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Cannabis Associated With Sustained Improvements In Anxiety Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on . 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.

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Federal Cannabis Reform Inches Closer In The United States

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Historically, the United States has led the charge in prohibiting cannabis in all of its forms. Starting in the 1930s, the United States prohibited cannabis, even for medical purposes, and imposed its will on other countries until they did the same.

What resulted is various international agreements containing prohibition provisions, many of which are still in place to this day. Meanwhile, other countries such as Uruguay and Canada have not only legalized cannabis at the national level for medical use but also for recreational use.

In the United States cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, however, nearly half of the states in the U.S. have now passed adult-use measures, and nearly every state has legalized cannabis for medical use to some degree. Support for national reform is greater than ever in the U.S., leading many advocates to believe that federal reform will finally happen this year.

One factor that many advocates attached their policy hopes to was possible rescheduling by the DEA. Cannabis is currently classified as a Schedule I substance, which is defined as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

Other substances on the federal Schedule I list in the United States include “heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote.”

Obviously, cannabis should not be on the same list as those other substances. According to documents that recently surfaced, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that cannabis be re-scheduled to Schedule III and has conveyed that to the DEA. Per Marijuana Moment:

The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says his agency has “communicated” the agency’s “position” on marijuana rescheduling to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and has continued to offer additional information to assist with the final determination.

HHS for the first time confirmed that it had recommended moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) on Friday, releasing a trove of documents it submitted to DEA last year amid a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit initiated by attorney Matt Zorn.

According to the DEA, “Schedule III drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Schedule III drugs abuse potential is less than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more than Schedule IV.”

“Some examples of Schedule III drugs are: products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone.” the DEA states on its website.

For comparison purposes, the DEA currently lists “Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan, Talwin, Ambien, Tramadol” as Schedule IV substances.

Many cannabis advocates had hoped that cannabis would be descheduled completely. Tobacco and alcohol are not part of the federal controlled substances scheduling lists, and both substances are responsible for considerably more health issues in the United States compared to cannabis.

It is unclear at this time whether the DEA will follow the recommendation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Spain Resumes Reviewing Medical Cannabis Regulation Proposals

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Spain, like every other populated country on earth, is home to suffering patients, many of whom use various forms of medical cannabis to treat their condition(s). How many such patients there are in Spain is nearly impossible to determine, largely because the nation does not have a comprehensive medical cannabis program.

For several years lawmakers in Spain have tried to pass meaningful medical cannabis regulations, just to see medical cannabis measures repeatedly hit dead ends. The most recent example can be found last year when draft medical cannabis legislation was circulated and then tabled.

The Spanish government is reportedly reviving efforts to review medical cannabis regulation proposals, which are desperately needed in a country that has arguably the most active unregulated medical cannabis market on the planet. Per The Local:

Sources from the Ministry, headed by Sumar’s Mónica García, have confirmed to various outlets in the Spanish press that they intend to press on with draft legislation and relaunch the creation of a medical programme from mid-January.

The government had previously looked into the issue and the Spanish Parliament even approved a draft document that urged for cannabis regulation for medicinal purposes, but with the rush of elections at the end of the last legislature the issue was ultimately side-lined.

Now the Health Ministry wants to reignite the process and is reviewing the existing draft legislation, which was drawn up on the basis of findings by a Congressional committee and was something backed by all parties besides right-wing Partido Popular (PP) and Vox, who voted against.

According to a poll cited by The Local, 84% of Spaniards support regulating medical cannabis per CIS data. A majority of lawmakers in Spain’s Parliament also reportedly support medical cannabis reform.

There is a clear disconnect between cannabis opponents in Spain’s Parliament and what is actually going on in Spain’s communities. Spain’s cannabis consumption rate is greater than nearly every other nation on Earth, and hundreds of private cannabis clubs populate various parts of the country.

The absence of a regulated domestic medical cannabis program has done nothing to deter people from consuming cannabis. Rather, it forces suffering patients to source their medicine from unregulated sources, which is far from an optimal situation.

It remains unclear if/when medical cannabis legislation will receive a vote in Spain’s Parliament, and for that matter, whether such a vote would prove to be favorable or not. However, momentum does appear to be gaining in Spain, and it’s largely a matter of supporters in parliament overcoming the constant hurdles that are set up by opponents.

