Skip to main content
cannabis plant cannabis plant

German Opioid Patients Report Using Cannabis In Place Of Other Drugs

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Historically the cannabis plant was portrayed as a ‘gateway drug’ by cannabis opponents and many mainstream media outlets. It was a reefer madness talking point that was perpetuated in films and other works going back as far as the 1930s.

However, a growing body of scientific evidence is proving that the ‘gateway drug’ talking point is actually just false, unfounded prohibitionist rhetoric. Many public health advocates and researchers have found that the use of many other substances, including the misuse of household items and pharmaceutical drugs, often predates cannabis use in society.

Researchers in Germany recently conducted a study examining cannabis use in replacement of other substances, and the results of the study are promising, especially when considering how much more harmful many substances are compared to cannabis. Below is more information about the German study via a news release from NORML:

Mannheim, Germany: Nearly sixty percent of people undergoing opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) use cannabis to reduce their cravings for other drugs, including heroin, according to survey data published in the journal European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience.

German investigators assessed cannabis use trends in 118 subjects enrolled in OMT. Fifty-seven percent of respondents acknowledged consuming herbal cannabis, despite its use being a violation of the program’s rules.

Nearly half (45 percent) of cannabis consumers said that they used it “to reduce cravings for heroin,” and 24 percent acknowledged doing so to reduce cravings for cocaine. Respondents also reported using cannabis as a substitute for alcohol, benzodiazepines, and other controlled substances.

The study’s authors concluded: “A substantial proportion of patients using cannabis in our sample reported beneficial effects of cannabis use on craving for and use of other drugs, in many cases arguably more harmful substances. … [These results question whether] restricting cannabis use in general really promotes health in OMT patients. … Overall, our results suggest that cannabis should be considered as a strategy for harm reduction in OMT with the goal to reduce use of more dangerous drugs.”

The results of a 2021 study concluded that those in treatment for opioid use disorder who used cannabis were less likely to suffer from a non-fatal opioid overdose than were non-cannabis consumers. Other studies have reported that cannabis use is associated with greater opioid treatment retention rates and that it may mitigate opioid-related cravings among dependent subjects.

Full text of the study, “Does cannabis use substitute for opioids? A preliminary exploratory survey in opioid maintenance patients,” appears in the European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.‘

anxiety depression

Patients With PTSD And Depression Report Improvements Following Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

International researchers estimate that nearly 4% of the world’s population suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers also estimate that 5% of the world’s adult population suffers from depression. They are two of the most common mental health conditions around the globe.

Common treatments for PTSD include different types of trauma-focused psychotherapy as well as pharmaceutical medications. Common treatments for depression include therapy and/or prescribed medications.

A team of researchers in the United Kingdom recently conducted a study looking at the use of cannabis therapies and PTSD and depression. Below is more information about their findings via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and comorbid depression respond favorably to the use of medical cannabis preparations, according to data published in the journal BMJ Psych Open.

British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in a cohort of patients suffering simultaneously from post-traumatic stress and depression. (Since 2018, British specialists have been permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Self-reported symptoms were assessed three months after subjects initiated their cannabis use.

Investigators reported, “Treatment with prescribed cannabis was associated with substantial reductions in the severity of PTSD symptomatology, with these improvements being more marked in individuals with depression.”

They concluded: “Treatment with CBMPs is associated with significant improvements in well-being and quality of life in PTSD after three months. … These results parallel previous findings for quality of life across a broad range of conditions and for PTSD specifically and highlight the potential benefits of CBMPs for symptom reduction and improvements in well-being across a wide range of chronic conditions.”

Prior assessments of patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and depression have similarly concluded that cannabis therapy can improve subjects’ health-related quality of life. By contrast, a 2021 clinical trial concluded that the inhalation of marijuana flower provided limited benefits compared to placebo in treating symptoms of PTSD.

Full text of the study, “Medicinal cannabis for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and comorbid depression: Real-world evidence,” appears in BMJ Psych Open. Additional information on cannabis and post-traumatic stress is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

woman smelling smell cannabis plant garden outdoor sungrown terpene terpenes

Cannabis Is Associated With Quality Of Life Improvements Per German Analysis

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Chronically ill patients who use legally prescribed medical cannabis products report improvements in their overall quality of life according to the findings of a recent analysis conducted by a team of researchers in Germany.

Per data published in the German medical journal Schmerz, eighty-four percent of medical cannabis patients surveyed reported quality of life improvements following their use of prescribed medical cannabis.

