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Global Cannabis Protests Demand Reform Now

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Cannabis activists have not let up after 4/20 this year and continue to urge others to march for change

From Berlin Germany to Quito Ecuador, activists have continued to make their presence on the streets known this year, even post 4/20. The mood in multiple countries continues to crystallize into a global demand for cannabis reform that will not be stoppered or told to shut up.

Perhaps it is the end of the Pandemic. Perhaps it is that Prohibition has finally run its course. Maybe it is just Spring.

No matter. Voices and bodies for the cause have hit the streets of multiple countries demanding change.

Is 2022 A Global Tipping Year?

There are several indications that this year may see fairly dramatic forward motion on the cannabis reform front. The US is (yet again) considering federal regulation. In Germany, it is merely a matter of when (not if) as the country’s new health minister signs up for reform and of an expedited kind.

Beyond North America and Europe, however, other countries are watching. This includes countries from Africa to Latin and Central America. And politicians are being forced to pay attention.

When Will Global Regulation Happen?

Global change is likely still up to a decade away. This is because larger countries, like the US and China, want reform to happen country by country. This in fact was the sentiment the last time the UN met to consider reform.

However, since then, a global Pandemic has come and gone, and multiple countries have decided that it is more than overdue to address an issue that continues to cost money in terms of manpower, police, court, and jail time.

Beyond this, of course, there is the matter of both greening economies and shoring them up as a new world beckons.

And everyone knows it.

Why Are Politicians Still Waiting?

Politicians always wait. Cannabis reform generally, is still not (at least outside of the US and Germany) a campaign issue.

Beyond this, as seen in Latin and Central America, there are concerns that the industry may not be sustainable. In countries where there are high poverty rates and rapidly disappearing rainforests (like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Honduras), leaders are not sure how to regulate the industry to make it both sustainable and non-destructive.

And then there are the outliers, and slow but steady as she goes success stories. South Africa is absolutely capturing global attention right now for its construction of a cannabis hub.

The people are reading. The people are speaking. The people are marching.

Cannabis. Reform. Now.

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Canadian Cannabis Consumers Report Improvements In Insomnia

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

Insomnia is one of the most prevalent health conditions around the world. It is estimated that as many as 60% of the world’s population suffers from insomnia to some degree.

The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, which is the essential definition of insomnia, can be caused by a number of factors, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, lack of exercise, a different health condition, and/or side effects from various medications.

For most sufferers of insomnia, the main negative impact on their life is that they are constantly tired. However, it can also contribute to major health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

A team of researchers in Canada recently conducted a study involving depression and anxiety patients that suffer from insomnia to see if cannabis helped treat their condition(s). Below is more information about it via a NORML news release:

Ontario, Canada: The use of cannabis products is associated with perceived improvements in insomnia in patients suffering from either anxiety or depression, according to data published in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

A team of Canadian researchers assessed the effectiveness of cannabis in managing insomnia in a cohort of 677 subjects. Study participants suffered from either anxiety, depression, or from both conditions simultaneously. Subjects self-administered cannabis products at home and reported symptom changes in real time on a mobile software application. Investigators analyzed reports from over 8,400 cannabis-use sessions recorded over a three-year period.

Consistent with prior reports, subjects from all three groups reported significant benefits from cannabis. Participants perceived CBD-dominant products to be less effective than others.

“This naturalistic investigation of cannabis use for insomnia suggests that individuals with depression, anxiety, and comorbid depression and anxiety perceive benefits from using cannabis for sleep,” authors concluded. “In addition, compared to other cannabis strains, CBD-dominant products may be less helpful for sleep, specifically in individuals with depression. The current study highlights the need for placebo-controlled trials investigating the efficacy and safety of cannabinoids for sleep in individuals with mood and anxiety disorders.”

Full text of the study, “An investigation of cannabis use for insomnia in depression and anxiety in a naturalistic sample,” appears in BMC Psychiatry.

No Sustained Changes In Uruguay Youth Cannabis Use After Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Uruguay will forever hold the distinction of being the first country on earth to pass an adult-use cannabis legalization measure. Uruguay made the historic policy change in 2013.

Nearly a decade later, only two countries have joined Uruguay on the legalization list – Canada and Malta. Out of the three countries that have passed legalization measures, only Canada and Uruguay currently allow legalized sales.

Researchers around the globe have kept a close eye on Uruguay to see what, if any, significant public health outcome changes occur due to legalization, with a particular focus on youth cannabis consumption rates.

Cannabis opponents always predict doomsday scenarios regarding youth cannabis consumption whenever cannabis reform measures are being proposed, including in Uruguay leading up to legalization.

