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These Sectors Of Germany’s Cannabis Industry Will Thrive Under Phase 1 Of Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

Germany’s long-awaited legalization plan was announced earlier this month, with multiple federal ministers participating in a widely viewed press conference.

“In a first step, cultivation in non-profit associations and private cultivation should be made possible nationwide.” Government officials stated in a press release after the historic press conference.

According to details offered up during the press conference, Germany will institute a possession limit of up to 25 grams of cannabis and a cultivation limit of a maximum of three plants as part of the first phase of national legalization. The legal age will be set at 18.

The other key component of the legalization plan’s first phase, which will serve as the foundation for adult-use cannabis access for many consumers in Germany, will be noncommercial associations or clubs. Membership will be capped at 500 consumers per club.

“Membership fees cover the cost price, staggered according to the quantity supplied (possibly with a basic flat rate and an additional amount per gram supplied). The number of members per association is limited to a maximum of 500 with a minimum age of 18 years and domicile or habitual abode in Germany. The number of associations can be limited by population density.” Germany’s government press release stated.

The personal freedoms afforded to consumers under the first phase of Germany’s legalization plan will create various opportunities for entrepreneurs. Below are some noteworthy examples.

Consumption Devices

When it comes to cannabis consumption technology, Germany is second to none. After all, the European nation is the birthplace of the Volcano by Storz & Bickel, which remains the best cannabis flower vaporizer on the market despite so many other consumption gadgets entering the space since the Volcano’s introduction in 2000.

New cannabis freedoms for consumers and the rise of cannabis clubs in Germany will surely be met with innovations in cannabis consumption technology. As one of the many people out there that operates a cannabis consumption gadget review channel, my eyes are glued on Germany to see what inventions inevitably debut in the nation’s cannabis clubs.

Home Cultivation Equipment

Every adult household in Germany will be permitted to cultivate up to three plants according to the provisions contained in the recently unveiled legalization plan. It’s a very safe bet that there will be a huge boost in domestic personal cultivation soon in Germany. That, in turn, will create enormous opportunities for home cultivation equipment companies.

Smaller scale equipment such as cultivation tents, ventilation, energy-efficient LED lighting, nutrients, grow mediums, and odor control are just a handful of examples of cultivation products that will be in demand during phase 1 of German legalization. Larger-scale equipment will also experience a spike in demand once cultivation clubs start launching.

Educational Services

Anyone that follows internet search trends knows that leading up to cannabis legalization, and well beyond legalization, consumers look for cannabis information at an increasing rate. Long-time cannabis consumers are less likely to seek out educational resources, however, they only represent one part of Germany’s consumer base. Adults that are new to cannabis, or coming back after a long break, will want to learn the best ways to consume and cultivate cannabis, and that creates tremendous opportunities for cannabis educators.

‘Cannabis Light’

Germany, like most European countries, has a lot of demand within its borders for ‘cannabis light.’ The low-THC variety of cannabis products may not be the product of choice for every cannabis consumer in Germany, however, it’s an option that is already widely available to consumers.

Germany is in the process of shoring up regulations surrounding industrial hemp and products derived from it, which will hopefully provide some certainty to Germany’s low-THC industry. With adult-use commerce likely to come farther down the road compared to what presumably will be a much faster process for legalizing personal possession, cannabis light will be a popular option for some consumers.

Clubs Beyond Cannabis Sales

While we now know various details about what noncommercial cannabis clubs will eventually look like in Germany, there are still many components and regulations that are being worked out. With that in mind, this section is admittedly based on personal conjecture. However, I assume that noncommercial cannabis clubs will be able to sell other things beyond just cannabis itself, and owning a very popular cannabis club creates significant ancillary profit potential.

Food, beverages, merchandise, and a whole host of other things will be in high demand at cannabis clubs in Germany, no pun intended. Crafty entrepreneurs that can create an environment and experience that resonates with cannabis consumers in Germany can reap considerable financial rewards even if they never make a dime on cannabis sales.

Tourism

Cannabis-based tourism is going to increase in Germany during Phase 1, even if Phase 1 does not involve national sales to all adults. The tourism sector of the cannabis industry is made up of some of the most innovative entrepreneurs on earth, and no one should be shocked by some of the concepts that will inevitably pop up in Germany. Tours and museums are just a couple of the cannabis tourism ideas that are already popular in other legal jurisdictions.

