Tag: United Kingdom

Researchers estimate that about 4% of the planet’s human population suffers from some level of anxiety, although, they do not know the exact number. Anxiety often goes undiagnosed for various reasons in certain parts of the world, so the actual rate may be much higher.

Anxiety is often described as involving intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Physical symptoms of anxiety can include a fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and/or fatigue.

Many of the pharmaceutical medications that are currently commonly prescribed to patients for anxiety involve a long list of possible side effects. Some cases of anxiety are so bad that pharmaceutical treatments don’t even work. Fortunately, medical cannabis products may be able to help in some cases.

Below is more information about a recent study via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) exhibit sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of cannabis products, according to data published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 300 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Cohort participants possessed a doctor’s authorization to access cannabis products. (Since 2018, specialists have been permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Authors assessed the efficacy of cannabis at one, three, six, and 12 months.

Consistent with prior studies, cannabis treatment was associated with persistent improvements in patients’ anxiety, sleep, and health-related quality of life. Patients presenting with severe baseline anxiety were most likely to experience a clinically significant improvement in anxiety symptoms at 12 months.

Researchers concluded: “The findings from this cohort study demonstrate that treatment with CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] is associated with statistically significant improvements across anxiety-, sleep-, and HRQoL-specific PROMs [patients-reported outcome measures] after 12 months in patients with GAD. … Results also indicated CBMPs were well tolerated throughout the study. … Patients were prescribed either oils, dried flower, or a combination of both, and this study identified no difference in outcomes at 12 months between treatment groups.”

Other studies assessing the use of cannabis products in patients enrolled in the UK Cannabis Registry have reported them to be effective for those suffering from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.
Full text of the study, “A cohort study comparing the effects of medical cannabis for anxiety patients with and without comorbid sleep disturbance,” appears in Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.

The cannabis plant has been used by humans for many centuries due to its wellness benefits. An example of that is cannabis’ inclusion in Emperor Shen Nung’s (regarded as the father of Chinese medicine) pharmacopeia.

It wasn’t until the 1900s and the rise of global cannabis prohibition that opponents started touting cannabis as being ‘bad for human health.’ Once prohibition was implemented across the globe, cannabis research was largely hindered resulting in many people unfortunately believing anti-cannabis propaganda.

Fortunately for compassion and logical reasoning, cannabis research has picked up exponentially in recent decades. A new study found that cannabis use is associated with improvements in quality of life, as well as a reduction in opioid use. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients suffering from chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and other conditions report sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of cannabis, according to observational data published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in a cohort of 1,378 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Participants possessed a doctor’s authorization to access cannabis products. (Since 2018, healthcare 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, six, and twelve months.

Consistent with prior studies, patients reported reduced levels of anxiety, better sleep, and improvements in their health-related quality of life following cannabis treatment. Many patients also reported decreases in their daily opioid consumption – a finding that is also consistent with numerous other studies.

The study’s authors concluded: “There was an associated improvement in self-reported anxiety, sleep quality, and HRQoL [health-related quality of life] in patients treated with the CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products]. Those prescribed treatment formulations including dried flower were most likely to show a clinical improvement. … There was a reduction in opioid prescriptions at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months compared to the baseline… Most reported adverse events were mild to moderate, consistent with prior assessments of safety.”

Other studies assessing the use of cannabis products in patients enrolled in the UK Cannabis Registry have reported them to be effective for those suffering from chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, depression, generalized anxiety, migraine, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.

Full text of the study, “An observational study of clinical outcome measures in patients treated with cannabis-based medicinal products on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.’

One of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that people are diagnosed with around the world is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The symptoms of the condition can look different from patient to patient, and diagnosis typically occurs early in life.

According to the results of a prior study, “the prevalence of persistent adult ADHD was 2.58% and that of symptomatic adult ADHD was 6.76%, translating to 139.84 million and 366.33 million affected adults in 2020 globally.”

A team of investigators associated with various academic institutions in the United Kingdom recently explored how the use of medical cannabis interacts with ADHD. They specifically looked at cannabis use’s potential impact on the quality of life among ADHD patients. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of cannabis products, according to data published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in a cohort of 68 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. 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, six, and twelve months.

Researchers reported improvements in patients’ anxiety, sleep quality, and overall health-related quality of life following cannabis treatment. Over one-third of patients ceased taking at least one ADHD prescription drug medication over the course of the study.

The study’s authors concluded: “This case series is the first of its kind in assessing the clinical outcome of patients from the UKMCR with a primary diagnosis of ADHD prescribed CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] for up to 12 months. This study reports that treatment with CBMPs was associated with improvements in general HRQoL [health-related quality of life] after 1, 3, and 6, months, in addition to anxiety and sleep quality after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. These results suggest that CBMPs may play a role in alleviating symptoms and co-morbid anxiety and sleep disruption associated with ADHD.”

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

Full text of the study, “An analysis of clinical outcomes of medicinal cannabis therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,” appears in Neuropsychopharmacology Reports. 

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that people are diagnosed with. Diagnosis typically happens in adolescence, with the condition often continuing into adulthood.

According to a study conducted in 2021, “the prevalence of persistent adult ADHD was 2.58% and that of symptomatic adult ADHD was 6.76%, translating to 139.84 million and 366.33 million affected adults in 2020 globally.”

A team of researchers in the United Kingdom associated with various academic institutions recently examined the relationship between human cannabis consumption and the quality of life among ADHD patients.

