Study: Patients With Inflammatory Arthritis Report Sustained Relief From Cannabis
London, United Kingdom: Patients with inflammatory arthritis report reduced pain and sustained improvements in their health-related quality of life following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to observational data published in the journal International Clinical Psychopharmacology.
British researchers assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) consisting of either flower or oil extracts in 82 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. (Since 2018, British specialists have been permitted to prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Researchers assessed changes in patient-reported outcomes measures at one, three, six, and 12 months.
Patients consistently reported improvements in anxiety, pain, and sleep during the length of the study.
The study’s authors concluded: “This study demonstrates an associated improvement in pain severity and other relevant outcomes in individuals prescribed CBMPs for inflammatory arthritis-associated chronic pain. In addition, CBMPs were largely well tolerated by the majority of patients ... [T]hese results provide further support for continued evaluation of CBMPs in this setting.”
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 chronic pain, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraine, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and other afflictions.
Full text of the study, “Assessment of clinical outcomes in patients with inflammatory arthritis: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in the International Clinical Psychopharmacology.
Study: CBD-Rich Extracts Mitigate Symptoms in Adolescents With Autism
Brasilia, Brazil: The administration of CBD-rich cannabis extracts is safe and effective in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to data from an observational study published in the journal Pharmaceuticals.
Brazilian investigators assessed the use of CBD-dominant extracts (CBD to THC ratio: 33 to 1) in a cohort of 30 children (mean age: 11 years) with moderate to severe ASD. Participants consumed cannabis extracts for six-months. Subjects were clinically assessed by their designated physicians. At the end of the treatment period, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the participants’ parents and caregivers.
Consistent with prior studies, most subjects (70 percent) demonstrated clinical improvements following CBD therapy – particularly with respect to attention and communication skills. Seventy-four percent of subjects either reduced or ceased their use of at least one prescribed medication during the study.
Two-thirds (67 percent) of parents reported improvements in their child’s behavior in six of the 12 categories assessed. No parents reported that their child’s symptoms worsened over the course of the study.
The study’s authors concluded: “In the present study, we show that the benefits of treatment with full-spectrum CBD oil for non-syndromic individuals with ASD are not only noticeable to the clinical eye but are also perceived and experienced by the families and caregivers. In short, the findings corroborate that this treatment, combined with a gradual and individualized dosage regimen, is safe and efficient for broader treatment of central and comorbid symptoms associated with ASD, being able to improve aspects such as social interaction, communication and quality of life.”
The study’s findings are consistent with those of placebo-controlled trial data showing improvements in ASD patients’ symptoms following the use of cannabinoid products. Observational studies have also shown that the use of cannabis can provide benefits in adults with autism.
Full text of the study, “Clinical and family implications of cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant full-spectrum phytocannabinoid extracts in children and adolescents with moderate to severe non-syndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD): An observational study on neurobehavioral management,” appears in Pharmaceuticals.
Transportation Secretary Affirms Reclassifying Marijuana Won’t Immediately Change Federal Drug Testing Standards
Washington, DC: Reclassifying cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the US Controlled Substances Act will not automatically amend federal drug testing standards for truckers and other federally contracted workers, according to recent comments from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Speaking before Congress, Buttigieg said that the 1988 drug testing regulations explicitly mandate certain employers to screen for cannabis, regardless of its placement in the CSA. “The rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III ... would not alter DOT’s [the US Department of Transportation’s] marijuana testing requirements with respect to the regulated community,” he said.
Federal law requires that commercially licensed drivers be subject to both pre-employment and random marijuana urinalysis testing, which screens for the presence of the inert carboxy-THC metabolite. This non-psychoactive metabolite can be detectable in subjects’ urine for weeks or even months following past exposure, long after any potential effects have worn off. According to data published in 2022 in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, employees who consume cannabis during their off-hours possess no greater risk of occupational injury than do those who abstain from marijuana altogether.
Since 2020, over 139,000 truckers have tested positive for past cannabis exposure. That total is far greater than the total number of failures for all other substances combined. Most of these drivers have refused to reapply for work in the industry, which has led to supply chain issues.
According to survey data compiled last year by the American Transportation Research Institute, 62 percent of representatives from motor carrier companies say that “changes were needed to federal drug policy rules in light of state-level legalization.”
North Carolina: Cherokee Tribe Begins Adult-Use Cannabis Sales
Qualla, NC: Members of the North Carolina Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have begun selling cannabis to adults on tribal land. Sales began on July 4th and are limited to members of federally recognized Indian tribes.
The tribe began engaging in medical cannabis sales in April.
According to data published in May in the trade journal Marijuana Business Daily, tribes are currently operating cannabis businesses in nine states: California, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington.
Neither the recreational use nor the medical use of cannabis is permitted in North Carolina. This year, Senate lawmakers advanced legislation to regulate medical cannabis access, but House leaders failed to take up the measure. Statewide polling shows that 78 percent of North Carolina voters support legalizing cannabis for eligible patients.
In response to the Cherokee tribe’s actions, Congressman Chuck Edwards (R-NC) has introduced federal legislation (HR 5323) seeking to withhold federal funding from jurisdictions that permit marijuana sales. The bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.
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