Science.

The cannabis plant contains dozens of cannabinoids, with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being arguably the most well-known cannabinoid. Another cannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), has grown in popularity in recent years due to its wellness properties.

CBD is being successfully used to treat a number of conditions around the globe, from arthritis to epilepsy. Many medical cannabis products containing CBD are derived from hemp, which is legal in more jurisdictions than non-hemp forms of cannabis.

A team of researchers in Brazil recently conducted a study involving CBD therapies and adolescents with autism. Below are the results of the Brazilian study via a news release from NORML:

Brasilia, Brazil: The administration of CBD-rich cannabis extracts is safe and effective in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to data from an observational study published in the journal Pharmaceuticals.

Brazilian investigators assessed the use of CBD-dominant extracts (CBD to THC ratio: 33 to 1) in a cohort of 30 children (mean age: 11 years) with moderate to severe ASD. Participants consumed cannabis extracts for six-months. Subjects were clinically assessed by their designated physicians. At the end of the treatment period, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the participants’ parents and caregivers.

Consistent with prior studies, most subjects (70 percent) demonstrated clinical improvements following CBD therapy – particularly with respect to attention and communication skills. Seventy-four percent of subjects either reduced or ceased their use of at least one prescribed medication during the study.

Two-thirds (67 percent) of parents reported improvements in their child’s behavior in six of the 12 categories assessed. No parents reported that their child’s symptoms worsened over the course of the study.

The study’s authors concluded: “In the present study, we show that the benefits of treatment with full-spectrum CBD oil for non-syndromic individuals with ASD are not only noticeable to the clinical eye but are also perceived and experienced by the families and caregivers. In short, the findings corroborate that this treatment, combined with a gradual and individualized dosage regimen, is safe and efficient for broader treatment of central and comorbid symptoms associated with ASD, being able to improve aspects such as social interaction, communication and quality of life.”

The study’s findings are consistent with those of placebo-controlled trial data showing improvements in ASD patients’ symptoms following the use of cannabinoid products. Observational studies have also shown that the use of cannabis can provide benefits in adults with autism.

Full text of the study, “Clinical and family implications of cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant full-spectrum phytocannabinoid extracts in children and adolescents with moderate to severe non-syndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD): An observational study on neurobehavioral management,” appears in Pharmaceuticals. Additional information on cannabinoids and ASD is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Inflammatory Arthritis Patients Report Sustained Relief From Cannabis

Written by Frank Schuler on July 23, 2024. Posted in Science.

International researchers estimate that as many as 350 million people around the globe suffer from some form of arthritis. Arthritis is defined as painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

Symptoms of arthritis include pain, stiffness, and swelling, as well as the affected joint(s) being a different color than usual. The affected joint(s) may also not be able to move or stretch as much as it used to.

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently conducted a study examining cannabis use by suffering arthritis patients. Below is more information about the results of the study via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients with inflammatory arthritis report reduced pain and sustained improvements in their health-related quality of life following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to observational data published in the journal International Clinical Psychopharmacology.

British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either flower or oil extracts in 82 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. (Since 2018, British specialists have been permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Researchers assessed changes in patient-reported outcomes measures at one, three, six, and 12 months.

Patients consistently reported improvements in anxiety, pain, and sleep during the length of the study

The study’s authors concluded: “This study demonstrates an associated improvement in pain severity and other relevant outcomes in individuals prescribed CBMPs for inflammatory arthritis-associated chronic pain. In addition, CBMPs were largely well tolerated by the majority of patients. … [T]hese results provide further support for continued evaluation of CBMPs in this setting.”

Other observational 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, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.

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

Court Case Challenges Japan’s Strict Cannabis Laws

Written by Hazel Norman on July 23, 2024. Posted in Policy.

When it comes to cannabis policy reform efforts, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. The most straightforward way to achieve cannabis reform is when lawmakers draft, approve, and implement a measure. However, that is not always possible, as many lawmakers around the globe continue to cling to failed cannabis prohibition.

One of the most popular ways to get around anti-cannabis politicians is through citizen initiatives or referendums in which ordinary citizens collect enough signatures to force a vote on cannabis policy reform. Collecting signatures to force a vote has proven very successful in the United States at the state level.

Another route that has yielded results comes in the form of legal challenges. When someone is subjected to prohibition enforcement they are usually afforded the right to challenge such policies in court, and while court decisions are not as good as the passage of bills by lawmakers, they provide some level of protection to consumers and patients.

Landmark cannabis court rulings were previously issued in several countries, including Spain, Italy, South Africa, and Mexico. A recent example can be found in Brazil, where the nation’s Supreme Court determined that personal cannabis possession should not be a crime.