Industry Service Providers

If you are familiar with the gold rush period in the United States many years ago, then you likely know that the people that made the most consistent money were those that sold axes, shovels, and other goods to gold miners, not the gold miners themselves per se. To some degree, the same could be true in Germany when it comes to industry service providers. Industry software, packaging, and other services will be in demand during phase 1, and entrepreneurs that can supply the demand will be financially rewarded.

Research and Consulting

Entrepreneurs and investors are already flocking to Germany to try to be strategically placed to take full advantage of the upcoming reforms, and many of them need consulting services. Additionally, there will be a huge spike in cannabis-based research in Germany with researchers exploring any and all things related to cannabis, including social science-based research. Both areas of the cannabis space possess significant potential for individuals with the right backgrounds and skill sets.

Culture-Based Brands

Cannabis culture is far from being a new thing, and while it may not look like it did decades ago, cannabis culture still creates huge opportunities for entrepreneurs. Clothing, gear cases, and media outlets are just a few examples of culture-based brand opportunities that already exist in Germany and those opportunities will only become more plentiful going forward.

Learn More in Berlin in June

Every one of the previously mentioned areas of Germany’s emerging cannabis industry will be discussed at the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, which will be held on June 29-30 at the Iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel. Cannabis leaders from over 80 countries will be in attendance and with so much going on in Germany right now, the conference is a must-attend for anyone who is serious about succeeding in Germany’s industry, as well as those wishing to succeed at the continental and international levels. Purchase your tickets today before the event sells out!

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Chronic Pain Patients Report Improvements In New UK Study

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

A fairly sizable study was recently concluded in the United Kingdom involving cannabis, chronic pain, quality of life, and opioid use. The study revolved around multiple cannabis products, which is not always the case with cannabis studies. Below is more information about the scope of the study, and the findings, via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Chronic pain patients who use cannabis products for six months report improvements in their health-related quality of life and decreases in their daily opioid consumption, according to observational data published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 700 chronic pain patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. All of the 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.

Consistent with prior studies, investigators reported: “Treatment with oil-based [products], dried flowers, or a combination of both CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] are associated with statistically significant improvements in pain relief and sleep quality after six months in chronic pain patients. Additionally, patients prescribed oils or both types of CBMPs experienced reduced anxiety and an improvement in their ability to perform daily activities. Patients prescribed a combination of both CBMPs recorded improvements in their self-care and mobility abilities. Collectively, this evidence signals that [the] initiation of CBMP treatment is associated with improved HRQoL [health-related quality of life].”

Researchers also acknowledged that patients significantly reduced their daily intake of prescription opioids – a finding that is consistent with dozens of other studies.

“In summary, these results suggest that both [cannabis] oils and dried flowers are associated with long-term improved HRQoL in chronic pain patients,” they concluded.

Prior studies assessing the use of cannabis products in patients enrolled in the UK registry have similarly reported them to be safe and effective for patients suffering from anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.

Data published earlier this year in the journal JAMA Network Open reported that nearly one in four pain patients who reside in states where medical cannabis access is legal self-identify as marijuana consumers.

Full text of the study, “Clinical outcome data of chronic pain patients treated with cannabis-based oils and dried flower from the UK medical cannabis registry,” appears in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. Additional information on cannabis and pain management is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

blood sugar diabetes

Iran Study Finds That CBD/THC Combination Controls Blood Sugar

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Type 2 diabetes is a health condition involving a problem with the way the human body regulates and uses sugar/glucose as fuel. Type 2 diabetes differs from type 1 diabetes in that the latter is a genetic condition that is typically detected early in life, whereas the former is considered to be a lifestyle-related condition that develops over time.

As of 2020, it was estimated that over ‘462 million individuals are affected by type 2 diabetes, corresponding to 6.28% of the world’s population.’ Common treatments and strategies for combating type 2 diabetes include eating healthier, exercising, losing weight, insulin therapy, and blood sugar monitoring.