The team of German researchers assessed patient-reported data in a nationwide sampling involving 1,582 patients authorized to use cannabis by their German physicians. Since 2017, doctors in Germany have been permitted to prescribe medical cannabis to patients who are historically unresponsive to ‘traditional’ therapies.

“The survey of Copeia captured early 2022 patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in Germany under cannabis medicinal product (CAM) therapy, with particular attention to symptoms, symptom changes, indications, side effects, dosages, and cost bearers.” the researchers stated about their analysis.

“A standardized questionnaire was administered online nationwide in dialogue form over a 15-week period to collect itemized symptoms and PRO. Recruitment was supported by pharmacies, prescribing physicians, and patient associations. Inclusion criteria included physician-prescribed CAM therapy.” the researchers also stated.

Patients involved in the analysis reported suffering from chronic pain, depression, sleep disturbances, and various other symptoms.

“Of 1582 participants, 1030 data sets (65%) could be completely analyzed. There was a heterogeneous patient population, whose common feature was disease chronicity. The frequency distribution of symptoms showed a homogeneous pattern for the respective indications, in which the most frequent six (pain 71%, sleep disturbance 64%, stress/tension 52%, inner restlessness 52%, depressive mood 44% and muscle tension 43%) seem to have a special significance.” the researchers stated about their findings.

“A symptom matrix (SMX) composed of different symptoms seems to play a special role in CAM therapy to improve the quality of life of chronically ill patients, regardless of the underlying disease. The SMX could contribute to the identification of an indication and to targeted treatment monitoring.” the researchers concluded.

Cannabis plant flower bud budding flowering

Medical Cannabis Is Increasingly Used To Treat Symptoms Of Endometriosis

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Patients who suffer from endometriosis frequently report using medical cannabis products to alleviate their symptoms, according to survey data that was recently published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Endometriosis is a serious disease involving tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing outside the patient’s uterus. Endometriosis can cause severe pain in the patient’s pelvis. The condition can make it difficult for the patient to become pregnant. Patients can start experiencing symptoms of the condition during their first menstrual period and the symptoms can last up until menopause.

International researchers estimate that roughly 5-10% of women of reproductive age around the globe suffer from endometriosis. Unfortunately, very little is known about what causes endometriosis.

A team of Australian researchers recently surveyed 192 women who reported suffering from endometriosis and having a history of medical cannabis use. Sixty-three percent of the survey participants reported to the researchers that they had received a doctor’s authorization to use cannabis-based medicinal products, which is permitted in Australia.

“Most (63.5%) used a ‘cannabis clinic’ doctor, incurring an initial consultation cost of $100–$200+ (10.2% Medicare bulk-billed) and median cannabinoid medicine costs of $300AUD per month.” the researchers stated. “Cost was a major barrier to access, necessitating reducing dosage (76.1%) and/or consuming illicit cannabis (42.9%), despite a prescription.”

“Most (77%) medical consumers used two or more cannabis products, with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol predominant oil and flower products most frequently prescribed.” the researchers stated about the medical cannabis products being consumed by the survey participants.

Pharmaceutical pain medications, and in some cases hormone therapy, are the most common non-cannabis forms of treatment for endometriosis. In cases of infertility, minor surgery to remove endometriosis deposits is another form of treatment. Such surgeries can also help in some cases of severe pain.

“The study was approved by the Western Sydney University Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number H15099). An online survey was hosted via Qualtrics with responses received between October and December 2022. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, with the survey introduction and participant information sheet stating that completion of the questionnaire implied consent.” the survey’s authors stated. “For counts and proportions, 95% confidence intervals were reported.”

“This study found that THC-predominant CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] are commonly prescribed to Australians with endometriosis,” authors concluded. “Given major issues with symptom management and the self-reported reductions in pain and other symptoms, improving access to medicinal cannabis for this population is important and timely.”

Previous studies have arrived at similar findings, including a study conducted in Australia in October 2021 that concluded, “Cannabis appears to be effective across all reported symptoms, with a noted propensity for inhaled delivery due to the potential increased speed of onset of effects versus the slower onset of oral products, particularly for pelvic pain.”

A similar study conducted in New Zealand in December 2020 concluded, “Respondents reported clear evidence of a substitution effect, where the use of cannabis reduced or replaced other pharmaceutical medications, especially with respect to opioid-based analgesics, and also to other medications commonly used in the management of endometriosis-related symptoms, such as antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and NSAIDs.”

human brain

Legalization Not Linked To Upticks In Cannabis-Related Psychosis Per Study

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Cannabis opponents and many mainstream media outlets have claimed over the years that cannabis is bad for human brains. As part of their ongoing claims, cannabis opponents often suggest that cannabis use causes psychosis.