Meanwhile, the effort to shut down cannabis clubs in Barcelona continues, although, the odds of it succeeding seem grim at best. Lawmakers at the local and national levels need to work together in Spain to regulate cannabis products and commerce, rather than continue to stick their heads in the ground and let organized crime fill the void at the expense of public health outcomes.

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

Written by Frank Schuler on . 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.

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Physicians Endorse Cannabis-Based Treatments For Young Cerebral Palsy Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on . 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.

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Will 2024 Be An Active Year For German Cannabis Reform?

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

With 2024 now in full swing, the eyes of the international cannabis community remain fixed on Germany where lawmakers continue to work to pass the nation’s adult-use CanG cannabis law, an effort that has seemingly languished since it started back in 2021.

Last year was full of ups and downs in Germany, with a Bundestag vote expected, just to then be unceremoniously dashed, multiple times during 2023. According to Deutscher Hanfverband (DHV), a Bundestag vote is still expected later this month:

DHV reached out to factions from Germany’s coalition government earlier this month, and while members of the Greens and FDP responded, members of the SPD parliamentary group did not. The SPD parliamentary group has received considerable blame for ongoing legalization delays.

“Due to the postponement of the CanG from the Bundestag agenda and the ongoing debates in the SPD parliamentary group, we asked all traffic light factions about the status of things. The Greens and FDP responded, the SPD parliamentary group did not.” DHV stated.

“In a joint press release on November 27th, 2023, the traffic light factions announced that they had “agreed in the negotiations on a paradigm shift in cannabis policy”. (https://www.gruene-bundestag.de/presse/pressemitigungen/ampel-ein-sich-auf-cannabis-gesetz). The subsequent reporting was accurate and the agreement stands. The substantive negotiations have been completed. Since then, no other negotiations, including at a higher level, have taken place between the traffic light factions. The changes must now be decided by the Health Committee and the law must be passed in an amended version by the Bundestag. This can take place within one week of the meeting. We Greens are striving for a timely adoption.” Green Party’s spokesperson Kirsten Kappert-Gonther told DHV.

“It is a common goal of our coalition to pass the cannabis law in the German Bundestag as quickly as possible. Thoroughness is more important than speed. A practical and sensible law is more important to us than a hasty law. In the negotiations between the political groups, we are always careful to take all interests into account. On the one hand, the protection of minors and health, security and criminal prosecution must be ensured; on the other hand, social realities and the right to self-determination must not be neglected. Despite internal coordination problems within the SPD parliamentary group, we are extremely confident that we will be able to complete the legislative process with our coalition partners in the near future. Our aim is to enable responsible and legal use of cannabis.” Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus, Parliamentary Managing Director of the Free Democrats Group told DHV.

Bundestag member Dr. Rolf Mützenich (SPD) was previously asked by a constituent in recent weeks, “Dear Mr. Mützenich, are you worried about the citizens’ severe loss of trust in the SPD due to the repeated postponement of the vote on the CanG or does it not matter to you?”

Dr. Mützenich replied publicly with, “The SPD parliamentary group continues to support the bill to decriminalize cannabis. It is regrettable that other reports spread a false impression – perhaps deliberately. The SPD has long campaigned for a liberal drug policy and failed to do so due to the Union under Chancellor Merkel.”

“We are now committed to ensuring that the law will, above all, take health protection into account; final discussions are still being held on this matter. The law is scheduled to be passed at the beginning of next year and, we intend, to come into force in April 2024 as planned.” Dr. Mützenich also stated.

Further changes to CanG appear to be on the way, although it remains unclear what those changes are. Still, the timeline for approval appears to be on pace:

Meanwhile, adult-use cannabis or not, members of Germany’s established medical cannabis industry are calling for wider regulatory reform in the nation’s medical sector. All of it is adding to what will likely be a very busy year for cannabis policy modernization efforts in Germany in 2024.

