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Vaporized Cannabis Provides “Significant Improvements” For MS Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Cannabis consumption has evolved in recent decades. For many years, cannabis was typically eaten or it was combusted with a flame, and the resulting smoke was inhaled. These days, cannabis is vaporized by more and more medical cannabis patients for various reasons.

According to SNS Insider, the cannabis vape market “was valued at USD 5.06 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to USD 17.11 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 14.53% over the forecast period of 2024-2032.”

Researchers in Greece recently conducted a study involving vaporized medical cannabis and multiple sclerosis patients. Below is more information about the study and its results via a news release from NORML:

Athens, Greece: Vaporized cannabis containing standardized percentages of CBD and THC is associated with sustained improvements in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to longitudinal data published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Greek researchers assessed the efficacy of a vaporized cannabis formulation containing 13 percent CBD and 9 percent THC in a cohort of 69 MS patients. Study participants’ symptoms – including bladder dysfunction, muscle spasticity, and disability progression rate – were assessed at baseline, at three months, and six months.

“Significant improvement was observed across all outcome assessments” following patients’ adjunctive use of cannabis, researchers reported.

“This study represents an initial step toward understanding the real-world application of vaporized THC: CBD formulations in MS management,” the study’s authors concluded. “The findings … highlight the potential benefits of CBD 13 [percent] | THC 9 [percent] vaporized formulations in managing MS symptoms, particularly when integrated into the existing treatment framework of DMTs [disease modifying therapies] and other MS symptomatic therapies.”

In 2010, British health officials granted regulatory approval to an oromucosal spray (nabiximols) containing standardized percentages of CBD and THC for the treatment of MS. That product is now available by prescription in various countries – including Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, and Spain – but remains unavailable in the United States.

Full text of the study, “Evaluating vaporized cannabinoid therapy in multiple sclerosis: Findings from a prospective single-center clinical study,” appears in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Additional information on cannabis and MS is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

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First Medical Cannabis Prescription Issued In Greece

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Greece was one of the first European nations to reschedule medical cannabis back in 2017. The goal of rescheduling was to allow suffering patients to safely access medical cannabis products via a prescription.

However, it was not until recent days that Greece issued its first medical cannabis prescription. Anesthetists, neurologists, and pathologists specializing in cancer, infections, and rheumatism are permitted to prescribe medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis can be prescribed for nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combination therapy against HIV or hepatitis C, as well as chronic pain, spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, and as an appetite suppressant in palliative care.

“What can I say about this day? A very big thank you, relief, vindication, freedom to live. I was among the first to get the prescription via the electronic prescription system and I didn’t expect it, I couldn’t believe it. I burst into tears…an end to the risks and fear.” stated Anna Panga, Greece’s first patient to receive a medical cannabis prescription.

European Union agreements permit member nations to allow medical cannabis sales. Unfortunately, that was not the case for many years and Europe’s medical cannabis industry is still young by many measures. With the rise of adult-use cannabis reform, Europe’s medical cannabis industry landscape will continue to evolve.

Adult-use reform is gaining momentum in Europe after the recent successful vote in Germany’s Bundestag, and while adult-use legalization is likely far off from happening in Greece, the timeline for such reform occurring may be shorter now thanks to the historic vote in Germany and the ‘butterfly effect’ it provides all European countries.

In the meantime, Greece’s medical cannabis industry will continue to expand, albeit slowly. Many suffering patients in Greece are still left on the outside looking in. Greece’s list of qualifying conditions is limited, and that, in turn, will continue to limit Greece’s medical cannabis industry’s potential.

European Parliament

Medical Cannabis Access Continues To Be Hindered In Greece

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

A Member of the European Parliament from Greece is urging the European Commission (EC) to adopt legislation that would bring some long-needed uniformity to medical cannabis access on the continent. Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou recently appealed to the EC.

It is not the first time that MEP Kouloglou has sought clarity on this subject. Back in January 2022, MEP Kouloglou submitted a “Question for written answer” to the European Parliament which included the following language:

Many Member States have now legalised the medical use of cannabis and the circulation of EMA-approved and other prescription drugs. At the same time, the EP has adopted a resolution highlighting their therapeutic effects, possibly even in the case of COVID-19.

Since 2017, the cultivation of medicinal cannabis and the licensing and manufacture of finished products with a TCH (sic) content exceeding 2% have all been officially regulated in Greece.

On 2 December 2021, the Government banned the import of medical cannabis products in their final state for domestic consumption, making it impossible for Greek patients to obtain such products with a tetrahydrocannabinol content exceeding 2%, since they have not been licensed for domestic production and few companies will meet the necessary conditions any time soon. As a result, patients are resorting to illegally distributed preparations from unreliable sources.

