Category: News

Sichuan, China: Men who consume cannabis are far less likely than non-users to experience kidney stones, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

A team of Chinese investigators assessed the relationship between cannabis use and kidney stones in a representative sample of over 14,000 US subjects between the ages of 20 and 59.

After adjusting for potential confounders, researchers reported that marijuana use among men was inversely correlated with kidney stones (OR = 0.72). Men who consumed cannabis most frequently experienced the lowest risk (OR = 0.62). Similar trends were not identified among females.

Authors concluded: “To our knowledge, this study is the first cross-sectional study to explore the association between marijuana use and the risk of kidney stones from the population-based NHANES [National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey] dataset. Taken together, our findings suggested that regular marijuana male users were related to a lower risk of kidney stones. Further studies are warranted to investigate the dose and type associations of marijuana with kidney stones.”

Full text of the study, “Association between marijuana use and kidney stones: A cross-sectional study of NHANES 2009 to 2018,” appears in Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Analysis: Polydrug Users Frequently
Report Consuming Cannabis To Reduce Their Use of Stimulants

Vancouver, Canada: Polydrug users frequently engage in the use of cannabis in order to decrease their consumption of stimulants like crystal methamphetamine, according to data published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

Canadian researchers surveyed a cohort of 297 polydrug users who engaged in the use of cannabis and unregulated stimulants. Nearly half (45 percent) of those surveyed reported having consumed cannabis to manage their stimulant cravings. Of those, 78 percent “reported decreasing their stimulant use during periods of cannabis use.”

Investigators reported that cannabis was frequently associated with reductions among those who used methamphetamine. They reported no decrease in use among those who engaged in the daily use of cocaine.

Prior studies have reported inconsistent findings with respect to the use of cannabinoids as a substitute for cocaine. For example, a pair of longitudinal trials from Brazil and Canada reported that the use of cannabis is associated with the decreased use of crack cocaine in dependent subjects. By contrast, a 2021 study reported that the daily administration of CBD failed to reduce cocaine cravings any better than placebo in subjects with a history of moderate to severe cocaine abuse.

The study’s authors concluded: “These findings indicate that cannabis use to manage stimulant cravings is a common harm reduction strategy and suggest that this may be an effective strategy to reduce stimulant use among some PWUD [people who use unregulated drugs]. … In the absence of established pharmacotherapies for the treatment of stimulant use disorders, further investigation of the harm reduction and therapeutic applications of cannabis use is warranted to address the harms of stimulant use.”

Numerous other studies have previously reported that cannabis consumers often substitute it in place of other substances, including alcohol, tobacco, and prescription opioids.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use to manage stimulant cravings among people who use unregulated drugs,” appears in Addictive Behaviors.

Missouri: Columbia Officials To Cease Engaging in Marijuana Testing for New Hires

Columbia, MO: Those seeking employment for most citywide jobs will no longer have to undergo pre-employment testing for marijuana, following the adoption of new rules enacted by members of the Columbia City Council.

The new policy takes effect on October 1st. The new rules will apply to those seeking non-safety sensitive positions. Those who apply for jobs that require a commercial driver’s license (CDL), or who are seeking employment as uniformed police or fire personnel, will continue to be tested.

Under the city’s previous rules, job applicants who tested positive for past cannabis use faced a mandatory five-year ban from citywide employment.

Missouri voters passed an adult-use legalization initiative in 2022. However, unlike similar laws recently enacted in several other states, the initiative did not include provisions protecting workers who consume cannabis non-medically while away from their workplace. That said, at least two other Missouri cities – Kansas City and St. Louis – have enacted similar local ordinances limiting pre-employment testing for marijuana.

Several states – including Michigan, Nevada, and Washington – similarly prohibit pre-employment marijuana screening for non-safety sensitive positions. Other jurisdictions, including California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Montana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have expanded these policies to limit cannabis testing for both new hires and existing employees.

NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano praised the pending policy change, stating: “Neither prospective nor current employees should be discriminated against for their off-the-job consumption of cannabis. Employees who use cannabis in their off-hours are no less productive than their peers and they do not possess any elevated occupational safety risk. Workers should have the same right to use cannabis as they have to use other legal substances while they are off the job.”

Missouri NORML’s State Coordinator Dan Viets, a criminal defense attorney and NORML Board Member who resides in Columbia, said, “This policy change makes sense since these tests cannot identify those impaired by cannabis.”

He added: “There is actually no valid reason to continue testing those applying for safety sensitive jobs either. These applicants and employees are allowed to use alcohol off the job. That should be of greater concern than cannabis use.”

CBDV Administration Alters Progression of Fragile X Syndrome in Preclinical Model

Bordeaux, France: The administration of the cannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) moderates the progression of Fragile X syndrome (FXS), according to preclinical data published in the journal Cells.

An international team of researchers from France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States assessed the efficacy of CBDV treatment in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. FXS is a genetic disorder resulting in developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems, such as aggression and attention deficits.

Investigators reported that CBDV administration during adolescence prevented cognitive and behavioral changes in a manner similar to other pharmacological treatments. By contrast, CBDV’s effects were “marginal” when the compound was administered during adulthood.

They determined: “Overall, these data demonstrate that CBDV, when administered chronically and starting at juvenile age, holds a solid therapeutic potential for FXS as it prevented the most relevant behavioral alterations shown by … mice. Early timing and chronic duration of treatment appear as critical determinants to ensure the beneficial effects of CBDV.”

The study’s authors concluded, “These results thus encourage future clinical studies using phytocannabinoids for treating not only FXS but also other neurodevelopmental disorders.”

Parents and caregivers of children with FXS patients report using CBD for symptom management. The administration of a transdermal gel containing CBD has been shown to be safe and effective in FSX patients in randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

Full text of the study, “Early administration of the phytocannabinoid cannabidivarin prevents the neurobehavioral abnormalities associated with the Fmr1-KO mouse model of Fragile X syndrome,” appears in Cells.