A team of international researchers recently explored data specific to Uruguay and youth consumption rates, and fortunately for sensible policy advocates, there appear to be no sustained changes in youth consumption patterns. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

New York, NY: The adoption of nationwide regulations governing the retail sale of cannabis to adults is not associated with sustained increases in young people’s cannabis consumption, according to data published in the journal Addiction.

An international team of researchers from Chile, the United States, and Uruguay assessed cannabis use trends in Uruguay among those ages 12 to 21 following legalization.

Uruguay initially approved legislation legalizing the use of cannabis by adults in 2013, although retail sales in licensed pharmacies did not begin until 2017. Under the law, cannabis sales are restricted to those age 18 or older who register with the state. Commercially available cannabis products may only be produced by state-licensed entities and sold at specially licensed pharmacies. THC levels are capped by regulators and government price controls are imposed upon flower. Limited home cultivation is allowed in private households.

Consistent with prior studies, researchers reported no significant changes in cannabis use patterns among either adolescents or young adults. Among those under the age of 18, marijuana use fell following legalization. Among those ages 18 to 21, cannabis use initially rose, but then decreased.

Authors concluded, “The legalization of recreational cannabis in Uruguay was not associated with overall increases in either past-year/past-month cannabis use or with multi-year changes in any risky and frequent cannabis use among young people.”

Numerous North American studies have similarly failed to identify any significant upticks in cannabis use by young people following the adoption of adult-use legalization in either US states or in Canada.

Full text of the study, “Does recreational cannabis legalization change cannabis use patterns? Evidence from secondary school students in Uruguay,” appears in Addiction. Additional information is available from the NORML fact sheet, ‘Marijuana Regulation and Teen Use Rates.’

Does CBD Cause Physical Dependency?

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is arguably the most popular cannabinoid on the planet right now. As evidence of that, consider the fact that ‘CBD’ is Google’d more often than ‘THC’, and that has been the case for multiple years now.

Interest in CBD has spiked partially because of increased availability thanks to recent policy reforms around the globe, as well as partially because it is effectively helping suffering patients treat their conditions.

CBD is just one of the dozens of cannabinoids found within the cannabis plant. It does not cause intoxication and can be infused into a number of products.

A team of researchers in the United Kingdom and the United States recently collaborated on a study to try to determine if CBD causes physical dependency and/or withdrawal symptoms in rats.

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a constituent of the cannabis plant with a diverse array of pharmacological activities as well as potential therapeutic uses. An oral formulation of CBD (Epidiolex^® in the US; Epidyolex^® in Europe) is approved for treating seizures associated with rare and severe forms of epilepsy. These studies, which supported the approval of the medication, investigated abuse-related effects of CBD in rats and nonhuman primates (NHPs) using drug self-administration, drug discrimination, and physical dependence procedures and characterized its pharmacokinetics.” the researchers stated in their study abstract.

“In NHPs (n=5) that self-administered midazolam (0.01 or 0.032 mg/kg/infusion), CBD (0.1-3.2 mg/kg/infusion) failed to maintain responding above vehicle levels. CBD maintained very modest levels of self-administration in rats (n=7-8) that self-administered heroin (0.015 mg/kg/infusion) and did not increase drug-lever responding, up to a dose of 150 mg/kg (p.o.), in rats (n=6) trained to discriminate 0.5 mg/kg (i.p.) midazolam. In juvenile (5-6 weeks old) and adult (10-11 weeks old) male and female rats, discontinuation of chronic treatment (twice daily for 20 days) with an oral formulation of CBD (20 or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) did not reliably produce signs of withdrawal.” the researchers went on to say.

“Pharmacokinetic studies confirmed that the dosing regimens used in these studies resulted in therapeutically relevant plasma levels. Taken together, the lack of reliable self-administration, the failure to increase drug-lever responding in rats trained to discriminate midazolam, and the absence of withdrawal signs upon discontinuation of chronic treatment indicate that CBD has very low abuse potential and is unlikely to produce physical dependence.” the researchers concluded.

Obviously, this study involved lab rats and not humans, so the results need to be kept in perspective. With that being said, with so many humans now using CBD around the globe, and no reports of dependency or withdrawal, the results of this study seem to be in line with what we are seeing among the global human population in real-time.

New Study Looks At Cannabis, Anxiety, And Depression In Canada

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

Anxiety and depression are major mental health conditions that affect a significant portion of the world’s population. As many as 275 million people suffer from anxiety globally, and as many as 5% of adults suffer from depression worldwide.

Clinical depression is a mental health disorder involving a ‘persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.’ Changes in sleep patterns, food intake, energy level, focus, daily behavior, and/or self-esteem are all symptoms of depression.

