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by russellropeMedia, News September 19, 2023September 19, 2023No Comments

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Survey: Athletes Report Using Cannabis Products To Promote Exercise Recovery


Kent, OH: Those who engage in regular exercise frequently report consuming cannabis products to assist in recovering from physical activity, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Researchers affiliated with Kent State University in Ohio surveyed over 100 subjects who reported using cannabis and regularly engaging in aerobic and/or resistance exercise.
Investigators summarized their findings as follows: “Twenty-two participants (20 percent) reported using CBD for recovery from aerobic exercise and 25 participants (23 percent) reported CBD use to recover from resistance exercise. Sixty-eight participants (61 percent) reported using THC after aerobic exercise for recovery. Similarly, 67 participants (60 percent) reported using THC after resistance exercise for recovery. When participants were asked, ‘Do you feel that cannabis in the form of CBD aids in your recovery?’ 93 percent stated ‘yes’ while seven percent stated, ‘I’m not sure.’ When asked, ‘Do you feel that THC aids in your recovery?’, 87 percent of participants stated, ‘yes’ while 13 percent stated, ‘I’m not sure’. No participant answered, ‘no’, for either of these questions. All of the participants felt that use of cannabis was low risk regarding health outcomes.”
The authors concluded: “The present study demonstrated that in addition to more traditional recovery methods, cannabis is used as an ergogenic recovery aid by individuals that exercise regularly. … More data are necessary to understand the role of cannabis in exercise recovery as well as perceived ergogenic benefits of cannabis by individuals who both regularly participate in exercise and habitually use cannabis.”
Another study published in the same journal earlier this year reported that the twice-daily use of topical CBD alleviates chronic pain in former elite-level (professional) athletes.
Several other studies have found that cannabis use is associated with increased exercise frequency, including among older adults. Yet another study, published in July, found that subjects reported “a more positive exercise experience” when they ran immediately after having used cannabis compared to when they did not.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use for exercise recovery in trained individuals: A survey study,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Study: Cannabis Oil Extracts Associated With Sustained Improvements in Patients With Chronic Health Conditions
Sydney, Australia: The use of plant-derived cannabis extracts is associated with health-related quality of life improvements in patients suffering from pain, fatigue, and other chronic conditions, according to observational trial data published in the journal PLOS One.
Australian investigators assessed the efficacy of cannabinoid extracts in a cohort of 2,300+ patients authorized to use medical cannabis. (Under Australian law, physicians may authorize cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.) Study participants consumed extracts containing varying percentages of THC and CBD for three months.
Consistent with the results of other large-scale observational studies, researchers reported clinically meaningful improvements following cannabis treatment.
“This study found [that] overall HRQL [health-related quality of life] improved over 3-months in patients accessing prescribed MC [medicinal cannabis] in Australia,” authors reported. “Results showed both statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in overall HRQL and fatigue for people with chronic health conditions. Similar improvements were found in pain scores for participants with chronic pain; depression scores for patients with depression; and anxiety scores in patients with anxiety.”
They concluded: “Our findings suggest that prescribing MC in clinical practice may alleviate symptoms of pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in patients with chronic health conditions and improve overall HRQL. ... The findings from this study contribute to the ongoing evidence for decision making both in clinical practice and at policy level.”
Full text of the study, “Health-related quality of life in patients accessing medicinal cannabis in Australia: The QUEST initiative results of a 3-month follow-up observational study,” appears in PLOS One.

Pilot Study: Vaporized Cannabis Associated With Reduced Symptoms in Patients With Post-Traumatic Stress
Vancouver, Canada: The short-term use of herbal cannabis consisting of a balanced ratio of THC and CBD is associated with symptom reductions in patients with post-traumatic stress, according to data published in the journal Trials.
Canadian researchers assessed subjects’ use of vaporized cannabis over a three-week period.
Investigators reported, “Comparison of CAPS [Clinician Administered PTSD Scale] scores pre and post treatment identified a trend toward reduction in PTSD symptoms. ... However, under-recruitment resulted in low power and prohibited placebo comparison, making these results more suggestive than persuasive.”
They concluded, “Positive trending results and high patient need mandate future studies of cannabis for the treatment of PTSD.”
Two recent observational studies, one from Australia and the other from the United Kingdom, reported that patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress respond favorably to medical cannabis treatment. By contrast, a 2021 clinical trial reported that the inhalation of marijuana flowers provided limited benefits compared to placebo in treating symptoms of PTSD.
Full text of the study, “A small clinical trial of vaporized cannabis for PTSD: Suggestive results and directions for future study,” appears in Trials.

Survey: Many Canadian Nurses Don’t Receive Any Training on the Use of Medical Cannabis
Winnipeg, Canada: Fewer than four in ten Canadian nursing students say that they receive information about the use of medical cannabis during their training, according to survey data published in the journal Nurse Education Today.
Over three hundred nursing students participated in the survey. Only 38 percent acknowledged “receiving any education on cannabis in their nursing program.” Over 90 percent of respondents acknowledged that they would feel uncomfortable discussing cannabis with their patients without further educational training.
“Education on both medical and non-medical cannabis is needed to support future nurses addressing cannabis use in their clinical practice,” the study’s authors concluded. “Nursing institutions must implement and evaluate curricula to ensure nursing students are adequately prepared to address cannabis use in their clinical practice and their own fitness to practice.”
Cannabis has been legally available in Canada via a doctor’s authorization since 2001. The Canadian government legalized marijuana products for adults in 2018.
The study’s findings are consistent with those of prior surveys of health professionals in Canada and the United States which report that most doctors and nurses believe that they receive insufficient training with regard to cannabis.
Full text of the study, “Baccalaureate nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, educational needs, and use of medical and non-medical cannabis at five institutions in Manitoba, Canada: A cross-sectional analysis,” appears in Nurse Education Today.

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by russellropeMedia, News September 12, 2023September 12, 2023No Comments

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Study: Cannabis Extracts Associated with Quality of Life Improvements in Autism Patients


Brasilia, Brazil: Autistic patients who use plant-derived cannabis extracts perceive benefits in their symptoms and reduce their use of prescription medications, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
A team of Brazilian researchers assessed the use of individually tailored doses of cannabis extracts in 20 subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most patients (80 percent) consumed cannabis extracts for at least six months. Patients used extracts dominant in either CBD or THC. All extracts were administered orally via drops.
Cannabis treatment was associated with perceived symptom improvements as well as with reductions in patients’ use of neuropsychiatric medications. Reported side effects from cannabis treatment were mostly “mild and temporary.”
Investigators reported: “In this manuscript we present the perceived improvements of ASD patients and their families over the course of 3 to 21 months of treatment with FCE [full-spectrum cannabis extracts], using a titration protocol that resulted in personalized CBD and THC dosages, resulting in individually tailored CBD to THC proportions. … Parents reported improvement in all aspects evaluated. Side effects observed during FCE treatment were mild. … As treatment evolved, most other medications had their doses reduced or were completely removed during FCE treatment, which is consistent with the subjective perception of general improvement after FCE treatment. Patients’ and their families’ quality of life improved in 19 out of the 20 cases.”
They concluded: “Our study expands the scientific data demonstrating that clinical use of cannabis extracts is a safe intervention with promising and valuable effects over many core and comorbid aspects of autism that are not achieved by conventional medications. … Based on our findings, we propose guidelines for individually tailored dosage regimens that may be adapted to locally available qualified FCEs and guide further clinical trials.”
Numerous other studies have also identified improvements in autism patients who consume either plant-derived extracts or cannabis flower. Survey data published in 2021 by the publication Autism Parenting Magazine reported that 22 percent of US caregivers or parents have provided CBD to an autistic child.
Full text of the study, “Individually tailored dosage regimen of full-spectrum cannabis extracts for autistic core and comorbid symptoms: A real-life report of multi-symptomatic benefits,” appears in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Analysis: Unregulated Cannabis Products Far More Likely to Contain Pesticides
Ottawa, Canada: Cannabis flower provided by Canadian-licensed marijuana cultivators are far less likely to test positive for the presence of pesticide residues than are similar products obtained from unregulated sources, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Researchers affiliated with Health Canada analyzed samples of cannabis flower obtained from the legal and unregulated market. (Canada legalized the adult-use marijuana market in 2018.)
They reported that only six percent of the samples obtained from the licensed marketplace contained trace levels of pesticide residues. By contrast, 92 percent of unregulated flower products tested positive for the residual presence of pesticides.
“Pesticides were detected in 92 percent of Canadian illicit cannabis inflorescence samples with 23 unique pesticide active ingredients quantified,” investigators determined. “Illicit cannabis contained on average 3.7 different pesticides per sample, and 87 percent of positive samples contained more than one different pesticide.”
They concluded: “To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the only extensive pesticide multiresidue analysis that compares pesticides in the licensed and illicit cannabis markets in a nationwide jurisdiction where cannabis has been legalized. Albeit being a small study, our results do support the government of Canada’s messaging where ‘Consuming illegal products could lead to adverse effects and other serious harms.’”
Since Canada legalized the adult-use cannabis market, the percentage of consumers who say that they obtain marijuana products exclusively from legally licensed retailers has risen steadily every year.
Data from the United States estimates that 43 percent of cannabis consumers nationwide now obtain their products from state-licensed retailers. Among those residing in legal marijuana states, only six percent of respondents say that they obtain their cannabis primarily from the unregulated market.
Full text of the study, “High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Survey: Nearly One-Third of Cancer Patients Acknowledge Using Cannabis Post-Diagnosis, Most Don’t Tell Their Doctors
New York, NY: Patients diagnosed with cancer frequently turn to cannabis for symptom management, according to survey data published in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer.
Researchers affiliated with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City surveyed 1,258 cancer patients. Thirty-one percent of respondents said that they used cannabis products following their diagnosis. (All respondents resided in states where the medical use of cannabis for cancer is legal.)
Respondents were most likely to report consuming cannabis products to improve sleep, reduce pain, and relieve stress and depression. Those who used cannabis for palliative care “overwhelmingly reported improvements in their symptoms.” Only one in four consumers discussed their cannabis use with their healthcare providers – a result that is consistent with other studies finding that most patients are reluctant to speak with their doctors about cannabis-specific health issues.
Authors concluded: “Our study found that cannabis use among cancer patients is common across sociodemographic and clinical populations, with cannabis often obtained without oncologist involvement. Oncologists and other members of the oncology team are uniquely positioned to provide education about the harms and benefits of cannabis use specifically for cancer patients, which is especially important in the context of inconclusive and often conflicting evidence. Interventions to improve cannabis education and communication need not target oncologists who treat specific cancers, as cannabis use appears consistent across multiple patient characteristics.”
According to survey data compiled earlier this year by researchers at the University of Michigan, a majority of physicians say that they lack the skills to adequately counsel patients on the use of medical cannabis.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use among recently treated cancer patients: Perceptions and experiences,” appears in Supportive Care in Cancer.