Researchers in Iran recently conducted a study involving a sublingual spray containing CBD and THC to see if it helped patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Below is more information about the study via a news release from NORML:

Tehran, Iran: Diabetic patients administered a sublingual spray containing CBD and THC show improvements in their blood sugar and cholesterol levels, according to placebo-controlled data published in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research.

A team of Iranian investigators evaluated the efficacy of a proprietary formulation of plant-derived CBD/THC compared to placebo in a cohort of 50 patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients utilized the spray twice daily for eight weeks. The sublingual formulation contained a ten-to-one ratio of CBD to THC.

Compared to placebo, cannabinoid therapy was associated with a “statistically significant decline in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, FBS [fasting blood glucose levels], Hb [hemoglobin] A1C, and insulin secretion … at the end of the 8-week treatment period. … [T]here were no statistically significant differences in reported adverse effects between the two groups.”

Researchers concluded: “In the present study, we demonstrated that sublingual administration of [a CBD/THC] spray, … twice daily through an eight-week treatment period could effectively improve the patient’s lipid profile and glucose tolerance. … Based on these observations, the combination of CBD/Δ9-THC regimen could be a new therapeutic regimen for controlling the lipid profile and glycemic state of DM [type 2 diabetic] patients.”

Clinical trial data has previously shown that the administration of the cannabinoid THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) decreases fasting glucose levels in type 2 diabetics.

Population-based studies have reported that cannabis consumers typically possess lower BMI and other favorable indices related to diabetic control. Observational studies have also shown that the past use of cannabis is significantly associated with lower odds of diabetes in adults.

Full text of the study, “A phase I randomized, placebo-controlled study on efficacy and safety profile of a sublingually administered cannabidiol/delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (10: 1) regimen in diabetes Type 2 patients,” appears in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Additional information on cannabinoids and diabetes is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

beer alcohol

Canadian Researchers Find Alcohol To Be Involved In More Crashes Than THC

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Whenever cannabis reform is being proposed, it’s very common for opponents to ramp up scare tactics related to impaired driving. Don’t get me wrong, preventing impaired driving on public roadways is absolutely a worthwhile endeavor.

However, conversations and strategies regarding the mitigation of impaired drivers need to be sensible, and math and science need to lead the way, which unfortunately does not always happen.

The fact of the matter is that alcohol is much more problematic compared to THC, as demonstrated in a recent study out of Canada. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Drivers treated for traffic-related injuries are more likely to test positive for high levels of alcohol (BAC ≥ 0.08 percent) than they are likely to test positive for elevated levels of THC (THC in blood ≥ 5 ng/mL), according to data published in the journal Addiction.

Canadian investigators quantified and reviewed alcohol and THC concentrations in a cohort of nearly 7,000 injured drivers.

They reported, “In this sample, there were over three times as many drivers with BAC ≥ 0.08% (12.6 percent) than with THC ≥ 5 ng/mL (3.5 percent), suggesting that alcohol remains a greater threat to road safety.”

Authors also acknowledged that drivers who tested positive for high levels of alcohol were more likely to be involved in single vehicle accidents as well as in motor vehicle accidents resulting in serious injuries.

Because THC can remain present in blood for extended periods of time, the study’s authors emphasized that at least some subjects who tested positive for cannabis may not necessarily have had recent exposure to it. They further emphasized that subjects testing positive for the presence of THC at levels below 5 ng/ml are typically not under the influence and likely do not possess a significantly increased risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Driving simulator studies generally report that cannabis administration is associated with compensatory driving behavior, such as decreased mean speed and increased mean following distance, whereas alcohol administration is associated with more aggressive driving behavior. Nevertheless, cannabis exposure can influence certain psychomotor skills necessary for safe driving, such as reaction time and drivers’ ability to maintain lane positioning.

A study conducted by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that drivers who test positive for any amount of THC possess, on average, a far lower risk of being involved in a traffic collision than  do drivers who test positive for alcohol at or near legal limits.

By contrast, drivers who test positive for the presence of both THC and alcohol in their system tend to possess significantly higher odds of being involved in a motor vehicle accident than do those who test positive for either substance alone.

