Khon Kaen, Thailand: The transdermal application of oil extracts containing plant-derived cannabinoids significantly reduces diabetic neuropathy, according to clinical data published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
A team of Thai investigators conducted a Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 100 patients diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy of the lower extremities. Participants received either transdermal formulations containing THC (3.20 mg/drop), CBD (0.32 mg/drop), and CBN (0.65 mg/drop) or a placebo (coconut oil) for 12 weeks. Subjects’ pain levels were assessed at baseline and at four, eight, and 12 weeks.
“Mean total NPSI-T (Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory) scores decreased markedly from 25.60 to 5.57 in the treatment cohort, contrasting with minimal reduction from 25.24 to 22.85 in the placebo group,” researchers reported. “GEE (Generalized Estimating Equation) analysis revealed significant pain amelioration at weeks 4, 8, and 12. The cannabis formulation exhibited an excellent safety profile, with only 10 percent of participants reporting mild adverse events, comparable to placebo group outcomes.”
The study’s authors concluded: “This novel transdermal medical cannabis formulation (consisting of THC, CBD, and CBN) demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating painful DPN [diabetic peripheral neuropathy] symptoms while maintaining a favorable safety profile. These findings provide robust clinical evidence supporting its potential as an innovative therapeutic option for managing painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy.”
Prior studies have similarly shown that a wide range of cannabis formulations, including vaporized cannabis flower, oral CBD extracts, and aerosolized THC can mitigate neuropathic pain.
Full text of the study, “Efficacy and safety of transdermal medical cannabis (THC: CBD: CBN formula) to treat painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities,” appears in Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
Study: Arthritis Patients Report “Substantial” Improvements Following Cannabis Use
Orlando, FL: Arthritis patients report “substantial reductions” in pain and other symptomatic improvements following their use of medical cannabis products, according to data published in the journal Cureus.
Investigators affiliated with the University of Central Florida, College of Medicine assessed the perceived efficacy of cannabis in a cohort of 290 patients diagnosed with either rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Patients reported their pain levels prior to cannabis treatment and following the sustained use of the substance. Patients with RA typically inhaled cannabis flower, while participants with PSA typically administered topical formulations of cannabis.
Patients reported “a substantial reduction in pain severity post-taking cannabis products compared to baseline levels.” Specifically, patients’ mean pain levels fell from 6.16 prior to cannabis treatment to 3.89 following treatment. Many patients also reported improvements in stiffness, fatigue, and joint swelling.
“Our study also found that inhaled cannabinoids were the most common form used by RA patients, likely due to their rapid systemic absorption and quicker pain relief. In contrast, PsA patients predominantly used topical formulations, which may provide localized effects beneficial for cutaneous symptoms,” the study’s authors concluded. “Our data indicate that the reduction in pain was statistically significant, suggesting cannabinoids may help alleviate the pain associated with these conditions…. Overall, our findings contribute to the growing literature on cannabinoid therapy for arthritis symptoms, emphasizing the need for continued research to optimize treatment strategies for affected individuals.”
Survey data reports that an estimated one in five arthritis patients use cannabis to mitigate their symptoms and that many reduce their use of prescription opioids following their initiation of medical marijuana.
Full text of the study, “Patient-reported outcomes of pain, stiffness, and fatigue reduction in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis with cannabis use,” appears in Cureus.
Survey: Older Adults Are Frequently Consuming CBD Products
Austin, TX: Nearly one in five adults between the ages of 50 and 64 acknowledge having consumed a CBD product within the past year and one in seven adults over the age of 65 have done so, according to survey data published in the journal Clinical Gerontologist.
Researchers at the University of Texas assessed CBD use in a nationally representative cohort of older adults.
They found that just over 18 percent of those between the ages of 50 and 64 reported past-year CBD consumption. Among those ages 65 and older, slightly more than 14 percent reported consuming CBD products.
“CBD use is common ... in the 65+ age group and positively correlated with both medical and nonmedical cannabis use,” investigators concluded.
Separate survey data finds that a growing percentage of older adults similarly report using cannabis, primarily to assist with anxiety, to improve sleep, or to relieve pain.
Commercially available CBD products lack federal regulatory oversight, are often mislabeled, and may contain impurities. Consumers of CBD products typically report using them for symptom management in place of prescription medications. Survey data compiled by the National Consumers League reports that more than eight in ten voters desire greater oversight over the production and marketing of commercially available CBD products.
Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol use among older adults: Associations with cannabis use, psychical and mental health, and other substance use,” appears in Clinical Gerontologist.
Texas: Attorney General Sues to Halt Implementation of Citywide Marijuana Depenalization Ordinance
Dallas, TX: Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed litigation that seeks to halt the city of Dallas from adopting a voter-approved measure prohibiting police from making low-level marijuana possession arrests.
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. Those cities join Austin, Killeen, and several other Texas municipalities that have previously passed similar measures. The Attorney General has also filed suit against several of those cities, but his office has thus far been unsuccessful in halting their implementation.
“Cities cannot pick and choose which State laws they follow,” AG Paxton said. “The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them. This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”
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.
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