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Cannabis Clubs Are Here To Stay In Barcelona, Spain

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni and the Barcelona City Council are ramping up efforts to close down the city’s famed cannabis clubs, with the City Council recently launching a new inspection campaign. The effort is aimed at ‘putting an end’ to clubs in the city, with city leadership stating that “It is a model that we do not want in our city.”

Cannabis clubs in Barcelona have long benefitted from a favorable tolerance of cannabis clubs, which operate in a legal ‘grey area’ of sorts. Commercial adult-use cannabis is still prohibited in Spain, however, it is unconstitutional for Spain’s government to prohibit private cannabis use.

Law enforcement in the Barcelona region of Spain estimates that the area is home to roughly 450 clubs, all of which are essentially unregulated. The clubs are very popular, and even if one is closed down another one pops up to take its place in short order. An effort to close down all of them is an untenable goal by every measure.

Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy, with no hard evidence existing to back up the claim that it works. Prohibition does not lower consumption rates. Humans have made use of the cannabis plant for thousands of years, and that will never cease to be the case. Barcelona is no exception.

Cannabis is so engrained into the culture of the Barcelona region that it is home to the largest cannabis super-conference on the planet, a collaborative effort between the world’s largest cannabis gathering, Spannabis, and the world’s leading B2B series, the International Cannabis Business Conference.

Barcelona is one of the top international cannabis destinations on earth, with people flocking to the city from all corners of the globe every spring. It’s one of the only places on the planet where cannabis consumers of all backgrounds agree about the quality of the cannabis being amazing, with the same being true about the interesting places in which to consume it in a private setting.

Nowhere else on earth can the same cannabis scene be found that exists in Barcelona, which is why people go there. It is arguably the number one cannabis tourist destination on earth right now.

Barcelona doesn’t have a cannabis use problem. Rather, Barcelona has a cannabis regulation problem, and that problem increases in size and scope with every passing year. Barcelona’s unregulated cannabis market is enormous, and it is largely controlled by organized crime right now.

That, in turn, creates public health outcome concerns with people consuming products that are not tested for contaminants, in addition to public safety concerns.

The best thing that Barcelona policymakers can do is to work to transition cannabis clubs in Barcelona into a regulated system, yet, that is not something that Barcelona politicians can do unilaterally. At one point Barcelona had a regulatory program, however, the Spanish Supreme Court halted the local program.

Ultimately, regulations need to be passed at the national level in Spain. Lawmakers need to recognize the reality of the situation, that cannabis clubs in Spain are here to stay, and that it is better from a public health strategy standpoint to regulate the cannabis industry rather than leaving it to organized crime to continue to fill the void.

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Is Hemp Protein An Overlooked Sector Of The Industry?

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Protein consumption is one of the most important parts of the human diet. It is a nutrient that all humans need to grow and repair cells, particularly cells in muscles and bones. Daily protein consumption is necessary for humans to perform life functions properly.

When some people think of protein, they probably get visions of bodybuilders and powder mixes, or huge slabs of meat. However, as previously stated, all humans need protein in their diets, not just athletes who are trying to increase their muscle mass, and protein can be found in many different foods.

Protein is comprised of various amino acids, with amino acids often being referred to as ‘the building blocks of life.’ There are roughly 20 different amino acids, 11 of which human bodies create naturally. Those are referred to as ‘non-essential amino acids.’ Nine other amino acids cannot be made by the human body, and are referred to as ‘essential amino acids.’

Meat, while not the only source of protein on earth, is the most popular choice in many parts of the world. Plant-based proteins are becoming more popular for various reasons, which is a good thing from a sustainability standpoint.

Large-scale livestock operations, which is where much of the world’s meat comes from, collectively produce a significant carbon footprint. Whereas farming operations that produce plant-based proteins have a lower carbon footprint.

In recent years, as more humans have transitioned away from meat protein sources to plant-based ones, researchers have tried to figure out which plants are the best for producing protein, both from an output standpoint and a sustainability standpoint.

Soy is a popular plant-based protein, as are peas. Beans, nuts, and whole grains are other non-meat-based proteins that are commonly incorporated into human diets and protein products. But one plant, the hemp plant, may prove to be the best protein source of them all one day.

