Clinical Trial: Daily Use of FDA-Approved CBD Formulation Increases BMI in Anorexia Patients

Los Angeles, CA: The use of an FDA-approved, plant-derived formulation of CBD (Epidiolex) stimulates weight gain in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), according to randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial data published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Southern California and the University of California at San Diego assessed the twice-daily use of Epidiolex versus placebo in 32 women diagnosed with anorexia. (Food and Drug Administration officials granted market approval in 2018 to Epidiolex, a prescription medicine containing a standardized formulation of plant-derived cannabidiol for the treatment of two rare forms of childhood epilepsy.) Patients consumed standardized doses of either CBD or a placebo for three weeks.

Study participants who consumed CBD acknowledged no serious side effects and experienced “a significant increase in BMI over time compared to the placebo group.”

The study’s authors concluded: “This study demonstrates a favorable safety profile for CBD in women with AN and atypical AN, with the capacity to support weight recovery and an indication of improving eating disorder psychopathology. … Future research into CBD, focusing on a larger sample size and longer course, may be necessary to make definitive conclusions about the mechanism through which CBD impacts AN pathophysiology as well as the maximal dose at which effects are still seen. Additionally, combining CBD with other treatment strategies such as a specific dietary alteration may be necessary to appreciate its full therapeutic capacity.”

Other studies suggest that low doses of THC can improve psychological symptoms in patients with anorexia and stimulate weight gain.

Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol in anorexia nervosa: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled pilot study to test safety, pharmacokinetics, and symptom change,” appears in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Study: Medical Cannabis Products Associated With Sustained Improvements in Sleep Quality

Philadelphia, PA: Patients authorized to use state-licensed medical cannabis products report sustained improvements in their sleep quality, according to longitudinal data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Researchers at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine assessed year-long changes in self-reported sleep quality in 137 patients. Study participants were newly enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis access program. Patients’ sleep quality was measured at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire.

Consistent with prior research, results “indicated significant improvements in global sleep quality scores following MC [medical cannabis] initiation, with the most substantial changes (i.e., a 30.1 percent decrease) observed between baseline and the three-month assessment. … The observed improvements in global sleep quality scores were consistent across all seven PSQI subdomains, including sleep latency, duration, and disturbances. … These improvements were sustained across the remainder of the study period, with no significant differences between follow-up intervals.”

The study’s authors concluded, “[These] findings contribute to the growing body of literature supporting the potential medicinal benefits of MC for sleep quality, particularly among individuals with chronic health conditions.”

Consumers frequently acknowledge using cannabis products to mitigate sleep disorders, including insomnia, and the enactment of adult-use marijuana legalization laws is associated with reduced sales of over-the-counter sleep aids.

Full text of the study, “Changes in sleep quality during the 12 months following medical cannabis initiation,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Prohibitionist Groups File Lawsuit Challenging Federal Plan To Provide Hemp-Derived Products to Medicare Beneficiaries

Washington, DC: A coalition of prohibitionist groups has filed a lawsuit to halt the implementation of a pilot program providing eligible hemp-derived products to Medicare beneficiaries.

The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, argues that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services created the program without providing proper notice and failed to provide an opportunity for public comment. The litigation also argues that the program seeks to provide beneficiaries with access to products that Congress recently classified as no longer meeting the legal definition of hemp.

Plaintiffs are seeking to permanently enjoin the program. On Wednesday, a judge denied plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order to halt the program from taking effect. A hearing on plaintiffs’ motion for an injunction has been scheduled for April 20th.

The Trump administration publicly announced the creation of the CMS reimbursement program for hemp-derived products in December. In mid-March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted a Frequently Asked Questions page providing details on how the agency intends to dispense hemp-derived products to beneficiaries and defining which type of products will be available under the program. CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz acknowledged the official launch of the program on April 1st.

Additional details about the program are available from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Mississippi: Governor Vetoes Legislation Expanding Medical Cannabis Eligibility

Jackson, MS: Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has vetoed legislation (House Bill 1152: The Right to Try Medical Cannabis Act) providing physicians with greater discretion to recommend medical cannabis to their patients.

The proposal sought to create a pathway for practitioners to petition state officials to grant patients with a non-qualifying condition access to medical cannabis on a case-by-case basis. Other provisions in the bill sought to allow eligible out-of-state patients to participate in Mississippi’s medical cannabis access program.

In his veto message, the Governor opined that the latter provision “extended the ‘right to try medical cannabis’ to every person on the planet.”

Governor Reeves also vetoed separate legislation, (House Bill 895), to extend the validity period of a practitioner’s medical cannabis recommendation and remove THC potency caps on cannabis tinctures, among other changes. The Governor argued that the measure sought “to erode important safeguards … to minimize the potential diversion of medical marijuana for recreational purposes.”

On Monday, advocates held a rally at the state capitol urging lawmakers to overturn the Governor’s vetoes. Lawmakers previously approved both measures by more than the two-thirds majority necessary to override a veto.

Mississippi lawmakers legalized medical cannabis access in 2022. Nearly 60,000 patients are currently enrolled to participate in the state-sponsored access program.