Skip to main content
chicken chicken

Feeding Cannabis To Poultry Instead Of Antibiotics

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business, Policy, Science.

Thailand is not just distributing free cannabis plants, but also finding innovative ways to incorporate the plant into other industries

Thailand is moving quickly into the international cannabis industry – and for several reasons beyond just legalization.

The first of course was the announcement of the distribution of a million cannabis plants to its citizens.

The second, which is garnering international attention yet again, may revolutionize livestock farming. Namely a farming community in Lampang in northern Thailand is treating its chickens with cannabis instead of antibiotics.

Researchers from the Chiang Mai University Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences have now released the first data from this unique experiment. Fewer than 10% of the 1,000 chickens have died since cannabis was introduced into their feed in 2021. Beyond this, the mortality rates for chickens who are fed hemp is approximate to feeding them more expensive (and dangerous) antibiotics.

The experiment included giving chickens hemp with 0.4% THC (rather than 0.2% legalized by the Thai government as of this June).

The birds are now fetching price the price – or about $1.50 per pound – from customers who want organic meat that is antibiotic-free.

Why Did This Make a Difference?

Thai researchers are confirming that cannabis has bioactive compounds that not only create better metabolic activity and overall health but also help improve immune systems.

So far, the study has been in “screening test” mode. Now the researchers will look at whether cannabis can help protect chickens against bird flu and other severe diseases.

Anecdotally this has also been found to be true in people too.

The Impact on The Meat Industry and Beyond

Antibiotics are routinely given to farm animals who are later slaughtered for their meat. This has the long-term effect of creating increased antibiotic resistance in humans – giving rise to fears about superbugs that are resistant to the modern arsenal of antibiotic treatments.

As a result, the use of such drugs in food animals has also created trade wars – particularly between Europe and the United States – the latter of which routinely uses antibiotics in its meat farming practices.

If the Thai study continues to find that higher THC hemp can prevent viral outbreaks, it may revolutionize the global meat industry.

It also may impact the world of antibiotics – both in food – and potentially in places like hospitals where outbreaks of bacteria are a serious concern.

Antibiotics are not without side effects. Neither is their widespread use. This trial in Thailand, in other words, could well have global and long-lasting implications.

Germany Drug Commissioner Czar Burkhard Blienert Germany Drug Commissioner Czar Burkhard Blienert

Germany’s Drug Czar To Keynote International Cannabis Business Conference In Berlin

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

Germany is in the midst of the most robust and complex cannabis policy and industry endeavor in the history of humankind. Policymakers and industry regulators in Germany have worked diligently since the 2021 election to craft the laws, rules, and regulations that will eventually govern a national adult-use cannabis industry.

Given the size of Germany’s economy and its geographical position in the heart of the European continent, Germany’s adult-use industry will instantly become the largest on the planet once it is launched. Currently, only Canada has a nationwide adult-use cannabis industry that is open to anyone of legal age and involves products that are not just of the low-THC variety.

Legalization can never come soon enough, however, the pace at which Germany’s new coalition government has moved on the adult-use cannabis front is considerable given that the results of the 2021 election are not even one year old. Lawmakers and regulators in Germany want to legalize cannabis in as sensible, effective, and efficient of a manner as possible, and that is not an easy thing to do in a nation that is home to over 83 million people and shares 9 borders with other countries.

Commissioner Burkhard Blienert

Fortunately for Germany, they have a very qualified and brilliant Commissioner on Narcotic Drugs at the Federal Ministry of Health helping oversee the legalization process, Mr. Burkhard Blienert. We are extremely proud and honored to announce that Mr. Blienert will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin July 19-20, 2022.

Commissioner Blienert’s resume is extensive, as he has dealt intensively with questions of drug and addiction policy for roughly ten years. In the 18th electoral term (2013-2017) he was a member of the German Bundestag and represented his parliamentary group as a full member of the Health Committee, the Culture and Media Committee and the Budget Committee. Mr. Blienert was his group’s rapporteur on drug and addiction issues during this period.