Anxiety is characterized as an ‘intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations.’ An increased heart rate, rapid breathing, persistent sweating, and feeling tired are all symptoms of anxiety.

Many people that suffer from one of the mental health conditions also suffer from the other condition. For some patients, cannabis may help, as demonstrated by a recent study in Canada.

A team of researchers affiliated with Harvest Medicine in Calgary recently conducted a retrospective study involving medical cannabis patients and their use of cannabis to battle their anxiety and/or depression.

“Patients included in the study were at least 18 years of age with completed validated questionnaires for anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9) at their initial evaluation and at least one follow-up visit. There were 7,362 patients included in the sample, of which the average age was 49.8 years, and 53.1% were female.” the researchers stated regarding the study’s methodology.

“There were statistically significant improvements between baseline and follow-up scores for both the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, with larger improvements seen for patients who were actively seeking medical cannabis to treat anxiety or depression.” the researchers stated.

“From 12 months on, those reporting anxiety had an average decrease in GAD-7 scores that was greater than the minimum clinically important difference of 4, and the same was seen for patients reporting depression from 18 months on, with the average decrease in PHQ-9 scores more than the MCID minimum clinically important difference of 5.” the researchers also stated.

“This study provides some evidence to support the effectiveness of medical cannabis as a treatment for anxiety and depression.” the researchers concluded.

It’s always important to note that the cannabis plant is complex and human biology is complicated. What works for one person may not work for the next person, especially when it comes to anxiety and/or depression. Contact your medical care provider to see if cannabis may help treat your condition(s).

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Manitoba’s Home Cultivation Ban Receives Judicial Review

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Canada was the first G-7 nation to legalize cannabis for adult use. Only one other country, Uruguay, legalized cannabis for adult use before Canada made the public policy shift in late 2018.

One of the components of Canada’s legalization model was home cultivation, with adult households permitted to cultivate up to 4 plants according to the new federal law. Unfortunately, two provinces quickly moved to ban home cultivation – Manitoba and Quebec.

Quebec’s home cultivation ban was already challenged in court, with the first judge determining that home cultivation bans were unconstitutional. That judge’s decision was overturned upon appeal, and now the issue is waiting to be reviewed by Canada’s Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, a court challenge was being pursued in Manitoba as well, and that challenge recently received its day in court. The government’s argument essentially involves the position that provinces can be more restrictive, but not less restrictive, than federal law when it comes to home cultivation.

The argument made by home cultivation advocates is that while provinces can put restrictions in place, they cannot outright ban home cultivation. A similar argument was made in the Quebec home cultivation case. Below is more information about the Manitoba case, via excerpts from CBC:

Tousaw argued Manitoba’s position is in direct contravention of the federal Cannabis Act, which permitted grow-your-own-cannabis operations across the country, barring some differences across jurisdictions but no outright prohibitions.

“Other provinces understood these comments as invitations to regulate time, place and manner, and many have done so,” he told the court.

“By imposing the absolute prohibition on residential cultivation, Manitoba exceeded the bounds of the federal government’s invitation to cooperate and improperly undermined the purposes of the Cannabis Act.”

A ruling in the Manitoba case is expected to take weeks or even months to occur. Even then, regardless of the outcome, it’s likely that the case will eventually make its way to Canada’s Supreme Court, just as the case in Quebec has done.

I would personally expect Canada’s top court to side with the arguments being made by home cultivation advocates, including the arguments made by attorney Kirk Tousaw. However, only time will tell how it all shakes out.

Youth Cannabis Exposure Is Not Associated With Changes In Brain Morphology

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

When it comes to cannabis politics, you will be hardpressed to find a talking point that is more popular among cannabis opponents than the ‘what about the children’ talking point.

Opposing cannabis reform in the context of politics is almost entirely based on fear-mongering and incorporating scare tactics, and using the thought of children in hypothetical doomsday scenarios is a common strategy for cannabis opponents.

One specific talking point relating to youth that cannabis opponents go to early and often relates to youth cannabis use and the young person’s brain. Cannabis opponents act as if one puff off of a joint will cause brain damage to the youth for the rest of the youth’s life.

To be clear, cannabis should be kept away from young people unless it’s for medical use approved by the youth’s doctor(s). With that being said, it’s an obvious fact that some young people will try cannabis, and according to a recent study out of Australia, such use will not result in changes in brain morphology.

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

Canberra, Australia: Cannabis exposure is not associated with significant changes in brain morphology in young adults, according to a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

A team of Australian researchers reviewed sixteen studies in order to assess whether cannabis exposure is associated with changes in brain volume. The review samples included 830 participants with a mean age of 22.5 years old. Of these, 386 were marijuana users (with cannabis use onset at 15-19 years) and 444 were controls.

