Katowice, Poland: The topical administration of an ointment containing standardized percentages of CBD and CBG (cannabigerol) mitigates symptoms and improves the health-related quality of life in patients with atopic dermatitis (eczema), according to observational data published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.
Polish investigators assessed the transdermal use of cannabinoids in nine patients diagnosed with AD. Study participants applied a cannabinoid-infused ointment containing 30 percent CBD and five percent CBG daily for eight weeks.
Cannabis treatment led to the remission of skin lesions and other changes in skin parameters, including improved hydration and less itching.
“Our results demonstrate that topical cannabinoid therapy is effective in reducing itching and improving the quality of life of patients with AD, leading to symptom remission in some cases,” the study’s authors concluded.
The results are consistent with those of prior studies finding that the topical application of cannabinoids provides benefits in treating various skin-related conditions, including psoriasis, erythema, pruritus, and acne. Cannabinoid treatment is also associated with wound healing in patients with refractory leg ulcers and has demonstrated positive results in patients suffering from the skin blistering disease epidermolysis bullosa.
Full text of the study, “Evaluation of biophysical parameters of the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis after application of an ointment containing 30% cannabidiol and 5% cannabigerol,” appears in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.
Analysis: Fewer Than One-Third of Legal Cannabis States Have Appropriated Funding for Marijuana Research
Oakland, CA: Less than one-third of states that regulate marijuana for either medical or adult use have allocated funding for cannabis-related research, according to an analysis published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
A team of investigators headed by the University of California reviewed state-level funding opportunities for cannabis-related research. They reported that 17 states have adopted legislation providing funding mechanisms for research. However, to date, only 12 states have allocated funding for marijuana-related research protocols.
“Without federal participation or support, states are carrying the bulk of responsibility for regulatory oversight of cannabis,” the study’s authors wrote. “This lack of investment is a missed opportunity for states to foster research about the impact of legalization and to increase understanding of the risks and benefits of cannabis use within their state. There is also a missed opportunity for collaborations between researchers and cannabis regulators to inform legislative discussion and develop future evidence-based cannabis laws.”
While federal grants remain the largest source of marijuana research funding, federal appropriations for cannabis-related research are well below those allocated for alcohol and tobacco. “The amount of federal funding allocated to cannabis research is considerably less than the funding provided for other research areas that have similar public health and public policy importance,” researchers wrote. They also acknowledged that federally funded research projects tend to focus on potential marijuana-related harms and adverse effects.
The study’s authors concluded: “Though cannabis products are legal in 39 states for medical use and 24 states for non-medical adult use, only 12 states have provided direct funding for cannabis research. … States have much to gain from greater scientific understanding of cannabis and the impacts of legalization, and lawmakers should consider adopting mechanisms that would support research in parallel with legalization. This funding is important for investing in state infrastructure needed to support public agencies and academic institutions alike over time.”
Full text of the study, “State funding for cannabis research: An analysis of funding mechanisms and levels,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Study: Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Not Associated With Changes in Early Childhood Development
Montreal, Canada: Prenatal cannabis use does not impede infants’ cognitive development, according to longitudinal data published in Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Canadian investigators assessed the prevalence of prenatal cannabis use and its impact on early childhood development in a cohort of 1,489 mothers and infants.
They reported that instances of prenatal cannabis use were low (below three percent) and that most mothers who acknowledged using it ceased doing so after their first trimester. Prenatal cannabis use was associated with lower socioeconomic status, prenatal use of alcohol and tobacco, and more distress symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Investigators reported no association between prenatal cannabis use and developmental indicators at age two, including fine motor skills and language development. However, researchers did not rule out the possibility of such changes developing later in life.
“We found that cannabis use during pregnancy was not significantly associated with cognitive, fine motor, gross motor and language development of 2-year-old children,” the study’s authors concluded. “This [null finding] might suggest that associations of low magnitudes are more likely to appear at developmental stages when higher developmental functions emerge.”
Prior studies assessing the potential impacts of in-utero cannabis exposure on early childhood health have yielded inconsistent results. While some observational studies have identified a link between exposure and low birth weight or an increased risk of preterm birth, other studies have not. A literature review published in the journal Preventive Medicine concluded, “Although there is a theoretical potential for cannabis to interfere with neurodevelopment, human data drawn from four prospective cohorts have not identified any long-term or long-lasting meaningful differences between children exposed in utero to cannabis and those not.”
Full text of the study, “Longitudinal associations between cannabis use during pregnancy and child cognitive, motor, and language development at 2 years old,” appears in Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Analysis: Commercially Available Hemp Products Often Exceed Legal THC Limits, Lack Proper Labeling
Salem, OR: Most products labeled as hemp sold either online or in unregulated retail stores contain THC percentages exceeding legal limits, and few provide links on their packaging to verifiable test results, according to a preliminary analysis of commercially available products by Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
State officials analyzed 101 flower and edible products marketed as hemp. Products were purchased either in person or online from companies operating in various states.
Consistent with the results of numerous prior analyses of commercially available hemp products, most products contained THC percentages exceeding legal limits and provided misleading labeling on their packaging. Few products provided verifiable COAs (certificates of analysis). Several products included chemically synthesized cannabinoids. Age verification was rarely required prior to the products’ sale.
Researchers said the results indicate “widespread noncompliance” with state and federal laws.
“Retailers within Oregon and in other states continue to sell prohibited products to … consumers, often without adequate age verification to ensure potentially intoxicating products stay out of the hands of minors,” the study’s authors concluded.
A recent analysis provided by the San Diego/Imperial Counties Joint Labor Management Cannabis Committee determined that over 90 percent of commercially available hemp-derived intoxicating products are infused with synthetically produced cannabinoids.
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 report, “Evaluating Compliance, Potency, and Pesticides in Oregon’s Marijuana and Hemp Markets Ten Years After Legalization,” is available from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.
California: NORML Chapter Lobbies at the Capital Opposing Marijuana Tax Hike
Sacramento, CA: Marijuana law reform advocates participated in a press conference and lobby day in Sacramento on Tuesday to voice their support for legislation to halt a pending tax hike on legal cannabis products.
California NORML hosted the event, which featured state assembly member Matt Haney, sponsor of AB 564. The bill, which is backed by California NORML, the United Food and Commercial Workers – Western States Council, the California Cannabis Industries Association, and other groups, halts efforts to increase the excise tax on adult-use cannabis products from 15 percent to 19 percent. Absent legislative action, the tax increase takes effect on July 1st.
“This bill would do something very simple,” Rep. Haney said. “It simply says, ‘Let’s not put a 25 percent tax increase on an industry that is still struggling to survive.’ Let’s invest in them and support them, not tax them to force them all to close. It’s not a sustainable approach … This bill will provide a critical lifeline to give this industry at least a fighting chance to survive.”
California is among several states that are considering plans to increase taxes on retail marijuana products. Lawmakers in Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio have also proposed significant tax hikes.
NORML opposes excessive taxes on cannabis products because artificially high prices drive consumers away from the legal marketplace and into the unregulated market.
An action alert in support of AB 564 is available from NORML’s Take Action Center.
#cReatoR @RussellRope
Subscribe To WC Channel