Analysis: Court-Mandated Marijuana Treatment Admissions for Young People Decline Significantly Following Legalization
Philadelphia, PA: Far fewer young people are referred by the criminal courts to attend marijuana-specific treatment programs following the adoption of statewide adult-use legalization laws, according to data published in the journal Addiction Medicine.
Researchers with Temple University in Philadelphia analyzed ten years (2008 to 2019) of admissions data from the US government’s Treatment Episode Data Sets (TEDS). They reported that the total number of marijuana-related drug treatment admissions declined significantly among adolescents (ages 12 to 17) and young adults (ages 18 to 24) during this time period. Much of this decline was the result of fewer court-mandated admissions.
“Our results indicate that the proportion of referrals to CUD [cannabis use disorder] treatment from the criminal justice system fell following recreational legalization in the United States among young adults, likely due to post-legalization declines in cannabis-related arrests,” the study’s authors concluded.
In 2010, courts ordered nearly 60,000 teens and another 70,000 young adults to attend marijuana treatment. Those totals fell to fewer than 20,000 adolescents and approximately 30,000 young adults in 2019.
NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano commented on the trend, stating: “In addition to ending tens of thousands of needless low-level marijuana arrests, cannabis legalization is also freeing up space in drug treatment centers for those people who truly need it. Most people arrested for violating marijuana possession laws do not require mandatory drug treatment, and historically, these referrals were provided primarily to divert people away from the criminal justice system.”
Numerous state and federal surveys have failed to identify an uptick in adolescents’ use of cannabis following the adoption of state-level legalization policies.
Full text of the study, “Criminal justice referrals to cannabis use disorder treatment among adolescents and young adults following cannabis legalization in the United States,” appears in Addiction Medicine.

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by russellropeMedia, News September 5, 2023September 5, 2023No Comments

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Study: Herbal Cannabis Provides Sustained Relief to Patients Suffering from Neuropathic Pain


Hamburg, Germany: Cannabis inhalation is associated with sustained improvements in pain and sleep in patients with chronic neuropathy, according to data published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
German investigators assessed the use of herbal cannabis in a cohort of 99 patients suffering from neuropathic pain. Participants in the study inhaled cannabis containing moderate levels of THC (12 to 22 percent) for six weeks.
Researchers reported: “Within six weeks on the therapy, median pain scores decreased significantly from 7.5 to 4.0. The proportion of patients with severe pain (score >6) decreased from 96 percent to 16 percent. Sleep disturbance was significantly improved with the median of the scores decreased from 8.0 to 2.0. These improvements were sustained over a period of up to six months. There were no severe adverse events reported.”
Other surveys have identified similar pain decreases in neuropathy patients following their initiation of cannabis therapy.
The study’s authors concluded, “The results ... demonstrated that chronic neuropathic pain can be effectively, sustainably, and safely treated with medical cannabis.”
Data published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open reported that nearly one in three patients with chronic pain use cannabis as an analgesic agent and that many of them substitute it in place of opioids.
Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis alleviates chronic neuropathic pain effectively and sustainably without severe adverse effects: A retrospective study on 99 cases,” appears in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Additional information on cannabis and chronic pain is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Clinical Trial: Adjunctive Use of CBD Effective in Patients with Focal Dystonia
San Francisco, CA: The adjunctive use of a proprietary plant-derived CBD oral solution (Epidiolex) improves symptoms of adult-onset blepharospasm (BPS), according to placebo-controlled trial data published in the journal Translational Vision Science & Technology. BPS is a form of focal dystonia associated with uncontrollable eyelid twitching, among other symptoms.
A team of investigators affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco assessed the adjunctive use of either Epidiolex or placebo over a six-month period in 12 patients with the disorder.
Researchers reported, “Daily 200 mg of sublingual CBD was found to be well-tolerated, without adverse events, and provided statistically significant improvements in several BPS parameters.”
They concluded: “CBD may be a useful adjunct to traditional BTX [botulinum toxins a/k/a Botox] injections for the treatment and symptom abatement of idiopathic adult-onset BPS. Further study with higher dosing is warranted.”
The findings are consistent with a pair of prior studies similarly determining that the use of cannabis formulations is beneficial for BPS patients. Israeli data published in August also reported that the long-term use of herbal cannabis is associated with sustained reductions in generalized dystonia symptoms and with improvements in patients’ overall quality of life.
Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol as an adjunct to botulinum toxin in blepharospasm: A randomized pilot study,” appears in Translational Vision Science & Technology.

Survey: Cannabis Treatment Improves Quality of Life in Patients with Neurological Disorders
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.

Study: Inhalation of CBD-Rich Cannabis Doesn’t Negatively Impact Simulated Driving Performance
Basel, Switzerland: The inhalation of high-CBD/low-THC cannabis doesn’t adversely impact driving abilities, according to clinical trial data published in the International Journal of Legal Medicine.
A team of Swiss researchers assessed the impact of CBD-dominant (< 1 percent THC) cannabis on simulated driving abilities.



Consistent with other studies assessing the influence of CBD on psychomotor skills, investigators acknowledged, “No significant differences regarding driving ability were found between the CBD-cannabis products and placebo.”



However, researchers reported that participants nonetheless tested positive for trace levels of THC in their blood in the hours immediately following their use of low-THC herbal cannabis. As a result, they cautioned that some consumers could potentially run afoul of traffic safety laws that impose per se limits for the presence of THC in blood despite having never been impaired.



Five states -- Illinois, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington -- impose various per se limits for the detection of trace amounts of THC in blood while ten states (Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wisconsin) impose zero tolerant per se standards. In these states, it is a criminal violation of the traffic safety laws to operate a vehicle with detectable levels of THC in blood -- even absent any demonstrable evidence of psychomotor impairment.



NORML has long opposed the imposition of THC per se thresholds for cannabinoids in traffic safety legislation, opining: “The sole presence of THC and/or its metabolites in blood, particularly at low levels, is an inconsistent and largely inappropriate indicator of psychomotor impairment in cannabis consuming subjects. … Lawmakers would be advised to consider alternative legislative approaches to address concerns over DUI cannabis behavior that do not rely solely on the presence of THC or its metabolites in blood or urine as determinants of guilt in a court of law. Otherwise, the imposition of traffic safety laws may inadvertently become a criminal mechanism for law enforcement and prosecutors to punish those who have engaged in legally protected behavior and who have not posed any actionable traffic safety threat.”