Full text of the study, “A comparison of cannabis and alcohol use in drivers presenting to hospital after a vehicular collision,” appears in Addiction. Additional information on cannabis and driving performance is available from  NORML’s Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’

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No Increased Cardiovascular Risk For Stroke Patients Following Prescription Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Public health officials estimate that as many as 15 million strokes occur annually around the globe. Of that estimated 15 million, roughly one-third of them result in the person dying and another one-third leave the patient permanently disabled.

The main cause of someone experiencing a stroke is high blood pressure, which can be caused by a number of factors including poor diet, lack of exercise, other health conditions, and genetics.

With the rise in safe access to medical cannabis and products derived from medical cannabis, researchers are examining cannabis use and stroke survivors to gauge whether or not there are any elevated risks. Fortunately for stroke patients, a recent study in Italy is providing some promising news. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Genova, Italy: Patients with a history of stroke are not at an increased risk of cardiovascular complications following the use of nabiximols (a/k/a Sativex – an oromucosal spray containing a balanced ratio of plant-derived THC and CBD), according to clinical trial data published in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Nabiximols is available by prescription in various countries, but not in the United States, for patients suffering from symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Italian researchers compared the cardiovascular impact of nabiximols versus placebo in a cohort of 34 stroke survivors. Subjects in the study suffered from symptoms of spasticity. Patients in the study took either nabiximols or placebo in addition to their standard medications for a period of one-month.

Investigators reported: “No … adverse drug effects emerged during nabiximols treatment, namely no significant fluctuation of blood pressure and heart rate, nor ischemic or hemorrhagic events occurred. During nabiximols treatment, self-assessed blood pressure and heart rate did not change compared to the baseline condition. No patients showed significant acceleration or decrease in heart rate or change in rhythm and none required an additional ECG or cardiological evaluation during the study.”

Authors concluded: “The present study is the first to evaluate the effects of a cannabinoid drug (nabiximols) in patients with post-stroke spasticity. … This ancillary study adds evidence that, in patients who already underwent a cerebrovascular accident, nabiximols does not determine significant blood pressure and heart rate variation or cardiovascular complications. These data support the cardiovascular safety of nabiximols, encouraging more extensive studies involving cannabinoids characterized by slow absorption rates.”

Numerous studies demonstrate the ability of cannabinoids to influence blood pressure and other cardiovascular responses. However, data is inconsistent with respect to whether the frequent use of cannabis may increase one’s risk of stroke, heart attack, or other adverse cardiovascular events. While some studies report an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases among marijuana consumers, others report either no risk or provide evidence of possible cardioprotection. A 2021 literature review of 67 studies published in The American Journal of Medicine concluded, “[M]arijuana itself does not appear to be independently associated with excessive cardiovascular risk factors.” Authors did caution, however, that “it can be associated with other unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol use and tobacco smoking that can be detrimental” to cardiovascular health.

Full text of the study, “Nabiximols effect on blood pressure and heart rate in post-stroke patients: A randomized controlled study,” appears in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.

cannabis plant flower

Israeli Tourette Syndrome Patients Report Improvements Following Cannabis Therapy

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Global statisticians estimate that around 0.5-1% of the planet’s population has been diagnosed with some level of Tourette Syndrome, although the true diagnosis rate of people suffering from the condition could be larger due to gaps in identification and treatment in some parts of the globe.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by sudden, repetitive, rapid, and unwanted movements or vocal sounds called tics.” Currently, there is no cure for the condition.

Various treatments for Tourette Syndrome exist, with common ones being dopamine blockers, Botox injections, ADHD medications, anti-depressants, and anti-seizure medications. All of those treatments can yield possible undesirable side effects. Fortunately, a recent study in Israel found that cannabis may help. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Tel Aviv, Israel: Tourette Syndrome (TS) patients report improvements in their quality of life and reductions in their use of prescription medications following cannabis therapy, according to data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Israeli investigators surveyed patients prior to and six-months following cannabis treatment. Subjects in the study consumed products containing roughly twice as much THC as CBD.

Participants reported statistically significant improvements in their quality of life and employment status following cannabis treatment. Most subjects also reported reduced symptoms of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Patients reduced their use of prescription medicines.

By contrast, subjects did not report statistically significant improvements in their frequency of either vocal or motor tics during the study period.

