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Analysis: Cannabis Use Linked To Lower Risk of Cirrhosis, Other Alcohol-Associated Liver Diseases
Richmond, VA: Alcohol-dependent subjects who consume cannabis possess a significantly lower risk of being diagnosed with liver injuries such as cirrhosis, according to data published in the scientific journal Liver International.
An international team of investigators from the United States, Canada, and Chile assessed the impact of cannabis use on alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) in a group of 33,114 alcohol-dependent adults. (ALD comprises a spectrum of progressive liver injuries, including steatosis, steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis.) Study participants were segregated into separate cohorts of heavy cannabis consumers, moderate consumers, and non-cannabis consumers.
“Cannabis use was associated with a 40 percent hazard reduction in the composite ALD, including alcohol-associated steatosis, hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, as well as a 17 percent reduction in hepatic decompensation, and a 14 percent reduction in all-cause mortality,” researchers reported.
Those participants who consumed cannabis most frequently experienced the greatest risk reduction, suggesting “a dose-response relationship [and] … a potential protective association between cannabis use and ALD.”
The study’s authors concluded: “Cannabis use was linked to lower risks of ALD, liver-related complications and death compared to non-cannabis users. These findings suggest the cannabinoid system may represent a promising therapeutic target for ALD.”
Other studies have previously concluded that adults who consume cannabis are less likely to develop either liver cancer or liver steatosis (aka fatty liver disease).
Full text of the study, “The cannabinoid system as a potential novel target for alcohol-associated liver disease: A propensity-matched cohort study,” appears in Liver International.
Study: Cannabis Treatment Associated With Prolonged Survival in Patients With Aggressive Form of Cancer
Mahasarakham, Thailand: Patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (biliary tract cancer) who integrate cannabis into their palliative medical treatment experience prolonged survival compared to those who do not, according to the findings of a retrospective cohort study published in the scientific journal F1000 Research.
Thai investigators compared survival trends among 491 patients diagnosed with advanced CCA (cholangiocarcinoma). Of these, 404 patients received palliative care only. Eight-seven patients integrated the use of medicinal cannabis products into their treatment plan. (Medical cannabis products are regulated in Thailand and they are available by prescription for the treatment of specific conditions.) Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups.
For those receiving standard care only, the median survival time after registration at a palliative clinic was 0.83 months. For those receiving cannabis, median survival time was 5.66 months.
“Medical cannabis increased overall survival rates among CCA patients,” the study’s authors concluded. “Our findings support the integration of medicinal cannabis into palliative care.”
Preclinical studies have consistently determined that cannabinoids possess anti-cancer activities, including the ability to induce apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma cells. A prior observational study concluded that CCA patients who consumed cannabis experienced lower rates of in-patient mortality compared to similarly matched controls.
Full text of the study, “Survival rates of patients with combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma receiving medical cannabis treatment: A retrospective, cohort comparative study,” appears in F1000 Research.
West Virginia: State Officials Refuse To Allocate Millions in Medical Cannabis Related Revenue, Despite Law Earmarking Funds for Research, Other Priorities
Charleston, WV: State officials have collected millions in taxes and regulatory fees specific to the administration of the state’s medical cannabis access program but are refusing to spend it.
According to reporting by the news service Mountain State Spotlight, officials have collected an estimated $34 million dollars in revenue from the program – which became operational in late 2021. However, state officials have failed to allocate any of the money to fund research or other public health priorities, as stipulated by law. Rather, the money is being held in a credit union under the control of the state Treasurer’s office.
A spokesperson for the Treasurer’s office said that the funds “will remain unallocated until federal law changes.”
No other state that similarly collects marijuana-related taxes and fees withholds using those funds to pay for state-specific programs or projects.
According to the Spotlight, “If West Virginia distributed the entire fund today, roughly $19 million would go back to the Bureau for Public Health within the Department of Health, nearly $8 million to the Fight Substance Abuse Fund overseen by the Department of Health, $6 million to the Division of Justice and Community Services and $1.5 million to a special revenue account for law enforcement professional training and professional development programs.”
Several lawmakers who were involved in writing the state’s medical cannabis law told the Spotlight that they were unaware that officials were refusing to allocate the funds.
Read the full reporting from Mountain State Spotlight.
Virginia: Judge Enjoins County Officials From Disciplining Firefighter for Off-Duty Use of Medical Cannabis
Hanover, VA: Local government officials cannot take disciplinary action against a Hanover County (population: 110,000) firefighter who uses state-authorized medical cannabis products while off-duty, according to a preliminary injunction issued earlier this month by a judge for the 15th Judicial Circuit in Virginia.
The injunction finds that it is in the public interest to protect the rights of Virginians to use lawfully authorized medical cannabis products without fear of retaliation or termination by their employers. It further finds that local officials are not at risk of losing federal funding by allowing public employees to consume medical cannabis while they are away from their jobs.
The injunction specifically restricts the County’s enforcement actions, stating that the firefighter’s lawful off-duty use – limited to cannabis oil as defined by statute – does not impair his performance or safety and must be accommodated consistent with Virginia law.
Virginia legalized physician-authorized medical cannabis access in 2020. The law states that “No employer shall discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee for such employee’s lawful use of cannabis oil under the laws of the Commonwealth pursuant to a valid written certification issued by a practitioner for the treatment or to eliminate the symptoms of the employee’s diagnosed condition or disease.” Over 104,000 Virginians are registered in the state’s medical access program.
“This case reinforces that Virginia law means something in Virginia, even when local governments try to hide behind outdated federal policies,” said Eric Postow, Managing Partner at Holon Law Partners in Fairfax, which handled the case. “Our client earned this protection through his service and his integrity. No firefighter or public servant should have to choose between their health and their career.”
In a press release, he added: “This injunction marks one of the first major Virginia rulings affirming that local governments must comply with state medical cannabis protections. It underscores that public employees lawfully certified under Virginia’s medical cannabis program cannot be disciplined for off-duty use, provided it does not impair work performance or endanger others.”
Most states that regulate medical cannabis products provide explicit employment protections for patients’ off-the-job use, while approximately a third adult-use states do provide similar protections for those age 21 and older.
“Virginia law is clear and explicit in protecting the employment rights of medical cannabis patients, including those who are public employees,” said NORML’s development director, JM Pedini. “NORML worked closely with firefighters across the Commonwealth for three years to ensure that state law protects the jobs of the heroes who risk their lives to keep Virginians safe,” added Pedini, who also serves as the executive director of the state chapter, Virginia NORML.
NORML has also advocated for the enactment of similar protections for firefighters in Maryland, but lawmakers have yet to advance the issue.
The complete press release is available from Holon Law Partners.
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