Full text of the study, “Effect of vaporizing cannabis rich in cannabidiol on cannabinoid levels in blood and on driving ability -- A randomized clinical trial,” appears in the International Journal of Legal Medicine.

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by russellropeMedia, News August 29, 2023August 29, 2023No Comments

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Analysis: Cannabis Consumers Possess Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes


Tabriz, Iran: Adults with a history of cannabis use are less likely than non-consumers to develop type 2 diabetes, according to data published in the journal Phytotherapy Research. A team of Iranian investigators performed a meta-analysis of the relevant literature, including 11 surveys and four cohorts consisting of more than 478,000 subjects. They reported, “[T]he odds of developing T2DM [type 2 diabetes] in individuals exposed to cannabis was 0.48 times lower than in those without cannabis exposure.”
Authors speculated that cannabis may possess “protective effects” against the development of diabetes, but they cautioned against drawing any definitive conclusions absent additional studies.
“To our knowledge, our meta-analysis presents the … most up-to-date evidence on the association between cannabis consumption and T2DM,” they concluded. “Given the rising trend of cannabis consumption, and legalization of cannabis consumption there is an increasing need to design prospective longitudinal randomized studies investigating the honest effects of cannabis consumption and providing practical guidelines to manage cannabis usage.”
Gallup: Americans Perceive Cannabis to Be Less Harmful than Either Alcohol or Cigarettes
Washington, DC: Most US adults believe that marijuana use poses fewer risks to health than does either the use of alcohol or cigarettes, according to nationwide polling data compiled by Gallup.
According to the survey, 95 percent of adults perceive smoking cigarettes to be either “very harmful or somewhat harmful” to health. Eighty percent of adults say that consuming alcohol is harmful.
By contrast, only 58 percent of respondents described marijuana cannabis as either “very harmful or somewhat harmful.”
Gallup’s poll comes just days after survey data published in the journal JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Network Open reported that a plurality of Americans perceive tobacco smoke exposure to be more hazardous than marijuana.
Gallup’s findings are consistent with those of other recent polls, including data published earlier this year reporting that most Americans consider marijuana to be significantly less harmful than cigarettes, alcohol, and opioids.
Several scientific analyses – such as those here and here – comparing the health burdens associated with the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis have concluded that marijuana poses far fewer hazards to health. Specifically, a paper published in the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal estimated that health-related costs per user are eight times higher for drinkers of alcoholic beverages than they are for those who use cannabis, and that they are more than 40 times higher for tobacco smokers. The paper’s authors concluded, “In terms of [health-related] costs per user: Tobacco-related health costs are over $800 per user, alcohol-related health costs are much lower at $165 per user, and cannabis-related health costs are the lowest at $20 per user.”
Detailed poll results are available from Gallup.

Study: Cannabis Exposure Not Associated with Increased Psychosis Risk Among High-Risk Youth
Hempstead, NY: The use of cannabis doesn’t raise one’s risk of psychosis or other adverse health outcomes, even among adolescents who are at high risk for the disorder, according to longitudinal data published in the journal Psychiatry Research.
A team of researchers affiliated with Hofstra University in New York and with Stanford University in California assessed the relationship between cannabis use and health outcomes in a cohort of adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis. Study participants were tracked for two years.
Investigators reported that those subjects who consumed cannabis were no more likely than non-users to become psychotic.
Authors concluded: [C]ontinuous cannabis use over 2-years of follow-up was not associated with an increased psychosis transition rate, and did not worsen clinical symptoms, functioning levels, or overall neurocognition …  indicating that CHR [clinical high risk] youngsters are not negatively impacted by cannabis. … These findings should be confirmed in future clinical trials with larger samples of cannabis using individuals.”
The findings are similar to those published in April in the journal Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. That study also failed to identify cannabis use as a risk factor for psychosis in clinically at-risk subjects. The study’s 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.”
By contrast, a recent Spanish study identified an increased risk of the development of a mental health disorder among youth admitted to treatment for cannabis use disorder.
Although the use of cannabis and other controlled substances tends to be more common among those with psychotic disorders, studies indicate that lifetime incidences of acute marijuana-induced psychosis are relatively rare among the general population. To date, the adoption of adult-use legalization laws in the United States has not been shown to be correlated with any increase in “overall rates of psychosis-related diagnoses or prescribed antipsychotics.”
Full text of the study, “Recreational cannabis use over time in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: Lack of associations with symptoms, neurocognitive, functioning, and treatment patterns,” appears in Psychiatry Research.

Study: Cannabis Inhalation Leads to Symptom Improvements in Patients with Chronic Pouchitis
Tel Aviv, Israel: The daily use of herbal cannabis provides sustained relief to patients diagnosed with chronic pouchitis, according to data published in the journal ACG Case Reports. (Pouchitis is an inflammatory condition that frequently occurs in patients following surgery to treat ulcerative colitis.)
Israeli researchers assessed the use of cannabis in nine patients with treatment-resistant pouchitis. Patients inhaled one gram of herbal cannabis (16 percent THC) daily in addition to their regular medications. Patients were monitored for one year.
Investigators reported: “Symptom improvement was reported by eight of nine patients, including improvements in abdominal pain and swelling, nausea, appetite, and general well-being. Mood, memory, concentration, sleep, alertness, and daily function were also improved. Patients reported no events of hallucinations, negative behavioral effects, restlessness, or confusion. None reported IBD [inflammatory bowel disease] exacerbation.”
They concluded: “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the effect of cannabis consumption among patients with chronic pouchitis. ... Cannabis use led to significant symptomatic improvement and better quality of life in this group of patients with refractory pouchitis. Larger, controlled studies are needed to further evaluate the role of cannabis in the treatment of chronic pouchitis.”
Prior studies have shown that cannabis can mitigate symptoms associated with a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and gastroparesis.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis improves clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with chronic pouchitis,” appears in ACG Case Reports.

Case Report: Oral CBD Treatment Associated with Alleviation of Refractory Pain in Sickle Cell Disease Patient
Paris, France: The daily consumption of oral CBD is associated with dramatic improvements in chronic pain due to sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a case report published in the American Journal of Hematology.
French researchers reported on the use of synthetic CBD in a 15-year-old SCD patient suffering from chronic refractory pain in his spine, thorax, and knee. Prior to CBD treatment, the patient had required prolonged hospitalizations due to chronic pain.
Following two weeks of CBD treatment, the patient experienced “a complete regression of pain.” During 10 months of treatment, the patient did not require any further hospitalizations.
Authors concluded: “We report here for the first time a case of refractory chronic pain with dramatic improvement after CBD treatment in an adolescent with SCD. … As it seems to be a well-tolerated drug, CBD could represent a promising therapeutic perspective for patients with SCD suffering from chronic pain.”
Survey data indicates that patients with SCD often consume cannabis for symptom management. Clinical trial data published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the short-term use of vaporized cannabis in SCD patients is associated with improved mood and may also mitigate symptoms of SCD-related pain. Other studies have reported that SCD patients who consume cannabis are less likely to require hospitalization as compared to those who do not.
Full text of the study, “Dramatic efficacy of cannabidiol on refractory chronic pain in an adolescent with sickle cell disease,” appears in the American Journal of Hematology.

Colorado: Marijuana Tax Revenue Surpasses That of Alcohol, Cigarettes
Denver, CO: State tax revenues derived from the retail sale of cannabis products continue to surpass those gained from the sale of alcohol and cigarettes, according to data provided by the Colorado government.
For fiscal year 2022-2023, marijuana tax revenue totaled over $282 million dollars. By comparison, taxes generated by alcohol totaled just over $56 million; taxes generated by the sale of cigarettes totaled approximately $234 million. (Cannabis products are subject to a higher excise tax rate than are either alcohol and cigarettes, and they are also subject to an additional 15 percent “special” sales tax rate.)
According to the report, about $60 million of marijuana-related tax revenue was directed toward public school construction, while another $25 million went toward the State Public School Fund.
The report excluded revenue generated from the imposition of locally imposed taxes.
According to calculations provided earlier this year by the Marijuana Policy Project, tax revenues derived from licensed retail sales of state-legal, adult-use cannabis products totaled approximately $3.8 billion in 2022. Since 2014, retail sales of adult-use cannabis products have generated $15.1 billion dollars.
Full text of the report, “Marijuana Revenue in the State Budget,” is available from the Colorado General Assembly.