Japan is home to one of the strictest set of cannabis policies on earth. Late last year, Japan lifted its nationwide ban on the importation of cannabis-derived medications, although the medications can only be used in very limited circumstances.

Coupled with the lifting of importing cannabis-derived medications, Japan also approved new penalties for consuming cannabis. Under the new guidelines, people caught having consumed cannabis can face up to seven years in prison in Japan.

Ryujiro Oyabu, a 52-year-old Japanese pottery artist, was pulled over by police in Japan on August 8th, 2021, and found to be in possession of three grams of cannabis. Oyabu is reportedly fighting the possession conviction with the assistance of constitutional lawyer Hidehiro Marui who argues that cannabis prohibition is unconstitutional.

If the challenge succeeds, it could have a major impact on Japan’s cannabis policies.

“His team plans to argue that since marijuana is now recognised as a medicine, the government must elaborate further and present scientific evidence of its dangers, by which they hope to undermine the principles behind criminalisation.” stated iNews in its original coverage.

Only time will tell if Japan’s top court is willing to consider the case, and if so, whether or not the challenge succeeds. Fortunately, there are many examples now from around the globe of such legal challenges succeeding.

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Israel May Apply Import Fees On Canadian Cannabis

Written by Hazel Norman on July 15, 2024. Posted in Business, Policy.

Israel’s government is considering imposing import fees on medical cannabis products imported from Canada. Israel previously launched an “anti-dumping” investigation to determine if Canadian cannabis imports were hurting the nation’s domestic industry. In the fiscal year 2023, Israel imported about 21,000 kilograms of medical cannabis products from Canada’s emerging legal cannabis industry.

The investigation’s preliminary findings seem to have determined that prices for Canadian cannabis have impacted Israel’s medical cannabis industry and that a proposed ‘fix’ will come in the form of import fees.

A final decision on whether to implement import fees on Canadian medical cannabis products is expected sometime later this year. Per initial reporting by StratCann:

In the course of the investigation, it was determined that the large volume of cannabis sold into the Israeli medical market from Canada was having a significant impact on both the local market and domestic companies’ ability to compete.

These products, determined Tal’s report, were sold at lower prices that, he argues, do not reflect the normal course of business and at prices that are lower than production costs or from their prices in the Israeli market, especially given the additional costs of exporting cannabis from Canada.

StratCann reports that roughly 80% of cannabis imported by Israel currently comes from Canada. The remaining imports reportedly originate from Portugal, Uruguay, and Uganda. Israel’s investigation “determined that a fair price for Canadian cannabis sold into the Israeli market was about $2-8 a gram” according to StratCann.

Israel’s legal medical cannabis industry is in a state of contraction right now according to domestic coverage, with The Israeli Cannabis Magazine reporting that “after a record of over 140,000 patients in January 2024, in the last six months the number of medical cannabis license holders in Israel dropped by about 8% to 128,355 as of today, the beginning of July 2024.”

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Cannabis Terpenes Exhibit Anti-Cancer Effects In China Preclinical Trial

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

Anyone who has battled cancer, or loved someone who has battled cancer, will be quick to tell you that it is a very difficult and terrible thing to ever have to endure. According to the Worldwide Cancer Research Fund International, “there were 19,976,499 cancer cases in 2022.”

Trachea, bronchus, and lung cancer are the most commonly diagnosed forms of the serious health condition, followed by breast cancer and colorectum cancer. It is estimated that roughly 1 out of every 10 deaths across the globe every year are cancer-related, and effective treatments are desperately needed.

Researchers in China recently conducted a preclinical cancer research trial involving cannabis terpenes. Terpenes are naturally occurring chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. Below are the results of the trial via a news release from NORML:

Shanghai, China: Hemp oil extracts containing the terpenes β-caryophyllene and α-humulene possess potent analgesic and anti-cancer properties, according to preclinical data published in Fitoterapia: The Journal for the Study of Medicinal Plants.

Chinese scientists assessed the pain-relieving and anti-tumor activities of hemp oil in mice. They reported that the administration of cannabis extracts reduced neuropathic pain and “significantly inhibited” tumor growth.

The study’s authors concluded, “These results reveal that HEO [hemp essential oil] plays a role not only in tumor chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy treatment, but also in anti-tumor treatment which offers key information for new strategies in cancer treatment and provides reference for the medicinal development of hemp.”

Prior studies have similarly determined that cannabis terpenes, including β-caryophyllene and α-humulene, can produce potent analgesic effects in animal models. Cannabinoids possess well-established anti-cancer activities in preclinical models, but their efficacy has rarely been assessed in clinical trials.

Full text of the study, “Chemical compounds, anti-tumor and anti-neuropathic pain effect of hemp essential oil,” appears in Fitoterapia. Additional information on cannabinoids and cancer is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.