In view of this:

1. Will the Commission seek to establish whether the principles of fair competition, which is essential for the free movement of goods, and the provisions of the European Medicines Regulatory System are being infringed?
2. How can it help Greek patients gain legal access to the treatment they need?

Earlier this month MEP Kouloglou submitted another question, the language of which is below:

The use of cannabis for medical purposes is accepted worldwide. The WHO recommends the use of prescriptions for a wide range of conditions, while the European Parliament has called on European and national authorities to address regulatory barriers, provide funding for research and innovation and inform healthcare professionals.

Greece legalised medical cannabis in 2017, allowing its cultivation and the production of cannabis products containing more than 0.3% THC. However, patients do not have access to these medical products and the little national investment in medical cannabis that exists, is slow.

In November 2021, the Greek Government banned the import of medical cannabis products, violating Article 28 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and creating a market situation in which supply was controlled by a few who influenced prices, leading to unfair competition. As a result, for the past two years patients have been forced to turn to the black market to get treatment for a range of conditions.

In view of this:

1. How does the Commission plan to address the shortage in medicines for patients, caused by national measures that violate the fundamental principle of the free movement of goods and create a breeding ground for unfair competition within the Single Market?
2. Does it plan to introduce an EU legal framework that comprehensively regulates the issue as a whole, preventing the existence of a black market, regulating quality and labelling accuracy and ensuring legal and safe access to cannabis products for medical purposes?

MEP Kouloglou’s questions are all valid, as Greece is not the only country in Europe struggling to navigate a patchwork of laws, rules, and regulations, with many of them seeming to conflict with each other at times.

If Europe’s cannabis industry is ever going to reach its full potential, both at the individual nation level as well as the continental level, there needs to be sensible uniformity to some degree. Suffering patients across Europe, including in Greece, are depending on it.

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Greek Cannabis Study Provides Encouraging News For Patients With Neurological Disorders

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Neurological disorders are serious medical conditions that affect the human brain as well as the nerves found throughout the human body and the spinal cord. Examples of neurological disorders include, but are not limited to:

  • Epilepsy
  • Alzheimer disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Brain tumours

Researchers in Greece recently examined the relationship between cannabis and neurological disorders and the results of their research were favorable. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Athens, Greece: Patients diagnosed with neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, etc.) experience improvements in their symptoms following medical cannabis treatment, according to data published in the journal Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.

A team of Greek scientists assessed cannabis use in a cohort of 100 patients. Patients’ quality of life was assessed via the use of a 36-item health survey.

Researchers reported: “The majority of our patients who received medical cannabis to treat their neurological disorders (58 percent) reported decrease in their symptoms, [including] better energy and vitality … and an improvement in sleeping and appetite after receiving medical cannabis. … Participants, who reported a longer period of receiving medical cannabis, reported statistically significant more energy and vitality, but also better mental and general health status.”

Data published earlier this year similarly reported that the use of plant-derived cannabis oils containing balanced ratios of THC and CBD is safe and effective for older patients suffering from certain treatment-resistant neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and peripheral neuropathy.

Full text of the study, “Quality of life in patients receiving medical cannabis,” appears in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. Additional information on the use of cannabis for the treatment of neurological disorders is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

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CBD Is Associated With Symptomatic Improvements In Dementia Patients

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Cannabis tinctures, particularly ones containing CBD, are growing in popularity around the globe within the medical cannabis community for a multitude of reasons. For many years, cannabis flower was the most prominent form of medical cannabis, however, more and more patients are increasingly going the concentrated product route, including incorporating tinctures into their wellness strategies.

Tinctures are preferred by many cannabis patients because they do not typically contain many ingredients, and it is a smokeless form of cannabis consumption. For some patients, inhaled forms of medical cannabis are not an option.

The rise in the use of cannabis tinctures is paralleled by new questions regarding whether cannabis tinctures containing CBD are effective for patients suffering from dementia, both in the short and long term.

A team of researchers in Greece recently examined the use of CBD tinctures among dementia patients, and the results of the study were insightful. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Macedonia, Greece: The administration of a CBD tincture is associated with symptomatic improvements in patients with dementia, according to data published in the journal Clinical Gerontologist.

Investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of a three percent CBD tincture in a cohort of 20 dementia patients with severe behavioral and psychological symptoms. Ten of the patients received CBD treatment for six months, while the other ten received traditional therapies.

They reported: “The follow-up assessment … showed significant improvement of BPSD [behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia] in all our patients who received CBD, and no or limited improvement in the second group, regardless of the underlying neuropathology of dementia.”