Hemp seed as a protein source for humans is not a new phenomenon, with evidence of its use for nourishment purposes going back at least 3,000 years. Although, the push to ‘optimize’ hemp seed and research how to get the most out of it is still a relatively new thing.

Popular plant-based proteins were never prohibited like hemp was, and in some areas, hemp is still prohibited. Prohibition has greatly hindered hemp research compared to other crops, including from a cultivar standpoint, as well as protein solubility.

Last year researchers associated with Cornell University in the United States analyzed multiple hemp cultivars to see which one possessed the best traits for various measurables.

“Hemp seed protein isolates (HPI) were extracted from seven commercial hemp cultivars, a Cornell breeding line, and a commercial hemp heart product, and their composition and functional properties were investigated. HPI contained different ratios of edestin, vicilin, and albumin proteins, which affected protein solubility and functionality.” the researchers stated.

“Higher protein solubility was associated with cultivars that contained more vicilin and albumin, which influenced the subsequent functional properties of HPI. Significant differences in water holding capacity (0.83-1.05 g water/g protein isolate), oil holding capacity (1.28-1.81 g oil/g protein isolate), foam capacity (52.9%-84.9%), and foam stability (68.1%-89.4%) were observed across HPI.” the researchers also stated.

“The relationship identified between hemp seed protein composition and functionality, in conjunction with the demonstration of an on-going hemp breeding line, suggest that continued, targeted development of hemp cultivars can improve its seed protein functional properties for ingredient utilization in plant-based foods.” the researchers concluded.

Hemp seed protein is very versatile from a product development standpoint, as many things can be created with hemp protein as a key ingredient, including butter, milk, powders, and breads. With demand for organic, plant-based proteins increasing, and hemp seed research also increasing, the future is bright.

It’s quite likely that hemp seed protein will supplant other popular protein sources someday, especially when considering the sustainability concerns associated with various crops and livestock operations that do not apply to the hemp plant.

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Legalization Is Not Associated With Spikes In Cannabis-Related Psychosis

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

One of the most common mainstream media hit jobs in modern times involves opponents implying that cannabis reform alone has led to a spike in incidents of cannabis-related psychosis among consumers and patients.

Cannabis legalization, by every reasonable measure, has been an overwhelming success in jurisdictions that have allowed it, including in Canada where cannabis was first legalized for adult use in late 2018.

Researchers in Canada examined data involving incidents of cannabis-related psychosis and determined that legalization is not associated with spikes in such incidents. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, Canada: The legalization of the Canadian marijuana market is not associated with increases in rates of cannabis-related psychosis, according to data published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

A team of Canadian researchers examined regional changes in health services use and incidences of psychotic disorders during the months immediately following legalization. (Canada legalized marijuana possession and retail sales in October 2018.)

They reported, “We did not find evidence of increases in health service use or incident cases of psychotic disorders over the short-term (17 month) period following cannabis legalization.” They cautioned, however, that “a longer post-legalization observation period … is needed to fully understand the population-level impacts of non-medical cannabis legalization.”

The finding is consistent with the conclusions of a 2022 study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Its authors similarly determined that the “implementation of Canada’s cannabis legalization framework was not associated with evidence of significant changes in cannabis-induced psychosis or schizophrenia ED [emergency department] presentations.”

In the United States, state-level marijuana legalization laws have not been associated with a statistically significant increase in psychosis-related health outcomes. Specifically, a 2022 paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open found no association between the adoption of marijuana legalization and overall rates of psychosis-related diagnoses or prescribed antipsychotics.

Although the use of cannabis and other controlled substances tends to be more common among those with psychotic illnesses, studies indicate that lifetime incidences of marijuana-induced psychosis are relatively rare among those who do not have a prior psychiatric diagnosis. According to one recently published study, fewer than one-half of one percent of cannabis consumers had ever reported experiencing psychotic symptoms requiring medical intervention – a percentage that is lower than the rate associated with alcohol.
Full text of the study, “Impact of non-medical cannabis legalization with market restrictions on health service use and incident cases of psychotic disorder in Ontario, Canada,” appears in the International Journal of Drug Policy. Additional information is available from NORML’s op-ed, ‘Concerns surrounding cannabis and mental health must be placed in context, not sensationalized.‘