Since 1990, Mr. Blienert has been a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He has worked for the SPD party executive committee and served as policy officer of the SPD group in the Land parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, responsible for school and education, sports and petitions.

Mr. Burkhard Blienert studied politics, modern history and sociology (Master’s) and completed the first state examination for lower secondary education in social sciences, history and pedagogy. As a member of the German Bundestag, Blienert sat on the Board of Trustees of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (BpB), on the Administrative Council of the German National Library and the Hörfunkrat Deutschlandradio broadcasting council as well as on the Administrative Council of the German Federal Film Board (FFA).

Currently, he is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Federal Cultural Federation, the National Society of Labour Welfare (AWO), the United Services Union (ver.di), the association “Against Oblivion – For Democracy” of the German Thomas Mann Society as well as the Paderborn district council.

History In The Making

Commissioner Blienert is not new to our conference. Last year he participated in a truly historic panel in which, for the first time ever, representatives from every major political party in Germany took part in a cannabis-only policy discussion. The discussion was held mere weeks before the 2021 election, the results of which we now have the benefit of knowing.

We are very proud of the fact that much of what was discussed at our panel in 2021 has since become part of the mainstream cannabis policy conversation in Germany. We look forward to continuing the cannabis conversation at this year’s B2B event in July where our schedule will once again feature a number of policymakers that are directly involved in the effort to legalize cannabis in Germany. Attendees will literally be able to get the most up-to-date information regarding what is going on in Germany directly from people involved in the process, including Germany’s current Drug Czar.

In addition to the Berlin B2B event, the International Cannabis Business Conference will also offer a one-day Global Investment Forum (GIF) on July 18, 2022. The International Cannabis Business Conference Global Investment Forum in Berlin will feature hand-picked cannabis companies participating in a pitch session in front of top investors on the International Cannabis Business Conference Main Stage. It is a tremendous opportunity for cannabis companies in the emerging cannabis industry to showcase their products/services in front of seasoned industry investors. The pitch session is also open to service providers looking for reliable and high-end clients.

At the conclusion of the B2B event, attendees will then be able to enjoy one of the International Cannabis Business Conference’s famous after-parties. This year’s B2B event after-party in Berlin will feature the multi-Grammy award-winning reggae band Morgan Heritage.

Over 5,000 attendees and 350 companies sponsors and exhibitors are expected at the Berlin International Cannabis Business B2B Conference alone. International Cannabis Business Conference events are attended by leading policymakers, executives, and entrepreneurs from all over the world, with over 85 countries being represented at previous events. The event series is the best way for innovators and inventors to get their products or services in front of the top influencers and decision-makers in the cannabis space, as well as for investors to network with aspiring entrepreneurs.

A cannabis industry revolution is sweeping Europe, and Germany is at the center of it. If you’re serious about succeeding in the cannabis industry, check out the International Cannabis Business Conference’s flagship program in Berlin in July. Leading cannabis entrepreneurs and policymakers from around the world will be in attendance and the networking and educational opportunities will be unparalleled. Secure tickets now before they are sold out!

pain pain pain pain

Study Finds That Aerosolized Cannabis Significantly Reduces Pain Levels

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Science.

Cannabis inhalers are not necessarily a new technology, however, they are definitely newer than some other consumption methods. It’s an emerging technology in the cannabis space.

Many medical cannabis patients would likely prefer to use an inhaler versus smoking cannabis, and I am sure that many medical professionals would prefer that patients use inhalers as well.

Researchers in Israel recently conducted a study involving a specific type of cannabis inhaler to measure its efficacy on pain among neuropathy patients. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Haifa, Israel: The administration of aerosolized cannabis via a novel inhaler is associated with long-term pain reductions in patients with neuropathy and other chronic conditions, according to data published in the journal Pain Reports.