“This study aims to analyze the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and safety outcomes in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients treated with cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs).” the researchers stated about the intent of the study.

“Patients were identified from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Primary outcomes were changes in the following patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months from baseline: EQ-5D-5L index value, generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, and the single-item sleep quality score (SQS). Secondary outcomes assessed the incidence of adverse events. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.050.” the researchers stated about their methodology.

The United Kingdom has a more restrictive medical cannabis program compared to many other countries, and that is important to keep in mind for any study involving the UK Medical Cannabis Registry.

“Significant improvements were identified in general HRQoL assessed by EQ-5D-5L index value at 1, 3, and 6 months (p < 0.050). Improvements were also identified in GAD-7 and SQS scores at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (p < 0.010). 61 (89.71%) adverse events were recorded by 11 (16.18%) participants, of which most were moderate (n = 26, 38.24%).” the researchers stated about the results of the study.

“An association between CBMP treatment and improvements in anxiety, sleep quality, and general HRQoL was observed in patients with ADHD. Treatment was well tolerated at 12 months.” the researchers concluded.

Generalized anxiety disorder involves a patient persistently worrying or having anxiety about one or more areas of life, with the worrying or anxiety being out of proportion to the source or event. Generalized anxiety can occur at any age.

Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder can include, but are not limited to panic attacks, constant worry, restlessness, and trouble with concentration. Various treatments exist to treat generalized anxiety disorder, with the most common ones being pharmaceutical antidepressants and mood regulators.

A growing number of patients are turning to the cannabis plant for relief, and according to a recent study in the United Kingdom, cannabis products are safe and effective at treating generalized anxiety disorder. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) exhibit sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of cannabis products, according to data published in the journal Psychopharmacology.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 300 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.

Researchers reported improvements in patients’ anxiety, sleep quality, and overall quality of life at each time point assessed.

“Prescription of CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] in those with GAD is associated with clinically significant improvements in anxiety with an acceptable safety profile in a real-world setting,” they concluded.

The findings are consistent with those of other studies documenting both short-term and sustained reductions in anxiety following patients’ use of either cannabis or CBD products.

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

Full text of the study, “Clinical outcome data of anxiety patients treated with cannabis-based medicinal products in the United Kingdom: A cohort study from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in Psychopharmacology.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues.”

Fibromyalgia is a serious problem across the globe, affecting people of all ages. It is estimated that as many as one out of every twenty people on the planet suffers from the condition to some degree.

Unfortunately, there is currently no known cure for fibromyalgia. However, researchers in the United Kingdom recently found evidence that medical cannabis products can be an effective treatment for some fibromyalgia patients. The study also found that patients reduced their use of opioids. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: Fibromyalgia (FM) patients who use cannabis products for at least one month report improvements in their health-related quality of life, according to observational data published in the journal Brain and Behavior.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 300 FM 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, six, and 12 months.

Researchers reported: “Statistically significant improvements [were] observed in validated fibromyalgia-specific, pain, sleep, anxiety, and health-related quality of life metrics. Furthermore, a statistically significant reduction in opioid consumption was seen at the end of [the] follow-up. … CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] were generally well-tolerated.”

They concluded, “CBMP treatment was associated with improvements in fibromyalgia-specific symptoms, in addition to sleep, anxiety, and health-related quality of life. … Subgroup analysis suggests that those with prior exposure to cannabis were likely to experience improvements in more domains, as well as fewer adverse events, [as] compared to cannabis-naïve counterparts.”

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

Fibromyalgia patients frequently self-report using cannabis to successfully manage symptoms of the disorder. Israeli data published late last year reported that cannabis therapy is associated with quality of life improvements in FM patients who have previously failed to respond to conventional prescription medications.

Full text of the study, “Assessment of clinical outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in Brain and Behavior. Additional information on cannabis and fibromyalgia is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

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

Psychosis is a serious mental health condition that is always worthy of research and thoughtful discussion, which is why public health strategies should be led by science and not the harmful political views of a small group of lawmakers.

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently conducted a study in which they examined what, if any, role cannabis use plays in the development of psychosis. Below is more information about the study’s findings via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: A history of cannabis use is not associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis, even among those predisposed to the disorder, according to data published in the journal Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.

A team of investigators from Australia, Europe, and the United Kingdom examined the association between cannabis use and incidences of psychotic disorders in clinically at-risk subjects. Researchers assessed subjects at baseline and then followed them for a period of two years.

They reported: “There was no significant association between any measure of cannabis use at baseline and either transition to psychosis, the persistence of symptoms, or functional outcomes.”

Authors concluded,  “Our primary hypothesis was that cannabis use in CHR [clinically high risk] subjects would be associated with an increased rate of later transition to psychosis. However, there was no significant association with any measure of cannabis use. … These findings are not consistent with epidemiological data linking cannabis use to an increased risk of developing psychosis.”

Although the use of cannabis and other controlled substances tends to be more common among those with psychotic illnesses, studies indicate that lifetime incidences of acute marijuana-induced psychosis are relatively rare among the general population.

Data published last year in the New Zealand Medical Journal reported that those with a history of cannabis consumption do not typically exhibit more severe symptoms of psychosis than do those with no history of regular use.

Full text of the study, “Influence of cannabis use on incidence of psychosis in people at clinical high risk,” appears in Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.