Researchers identified no significant differences between youth cannabis users and controls in global and regional brain volumes.

“This meta-analysis of structural MRI findings specific to youth regular cannabis users suggests no volume alterations, and no effect of age and cannabis use level on group differences in volumetry,” authors concluded. “Important areas for future work include measuring and embracing the role of cannabis potency, pubertal stage, and personal (and parental) education, to identify which brain maturation stage is most vulnerable to cannabis-related brain and mental health/wellbeing. New knowledge will be necessary to provide clear recommendations for preventive interventions targeting youth at risk and update addiction theory with novel mechanistic insights into neurodevelopment.”

Full text of the study, “Brain anatomical alterations in young cannabis users: A meta-analysis of structural neuroimaging studies,” appears in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. Additional information is available from the NORML fact sheet, ‘Marijuana Exposure and Cognitive Performance.’

UK Government Fund Invests In Cannabis Company

Written by Johnny Green on May 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

During the pandemic, the United Kingdom set up a fund called the ‘British Business Bank’s Future Fund.’ The aim of the taxpayer-backed fund was to ‘support innovative companies that might have struggled to secure money during the pandemic.’

The fund recently announced another round of applicant approvals, and among the winners of the government investments was a cannabis company that specializes in making hemp-derived oil. Per excerpts from The Guardian:

The UK government has become a shareholder in a cannabis oil company, a yoghurt bar business, a London-based craft brewery and a maker of land, underwater and air drones that “take inspiration from the clever tricks that animals use to move”.

The latest round of investments include Grass & Co, founded by brothers Ben and Tom Grass in 2019, which makes cannabidiol (CBD) products using chemicals found in hemp, which are stocked in stores including Selfridges and Boots.

According to coverage by The Guardian, the fund has shelled out over £1.4 billion to a total of 1,190 companies so far, with 335 of those companies converting government loans into government equity stakes after finding private investments to match the government’s money.

The investment into the CBD oil company is bittersweet, in that it’s obviously great news for the recipient and great to see the United Kingdom recognize the economic potential of the merging cannabis industry, however, to some degree it highlights the deficiencies of the United Kingdom’s medical cannabis program.

As we previously reported, out of an estimated 1.4 million suffering patients, only thousands of patients have been prescribed a cannabis product by the United Kingdom directly, or indirectly via a private medical practitioner.

Patients deserve unfettered safe access to all forms of effective medical cannabis, which is unfortunately not the case in the United Kingdom.

Could Guernsey Lead The Way On Recreational Cannabis Reform In The UK?

Written by Johnny Green on May 3, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

The Channel Island has made great strides on the medical front. Will recreational reform be next?

Guernsey has been moving forward steadily on cannabis reform for the last several years. Envisioned as a way to help bring new business opportunities for the acres of empty greenhouses across the island, the development of the industry has received enthusiastic support from political leaders on the island.

Currently, the vast majority of cannabis patients on the island still have to import their medicine, via the British mainland, from other parts of the world, including Canada and Germany. About 800 patients have been issued approximately 5,000 individual import licenses over the last 18 months. This will gradually begin to change as local medical cultivation and extraction gets up to speed here.

However, recreational reform is also potentially in the offing.

Guernsey is, as a result, potentially the first place recreational reform will take hold in the United Kingdom. Local politicians who just returned from a fact-finding tour of Canada, also predict that full legalization will occur on the mainland within 5-10 years.

A Medical and Recreational Source of Flower

One of the drivers of cannabis reform here, beyond caring for local inhabitants with serious health conditions, has clearly been the economic redevelopment of an island that, in the past, provided a local source for the cut-flower industry on the mainland.

Growing here, rather than the UK, especially if the government revises domestic rules on the island, seems like a no-brainer.

However full reform is still a bit controversial on Guernsey. There is a clear sentiment that they do not want the island to become “just like Amsterdam” – namely breeding a tourist trade that comes here for the cannabis.

Growing, in some cases, extracting, and then exporting to the mainland is the focus here.

Could Reform in Guernsey Drive the British Discussion?

There is no doubt that reform has moved more quickly on the British islands around the UK than on the mainland itself. Both Jersey and Guernsey have progressed at least on medical cultivation, while on the Isle of Man, a $100 million-plus project has been announced.

In the meantime, the British Isles have moved forward on CBD reform. The Food Safety Authority just released a list of approved products for sale in the UK – and this will continue to grow. There is no reason that while the larger questions of reform are ironed out on a national level, however, Guernsey will still be able to grow hemp and high THC cannabis and export it, plus extract, to the mainland, while developing their own home-grown version of reform, that is also very likely, within the next several years, to include change of the recreational kind.