Researchers concluded: “We suggest that CBD may be a more effective and safe choice for managing BPSD than the typical intervention. … Healthcare professionals should consider incorporating [it] into their practices to reduce BPSD in PwD [people with dementia]. … Future large randomized clinical trials are needed to re-assure these findings.”

The findings are consistent with those of several prior studies concluding that the administration of CBD-dominant cannabis plant extracts reduces agitation and provides other behavioral improvements in dementia patients.

Full text of the study, “The effect of cannabidiol 3% on neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia – Six-month follow up,” appears in Clinical Gerontologist.

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Medical Cannabis Approved For Production And Sales In Greece

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

The sunny, Mediterranean country holds great promise for the cultivation and extraction of cannabis products bound for the rest of Europe.

Move over Portugal! According to local English-language media, The Greek Reporter, the Greek Parliament finally approved a bill to legalize the cultivation and sale of medical marijuana in Greece (on Friday). The bill passed 158 to 33 with opposition only from the Communist Party of Greece, the Greek Solution and the MeRA 25 Party (supported by Greek superstar economist Yanis Varoufakis).

The bill, called the “Production, extraction and distribution of final products of pharmaceutical cannabis of the species Cannabis Sativa L (with over 0.2% THC)” was submitted initially by the Greek department of Development and Investment and has ticked along all spring.

What Happens Now?

For those who might be confused (since Greece initially passed a medical marijuana bill in 2018 to begin to allow medical cultivation), this new bill is intended to expedite the process for obtaining licenses for medical marijuana production and facilitate investment in the domestic industry. Indeed, government spokespersons have commented already that the intent of the law is to create an integrated framework for the development of the cannabis industry in Greece – specifically for the purpose of job creation and by encouraging investment in the country.

However, beyond this, there are still outlying issues that need to be fixed. Specifically, as of Friday, there were already domestic critics who were calling foul – namely that the process of reform has been “incomplete.” Namely, the Syriza Party is going to attempt to amend the bill to propose that the application process for a license should also enable producers to sell to domestic patients and further, provide products in both raw flower and extract form.

The Greek Domino and Its Impact on Europe

With Greece now officially moving forward with cannabis as a tool of economic development, it is unlikely that other European governments will sit on the sidelines for long. Indeed, even France is moving forward on a CBD cultivation bill.

The days of Prohibition are indeed coming to an end in Europe. And it is also very likely that, just like Greece, a formerly verboten plant will become instead a tool of governments to make lives better.

If there is a cannabis theme of the 2020’s it is likely to be this, particularly in Europe. Cannabis is being reintegrated into the continent. And the economies of its countries, as well as its peoples, will never be the same again.

Be sure to book your tickets now to the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Europe in August.

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Greek Parliament Considers New Cannabis Investment Bill

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

A draft law proposes to ensure the regulation of a safe medical cannabis market at home and for exports.

Greece is steadily moving forward on improving both its investment and regulatory climate to encourage more production of cannabis in the country for export and to normalize cannabis medications from elsewhere.

The draft law of the Ministry of Development and Investment seeks to ensure a regulatory schema for the medical industry. This will include accepting European-wide marketing authorization (so producers do not have to seek individual approval in Greece if approved elsewhere). The restriction on the state monopoly control of products is also coming to an end.

National Distribution

The implications of the bill start with domestic distribution. Producers will be able to distribute domestically through a normalized pharmaceutical channel. This means that they can distribute directly to pharmacies, treatment centres and hospitals.

It also means that Greek producers finally will be able to meet international requirements to export internationally – namely the medical program domestically will fall under the rubric of the national medicines’ agency, which is a first, big requirement for export.

The Export Market Is Calling

The bill stipulates that the production of finished products in 30-gram packets will be permitted. This is a clear bid to enter the European medical market elsewhere (including Germany). The production of such product will also be allowed, regardless of how such products are used in the export country – either as a raw, intermediary, or finished product.

One of the more interesting aspects of this approach, of course, is that it also sets Greece up as a potential producer for not only medical markets but of course, the recreational ones that are now beginning to plan for on-the-ground rollout. See Luxembourg and Switzerland in particular.

The Nevada of Europe?

Greece represents an interesting turn of events for the industry across Europe. Not only is the investment and other climate right for this kind of industry, but the tourist potential from abroad, especially from Europe, is high. Health insurance “travels” here. That means that a German patient-tourist living in Greece, could get a medical cannabis prescription written by a local doctor and get it covered by an insurer at home.

As the Pandemic restrictions continue to lift, and the major issues with access at home continue, it is not unrealistic to expect to see longer-term tourists or even regular, quarterly visits for patients looking for ways to treat their condition more cheaply than they can at home.

For the most up to date information on investment opportunities across Europe, be sure to book your tickets now for the return of the International Cannabis Business Conference to Europe this July!