Weekly Stories, Studies, Surveys, Poll Results, Laws, etc.
Study: No Significant Link Between Current Marijuana Use and Increased Risk of Heart Attack
Oklahoma City, OK: Adults who acknowledge having used cannabis within the past 30 days do not possess a significantly elevated risk of heart attack as compared to non-users, according to data published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM) Focus.
A pair of researchers affiliated with the University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health assessed the relationship between marijuana use and asthma, depression, and myocardial infarction in a representative sample of 729,240 individuals.
Unadjusted models determined that current marijuana consumers possessed a decreased risk of heart attack and an increased risk of asthma; however, these associations became non-significant once investigators adjusted for covariates (e.g., age, pre-existing health conditions, etc.).
These findings “seem to support previous studies showing that marijuana use was not associated with MI [myocardial infarction],” the study’s authors concluded.
Researchers did identify a statistically significant link between current cannabis use and depression, but they cautioned that this result “does not indicate a causal association.”
Although individual studies assessing cannabis use and cardiovascular health have yielded inconsistent results, a literature review of 67 papers published in The American Journal of Medicine concluded, “[M]arijuana itself does not appear to be independently associated with excessive cardiovascular risk factors.”
Full text of the study, “The association between marijuana use and myocardial infarction, asthma, and depression in racial and sexual minorities: BRFSS 2016-2022,” appears in AJPM Focus.
Survey: Over One in Three Californians Report Current Cannabis Use, Most Say They Obtain It From Licensed Dispensaries
San Diego, CA: Over one-third of California adults acknowledge having consumed cannabis within the past three months, and most say that they obtain it primarily from state-licensed dispensaries, according to survey data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
Researchers with the University of California at San Diego surveyed over 5,000 California adults. Respondents were demographically matched to the 2020 California census.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents reported currently consuming cannabis products, while 33 percent said that they were former consumers. Over three quarter of current consumers said that they obtained marijuana products primarily from licensed dispensaries – a finding that the study’s authors acknowledged is “in contrast to public reporting regarding the strong presence of the illicit marketplace” in California.
Current consumers said that their cannabis use positively impacted their lives, with participants reporting improved emotional (82 percent), mental (81 percent), and physical (62 percent) health. More than half of consumers acknowledged using cannabis in place of a prescription medication – a finding that is consistent with other surveys.
California voters approved a ballot measure regulating the adult-use marijuana market in 2016.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis use in California following legalization of recreational use,” appears in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
Clinical Trial: FDA-Approved CBD Formulation Associated With Clinically Evident Improvements in Autistic Boys
San Diego, CA: The adjunctive use of CBD in the form of the plant-derived FDA-approved drug Epidiolex is associated with symptomatic improvements in autistic boys with severe behavioral problems, according to clinical trial data published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Investigators affiliated with the University of California at San Diego assessed CBD treatment versus placebo in a cohort of 39 autistic boys ages 7 to 14. Clinicians observed participants on either a weekly or biweekly basis throughout the study period but were unaware of which participants were consuming CBD or placebo until after the study’s conclusion.
“Blinded clinical impressions showed almost two-third of the participants had behavioral improvements with CBD,” researchers reported. “Reductions in aggressive behaviors and hyperactivity were observed most frequently, with improvements in communication being seen in almost 30 percent. Since many of the participants were non-speaking at the onset of the study, this was a notable change, with several of the children beginning to use words for the first time.”
Investigators did not identify significant differences between CBD treatment and placebo on other outcome measures – a result that they attributed to the study’s small sample size and a greater than expected placebo effect. They acknowledged that Epidiolex possesses an acceptable safety profile and is well-tolerated in this patient population. (Epidiolex was approved by the FDA in 2018 specifically for the treatment of Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, two rare forms of childhood epilepsy.)
“Despite the limitations, this study provides valuable new information about a potential role of CBD in improving behavior in a subset of children with autism, as well as the strong role the placebo effect plays in this condition,” the study’s authors concluded.
Several other placebo-controlled trials and observational studies have shown that the use of cannabinoids can improve symptoms and provide quality-of-life benefits to patients with autism.
Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol treatment for severe problem behaviors in autistic boys: A randomized clinical trial,” appears in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Case Report: Topical Application of Hemp Seed Oil Mitigates Eczema Symptoms
Katowice, Poland: The daily application of hemp seed oil is associated with reduced inflammation, itching, and other symptoms associated with eczema, according to the results of a case study published in the journal Current Issues in Pharmacy and Medical Sciences.
Polish researchers reported on an eczema patient’s progress after using cannabis seed oil topically for three months. The patient applied the oil once daily prior to going to sleep.
“In our observational study, regular, 3-month application of the emulsion based on cannabis sativa L. oil considerably reduced inflammation, erythema, pruritus, xerosis and scaling of the skin, soothing excoriations and lichenification (hardening of the skin),” the study’s authors concluded.
A prior observational study similarly reported that the topical application of the plant-derived cannabinoids CBD and CBG (cannabigerol) reduced itching and other related symptoms in eczema patients.
Topical application of cannabinoids, particularly CBD, has demonstrated benefits in the treatment of a variety of skin-related conditions, including, leg ulcers, skin ulcers of the fingertips, psoriasis, erythema, pruritus, 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. The application of hemp seed oil has been shown to accelerate wound healing in animal models.
Full text of the study, “Topical use of cannabis sativa L.-based emulsion for management of atopic dermatitis persisting from infancy in a 23-year-old male – a case study,” appears in Current Issues in Pharmacy and Medical Sciences.
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