Tag: Australia

Humans have a very long history of harnessing the wellness benefits of the cannabis plant. It wasn’t until the 20th century that the cannabis plant became villainized due to harmful political motivations.

Thankfully, cannabis policies and regulations are being modernized across the globe and more suffering patients are able to use cannabis and cannabis-derived medications to treat their condition(s).

A team of researchers in Australia recently conducted a study examining medical cannabis use, pain, and mental health. Below is information about the study and its findings via a recent news release from NORML:

Melbourne, Australia: Chronic pain patients report physical and mental health improvements following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to observational data published in the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy.

Australian researchers assessed the use of medical cannabis preparations in 96 chronic pain patients. (Under Australian law, physicians may only authorize cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.) Study participants consumed cannabis formulations either high in CBD, high in THC, or containing equal ratios of both cannabinoids. Patients’ symptoms were assessed at three, six, and 12 months.

Investigators reported: “We identified clear associations between patient commencement of a prescribed medicinal cannabis product and improvements in pain, mental health and sleep difficulties, with the most pronounced therapeutic effects visible within the first six months of treatment. Furthermore, significant improvements were noted across diverse domains of symptom interference on daily functions, suggesting an improved quality of life for patients. In relation to pain management, the majority of patients exhibited a notable decline in their use of both prescription and over-the-counter pain medications. This reduction in the use of other medications is consistent with the substantial improvements in pain severity reported by most patients.”

The most frequently reported adverse events were dry mouth and sleepiness.

The study’s authors concluded: “Overall, we found that the use of medicinal cannabis was associated with reduced pain during the first six months and improved mental well-being over 12 months. … Further longitudinal and controlled studies are necessary to better understand the sustained effects of cannabis-based medications on pain and mental health.”

Similarly designed studies of patients enrolled in the United Kingdom’s medical cannabis access program have reported that medical cannabis treatment is safe and effective for those suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, fibromyalgia, depression, migraine, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.

Full text of the study, “Changes in mental health symptoms associated with prescribed medicinal cannabis use: A one-year longitudinal study,” appears in the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy. Additional information on cannabis and chronic pain is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

Insomnia is a major issue around the world, with an estimated one-third of adults worldwide having symptoms of insomnia, and roughly ten percent of adults globally are diagnosed with insomnia. Insomnia occurs when the sufferer has difficulty falling asleep and/or remaining asleep.

The negative effects of suffering from insomnia are significant – increased chances of depression, fatigue, memory issues, mood issues, and weight gain (among many other problems). Many insomnia patients do not respond well to pharmaceutical drugs.

Cannabidiol is a form of medication that many insomnia patients are increasingly turning to. A major question that often comes up between patients and doctors is whether or not CBD causes any lasting cognitive performance issues. According to a recent study conducted in Australia, the answer to that question is no.

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is increasingly used as a sleep aid for insomnia; yet neurocognitive and subjective state effects following daily therapeutic use are unclear.” the researchers stated. The researchers who conducted the study were all affiliated with Swinburne University of Technology.

The primary objective of the study was to “measure the effect of daily CBD use on neurocognitive performance and daily subjective mood in a population with primary insomnia.”

“This study used a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel design incorporating a single-blind placebo run-in week followed by a two-week double-blind dosing period, during which participants consumed 150 mg CBD (N = 15) or placebo (N = 15) sublingually 60-minutes daily before bed.” the researchers stated about their study’s methodology. “Attention, executive function, reasoning, information processing, working and episodic memory were assessed using the CogPro system at the beginning of the placebo run-in, after 1-week and 2-weeks of dosing. Subjective states using visual analogue scales and side effects were recorded daily.”

“Cognitive performance was unaffected by nightly CBD supplementation (all p > 0.05). From baseline to trial conclusion, those receiving CBD reported greater experience of calmness, clear-headedness, coordination and were more likely to report side-effects of dry mouth relative to placebo (all p < 0.05).” the researchers stated about the study’s findings.

“Relative to placebo, daytime cognitive functioning following nightly supplementation as a therapeutic aid for primary insomnia was preserved under trial conditions. Results suggested an overall favourable safety profile, with larger controlled trials and thorough analyses of varying insomnia phenotypes necessary to corroborate these findings.” the researchers concluded.