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by russellropeMedia, News August 22, 2023August 21, 2023No Comments

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Gallup: Half of US Adults Acknowledge Having Tried Cannabis


Washington, DC: One half of all Americans ages 18 and older acknowledge having tried cannabis, according to survey data compiled by Gallup.
Fifty percent of respondents said that they had consumed cannabis – up from approximately one-in-three Americans two decades ago. Seventeen percent of respondents identified themselves as current marijuana smokers, up from seven percent a decade ago.
Young adult respondents (those between the ages of 18 and 34) and those who identified as Democrats were most likely to acknowledge having had prior experience with cannabis. Men (19 percent) were more likely than women (14 percent) to identify as current marijuana consumers.
Gallup’s polling is consistent with those of other surveys. For example, data compiled in 2022 by YouGov.com reported that 52 percent of US adults have tried marijuana at least once during their lifetimes. Survey data compiled by the US government in 2021 estimated that 46 percent of people age 12 or older have used the substance.
Prior polling by Gallup reports that 70 percent of Americans perceive smoking marijuana to be morally acceptable, and 68 percent say that its use should be legal for adults.
Detailed poll results are available from Gallup.

Analysis: Health Care Insurance Premiums Decline Following Adoption of Medical Cannabis Legalization
Bowling Green, OH: Medical cannabis legalization is associated with reductions in the average cost of individual health care premiums, according to data published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
A team of researchers affiliated with Bowling Green State University in Ohio and Illinois State University assessed the impact of state-specific medical cannabis legalization laws on individual health insurance premiums. Investigators compared trends in premium costs in states with and without legalization over an eleven-year period (2010 to 2021).
They reported that prices for individual premiums fell in medical cannabis states as compared to jurisdictions where marijuana is illegal. “Initial concerns about medical cannabis legalization leading to increases in medical care costs, which would be reflected in higher insurance premiums, appear to be unfounded,” authors determined. “Starting seven years after MCL [medical cannabis legalization] implementation, we estimate a sizeable and statistically significant reduction in annual per-enrollee premiums of about $1600.”
The study’s authors further estimated, “If MCLs were enacted nationally, conservatively, we expect to see a savings of at least $16.8 billion.”
Investigators concluded: “In this study, we provide evidence of a statistically significant reduction in individual market premiums starting seven years after the implementation of medicinal cannabis laws. Because of the pooled nature of insurance, the lower premiums benefit cannabis users and non-users alike in medical cannabis states. Our results are important as health care expenses, including health insurance premiums, have been growing faster than inflation and comprise an increasing share of a household’s budget.”
The study’s findings are consistent with prior analyses showing that medical cannabis implementation is associated with a reduction in Medicaid costs. Other studies have shown that legalizing medical marijuana access is associated with significant reductions in patients’ use of opioids and other prescription medications.
Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis laws lower individual market health insurance premiums,” appears in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

Analysis: Marijuana Use Not Associated with Elevated Risk of Heart Attack
San Diego, CA: A history of cannabis use within the past year is not associated with an increased risk of heart attack among middle-aged adults, according to data published in the American Journal of Cardiology.
Compared to non-users, current consumers of cannabis (those who had used marijuana monthly for the past year) did not possess a higher risk of heart attack after researchers adjusted potential confounders (e.g., physical activity, BMI, alcohol and cigarette use). Those who reported consistent monthly cannabis use for the past decade also possessed no greater risk.
By contrast, researchers did identify an increased risk among a portion of former consumers who had recently ceased using cannabis. Investigators called this latter finding “unexpected.”
Authors concluded: “In a representative sample of middle-aged US adults, a history of monthly cannabis use for more than a year before a myocardial infarction was not linked to a subsequent physician-diagnosed MI, after accounting for cardiovascular risk factors. However, when considering recent use, the odds were three times greater if no use was reported in the past month. The length of monthly use before the MI, including use >10 years, also showed no association. The evidence base for cardiovascular harms is conflicting and limited by the ability to accurately quantify use, especially the method of use, dose, and potency. Given the expanding access to cannabis products in the United States and around the world, more research, particularly longitudinal and experimental studies, is needed.”
Cannabinoids have long been known to influence cardiovascular function, though data regarding the degree of these effects are inconsistent. According to the results of a 2021 literature review of 67 studies published in the American Journal of Medicine, “[M]arijuana itself does not appear to be independently associated with excessive cardiovascular risk factors,” although authors did caution that “it can be associated with other unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol use and tobacco smoking that can be detrimental” to cardiovascular health.
Full text of the study, “Associations between monthly cannabis use and myocardial infarction in middle-aged adults: NHANES 2009 to 2018,” appears in the American Journal of Cardiology.

New Hampshire: Governor Signs Law Establishing Marijuana Legalization Study Group, Expanding Medical Access for Pain Patients
Concord, NH: Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has signed legislation (House Bill 611) into law expanding medical cannabis access and creating an adult-use legalization task force.
The new law removes the requirement that those in severe pain may only access medical cannabis products as a treatment of last resort. Approximately 20,000 residents are registered in the state’s medical marijuana access program.
Separate provisions in the law establish an 18-member commission to study the feasibility of regulating adult-use cannabis sales in state-owned stores.
State law mandates that retail sales of wine and spirits take place exclusively in state-owned (a/k/a ABC) outlets. In May, Gov. Sununu for the first time voiced his support for the creation of a similar regulatory framework to govern the distribution of cannabis products to adults. The Governor had previously been an outspoken critic of legalization.
In accordance with the new law, “The commission shall issue a final report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, [and] the governor” prior to December 1, 2023.
Statewide polling compiled by the University of New Hampshire in May reported that 60 percent of residents favor the sale of adult-use marijuana products in state-operated stores.

#NORML #News @WeedConnection

by russellropeMedia, News August 15, 2023August 21, 2023No Comments

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Study: Plant-Derived Cannabinoids Effective for Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress


Sydney, Australia: Patients diagnosed with anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress respond favorably to medical cannabis treatment, according to observational study data published in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology.
A team of Australian investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of oral cannabinoid formulations (either tinctures or capsules) containing various ratios of THC and CBD in 198 patients with anxiety disorders. The median doses consumed by study participants were 50.0 mg/day for CBD and 4.4 mg/day for THC. (Australian law permits physicians to authorize cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.)
Researchers reported, “The total participant sample reported significantly improved anxiety, depression, fatigue, and ability to take part in social roles and activities.”
Among the subset of subjects diagnosed specifically with post-traumatic stress, cannabis therapy similarly “improved anxiety, depression, fatigue, and social abilities,” with CBD-dominant formulations exhibiting the greatest efficacy.
The most common adverse events experienced by participants were dry mouth, somnolence, and fatigue.
The findings are consistent with those of recent observational studies from the United Kingdom which similarly showed that cannabis therapy was safe and effective for patients with generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Full text of the study, “The effectiveness and the adverse events of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol used in the treatment of anxiety disorders in a PTSD population: An interim analysis of an observational study,” appears in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology.

Study: Police Unable to Accurately Determine THC-Induced Impairment via Field Sobriety Tests
San Diego, CA: Trained police officers are frequently unable to discriminate between those who are under the influence of THC and those who are not based upon subjects’ performance on field sobriety tests, according to data published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Diego performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether the use of field sobriety tests (FSTs) are valid measurements for determining if drivers are under the influence of THC.
Consistent with prior analyses, police officers frequently misinterpreted subjects’ FST performance so that they deemed unimpaired participants (those who had smoked placebo cigarettes) to be under the influence. Overall, officers incorrectly classified 49.2 percent of the placebo group as impaired based upon their FST performance.
Investigators concluded, “The findings of this study suggest that (1) FSTs are useful adjuncts but do not provide strong objective evidence of THC-specific impairment and (2) additional efforts to validate existing methods and provide law enforcement with new, effective tools for identifying impairment are needed.”
Authors of an accompanying editorial in the journal added: “Field sobriety tests as administered by highly trained police officers are insufficient to detect cannabis-induced impairment. ... The legal implication of these findings can be major given that FSTs are currently part of the evaluation protocol in North America to detect drivers who are cannabis impaired.”
Some of the study’s findings had initially been published in May in the journal Clinical Chemistry.