Israeli investigators assessed the efficacy of cannabis delivered via a novel metered selective dose inhaler (The Syqe Inhaler) in a cohort of chronic pain patients. The mean daily stable dose used by patients in the study was 1.5 mg of aerosolized delta-9-THC.

Use of the inhaler over a period of several months was associated with reduced pain scores and improvements in patients’ quality of life. Some patients reported mild side-effects (typically dizziness and sleepiness) at the onset of the study, but few participants continued to report these effects throughout the duration of the trial.

Authors concluded: “Medical cannabis treatment with the Syqe Inhaler demonstrated overall long-term pain reduction[s], quality of life improvement[s], and opioid-sparing effect[s] in a cohort of patients with chronic pain, using just a fraction of the amount of MC [medical cannabis] compared with other modes of delivery by inhalation. These outcomes were accompanied by a lower rate of AEs [adverse events] and almost no AE reports during a long-term steady-state follow-up. Additional follow-up in a larger population is warranted to corroborate our findings.”

According to recently compiled survey data, nearly one in three chronic pain patients report using cannabis for treatment management. Among patients in US states where medical cannabis access is permitted, over 60 percent are qualified to use it to treat pain.

Full text of the study, “Long-term effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis administered through the metered-dose Syqe Inhaler,” appears in Pain Reports. Additional information on cannabis and chronic pain is available from NORML.

weighing scale obesity bmi weighing scale obesity bmi

Cannabis Inversely Associated With Obesity In Hepatitis C Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

It is estimated that as many as 58 million people suffer from hepatitis C worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that roughly 1.1 million deaths occurred in 2019 due to hepatitis B and C, and their effects include ‘liver cancer, cirrhosis, and other conditions caused by chronic viral hepatitis.’

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with contaminated blood, such as from sharing needles or from people using unsterile tattoo equipment. Researchers in France recently examined the effects of cannabis use among hepatitis C patients. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Paris, France: Cannabis use is inversely associated with obesity in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

A team of French researchers assessed the relationship between lifetime cannabis use and obesity in a cohort of over 6,300 HCV patients.

Authors reported, “[F]ormer and, to a greater extent, current cannabis use were consistently associated with smaller waist circumference, lower BMI, and lower risks of overweight, obesity, and central obesity in patients with chronic HCV infection. … To our knowledge, this is the first time that such associations have been highlighted for HCV-infected patients.”

The study’s findings are consistent with those of analyses of other cohorts – such as those here, here, and here - reporting that marijuana use is typically associated with lower BMI and with lower rates of obesity.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use as a factor of lower corpulence in hepatitis C-infected patients: Results from the ANRS C022 Hepather cohort,” is available in the Journal of Cannabis Research. Additional information on cannabis and HCV is available from NORML.

stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital stethoscope doctor medical hospital

Cancer Patients Reduced Prescriptions, Improved Symptoms After Long-Term Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

If you have battled cancer, or know someone that has, then you are completely aware of how awful of a condition it can be. To make matters worse, many of the current treatments for cancer come with a number of terrible side effects.

The cannabis plant has helped many cancer patients over many years in various ways, and according to a recent study in Israel, it is associated with reduced prescriptions and improvements in symptoms. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Haifa, Israel: The use of cannabis products over a six-month period is associated with statistical improvements in cancer-related symptoms as well as significant reductions in subjects’ use of prescription painkillers, according to longitudinal data published in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research.

Israeli researchers assessed the long-term use of cannabis in a cohort of several hundred oncology patients.

Consistent with studies of other patient cohorts, cannabis use was associated with symptom mitigation, improved quality of life, and reduced prescription drug use. Among those participants who completed the trial, nearly half ceased their use of analgesics.