Anyone who has battled cancer or has a loved one who has battled cancer knows firsthand how awful it can be. Undergoing chemotherapy treatment is often necessary but is also very difficult for cancer patients to have to endure.

A common side effect of chemotherapy treatments is refractory nausea. Refractory nausea is a condition that occurs when nausea and vomiting don’t respond to treatment. When a cancer patient experiences it, it makes a difficult situation even worse.

According to a recent clinical trial conducted in Australia, the use of plant-derived cannabis extracts is a safe and effective treatment for refractory nausea. Below is more information about the trial via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: The administration of cannabis extracts containing equal percentages of THC and CBD safely and effectively relieves refractory nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to randomized clinical trial data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Australian investigators assessed the use of standardized cannabis extracts versus placebo in 147 patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy. (Australian law permits physicians to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional treatments.) Participants in the study all suffered from nausea and vomiting despite taking standard antiemetic medications. Patients consumed either extracts or placebo three times a day in addition to their prescription medications.

Compared to placebo, cannabis extracts significantly reduced vomiting frequency and improved patients’ quality of life.

Researchers concluded: “An oral formulation of THC:CBD was an effective adjunct to standard antiemetics for prevention and treatment of refractory CINV, with adverse effects including sedation and dizziness, but no increase in serious adverse events. Our data support the claim that oral THC:CBD is an effective and safe option for the prevention of refractory CINV [chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting].”

In an accompanying editorial, authors opined, “For patients receiving moderate- or high-emetic-risk chemotherapy, THC:CBD may be considered as an option for secondary prophylaxis of CINV for patients who had refractory nausea in a previous cycle despite guideline-concordant treatment.”

Both cannabis and THC are well-established anti-nauseants. An oral formulation of synthetic THC (aka dronabinol) has been FDA-approved in the United States as an antiemetic since 1985.

Full text of the study, “Oral cannabis extract for secondary prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: Final results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II/III trials,” appears in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Humans have a long history with the cannabis plant, having harnessed the cannabis plant’s wellness properties for many centuries prior to cannabis prohibition policies taking effect around the world.

Thankfully, cannabis policy modernization efforts have spread across the globe in recent decades, particularly medical cannabis reforms. According to a recent study conducted by researchers from Ukraine and France, and published by the U.S. National Institute of Health, 57 countries have adopted medical cannabis legalization measures.

A recent survey was conducted in Australia in which medical cannabis patients were asked about the effectiveness of their medical cannabis therapies. The results of the survey were encouraging. Below is more information about the results of the survey via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: Adults who consume cannabis to treat a medical condition overwhelmingly say that it improves their symptoms, according to survey data published in the Harm Reduction Journal.

Researchers surveyed over 3,300 Australian adults who self-identified as medical cannabis consumers. Seventy-three percent of respondents said that they primarily consumed prescription cannabis products. (Australian law permits physicians to prescribe cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional treatments.) Twenty-seven percent of respondents acknowledged accessing cannabis, primarily from the unregulated market.

Survey participants predominantly consumed either cannabis flower or oral extracts. Patients typically used cannabis to address pain, mood disorders, or sleep disorders.

Ninety-seven percent of those surveyed said that their condition “was a little, much, or very much better since starting medical cannabis,” – a finding that is consistent with the results of prior surveys and observational trials.

Those respondents who used authorized cannabis products were more likely to be aware of the percentage of THC and other cannabinoids in their products. They were also more likely to either vaporize cannabis or consume oral extracts.

The most frequently reported side effects from cannabis were dry mouth, increased appetite, and drowsiness.

The study’s authors reported: “The results … further underline the dramatic recent increase in the proportion of people using legally prescribed rather than illicitly sourced medical cannabis. … Among these dual-users, respondents were far more likely to prefer prescribed medical cannabis for its consistency of dose, ease of getting supplies, effectiveness in treating their condition, better side-effects profile, and reduced risk of legal issues. This highlights the benefits to patients of being able to access medical cannabis of known potency through legal channels rather than having to obtain it from illicit sources.”