Authors concluded: “Subjective reports from TS patients suggest that medical cannabis may improve their quality of life and comorbidities. More studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of medical cannabis.”

A limited number of clinical trials have shown both oral THC and inhaled cannabis to be associated with symptom improvements in TS patients, including decreased tic severity and reductions in obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial published last month in the journal Psychiatry Research reported that patients with more severe TS symptoms experienced symptomatic improvements following the consumption of a balanced formulation of oral THC and CBD.

Full text of the study, “Using medical cannabis in patients with Gilles de la Tourette’s Syndrome in a real-world setting” appears in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. Additional information on cannabinoids and TS is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

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Australian Researchers Find Cannabis Oils To Be Effective For Symptom Management In Older Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Neurological disorders affect many people around the globe. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 1 billion people across the globe suffer from some type of neurological disorder. People over 50 years old are more likely to develop a neurological condition compared to younger people.

Neurological disorders are diseases that affect the central and peripheral nervous systems, including the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscles.

Various pharmaceutical medications are regularly prescribed to help address symptoms of neurological conditions among elderly patients. Just as symptoms are wide-ranging, so too are the medications. One medication that is showing promise is cannabis, as demonstrated in a recent study out of Australia. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: The use of plant-derived cannabis oils containing balanced ratios of THC and CBD is generally safe and effective for patients suffering from neurological diseases, according to observational trial data published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Australian researchers assessed the sustained use of cannabis extracts in 157 patients with treatment-resistant neurological, musculoskeletal, autoimmune, or anti-inflammatory disorders. (Under Australian law, physicians may only authorize medical cannabis to patients that have been unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.)

Investigators reported that patients age 65 or older and/or those suffering from neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, and multiple sclerosis, perceived the greatest overall benefits from cannabis therapy. Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies reporting health-related quality of life benefits among older patients who consume cannabis.

Subjects were most likely to report cannabis to be effective for improving sleep and for reducing pain – findings that are consistent with other studies. By contrast, patients suffering from spondylosis were least likely to perceive benefits from cannabis therapy.

Authors concluded: “This retrospective medical record review describes the population characteristics of patients using medicinal cannabis at a clinic in Sydney, Australia and provides data on the effectiveness and safety of medicinal cannabis treatment on patient conditions and indications. … [Its findings] indicate that medicinal cannabis, in a balanced formulation, may address a variety of non-cancer conditions and indications concurrently and can be safely prescribed by a medical doctor.”

Full text of the study, “A retrospective medical record review of adults with non-cancer diagnoses prescribed medical cannabis,” appears in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Additional information on cannabis use among older populations is available from NORML Fact Sheet ‘Cannabis Use by Older Populations.’

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Society Deserves A Sensible Approach To Cannabis Clubs And Driving

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

An area of concern for many members of society when it comes to cannabis reform, and understandably so, relates to cannabis and driving. After all, no reasonable person wants to have impaired people operating motor vehicles on public roadways. However, reasonable people also want to let science lead the way when it comes to determining impairment and crafting public policies that help mitigate impaired drivers on public roadways, and unfortunately, hard science is often not part of the public policy process.

Often replacing hard science and a rational approach for mitigating cannabis impairment on public roadways is outright political scare tactics, which is truly unfortunate. ‘There will be terror and bloodshed on the roadways’ is a common theme of cannabis opponents when any type of cannabis reform is being considered. The latest focus of such anti-cannabis PR efforts is cannabis clubs.

New Report Targets Cannabis Clubs

Days ago the Traffic Injury Research Foundation released a report titled, “Recreational Cannabis Consumption Spaces in Canada.” The report was published with support from the Canada Safety Council and DRIVE SOBER®. While some of the points made in the report’s press release are valid, many of them involved typical reefer madness talking points and communication strategies.

The report relied heavily on convoluting the nuanced differences between confirmed cannabis impairment at the time of an incident versus someone merely having cannabis in their system but no proven impairment, or someone having several substances in their system, or someone having so little cannabis in their system that impairment was likely nonexistent. For example, the report states, “more than 7% of drivers had ≥ 2 ng/mL, and 3.5% had ≥ 5 ng/mL.” To put those ng/mL limits into perspective, the Olympics’ cannabis testing threshold is 150 ng/mL.