The results of a 2021 study by investigators with John Hopkins University similarly reported that subjects’ performance on key elements of the field sobriety test, such as the ‘walk-and-turn’ test and the one leg stand, “showed little sensitivity to cannabis-induced impairment.” By contrast, that study’s authors acknowledged that the use of the mobile device performance application, DRUID, was adequately sensitive to cannabis-induced changes in subjects’ performance. NORML has frequently opined in favor of the use of performance testing technology as a more reliable indicator of cannabis-induced impairment.
In 2017, justices on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Gerhardt that standard roadside field sobriety tests cannot “be treated as scientific tests establishing impairment as a result of marijuana consumption.” They added, “Likewise, an officer may not testify that a defendant ‘passed’ or ‘failed’ any FST, as this language improperly implies that the FST is a definitive test of marijuana use or impairment.”
Full text of the study, “Evaluation of Field Sobriety Tests for identifying drivers under the influence of cannabis: A randomized clinical trial,” appears in JAMA Psychiatry.

Survey: Dystonia Patients Report Benefits from Inhaled Cannabis
Tel Aviv, Israel: Patients diagnosed with dystonia (involuntary muscle contractions) report experiencing therapeutic benefits from smoking cannabis, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology.
Israeli researchers surveyed 23 dystonia patients authorized to use medical cannabis products. (Cannabis is legal in certain circumstances in Israel under a doctor’s supervision.) Participants in the study had used cannabis for, on average, a period of nearly three years. Patients provided numerical ratings commensurate with their symptoms.
Patients reported that inhaled cannabis was associated with a reduction in dystonia symptoms and with improvements in their overall quality of life.
Those patients diagnosed with generalized dystonia perceived greater benefits than did those with more focal dystonia patterns. Patients reported smoking cannabis to be far more effective than consuming oil extracts. The most commonly reported side effects from cannabis were dry mouth, sedation, and dizziness.
“Our real-life observational single-center study suggests that MC [medical cannabis] may provide benefits for some patients with dystonia, particularly those with more widespread or generalized forms of the condition,” researchers concluded. “THC-containing MC products may be a promising starting point for further research into the therapeutic benefits of CBM [cannabis-based medicines] for dystonia in patients with widespread symptoms."
Separate data has shown that cannabis inhalation improves pain and movement control in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Full text of the study, “A single-center real-life study on the use of cannabis in patients with dystonia,” appears in Frontiers in Neurology.

Israel: Regulatory Changes Will Expand Patients’ Access to Medical Cannabis
Jerusalem, Israel: Regulators are further easing restrictions on patients’ access to medical cannabis products.
Regulatory reforms approved by the Ministry of Health will allow physicians to prescribe cannabis to patients as a first-line treatment rather than as an option of last resort. (Under current law, doctors must attest that their patients have been unresponsive to other conventional treatments, including opioids, prior to granting them access to medical cannabis products.)
About 100,000 Israelis are currently authorized to use medical cannabis.
Another regulatory change eases legal restrictions on patients’ access to hemp-derived CBD products.
Regulators are also seeking to further facilitate clinical trial research involving cannabis products.
The regulatory changes are anticipated to go into effect this December.

#NORML #News @WeedConnection

by russellropeMedia, News August 8, 2023August 6, 2023No Comments

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Analysis: Cannabis Consumers Possess Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes


Tabriz, Iran: Adults with a history of cannabis use are less likely than non-consumers to develop type 2 diabetes, according to data published in the journal Phytotherapy Research. A team of Iranian investigators performed a meta-analysis of the relevant literature, including 11 surveys and four cohorts consisting of more than 478,000 subjects. They reported, “[T]he odds of developing T2DM [type 2 diabetes] in individuals exposed to cannabis was 0.48 times lower than in those without cannabis exposure.”
Authors speculated that cannabis may possess “protective effects” against the development of diabetes, but they cautioned against drawing any definitive conclusions absent additional studies.
“To our knowledge, our meta-analysis presents the … most up-to-date evidence on the association between cannabis consumption and T2DM,” they concluded. “Given the rising trend of cannabis consumption, and legalization of cannabis consumption there is an increasing need to design prospective longitudinal randomized studies investigating the honest effects of cannabis consumption and providing practical guidelines to manage cannabis usage.”
Several prior observational studies have identified a correlation between cannabis use and lower odds of obesity and adult-onset diabetes, while clinical trial data has shown that the administration of THCV is associated with improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetics. Placebo-controlled trial data published earlier this year reported that the use of plant-derived cannabinoid extracts significantly improves blood sugar and cholesterol levels in diabetic subjects.
Full text of the study, “Association between cannabis use and risk of diabetes mellitus type 2: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” appears in Phytotherapy Research. Additional information on cannabinoids and diabetes is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Study: Users of Non-Prescription Opioids Frequently Turn to Cannabis to Reduce Drug Cravings
Vancouver, Canada: Those who consume unregulated opioids frequently report using cannabis to mitigate their drug cravings, according to data published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
Canadian investigators assessed cannabis use trends among a cohort of 205 consumers of non-prescription opioids. Many of the cohort were IV drug users and at-risk youth.
Nearly half of the study’s participants (45 percent) acknowledged using cannabis to manage opioid cravings. Of those, 62 percent “reported self-assessed decreases in opioid use during periods of cannabis use.” Subjects suffering from chronic pain were most likely to engage in opioid substitution.
Authors concluded: “In the present study, we observed that cannabis use to manage opioid cravings was significantly associated with self-assessed decreases in opioid use during periods of cannabis use among a structurally marginalized population of PWUD [people who use unregulated opioids]. The sub-analysis indicated that this association was mainly driven by those living with moderate to severe pain. … This suggests that future studies of cannabis substitution for opioid use should measure and analyze the impact of pain, as not doing so may lead to equivocal findings when the effects of cannabis substitution may vary based on the prevalence of chronic pain.”
Although numerous studies indicate that patients typically decrease their use of prescription opioids after initiating cannabis therapy, data regarding the relationship between cannabis use and non-prescription opioids is less consistent. According to a 2020 review paper: “Growing pre-clinical and clinical evidence appears to support the use of cannabis … to combat OUD [opioid use disorder]. The evidence summarized in this article demonstrates the potential cannabis has to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms, reduce opioid consumption, ameliorate opioid cravings, prevent opioid relapse, improve OUD treatment retention, and reduce overdose deaths. … The compelling nature of these data and the relative safety profile of cannabis warrant further exploration of cannabis as an adjunct or alternative treatment for OUD.”
Full text of the study, “Cannabis use to manage opioid cravings among people who use unregulated opioids during a drug toxicity crisis,” appears in the International Journal of Drug Policy. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.’

Analysis: Cannabis Use Doesn’t Negatively Impact Survival Outcomes in Liver Transplant Patients
Ottawa, Canada: A history of cannabis use is not negatively associated with survival rates among patients receiving liver transplants, according to data published in the Canadian Liver Journal.
Canadian researchers reviewed the relevant literature on cannabis use and transplantation survival rates. Eight studies involving over 5,500 subjects were included in the review.
Authors determined, “[C]annabis use has not been associated with poor patient outcomes in terms of 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survivals. Therefore, liver transplant candidates who use cannabis should not be denied access to transplantation.”
Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies concluding that marijuana use is not contraindicated in patients receiving organ transplants. Nonetheless, in several states – including some states that permit medical cannabis access – those with a history of marijuana use are ineligible to receive organ transplants.
Full text of the study, “Review of liver transplantation candidacy and outcomes among patients who use cannabis,” appears in the Canadian Liver Journal.

Missouri: County Officials Expunge Over 70,000 Marijuana Convictions
Columbia, MO: County officials have expunged over 70,000 marijuana-related convictions, including more than 10,000 felonies, since December, according to an update provided by NORML Board of Directors Member Dan Viets.
Viets is a co-author of Missouri’s citizens-initiated adult-use marijuana law and he served as Advisory Board Chair to the successful Legal Missouri 2022 campaign.
Provisions in the law, which took effect on December 8, 2022, required officials to expunge all eligible marijuana-related misdemeanor convictions by June 8, 2023.
Viets said that some counties had failed to make a “good faith effort” to meet the June deadline. He indicated that advocates may seek an order from the Missouri Supreme Court to compel certain counties to comply with the mandate.
Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws providing explicit pathways to either expunge (or otherwise set aside) the records of those with low-level marijuana convictions. This month, officials in Minnesota are beginning the process of reviewing and expunging an estimated 66,000 low-level cannabis convictions. According to publicly available data compiled by NORML, state and local officials have issued over 100,000 pardons and more than 1.7 million marijuana-related expungements since 2018.
The full text of NORML’s report, Marijuana Pardons and Expungements: By the Numbers, is available online. Additional information is available from Missouri NORML. Dan Viets may be contacted directly at danviets@gmail.com or by phone at (573) 819-2669.

