Study: Cannabis Provides Sustained Quality of Life Improvements in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
London, United Kingdom: Patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) report sustained improvements in their health-related quality of life following their use of cannabis, according to observational data published in the journal Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either botanicals or oil extracts in 116 IBD patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. (British specialists are permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Researchers assessed changes in patient-reported outcomes at 18 months.
Consistent with prior research, investigators reported, “CBMP treatment was associated with improvement in IBD-specific outcomes in patients and general HRQoL [health-related quality of life] over 18-months.”
According to a literature review published in October in the scientific journal Cureus, “Many IBD patients use cannabis to control disease symptoms, and there is emerging evidence that it may play a role in disease management.”
Other observational studies assessing the use of cannabis products in patients enrolled in the UK Cannabis Registry have reported them to be effective for those suffering from anxiety, fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory arthritis, among other conditions.
Full text of the study, “UK medical cannabis registry: An updated analysis of clinical outcomes of cannabis-based medicinal products for inflammatory bowel disease,” appears in Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Analysis: Prenatal Marijuana Exposure Not Associated With Adverse Birth Outcomes, Neurodevelopmental Delays
Alberta, Canada: Prenatal cannabis exposure is not associated with either adverse birth outcomes or neurodevelopmental delays in children during the first 12 months of life, according to data published in the journal JAACAP Open.
Canadian investigators compared birth outcomes and neurodevelopment in children exposed to cannabis in-utero and those who were not.
Researchers reported, “No significant associations were identified between prenatal cannabis exposure and gestational age, increased rate of preterm birth, birth weight, or odds of being classified as LBW [low birth weight].”
Investigators also acknowledged an absence of neurodevelopmental differences after adjusting for socioeconomic confounders. “Prenatal exposure to cannabis did not significantly predict the likelihood of failing to meet the cutoff score across any of the developmental domains measured by the ASQ-3 [Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition] except for the communication domain. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, no significant differences were identified on any domains,” they reported.
Despite the null findings, they nonetheless cautioned, “The lack of significant associations identified in the current study should not be misinterpreted to suggest that consuming cannabis products during pregnancy is safe.”
Separate data published in 2022 in the journal Population Research and Policy Review reported that changes in marijuana’s legal status have not been associated with increases in adverse clinical birth outcomes.
Studies assessing the potential impacts of in-utero cannabis exposure on perinatal 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, “Evaluation of the association between prenatal cannabis use and risk of developmental delay,” appears in JAACAP Open.
Clinical Trial: CBD Reduces Cravings in Subjects With Alcohol Use Disorder
Mannheim, Germany: The oral administration of 800 mg of synthetic CBD significantly reduces subjects’ cravings for alcohol, according to placebo-controlled clinical data published in the journal Nature: Molecular Psychiatry.
German researchers assessed the use of CBD versus placebo in 28 subjects who consumed alcohol daily.
“Individuals receiving CBD … reported significantly lower alcohol cravings,” investigators wrote. “No adverse events or serious adverse events were reported by the participants of the study during the test session.”
The study’s authors concluded: “The current RCT [randomized clinical trial] provides evidence for the significant effects of CBD on neurobiological disease mechanisms and symptoms in AUD. … In summary, the observed potential of CBD to reduce cue-induced … alcohol craving, together with its good safety profile, supports the potential of CBD to treat individuals with AUD [alcohol use disorder]. New pharmacological treatment options that target central neurobiological disease mechanisms and core symptoms of AUD, such as craving, could complement existing treatment options and reduce relapse risk and the enormous disease burden inflicted by AUD.”
A 2021 observational study determined that the consumption of CBD-dominant cannabis is associated with reductions in subjects’ alcohol intake. The authors of the study reported that participants who ingested CBD-dominant cannabis during the trial period “drank fewer drinks per drinking day, had fewer alcohol use days, and fewer alcohol and cannabis co-use days” compared with those who did not.
Separate studies have also suggested that CBD dosing can reduce cravings for tobacco, methamphetamine, and heroin, among other substances.
Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol administration reduces alcohol cravings and cue-induced nucleus accumbens activation in individuals with alcohol use disorder: The double-blind randomized controlled ICONIC trial,” appears in Nature: Molecular Psychiatry.
New Jersey: Certain Public Employees Eligible for Medical Cannabis Healthcare Benefits
Trenton, NJ: Public employees in three New Jersey municipalities are eligible for medical cannabis subsidies as part of a newly announced partnership between the cities and various healthcare and insurance providers.
Other benefits offered through the program include telehealth visits and consultations with physicians specializing in the use of medical cannabis. Among the groups announced as participating in the program are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Leafwell, and Bennabis Health.
Traditionally, healthcare providers have not recognized the use of medical cannabis products because it remains a Schedule I federally prohibited substance.
NORML has called upon state lawmakers to advance legislative efforts encouraging insurers to cover costs associated with the use of medical cannabis products. Writing in a nationally syndicated op-ed, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “Most patients, most physicians, and most state laws view cannabis as a legitimate therapeutic option. Therefore, the millions of Americans who rely upon medical cannabis products ought to be afforded the same entitlements as those who use other conventional medications and therapies. Those privileges should include insurance-provided reimbursement for medical cannabis treatment.”
New Jersey lawmakers legalized medical cannabis access in 2010. An estimated 68,000 residents currently participate in the statewide program.
Lawmakers in 2021 enacted separate legislation regulating the adult-use marijuana market.
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