Category: Media

Study: Cannabis Consumption Associated With Opioid Cessation in Polydrug Users

Vancouver, British Columbia: Polydrug consumers are more likely to cease using non-prescription opioids if they consume cannabis, according to data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review.

Researchers affiliated with the University of British Columbia assessed the relationship between the use of cannabis and unregulated opioids among people who use drugs (PWUD) living with chronic pain.

They reported that the daily use of cannabis was positively associated with opioid cessation, particularly among males.

“Participants reporting daily cannabis use exhibited higher rates of cessation compared to less frequent users or non-users,” the study’s authors concluded. “Our findings add to the growing evidence supporting the potential benefits of cannabis use among PWUD, underlining the need for further research.”

The findings are consistent with prior data suggesting that cannabis use can mitigate opioid-related cravings and manage withdrawal symptoms.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use and illicit opioid cessation among people who use drugs living with chronic pain,” appears in Drug and Alcohol Review.

Clinical Trial: Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids Improve Sleep Quality

Jacksonville, FL: The oral administration of a hemp-derived supplement containing precise percentages of THC, CBN, and CBD is associated with improved sleep quality, according to placebo-controlled trial data published in Health Science Reports.

Researchers affiliated with the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University assessed the impact of an orally administered cannabinoid supplement versus a placebo in 20 subjects with subthreshold insomnia symptoms.

Compared to the placebo, cannabinoid administration was associated with “significant improvements [from] baseline for sleep latency, sleep duration, and global sleep quality.” Participants also experienced “significant improvements in ‘mental health,’ [and] ‘feeling healthy and full of energy’” after using the cannabinoid supplement for ten days.

“The purpose [of this trial] was to examine the effectiveness of a hemp‐based supplement with CBD, CBN, THC, and a standardized terpene blend on sleep quality/quantity, anxiety, perceived stress, mood, pain, and HRQoL (health-related quality of life) in adults with subthreshold insomnia symptoms using a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled crossover pilot trial. We found the CS (cannabinoid supplement) was well‐tolerated and resulted in significant improvements in several sleep quality and health outcomes compared to both baseline and placebo,” the study’s authors concluded. “Improvements in daytime fatigue, pain affected sleep, mood, and anxiety were also associated with CS, though these were nonsignificant condition differences. In conclusion, [hemp-derived cannabinoid] supplementation may be a simple, effective, and well‐tolerated alternative to improve sleep quality and related health outcomes in adults with subthreshold insomnia symptoms.”

The trial’s results are consistent with those of several observational studies finding that patients with insomnia and other sleep disorders experience improvements following their use of cannabis. Studies have also identified a correlation between the adoption of statewide marijuana legalization laws and declining sales of over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid medications.

Full text of the study, “Effectiveness of a cannabinoid supplement on sleep and mood in adults with subthreshold insomnia: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover pilot trial,” appears in Health Science Reports.

Texas: Judge Denies Effort To Enjoin Dallas’ Voter-Approved Marijuana Depenalization Ordinance

Dallas, TX: A Texas judge has denied a request from the state’s Republican Attorney General to enjoin Dallas’ voter-approved marijuana depenalization ordinance.

On Election Day, voters in Dallas (population 1.3 million) and two other cities (Bastrop and Lockhart) decided in favor of municipal ballot initiatives limiting the ability of local law enforcement to make misdemeanor marijuana possession arrests. Following the election, state Attorney General Ken Paxton filed litigation to prevent Dallas officials from implementing the law. (City officials in Bastrop and Lockhart declined to adopt their ordinances out of fear of litigation.)

In recent months, Paxton has filed lawsuits against multiple cities that have moved to end low-level marijuana arrests. To date, none of his lawsuits have been successful.

State law defines marijuana possession of 2 ounces or less as a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a $2,000 fine, and a criminal record. According to data compiled by Texas NORML, police made an estimated 219,000 marijuana-related arrests between 2017 and 2021. Ninety-seven percent of those arrested were charged with possession only. Fifty-six percent of those arrested were under 25 years of age.

Additional information is available from Ground Game Texas.

Montana: Opponents of THC Limit Bill Outnumber Proponents by More Than 2 to 1 During Legislative Hearing

Helena, MT: Opponents of legislation imposing a 15 percent THC potency cap on adult-use marijuana products made their voices heard at a legislative hearing last week before members of the Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs committee.

Opponents of the bill, Senate Bill 443, outnumbered proponents by a margin of more than two to one. Many witnesses represented state-licensed cannabis businesses, who argued that passage of the measure would recriminalize most of their products. Others argued that the bill sought to unreasonably undermine the state’s marijuana legalization law, which was approved by 57 percent of voters.

NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano provided testimony against the bill, stating: “Prohibiting adults from accessing products with more than 15 percent THC from state-licensed retailers will not eliminate consumers’ demand for them. Rather, it will encourage consumers to seek out these products in the unregulated market. It will also move the production of these products exclusively underground – thereby undermining the primary goal of legalization, which is to provide adults with safe, affordable, above-ground access to lab-tested products of known purity, potency, and quality.”

Some witnesses also pushed back against language in the bill equating the availability of higher-THC products with slavery.

In 2021, lawmakers approved legislation imposing a 35 percent THC potency limit on botanical products. They also capped the amount of THC permissible in edible products and concentrates. Montana is one of the only states in the nation to impose limits on the THC content of legally regulated cannabis products.

Following the hearing, committee members moved to table the bill – thereby suspending it from further consideration. A motion to reconsider the bill also failed.