Clinical Trial: Plant-Derived CBD Effective in Patients with Gastroparesis
Rochester, MN: Patients with gastroparesis (partial stomach paralysis) respond favorably to a proprietary spray (Epidiolex) containing plant-derived CBD, according to placebo-controlled data published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Investigators affiliated with the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota compared Epidiolex versus a placebo in 44 patients with gastroparesis. Subjects consumed either CBD or a placebo for a period of four weeks.
Researchers reported, “Our study shows that pharmaceutical grade CBD provides symptom relief in patients with idiopathic or diabetic gastroparesis with reduced total GCSI-DD [Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index Daily Diary] scores and severity of symptoms, including reduced inability to finish a normal meal, number of vomiting episodes, in addition to greater tolerance of food intake at comfortable fullness.”
Authors concluded: “In summary, in patients with well documented idiopathic or diabetic gastroparesis, pharmaceutical-grade CBD can be administered safely for a period of four weeks and results in significant improvements in symptoms of gastroparesis. … These encouraging results suggest that further multicenter, larger, randomized, controlled trials of longer term in both idiopathic and diabetic gastroparesis are warranted.”
Studies have previously reported that cannabis can reduce gastroparesis-related abdominal pain, and that gastroparesis patients with a history of marijuana use possess “better hospitalization outcomes, including decreased length of stay and improved in-hospital mortality” as compared to those with no history of recent use.
Epidiolex has been FDA-approved since 2018 for the treatment of two rare forms of severe epilepsy: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
Full text of the study, “A randomized, controlled trial of efficacy and safety of cannabidiol in idiopathic and diabetic gastroparesis,” appears in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Additional information on cannabis and gastrointestinal disorders is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

Study: THC/CBD Spray Effective for Patients with Refractory Back and Neck Pain
Sydney, Australia: The oral administration of a cannabinoid spray containing standardized ratios of THC and CBD produces clinically significant reductions in pain among patients with chronic back and neck pain, according to open-label trial data published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
Australian researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of an oromucosal spray containing 10 mg of THC and 25 mg of CBD in a cohort of 28 patients with moderate to severe back or neck pain. Participants in the study were unresponsive to over-the-counter non-opioid analgesics. Patients administered escalating doses of the spray daily for four weeks.
Investigators documented decreases in patients’ pain at even the lowest doses. Patients experienced further reductions in pain and improvements in mood in a dose-dependent manner over the course of the trial. Overall, side-effects from the spray were mild and well-tolerated.
“There were significant reductions in pain [at] all doses,” authors concluded. “There was also a reduction in pain interference in all domains including general activity, mood, walking ability, normal work, relationships, sleep, and enjoyment of life by dose.”
Australian law permits physicians to authorize cannabis products to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.
Full text of the study, “Tolerability and efficacy of a 10:25 preparation of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol for treatment of chronic back or neck pain: A multiple-dose escalation study,” appears in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids. Additional information on cannabis and chronic pain is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

Luxembourg: Law Permitting Adult-Use Cannabis Cultivation, Possession Takes Effect
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg: Legislation permitting the limited possession and cultivation of cannabis in private took effect late last week in the European nation of Luxembourg.
Under the new law, those 18 or older may legally cultivate up to four cannabis plants in a private household. Home grows may not be visible to the public.
By contrast, consuming cannabis in public remains criminalized, as does the public possession of more than three grams of marijuana. Home grows of more than four plants are also subject to criminal penalties.
Officials say that the new policy is the first step in what they anticipate will be additional future  reforms loosening the nation’s marijuana laws.
In 2021, the European nation of Malta similarly approved legislation permitting the possession and home cultivation of personal use quantities of cannabis.

Analysis: Cannabis Use Not Associated with Increased Risk of Either High Blood Pressure or Hypertension
San Diego, CA: A history of marijuana use is not associated with an increased risk of either high blood pressure or hypertension, according to data published in the American Journal of Hypertension.
Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Diego assessed the relationship between cannabis consumption and blood pressure/hypertension in a nationally representative sample of nearly 10,000 middle-aged adults.
They determined that those with a history of using cannabis for the past year had no higher risk of either high blood pressure or hypertension as compared to non-users.
The study’s authors concluded: “A history of monthly cannabis use for more than one year was not independently associated with either increased blood pressure or prevalent hypertension in a study using a nationally representative sample of middle-aged US adults. Moreover, no significant associations were observed for duration of monthly use, recency, or frequency of recent use. The lack of association found in the present study contributes to the observational evidence suggesting frequent cannabis use over decades may not be associated with increased blood pressure or hypertension in middle aged US adults.”
A prior analysis of over 91,000 French subjects, published in February in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports, reported that both current and lifetime cannabis use is associated with lower blood pressure. Israeli data, published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, reported that the use of medical cannabis products was associated with decreases in hypertension among elderly subjects.
Full text of the study, “Trends in cannabis use, blood pressure and hypertension in middle-aged adults: Findings from NHANES: 2009-2018,” appears in the American Journal of Hypertension. Additional information on cannabis and hypertension is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids.

#NORML #News @WeedConnection

by russellropeMedia, News May 9, 2023May 7, 2023No Comments

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Analysis: Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Have Generated Over $15 Billion in State Tax Revenue

Washington, DC: Tax revenues derived from licensed retail sales of state-legal, adult-use cannabis products totaled approximately $3.8 billion last year – according to an analysis provided by the Marijuana Policy Project.

MPP’s figures do not include revenues derived from the sales of medical cannabis products and/or the collection of state-imposed regulatory fees.

Adult-use sales generated the greatest amount of revenue in California (roughly $1.1 billion), followed by Illinois, Washington, Michigan, and Colorado.

Since 2014, retail sales of adult-use cannabis products have generated $15.1 billion dollars.

“States that have made the decision to legalize and regulate cannabis are benefiting from hundreds of millions in tax revenue each year,” said Toi Hutchinson, President of MPP. “These new streams of revenue are helping to fund crucial social services and programs across the country, such as education, alcohol and drug treatment, veterans’ services, job training, and reinvestment in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the war on cannabis.”

Data compiled in November by the website Leafly.com and Whitney Economics determined that cannabis is the sixth most valuable cash crop in the United States. Another analysis compiled by the two groups reported that the state-licensed cannabis industry employs over 428,000 full-time workers.

The full text of the report, “Cannabis Tax Revenue in States That Regulate Cannabis for Adult Use” is available from MPP.

Federal: Transportation Department Finalizes Rule Authorizing Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Washington, DC: Officials with the US Department of Transportation have finalized a new rule authorizing commercially licensed drivers the option to undergo oral fluid testing as an alternative to urinalysis.

“This additional methodology for drug testing will give employers a choice that will help combat employee cheating on urine drug tests and provide a less intrusive means of achieving the safety goals of the program,” the agency stated in an announcement in the Federal Register.

The forthcoming rule will set a 4 ng/ml cutoff limit for the presence of THC in saliva. The effective date of the new rule is June 1, 2023. However, use of oral fluid testing cannot begin until the US Department of Health and Human Services certifies at least two laboratories to perform saliva screening. To date, no labs have received HHS certification.

Federal transportations laws currently mandate that commercially licensed drivers randomly undergo marijuana urinalysis testing, which detects the presence of the inert carboxy-THC metabolite. The non-psychoactive metabolite is detectable in subjects’ urine for weeks or even months following past exposure.

Since 2020, over 100,000 truck drivers have tested positive for past exposure to marijuana. Those who fail their test are required to enter a ‘return to work’ program, which includes passing a drug test, in order to have their license reinstated. However, only about one-quarter of those with drug test failures have done so — resulting in driver shortages and supply chain issues.

Saliva testing typically identifies residual traces of THC for up to 24 hours following marijuana exposure, a period of time beyond the window of cannabis-related impairment, but one that is far shorter than the timeline associated with urine testing or blood testing.

“While oral swab tests do not necessarily correlate with impairment from cannabis, they are a better predictor of recent use than are urine tests, which can pick up inactive THC metabolites days or weeks after use, and which have been required for truck drivers up until now,” California NORML’s Deputy Director Ellen Komp said. “This long-awaited move by DOT should help with the country’s supply-chain issues, while advancing employment rights for legal and responsible cannabis users without jeopardizing roadside safety.”

NORML has repeatedly argued that employers should not presume that the detection of either THC or its metabolites is evidence of impairment. That is because their presence is not predictive of diminished performance. Alternatively, NORML has called for the expanded use of performance-based tests, like DRUID or Predictive Safety’s AlertMeter.