Authors concluded: “The main finding of the current study is that most cancer comorbid symptoms improved significantly during six months of MC [medical cannabis] treatment. … Additionally, we found that MC treatment in cancer patients was well tolerated and safe. … In conclusion, this prospective, comprehensive and large-scale cohort demonstrated an overall mild to modest long-term statistical improvement of all investigated measures including pain, associated symptoms and, importantly, reduction in opioid (and other analgesics) use.”

Full text of the study, “The effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis for treating cancer related symptoms in oncology patients,” appears inFrontiers in Pain Research. Additional information is available from the NORML fact sheet, “Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.”

cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil

CBD-Rich Cannabis Extracts Are Safe For Pediatric Autism Patients According To Brazilian Study

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the subject of a growing number of studies as researchers and medical professionals continue to work to unlock the healing properties of the cannabinoid.

One condition that researchers seem to be focusing on more and more is autism. CBD is thought to be able to effectively treat autism, including among younger patients.

Researchers in Brazil recently conducted a study that looked specifically at CBD’s safety as it pertains to pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

João Pessoa, Brazil: The administration of CBD-rich cannabis extracts is safe and effective in mitigating symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial data published in the journal Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy.

Brazilian researchers evaluated the use of CBD extracts versus placebo in 60 children (ages 5 to 11) with ASD over a 12-week period.

Compared to the placebo group, subjects receiving CBD extracts experienced significant improvements in their ability to engage in social interactions. They also experienced reduced anxiety and agitation. Only a minority of subjects administered CBD exhibited adverse events, namely dizziness and insomnia.

The study’s findings are consistent with those of other trials similarly reporting improvements in patients’ ASD symptoms following their use of cannabinoid products. Survey data published in October by the publication Autism Parenting Magazine reported that 22 percent of US caregivers or parents have provided CBD to an autistic child. Survey data from the United Kingdom recently reported that autistic adults were nearly four times as likely as controls to report having used CBD within the past year.

Full text of the study, “Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of cannabidiol-rich cannabis extract in children with autism spectrum disorder: Randomized, double-blind and controlled placebo clinical trial,” appears inTrends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. Additional information on cannabis and ASD is available from NORML.

arthritis arthritis

One In Five Canadian Arthritis Patients Acknowledge Using Medical Cannabis

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

It is estimated that as many as 350 million people around the globe suffer from arthritis. Arthritis is defined as painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

The condition is particularly prevalent in North America. In the United States alone it is estimated that 1 out of every 4 adults suffers from arthritis to some degree, with some cases being extreme.

More and more arthritis patients are turning to the cannabis plant for relief, as demonstrated by the results of a recent study in Canada. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Toronto, Ontario: Arthritis patients frequently reported consuming cannabis for symptomatic relief, according to survey data published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology.

A team of Canadian investigators surveyed 799 patients at eight rheumatology clinics in Ontario. (Cannabis is legal in Canada for both medical purposes and for adults.)

Just over 20 percent of those surveyed acknowledged either having consumed cannabis within the past two years or being current users of cannabis products. Compared to non-users, those who consumed cannabis were more likely to be younger and were more likely to report suffering from severe pain.

Cannabis consumers reported using it to treat pain, anxiety, and to promote sleep. Seventy-eight percent of them reported medical cannabis to be “at least somewhat effective” at mitigating their symptoms.

The study’s findings are consistent with French survey data, published in 2021, which reported that “nearly 20 percent of patients suffering from rheumatologic diseases actively consume cannabis.”

Longitudinal data published in April reported that osteoarthritis patients decrease their daily opioid intake and experience improvements in their overall quality of life following the initiation of medical cannabis therapy. Authors of the study concluded: “Our findings indicate that providing access to MC [medical cannabis], helps patients with chronic pain due to OA [osteoarthritis] reduce their levels of opioid usage in addition to improving pain and QoL [quality of life]. Furthermore, a majority of patients did not feel intoxicated or high from MC, and of those who did, only a small percentage said it interfered with their daily activities. … Our findings support the literature in that MC reduces the use of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain.”

Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis use by rheumatology patients in routine clinical care: Results from the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative,” appears in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. Additional information on cannabis and rheumatoid arthritis is available from NORML.

driving car dui duii under the influence intoxicants driving car dui duii under the influence intoxicants

Study: CBD Does Not Impact Cognitive Function, Simulated Driving Performance

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Every responsible cannabis consumer on the planet recognizes that operating a motor vehicle on a public roadway while being intoxicated by any substance, cannabis included, 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.

That is demonstrated in the results of a recent study conducted in Australia. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: The oral administration of up to 1500 mg of CBD does not induce feelings of intoxication and is not associated with changes in simulated driving performance, according to data published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

A team of Australian researchers assessed the impact of varying dosages of CBD (ranging from 15 mg to 1500) versus placebo in 17 subjects. Study participants engaged in a series of simulated driving tests at approximately one hour and four hours after dosing. Investigators separately assessed subjects’ cognitive performance via their completion of a variety of computerized tasks. Participants were also asked whether they felt either “stoned” or “sedated” at any time during the trial.

Consistent with prior research, authors reported that CBD administration was not associated with either weaving or any other significant changes in simulated driving performance. Participants also failed to show any significant differences in either cognitive function or in their subjective feelings of well-being following CBD dosing.

Authors concluded: “The results of this study suggest that acute, oral CBD treatment at doses up to 1500 mg does not induce feelings of intoxication and is unlikely to impair cognitive function or driving performance. However, further research is required to confirm no effect of CBD on safety-sensitive tasks in the hours immediately post-treatment and with chronic administration.”

Full text of the study, “Effects of cannabidiol on simulated driving and cognitive performance: A dose-ranging randomized controlled trial,” appears in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. Additional information is available from NORML’s fact sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’

cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil cbd oil

European CBD Novel Food Evaluations Put On Hold

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Policy, Science.

Cannabidiol (CBD) products are extremely popular around the world, with consumers and patients buying them every day around the globe from brick and mortar stores, online, and virtually every other way that people buy any other type of product.

A vast majority of those products are either under-regulated or completely unregulated. That is not to say that every product is unsafe, however, what percentage of products are unsafe is nearly impossible to know right now.

Governments around the world are scrambling to try to implement rules and regulations for the emerging CBD industry, with many of them experiencing setbacks.

The latest example of that is in Europe, where the European Food Safety Authority announced this week that it will be putting a pause on processing CBD novel food applications. Below is more information about it via a news release from the European Food Safety Authority:

EFSA’s expert Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) has received 19 applications for CBD as a novel food, with more in the pipeline.

Chair of the NDA Panel, Prof. Dominique Turck said: “We have identified several hazards related to CBD intake and determined that the many data gaps on these health effects need filling before these evaluations can go ahead. It is important to stress at this point that we have not concluded that CBD is unsafe as food.”

There is insufficient data on the effect of CBD on the liver, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system, nervous system and on people’s psychological well-being.

Studies in animals show significant adverse effects especially in relation to reproduction. It is important to determine if these effects are also seen in humans.

This latest delay is definitely disappointing, and will likely be pointed to by cannabis opponents as ‘justification’ to abandon the CBD industry entirely.

It’s not as if there is a lack of research on this subject. A quick search on PubMed.gov, which houses peer-reviewed study results from around the globe, lists 4,881 returns for a ‘cannabidiol’ search query. A search for ‘CBD’ returns 9,727 study results.

By comparison, a search for the common sleep aid ‘Lunesta’ returns only 314 results. Obviously, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but it does provide context regarding the level of research that CBD has already been subjected to.

Hopefully the European Food Safety Authority gets the data that they think they need and can get back to processing applications sooner rather than later.

In addition to the growing body of peer-reviewed research, there are literally millions of people around the globe that now regularly use CBD products and the sky has yet to fall. It’s anecdotal but still worth noting.