Separate legislation, Senate Bill 255, establishing a mandatory registry for cannabis consumers and tracking their purchases was also scheduled to be debated last week, but it was never brought before the committee.

Analysis: Most ‘Hemp-Derived’ Intoxicating Products Sold Online Contain Synthetically Produced Cannabinoids

San Diego, CA: Most commercially available hemp-derived intoxicating products are infused with synthetic cannabinoids, including novel cannabinoids like THCP and HHC, according to an analysis of 104 products by the San Diego/Imperial Counties Joint Labor Management Cannabis Committee.

Investigators assessed the composition and potency of 104 distinct products from 68 brands. All the products were available online and delivered to California by the US Postal Service. (Hemp-derived intoxicating products are not currently subject to federal regulations or oversight.) No age verification was required when purchasing any of the products. Most of the products were categorized as either vape products or gummies.

Researchers determined that 95 percent of the products sampled, including 97 percent of vape products, contained cannabinoids produced through a chemical synthesis rather than naturally extracted from the plant. While delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC were the most frequently identified synthetically derived cannabinoids, investigators also identified highly potent novel cannabinoids such as THCP and HHC in nearly one-third to one-half of products. Some products also tested positive for the presence of kratom, hallucinogenic mushrooms, or similar psychoactive substances.

The study’s authors cautioned that exposure to either synthetic cannabinoids or byproducts produced during the chemical conversion process can pose potential risks to consumers’ health.

They wrote: “The presence of synthetic cannabinoids in these products doesn’t just challenge their classification as ‘hemp’ – it also fundamentally distorts consumer expectations around potency. Many of the lab-made cannabinoids found in our analysis are far more potent than natural delta-9 THC, meaning a product’s psychoactive effects may be dramatically understated if potency is assessed solely by delta-9 THC content. … Novel and unknown isomers associated with chemically synthesized cannabinoids, like delta-8 THC, may present significant risks due to their unpredictable chemical and physical properties.”

They concluded: “To restore order to the market and bring clarity and certainty to consumers, all THC-containing products should be regulated as cannabis within California’s established framework. This will protect consumer safety, ensure tax compliance, and uphold the intent of the state’s cannabis laws.”

NORML and other groups have urged the FDA to establish regulatory guidelines governing the production, testing, labeling, and marketing of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. In 2021, NORML issued a report on delta-8-THC and other novel synthetically derived cannabinoids that cautioned consumers to avoid these unregulated products because they are often mislabeled and may contain impurities.

Full text of the white paper, ‘The Great Hemp Hoax,’ is available from the San Diego/Imperial Counties Joint Labor Management Cannabis Committee.

Survey: Nearly Half of Military Veterans Use Cannabis for Pain Relief

San Francisco, CA: An estimated 40 percent of veterans suffering from chronic pain consume cannabis products to mitigate their symptoms, according to survey data published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.

A team of investigators affiliated with the University of California at San Francisco and Yale University surveyed pain patients enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration primary care services program.

Forty percent of respondents acknowledged using cannabis products to manage their symptoms. However, the study’s authors suggested that this percentage may reflect under-reporting because cannabis use is discouraged within the Veterans Administration. Respondents were most likely to report using cannabis to manage pain or mobility (81 percent), sleep (62 percent), PTSD or anxiety (43 percent), stress (43 percent), and depression (29 percent).

Prior surveys indicate that veterans frequently consume cannabis to improve their health-related quality of life and to reduce their reliance on prescription medications.

Full text of the study, “Natural product use for chronic pain: A new survey of patterns of use, beliefs, concerns, and disclosures to providers,” appears in Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.

Idaho: Voters May No Longer Be Able To Amend State’s Marijuana Policies

Boise, Idaho: State lawmakers have approved a resolution asking voters to provide legislators with the exclusive authority to amend state laws specific to the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana and other controlled substances.

Lawmakers in both chambers passed House Joint Resolution 4 along party lines. It asks voters to decide next year on the following ballot question: “Shall Section 26, Article III of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended to provide that only the Idaho Legislature shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances?”

If enacted by voters, no future initiatives pertaining to how marijuana or other controlled substances are regulated will be permitted to appear on the Idaho ballot.

While the majority of Idahoans have expressed support for various drug policy reforms, such as the legalization of medical cannabis, GOP lawmakers who dominate the legislature remain steadfastly opposed to liberalizing the state’s marijuana laws. In February, Republican Gov. Brad Little signed legislation into law, making Idaho the only state to impose mandatory minimum penalties for low-level marijuana possession. That law takes effect in July.

North Dakota: Lawmakers Advance Competing Bills Permitting Edible Forms of Medical Cannabis

Bismarck, ND: Members of the House and Senate have passed competing bills through their respective chambers providing for the use of “cannabinoid edible products” by qualified medical cannabis patients. Under current law, state-registered patients may possess either herbal cannabis or infused tinctures, capsules, or topical patches.

Both measures – House Bill 1203 and Senate Bill 2294 – define “cannabinoid edible products” as “soft or hard lozenges in a geometric square shape into which a cannabinoid concentrate or the dried leaves or flowers of the plant of the genus cannabis is incorporated.” The Senate version of the bill limits edible products to no more than 5 mg per serving, while the House version imposes a 10 mg limit.

Edible cannabis products possess a longer duration of effect compared to inhaled or vaporized herbal cannabis.

Voters approved the state’s medical cannabis law nearly a decade ago. Nearly 10,000 North Dakotans are currently registered to access medical cannabis.

Separate legislation (HB 1596) fully decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession by adults was passed by the House in February and awaits further action by the Senate.