In recent months, lawmakers in several states – including California and New York — have amended their employment laws so that most state employers may no longer terminate workers solely on the basis on a positive drug test for the presence of THC metabolites.

The full text of the Department’s forthcoming regulations appears in the Federal Register.

Survey: More Than One-Third of Chronic Pain Patients Report Current Use of Medical Cannabis

Oakland, CA: Over a third of Californians suffering from chronic pain acknowledge having consumed cannabis for therapeutic purposes within the past year, according to survey data published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Researchers affiliated with Kaiser Permanente and the University of California, San Francisco surveyed a random sampling of pain patients enrolled with one of the state’s largest health care providers.

Thirty-five percent of the patients surveyed said that they had consumed medical cannabis. Nearly ninety percent of them said that they used cannabis primarily to treat pain-related symptoms.

Numerous placebo-controlled trials document the ability of either inhaled or vaporized herbal cannabis to significantly mitigate pain in various patient populations, including those suffering from HIV, diabetes, spinal cord injury, or severe treatment-resistant neuropathy (nerve pain). A 2017 review by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concluded that “conclusive or substantial evidence” exists for cannabis’ efficacy in patients suffering from chronic pain, stating, “Patients who [are] treated with cannabis or cannabinoids are more likely to experience a clinically significant reduction in pain symptoms.”

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use for medical reasons among patients in a large California health care system after legalization of non-medical use,” appears in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Senate Republicans Block Effort Encouraging the Veterans Administration to Study Cannabis as a Treatment Option for Post-Traumatic Stress

Washington, DC: Republicans blocked a procedural vote that would have advanced legislation, S. 326: the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, to the floor of the United States Senate.

All but eight GOP members voted against the bill’s advancement, assuring that it would not meet the 60 vote threshold necessary to move forward under Senate rules. The measure had previously passed unanimously out of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee with bipartisan support.

The legislation directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct an 18-month observational study to assess the effects of cannabis in veterans suffering from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Observational trial data published in December reported that patients suffering from post-traumatic stress exhibit “statistically significant improvements” in a variety of domains – including sleep, anxiety, and stress — following their use of cannabis. By contrast, a 2021 clinical trial reported that the inhalation of marijuana flowers provided limited benefits compared to placebo in treating symptoms of PTSD.

Data published earlier this year in the journal JAMA Network Open reported that nearly one in three pain patients residing in states where medical cannabis access is legal have consumed it for pain management. Pain patients who utilize cannabis frequently report decreasing or ceasing their use of opioids.

Survey: Most Physicians Are “Uncomfortable” Integrating Medical Cannabis into Their Patients’ Treatment Regimens

Ann Arbor, MI: A majority of physicians say that they lack the skills to adequately counsel patients on the potential use of medical cannabis, according to survey data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor surveyed 244 physicians regarding their willingness to engage in discussions with their patients about cannabis.

Consistent with prior surveys of health care professionals, most respondents perceived themselves as possessing “low knowledge and competence” with respect to the use of medical cannabis. When discussing the issue with their patients, most doctors limited their conversations to those involving cannabis-specific risks rather than safe use practices.

Only a minority of those surveyed acknowledge having ever recommended medical marijuana to their patients. Those doctors that were willing to do so tended to be younger and were more likely to have “completed a formal course on medical cannabis.”

Authors concluded: “Lack of knowledge was most frequently cited as a reason for not making an MC [medical cannabis] recommendation. … Greater integration of MC into medicine and medical education is needed to maximize benefits and minimize risks of MC.”

Numerous surveys of medical professionals – including nurses, pharmacists, clinicians, and other health care practitioners – find that health practitioners are inadequately trained in matters specific to medical cannabis. Survey data published in 2020 reported that fewer than one-in-five patients believe that their primary care providers are sufficiently knowledgeable about cannabis-specific health-related issues.

Full text of the study, “Physicians’ attitudes and practices regarding cannabis and recommending medical cannabis use,” appears in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

#NORML #News @WeedConnection

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by russellropeMedia, News April 25, 2023April 21, 2023No Comments

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Analysis: Some Retail Cannabis Products Contain Lower Levels of THC Than Advertised

Aurora, CO: The THC potency of many retail cannabis flower products is lower than what is advertised on the products’ packaging, according to data published in the journal PLOS One.

Investigators affiliated with the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical School randomly purchased 23 cannabis flower products from ten different state-licensed dispensaries. Each of the purchased products were then reanalyzed by a single certified testing lab.

“Sixteen of 23 samples (69.56 percent) had observed values that were more than 15 percent lower relative to the lowest reported THC percent by dry weight [as reported on the product’s label], and 13 of those samples (56.52 percent) were more than 30 percent lower than the reported value,” researchers determined. “These results make clear that consumers are often purchasing cannabis that has a much lower THC potency than is advertised.”

Several studies assessing the potency of unregulated CBD products have reported similar discrepancies.

A 2021 study assessing trends in the THC potency of cannabis flower products sold in Nevada and Washington identified “a statistically unusual spike in the frequency of products reporting just higher than 20 percent THC in both states.” The study’s authors suggested that both cannabis growers and labs may be manipulating the testing process in a manner that inflates products’ purported potency.

Authors of the latest study concluded: “Overall, approximately 70 percent of the samples were more than 15 percent lower than the THC potency numbers reported on the label, with three samples having only one half of the reported maximum THC potency. Although the exact source of the discrepancies is difficult to determine, a lack of standardized testing protocols, limited regulatory oversight, and financial incentives to market high THC potency likely play a significant role. Given our results it is urgent that steps are taken to increase label accuracy of cannabis being sold to the public. The lack of accurate reporting of THC potency can have impacts on medical patients controlling dosage, recreational consumers expecting an effect aligned with price, and trust in the industry as a whole. As the legal cannabis market continues to grow, it is essential that the industry moves toward selling products with more accurate labeling.”

NORML has long called for greater standardization and oversight among cannabis testing labs, opining, “[T]esting and labeling ensure that adult consumers have consistent access to a standardized product and have the information necessary to make an informed decision prior to purchasing.”

Full text of the study, “Uncomfortably high: Testing reveals inflated THC potency on retail cannabis labels,” appears in PLOS One.

Study Fails to Identify Cannabis Exposure as a Risk Factor for the Development of Psychosis

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.

Study: Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Report Symptom Relief, Use Fewer Opioids Following Cannabis Treatment

Buffalo, NY: Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients exhibit improved symptoms and reductions in their use of prescription opioids following their use of medical cannabis, according to data published in the journal Clinical Neuropharmacology.

Researchers with the University of Buffalo School of Pharmacy assessed the use of cannabis products in a cohort of 69 PD patients. All of the study’s participants possessed an authorization from their doctor to access state-licensed medical cannabis products. Most subjects consumed cannabis in the form of a tincture containing a 1 to 1 ratio of THC and CBD.

Investigators reported: “Eight-seven percent of patients exhibit[ed] an improvement in PD symptoms after starting MC [medical cannabis]. Symptoms with the highest incidence of improvement included cramping/dystonia, pain, spasticity, lack of appetite, dyskinesia [involuntary movements], and tremor. After starting MC, 56 percent of opioid users were able to decrease or discontinue opioid use with an average daily morphine milligram equivalent change from 31 at baseline to 22 at the last follow-up visit. MC was well-tolerated with no severe AEs [adverse events] reported and low rate of MC discontinuation due to AEs.”

Nearly 25 percent of US patients with Parkinson’s disease report being active cannabis consumers, according to survey data compiled by the Parkinson’s Foundation. Separate survey data compiled last year by researchers with the University of Colorado reports that PD patients who use either CBD or whole-plant cannabis products frequently acknowledge improvements in their sleep, pain, anxiety, and agitation.

Dozens of studies involving patients with chronic pain and other conditions find that subjects typically decrease or cease their use of prescription opioid medications following the initiation of cannabis therapy.

Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease,” appears in Clinical Neuropharmacology.

Literature Review: Cannabis Promising in Treating Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Old Westbury, NY: Patients with IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease) typically respond favorably to cannabis therapy, according to a review of studies published in the journal Cureus.

Investigators affiliated with the New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine and other universities reviewed results from 29 selected studies published between 2012 and 2022. Most studies reported “reduced clinical complications” following cannabis treatment.

“Following treatment with cannabis cigarettes, ... there tends to be a better patient perception of their general health, proving statistically significant and reflecting the promising effects of using cannabinoids in addressing IBD,” the study’s authors wrote. “Simultaneous improvements … suggest that the use of cannabinoids yields notable improvements in IBD patients’ social functioning, as well as improvements in the parameters of depression, body pain, and the ability to work.”

They concluded: “[C]annabis ... yields promising outcomes. ... It is recommended that in the future, more and more in vivo and in vitro studies are conducted ... to foster a better understanding of the extent to which cannabinoids could play a protective role in IBD patients.”

Survey data published earlier this month reported that nearly one in four patients with IBD acknowledge using medical cannabis and over 85 percent of consumers say that it improves their symptoms.

Full text of the study, “The use of cannabinoids in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): A review of the literature,” appears in Cureus.

Study: Topical Application of CBD Provides Significant Relief from Pain in Former Elite-Level Athletes

Shreveport, LA: The twice-daily use of topical CBD is well-tolerated and alleviates chronic pain in former elite-level (professional) athletes, according to observational data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Researchers with Louisiana State University assessed the safety and efficacy of a proprietary topical CBD product in a cohort of former athletes suffering from chronic pain. Study subjects took 10mg of CBD twice daily via a controlled dispenser for six weeks.

Patients reported significant decreases in pain and improvements in their quality of life during the course of the study. CBD treatment was well-tolerated and only minor adverse effects (e.g., skin dryness) were reported.

Authors concluded: “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study testing the efficacy of CBD treatment on elite athletes. ... The current findings support the continued development of topical CBD with all participants reporting relief from pain and almost all participants seeing a decrease in disability related to pain during the 6-week study period.”

Prior studies assessing the efficacy of topical CBD treatment have reported that it can mitigate arthritic pain and stimulate wound healing. The topical application of cannabinoids, and of CBD in particular, has also demonstrated benefits in the treatment of a variety of skin-related conditions, including psoriasis, erythema, pruritus, and acne.

Full text of the study, “Topical cannabidiol is well tolerated in individuals with a history of elite physical performance and chronic lower extremity pain,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

#NORML #News @WeedConnection

by russellropeMedia, News April 18, 2023April 17, 2023No Comments

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Study: Cannabis Products Associated with Improved Quality of Life, Reduced Opioid Use Among Chronic Pain Patients

London, United Kingdom: Chronic pain patients who use cannabis products for six months report improvements in their health-related quality of life and decreases in their daily opioid consumption, according to observational data published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.

British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in over 700 chronic pain 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.

Consistent with prior studies, investigators reported: “Treatment with oil-based

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, dried flowers, or a combination of both CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] are associated with statistically significant improvements in pain relief and sleep quality after six months in chronic pain patients. Additionally, patients prescribed oils or both types of CBMPs experienced reduced anxiety and an improvement in their ability to perform daily activities. Patients prescribed a combination of both CBMPs recorded improvements in their self-care and mobility abilities. Collectively, this evidence signals that [the] initiation of CBMP treatment is associated with improved HRQoL [health-related quality of life].”

Researchers also acknowledged that patients significantly reduced their daily intake of prescription opioids -- a finding that is consistent with dozens of other studies.

“In summary, these results suggest that both [cannabis] oils and dried flowers are associated with long-term improved HRQoL in chronic pain patients,” they concluded.

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

Data published earlier this year in the journal JAMA Network Open reported that nearly one in four pain patients who reside in states where medical cannabis access is legal self-identify as marijuana consumers.

Full text of the study, “Clinical outcome data of chronic pain patients treated with cannabis-based oils and dried flower from the UK medical cannabis registry,” appears in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.

Study: Patients with a History of Cannabis Use Consume Fewer Prescription Opioids Following Wrist Surgery

Aurora, CO: Patients with a history of cannabis use consume fewer prescription opioids following surgical treatment for distal radius fractures (a/k/a bone wrist fractures), according to case-control data published in the International Open Access Journal of the American Society for Plastic Surgeons.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center compared the demand for opioids among cannabis consumers (cases) and non-users (controls) following wrist surgery.

They reported, “[T]here was a significant reduction in average MME [morphine milligram equivalents] for the case population’s initial opioid prescription compared with the control population.”

The findings are consistent with those of numerous other studies documenting that patients frequently use cannabis for pain mitigation, and that many patients either reduce or eliminate their consumption of opioids and other medications following the initiation of cannabis therapy.

The study’s authors concluded: “Patients with a diagnosis of cannabis use filled a significantly reduced volume of opioids, measured as MME per prescription, in their first opioid prescription after [surgery] compared to their control counterparts.”

In clinical trials, the co-administration of either smoked cannabis or oral cannabinoids has been documented to augment the pain-relieving effects of opioids. In one study, vaporized herbal cannabis was demonstrated to enhance the pain-relieving activity of morphine and oxycodone in chronic pain subjects, thereby allowing “for opioid treatment at lower doses with fewer side effects.” Another study reported similarly enhanced analgesic efficacy when low doses of oral THC were combined with hydromorphone (aka Dilaudid). Authors reported, “These data … are indicative of [the] possible opioid-sparing effects” of cannabinoids. These synergistic effects have also been documented in settings where subjects were provided with only sub-therapeutic doses of cannabis and opioids.

Full text of the study, “Patterns of opioid demand after operative treatment of distal radius fractures,” appears in the International Open Access Journal of the American Society for Plastic Surgeons. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.’

NBA to Cease Drug Testing Players for Cannabis

New York, NY: The NBA and the Players Association have reportedly settled upon a new collective bargaining agreement that amends the league’s cannabis-related policies.

The new agreement codifies changes first implemented on a temporary basis in 2020 limiting the ability of league officials to randomly screen players for cannabis and to punish those who test positive.

The changes are similar to those implemented by Major League Baseball, which also dropped cannabis from its banned substances list. Both the NFL and the NHL continue to drug test some players for cannabis use, but they no longer impose suspensions for those who test positive for it. Last year, the NCAA also relaxed its marijuana testing regulations.

It has also been reported that the new NBA agreement will permit players to provide paid endorsements for certain cannabis products. However, full details of the new collective bargaining agreement have not yet been made public.

New Mexico: Governor Signs Expungement Verification Bill into Law

Santa Fe, NM: Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed legislation, House Bill 314, into law facilitating a process whereby those with past cannabis convictions can verify that their criminal records have been expunged.

The Governor previously signed legislation in 2021 providing for the automatic review and expungement of the records of those convicted of certain low-level marijuana offenses. The new law permits persons charged with offenses eligible for automatic expungement to “verify whether automatic expungement has occurred, and [to] request expedited automatic expungement if eligible charges have not yet been expunged.”

The new law also allows persons convicted of multiple offenses to request to have their cannabis-specific convictions expunged.

To date, 24 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws providing explicit pathways to either expunge (or otherwise set aside) the records of those with low-level marijuana convictions. According to publicly available data compiled by NORML, state and local officials have issued over 100,000 pardons and more than 1.7 million marijuana-related expungements since 2018.

Montana: Lawmakers Pass Legislation Permitting Police to Administer Saliva Tests to Suspected Drugged Drivers

Helena, MT: House and Senate lawmakers have advanced legislation, Senate Bill 13, amending the state’s implied consent law so that police may administer oral fluid tests to motorists suspected of being under the influence of drugs. The bill now awaits action from Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte.

The legislation stipulates, “A person who operates or is in actual physical control of a vehicle ... is considered to have given consent to a test or tests of the person’s blood or breath for the purpose of determining any measured amount or detected presence of alcohol, or blood or oral fluid for the purpose of determining any measured amount or detected presence of drugs in the person’s body.”

The bill’s sponsor said that the results of oral fluid screens will be used for purposes of establishing probable cause only; a positive test result would be not viewed as prima facie evidence of impairment.

Saliva testing can typically identify residual traces of THC for up to 48 hours following marijuana inhalation, a period of time beyond the window of cannabis-related impairment. However, this detection window is shorter than that associated with urine tests, which can detect the presence of the inert metabolite carboxy-THC for several weeks post-abstinence, or blood tests, which can detect the residual levels of THC for over a week in the blood of more habitual consumers.

Montana is among a handful of states that imposes criminal penalties for those who operate a motor vehicle with a detectable level of THC above 5ng/ml in their blood. NORML has long opposed the imposition of THC per se thresholds for cannabinoids in traffic safety legislation, opining, “The sole presence of THC and/or its metabolites in blood, particularly at low levels, is an inconsistent and largely inappropriate indicator of psychomotor impairment in cannabis consuming subjects.”

In 2021, lawmakers in Indiana and Nevada repealed their per se traffic safety limits for the presence of THC in blood.

#NORML #News @WeedConnection

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