They concluded: “Both prescribed and illicit users overwhelmingly endorsed the effectiveness of their medical cannabis in treating their main health condition. … Further high-quality clinical trials and stronger research evidence is required to establish the role of different medical cannabis preparations in treating the wide array of conditions for which medical cannabis is being used.”

Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis use in Australia seven years after legalization: Findings from the online Cannabis as Medicine Survey 2022-2023 (CAMS-22),” appears in the Harm Reduction Journal.

Cannabis-derived oils are very popular products in legal markets. Consumers and patients around the globe consume cannabis in oil form for various reasons, including that it is a smokeless delivery method.

Unfortunately, a growing list of legal jurisdictions are instituting per se cannabis DUI laws that punish consumers and patients for cannabis use that could be from the night before. A recent example can be found in Germany where the nation has adopted a 3.5 ng/mL threshold for THC in a driver’s system.

A recent study in Australia highlights the problem with per se THC limits, finding that impairment from consuming cannabis at nighttime does not carry over to the following day. Feasibly, a person could consume cannabis oil the night before, and exceed the 3.5 ng/mL for metabolized THC the following day even though they are not impaired. Below is more information about the recent Australian study via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: Insomnia patients exhibit no next-day impairment following the nighttime use of plant-derived cannabis extracts, according to the results of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial published in the journal Psychopharmacology.

Australian researchers assessed next-day cognitive and psychomotor performance in a cohort of patients diagnosed with insomnia. Subjects in the study consumed either an oral cannabis extract containing 10 mg THC and 200 mg CBD or a placebo.

Investigators identified no differences among those who consumed cannabis or placebo in 27 of 28 performance tests. There were “no impairing effects” on simulated driving performance post-treatment.

The study’s authors concluded: “We found a lack of notable next day impairment to cognitive and psychomotor function and simulated driving performance following evening use of 10 mg oral THC, in combination with 200 mg CBD, in an insomnia population who infrequently use cannabis. … These findings confirm and extend on prior work by employing a randomized controlled trial design, a patient population that infrequently uses cannabis and who are, on average, older than participants in previous studies, and the use of a regulated product containing a higher ratio of CBD to THC.”

Clinical and observational trial data have reported that the use of cannabis products is associated with improved sleep quality in patients with insomnia.

Full text of the study, “Evaluating possible ‘next day’ impairment in insomnia patients administered an oral medicinal cannabis product by night: A pilot randomized controlled trial,” appears inPsychopharmacology. Additional information on cannabis and insomnia is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

International researchers estimate that as many as 595 million people worldwide had osteoarthritis in 2020. It is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 7.6% of the global population.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that often causes pain in the sufferer’s hands. The condition can result in stiffness, reduced range of motion, swelling, and/or difficulty gripping certain objects. In extreme cases, the condition can be completely debilitating.

A team of researchers in Australia recently conducted a clinical trial involving osteoarthritis patients experiencing hand pain and the application of CBD-infused gel. According to the results of the trial, patients reported experiencing relief after treatments. Below is more information about the study via a news release from NORML:

Sydney, Australia: The daily application of a transdermal gel containing CBD relieves pain and improves the quality of life of patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA), according to open-label trial data published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports.

Australian researchers evaluated the self-reported efficacy of transdermal CBD in a cohort of 15 OA patients. Study participants applied CBD-infused gelatin three times a day for four weeks. Self-reported measures were assessed at baseline and throughout the trial via smartphone technology.

CBD application was associated with self-reported improvements in pain, grip strength, fatigue, muscle stiffness, and anxiety.

“Pain, grip strength and QoL [quality of life] measures … were shown to improve over time following transdermal CBD application suggesting feasibility of this intervention in relieving osteoarthritic hand pain,” the study’s authors concluded. “Proof of efficacy, however, requires further confirmation in a placebo-controlled randomized trial.”

The transdermal delivery of CBD has previously been associated with reduced levels of lower back and leg pain in patients with spinal stenosis.

Full text of the study, “An open-label feasibility trial of transdermal cannabidiol for hand osteoarthritis,” appears in Nature: Scientific Reports.