Psychosis is a serious mental health condition that people suffer from, and it is always worthy of research and thoughtful discussions. Public health strategies should be led by science and not the harmful political views and special interests of a small group of individuals.

A team of researchers in Canada recently examined the rate of reported psychosis before and after adult-use cannabis legalization took effect in Canada. Canada legalized cannabis in late 2018. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Quebec, Canada: The legalization of the Canadian marijuana market is not associated with increases in cannabis-related psychotic episodes, according to data published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Canadian investigators assessed the frequency of marijuana-related psychotic incidents requiring hospitalization in the twelve months preceding legalization and in the twelve months following its enactment. (Canada legalized marijuana possession and retail sales in October 2018.)

Scientists reported “no increase in the proportion of ED consultations for a psychotic episode in which evidence for cannabis consumption was obtained before and after legalization.” They acknowledged that their findings were “in line with previous studies stating that legalization had no significant impact on ED’s consultations for psychosis.”

Two other Canadian studies have reached similar conclusions. The first, published in 2022, determined, “[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.” The second, published earlier this year, “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.”

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, lifetime incidences of marijuana-induced psychosis are relatively rare among those who do not have a prior psychiatric diagnosis. According to one recent 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, “Effect of cannabis legalization in Canada on the incidence of psychosis consultations in Quebec City’s psychiatric emergency services,” appears inThe Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

driving-driver-car-dui-road-duii-intoxicated

Patients Exhibit Few Changes In Driving Performance Following Medical Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Every responsible cannabis consumer and advocate on earth recognizes that operating a motor vehicle on a public roadway while being intoxicated by any substance, including cannabis, is not safe.

With that being said, just because someone has cannabis in their system does not automatically mean that they are too impaired to safely operate a motor vehicle. Governments have seemed to struggle with that premise when crafting DUI laws in their jurisdictions.

Medical cannabis patients are particularly affected by bad cannabis DUI laws, as they essentially have to choose between taking their medicine or risking prosecution for simply having metabolized THC in their system.

Researchers in Australia recently conducted a study involving medical cannabis use and driving performance. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Hawthorne, Australia: Patients display few changes in their driving performance following the use of medical cannabis products, according to data published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

Australian researchers assessed simulated driving performance in a cohort of 40 patients authorized to consume cannabis. (Under Australian law, physicians may authorize cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.) Participants completed a baseline driving assessment prior to their participation in the study. On the day of the study, patients consumed their typical dose of medical cannabis (either cannabis-based extracts or flowers) at the testing site prior to engaging in a battery of driving simulator tests.

Researchers identified no significant changes from patients’ baseline driving performance that would indicate psychomotor impairment.

They reported: “In this open-label semi-naturalistic study, simulated and perceived driving performance among 40 patients was assessed prior to and following self-administration of their own prescribed medical cannabis product. While oil users tended to have higher SDLP [standard deviation in lateral positioning] values, this was stable over time and there was no evidence of impairment for either administration route. Furthermore, the lack of changes in speed variability suggests a modest but sustained stabilization of vehicle control. … [N]o notable evidence of driving impairment (i.e. a significant decline in driving performance metrics within the simulated driving scenario) was observed for either consumption modality, relative to baseline.”

The study’s authors concluded, “Overall, this semi-naturalistic study suggests that medical cannabis, used as prescribed, has a negligible impact on simulated driving performance.”

The study’s findings are consistent with those of several others determining that daily cannabis consumers, and patients especially, exhibit tolerance to many of cannabis’ psychomotor-influencing effects. According to the findings of a literature review published in the journal of the German Medical Association, “Patients who take cannabinoids at a constant dosage over an extensive period of time often develop tolerance to the impairment of psychomotor performance, so that they can drive vehicles safely.”

Full text of the study, “A semi-naturalistic open-label study examining the effect of prescribed medical cannabis use on simulated driving performance,” appears in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. Additional information is available in the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’

Bed Time Sleeping Insomnia Sleep Nap

Cannabis Associated With Sustained Improvements In Sleep Quality

Written by Frank Schuler on . 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 cannabis leaf plant

CBD Dosing Not Associated With Changes In Disease Progression

Written by Frank Schuler on . 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.

italy flag

Cannabis Use Is Far From A New Thing In Italy

Written by Frank Schuler on . 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 17thcentury,” 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.