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Study: Older Patients Experience Improvements in Their Quality of Life Following Medical Cannabis Treatment

Tel Aviv, Israel: The use of medical cannabis products by older patients is associated with improvements in subjects' quality of life and reductions in their use of concomitant medications, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

Israeli researchers assessed the use of federally authorized medical cannabis products over a six-month period in a cohort of approximately 10,000 qualified patients. Subjects in the study averaged 55 years of age and were most likely to be diagnosed with either cancer, pain, or post-traumatic stress. Under Israeli law, physicians can authorize qualified patients to access cannabis flowers and infused products from licensed retail providers.

Patients typically rated cannabis as highly effective in mitigating their symptoms. Among patients with post-traumatic stress, 91 percent reported cannabis treatment as successful, as did 84 percent of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and 78 percent of patients with chronic pain.

Consistent with other studies, most subjects reported improvements in their overall quality of life during the trial. While only 13 percent of patients reported "good QOL" prior to treatment initiation, 70 percent reported good QOL at 6 months.

Many subjects also engaged in drug substitution - a finding that is also consistent with prior studies. Among patients who entered the study using opioids, nearly 40 percent ceased consuming them following cannabis treatment. Twenty-five percent of participants who consumed prescription antidepressants and anti-epileptic drugs at the onset of the trial stopped using their prescribed medications, as did 17 percent of patients who possessed prescriptions for anxiolytics.

Authors concluded: "In this prospective study, we describe the characteristics and outcomes of approximately 10,000 patients treated with medical cannabis. Results showed high adherence, high safety with a low incidence of adverse events, and a high rate of effectiveness in the prescribed treatment, as well as a decrease in pain levels, improvement in QOL, and a reduction in the consumption of concomitant medications."

Full text of the study, "Adherence, safety, and effectiveness of medical cannabis and epidemiological characteristics of the patient population: A prospective study," appears in Frontiers in Medicine.

Colorado: Retail Marijuana Sales Surpass $2.2 Billion in 2021

Denver, CO: State-licensed marijuana retailers sold over $2.2 billion worth of marijuana flower and related products in 2021 - the highest annual total ever, according to data released by the state's Department of Health.

Since 2014, when adult-use sales first became legal in Colorado, retail cannabis sales have grown each successive year. Over the past seven years, state regulators have collected over $2 billion in taxes and fee revenue from retail sales.

In all, state-authorized sales of retail marijuana products nationwide have yielded more than $10 billion in new tax revenues, according to an analysis compiled by the Marijuana Policy Project in January.

Much of this revenue has been used to fund various state-specific projects. In Colorado, over $470 million in cannabis-specific tax revenue has been applied toward public schools. In Washington, some $600 million in revenue has been directed toward public health initiatives, including a fund that provides health insurance to low-income families. In California, over $100 million in revenue has been provided to community investment programs and local nonprofit groups.

New York: Governor Signs Legislation Expediting Adult-Use Cannabis Production and Manufacturing

Albany, NY: Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation (A9283/S8084-A) into law this week authorizing state-licensed hemp growers to obtain temporary licenses to commercially cultivate and process cannabis for the state's forthcoming adult-use market.

Eligible applicants must possess a valid industrial hemp grower authorization from the Department of Agriculture and Markets as of December 31, 2021, be in good standing, and have grown and harvested hemp for at least two of the last four years. The law also requires that both cultivator and processor licensees participate in a social equity mentorship program as well as an environmental sustainability program. The licenses expire on June 30, 2024.

Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, who sponsored the legislation in the Assembly, said that its passage was necessary in order to "help secure enough safe, regulated, and environmentally conscious cannabis products to meet the demand of the adult-use cannabis market when retail dispensaries open."

However, it remains unclear when that time will be. Nearly one-year following the passage of the state's Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), regulators with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) have yet to promulgate rules governing the adult-use market. Once draft rules are promulgated, they will be subject to a five-month public comment period. Earlier this month, the Executive Director of the OCM speculated that the agency will begin accepting commercial licensing applications, including retail licenses "by the end of 2022" - far later than initially projected.

Case Reports: Cannabis Associated with Symptom Improvements in ADHD Patients

Saskatoon, Canada: The adjunctive use of cannabis is associated with symptom mitigation and improvements in ADHD patients' quality of life, according to case reports published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Canadian researchers documented improvements in three male ADHD patients, ages 18, 22, and 23, following the integration of cannabis into their treatment regimen.

Following the use of cannabis, patients showed improvements in depression, anxiety, and in their ability to pay attention. Researchers said that the findings suggested that "cannabis played a complimentary role in the therapeutic regimen of these three patients."

Survey data published last year reported that ADHD patients often self-medicate with cannabis and that most report that it alleviates their symptoms. Clinical studies have reported that both inhaled cannabis as well as the administration of cannabis extracts mitigate ADHD symptoms in human subjects. Israeli data published in 2020 further reported that ADHD patients with legal access to medical cannabis products significantly reduce their use of prescription medications.

Full text of the study, "Cannabis for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A report of 3 cases," appears inMedical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Case Reports: Cannabis Associated with Symptom Improvements in ADHD Patients

Saskatoon, Canada: The adjunctive use of cannabis is associated with symptom mitigation and improvements in ADHD patients' quality of life, according to case reports published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Canadian researchers documented improvements in three male ADHD patients, ages 18, 22, and 23, following the integration of cannabis into their treatment regimen.

Following the use of cannabis, patients showed improvements in depression, anxiety, and in their ability to pay attention. Researchers said that the findings suggested that "cannabis played a complimentary role in the therapeutic regimen of these three patients."

Survey data published last year reported that ADHD patients often self-medicate with cannabis and that most report that it alleviates their symptoms. Clinical studies have reported that both inhaled cannabis as well as the administration of cannabis extracts mitigate ADHD symptoms in human subjects. Israeli data published in 2020 further reported that ADHD patients with legal access to medical cannabis products significantly reduce their use of prescription medications.

Full text of the study, "Cannabis for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A report of 3 cases," appears inMedical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.