Analysis: Marijuana Seizures by Border Patrol Agents Fall to Historic Lows
Washington, DC: Federal law enforcement agents are intercepting historically low quantities of cannabis at the southern border, according to newly released data provided by the US Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection.
Federal statistics reveal that Border Patrol and Field agents confiscated an estimated 155,000 pounds of marijuana at the US/Mexico border in 2022. That is down almost 50 percent from 2021 totals and continues the dramatic decline in seizure volume that began in 2013, when nearly 3 million pounds of cannabis were confiscated at the southern border.
Some experts have previously speculated that licensed retail access to cannabis products, which began in Colorado and Washington in 2014 and is now available in almost half of all states, has significantly undercut demand for imported Mexican cannabis. According to conclusions provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, "In US markets, Mexican marijuana has largely been supplanted by domestic-produced marijuana."
Separate data published last year by the Government Accounting Office and elsewhere indicates that interdiction efforts along the US border now typically involve the seizure of small quantities of marijuana and no other controlled substances.
Drug seizure statistics are available online from the US Customs and Border Protection website.
Clinical Trial: CBD Topical More Effective at Treating Skin Ulcers Than Conventional Treatments
Modena, Italy: The administration of a topical extract preparation of CBD effectively mitigates wound-related pain and promotes the healing of skin ulcers in patients with scleroderma, according to randomized trial data published in the journal Advances in Skin & Wound Care. Scleroderma (a/k/a systemic sclerosis) is a rare autoimmune disorder involving the tightening of the skin and the narrowing of blood vessels.
Italian investigators assessed the efficacy of topical CBD oil compared to conventional medications in a group of scleroderma patients with digital ulcers (skin ulcers of the fingertips). Twenty-five patients were randomly selected to use CBD for one month; the other 20 received conventional therapy.
Subjects in the CBD group experienced greater pain relief and wound healing than did those in the control group. Authors reported, "Although mean wound-related pain NRS [numeric rating scale] scores did not differ between CBD-treated patients and control patients at baseline, their mean scores differed significantly after 1 month." Specifically, patients in the treatment group experienced a decrease in pain of 29 percent over the course of the trial, whereas those in the control group only experienced a six percent decrease.
Investigators further acknowledged, "In terms of DU [digital ulcer] healing, 18 of the 25 patients in the CBD-treated group (72 percent) experienced complete healing by the end of the study. In contrast, complete healing was observed in (only) 6 of the 20 control group participants (30 percent)."
Patients receiving CBD treatment reported "no significant adverse effects" during the study.
"The present study is the first to report the effectiveness of local CBD treatment in the management of SSc-DUs [systemic sclerosis digital ulcers]," authors concluded. "Topical administration of CBD is a safe, effective, noninvasive tool that is associated with improved wound-related pain, DU healing, and QoL [quality of life] of patients with SSc."
The topical application of cannabinoids, and of CBD in particular, has demonstrated benefits in the treatment of a variety of skin-related conditions, including psoriasis, erythema, pruritis, and acne. It has also been associated with wound healing in patients with refractory leg ulcers and with the rare skin blistering disease epidermolysis bullosa.
Full text of the study, "Topical cannabidiol in the treatment of digital ulcers in patients with scleroderma: Comparative analysis and literature review," appears in Advances in Skin & Wound Care.
Study: Cannabis Use Associated with Improvements in Depressive Symptoms
London, United Kingdom: The daily consumption of cannabis products is associated with sustained improvements in depressive symptoms, according to observational trial data published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.
British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis products in 129 subjects with a primary diagnosis of depression. Study subjects were participants in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry and all possessed a doctor’s authorization to consume cannabis. Study participants consumed either cannabis extracts, THC-dominant flowers, or both for a period of six-months.
Researchers reported: "The results showed that medicinal cannabis was associated with improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as health-related quality of life, and sleep quality after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment." While some subjects reported adverse events from cannabis products, almost all side effects were classified as either "mild or moderate."
Authors concluded, "Future studies could focus on conducting controlled observational studies or pilot trials to determine the potential of CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] as a treatment for depression."
Post-traumatic stress patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry have similarly shown sustained symptomatic improvements following cannabis therapy.
Full text of the study, "Assessment of clinical outcomes of medicinal cannabis therapy for depression: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry," appears in the Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.
Analysis: Labor Markets Not Adversely Impacted by Adult-Use Legalization
San Diego, CA: The adoption of adult-use cannabis legalization laws is associated with modest improvements in labor market outcomes, according to an analysis published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
A team of economists affiliated with San Diego State University in California and with Bentley University in Massachusetts assessed the adoption of state-level adult-use legalization laws on wages and labor market outcomes.
Investigators found "little evidence that RMLs [recreational marijuana laws] adversely affect labor market outcomes among most working-age individuals." By contrast, they reported: "For some demographic sub-groups, we find evidence of modest increases in employment or wages, particularly for individuals over age 30 (in the shorter-run), younger racial/ethnic minorities, and those working in the agriculture sector. These results are consistent with the opening of a new licit industry for marijuana and (especially for older individuals) a substitution away from harder substances such as opioids."
Prior studies have reported an association between cannabis access laws and increased levels of employment among older adults.
According to data compiled in February by Leafly and Whitney Economics, the state-licensed cannabis industry added over 100,000 new jobs in 2021 and now employs over 428,000 full-time workers.
Full text of the study, "The effects of recreational marijuana legalization on employment and earnings," is available from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Review: Clinical Trial Data Establishes Efficacy of Cannabinoids to Treat Chronic Pain, Aid Sleep
Toronto, Canada: Cannabis compounds are effective at mitigating chronic neuropathic pain and improving sleep, according to a review of randomized controlled trial data published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
A team of Canadian researchers evaluated results from nine trials that compared synthetic and natural cannabinoids to placebo in patients suffering from neuropathic pain syndromes.
They reported: "Meta-analysis of data from six studies showed that cannabinoids were associated with a significant improvement in sleep quality. Meta-analysis of data from eight studies showed a significant reduction in daily pain scores in the cannabinoid group."
Authors concluded: "Cannabinoids have a role in treating chronic neuropathic pain as evidenced by significant improvements in sleep quality, pain intensity, and PGIC [Patients’ Global Impression of Change scale]. More research is needed to comprehensively evaluate the impact of cannabinoids on sleep health and analgesic efficacy."
Survey data consistently reports that patients who use cannabis products typically do so to mitigate chronic pain and improve sleep. Among patients in US states where medical cannabis access is permitted, over 60 percent are qualified to use it to treat pain.
Full text of the study, "Evaluating the impact of cannabinoids on sleep health and pain in patients with chronic neuropathic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials," appears in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
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