“The report underscores that any proposal to move forward with the implementation of cannabis consumption spaces in the absence of effective and well-developed prevention strategies to protect the public from recognized harm is premature.” the report stated, which if you ask me, is merely a delay tactic to try to stop the spread of cannabis clubs. If so, there’s a really big flaw with that tactic – it ignores the fact that cannabis clubs are far from a new thing.

Cannabis Clubs In Canada

Regulated cannabis clubs may be a relatively new thing from a public policy standpoint, however, in the real world they have existed for decades, including in Canada. Underground cannabis clubs have existed for years, particularly in British Columbia, and the last time that I checked, the sky was still intact over B.C. Despite unregulated cannabis clubs being somewhat common in parts of B.C., it’s worth noting that the province does not lead Canada in drug-related DUIs.

According to government data from Canada, “Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest rate of drug-impaired driving (52 incidents per 100,000 population), followed by Prince Edward Island,” with New Brunswick (36) coming in next. By contrast, British Columbia had 32 incidents per 100,000 population. If increasing the number of cannabis clubs in a jurisdiction automatically made the roadways unsafe, then it would be reflected in the data. Yet, that is obviously not the case.

A Rational Approach

One thing that the report noted that was absolutely correct is that there is a need for ongoing public education regarding cannabis use and operating a motor vehicle while impaired. No responsible cannabis consumer advocates for impaired driving, and the same is true of responsible members of Canada’s emerging cannabis industry. Clearly, there is a common goal between responsible cannabis advocates and opponents alike in that we all want public roadways to be safe.

The friction between the two groups begins when prevention strategies and detection are discussed. Cannabis advocates want to rely on facts to educate the public, and not fear-mongering. Cannabis advocates want science to determine impairment and not arbitrary nanogram thresholds that do not take into account a person’s tolerance level, individual biology, and other situational factors.

Unfortunately, the topic of cannabis and driving is such a hot-button issue with cannabis opponents that it makes it very difficult to have a rational conversation about what an effective prevention strategy looks like. People have consumed cannabis in social settings for many years, albeit in a non-regulated fashion, and a vast majority of people take precautionary measures such as walking, taking public transportation, or arranging private transportation.

Cannabis clubs are merely the latest boogeyman punching bag for cannabis opponents. Concerns about impaired driving are valid, however, they should not be used to derail further implementation of cannabis clubs in Canada, or anywhere else for that matter.

Cannabis plant

Another Study Finds That Cannabis Products Improve Health-Related Quality Of Life

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

The cannabis plant is helping more and more suffering patients every day thanks to cannabis policies being reformed in a growing number of jurisdictions around the globe. While there is still much work to do, more patients are receiving safe access to medical cannabis, and that is a great thing.

Cannabis studies are increasing in frequency, and the knowledge that is being unlocked in the process will help humans for generations to come. A recent study from the United Kingdom is part of that growing body of evidence. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients’ consumption of medical cannabis products is well-tolerated and is associated with significant improvements in their health-related quality of life, according to observational data published in the journal Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis-derived products in 2,833 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. All of the 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.)

Patients enrolled in the registry suffered from a variety of disorders, including chronic pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions. Study participants consumed cannabis by either vaporizing marijuana flowers or by ingesting plant-derived extracts containing both THC and CBD. Researchers assessed subjects’ symptoms compared to baseline at one, three, six, and twelve months.

Authors reported that the majority of patients experienced sustained improvements following cannabis therapy. Adverse events associated with cannabis were typically mild, with the most frequently reported side-effects being dry mouth and fatigue.

They concluded: “This observational study suggests that initiating treatment with CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] is associated with an improvement in general HRQoL [health-related quality of life], as well as sleep- and anxiety-specific symptoms up to 12 months in patients with chronic illness. … Most patients tolerated the treatment well, however, the risk of AEs [adverse events] should be considered before initiating CBMPs. In particular, female and cannabis-naïve patients are at increased likelihood of experiencing adverse events. These findings may help to inform current clinical practice, but most importantly, highlights the need for further clinical trials to determine causality and generate guidelines to optimize therapy with CBMPs.”

Full text of the study, “An observational study of safety and clinical outcome measures across patient groups in the United Kingdom Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology.