Tag: Media

Columbus, OH: Nearly 100 licensed retailers began selling cannabis products on Tuesday to customers ages 21 and older.

Fifty-seven percent of Ohioans decided in favor of a November ballot measure legalizing the possession, home cultivation, and retail sale of cannabis for adults. The initiative required retail cannabis sales to begin by September 7, 2024.

“State officials are to be commended for moving this process along in a relatively expeditious manner,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Retailers provide consumers with the option of obtaining lab-tested products in a safe, regulated environment. The sooner consumers have market access to cannabis products, the more quickly we will begin to see disruptions to the unregulated marketplace.”

Adult-use marijuana sales are anticipated to generate between $276.2 million and $403.6 million in annual tax revenue within five years.

Ohio is the 24th state to enact marijuana legalization and the 14th to do so via voter initiative.

Study: Cannabis Use Associated With Reduced In-Hospital Mortality in Heart Attack Patients

Detroit, MI: Heart attack victims with a history of cannabis use are less likely to die in the hospital as compared to those with no history of use, according to data published in the Archives of Medical Sciences: Atherosclerotic Disease.

A team of researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom assessed health outcomes in a cohort of nearly 10 million patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

They reported, “Cannabis use was associated with lower risks of cardiogenic shock, acute ischemic stroke, cardiac arrest, PCI [percutaneous coronary intervention] use, and in-hospital mortality.”

The conclusion is consistent with those of other studies finding that heart disease victims with a history of cannabis consumption possess greater in-hospital survival rates compared to controls. Other studies have similarly reported increased in-hospital survival rates among cannabis consumers suffering from cancer, COPD, gastroparesis, pancreatitis, HIV, burn-related injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and various other types of severe trauma.

The study’s authors concluded: “Among patients aged 18–80 years admitted to hospitals with AMI between 2001 and 2020 in the United States, cannabis use was associated with lower risks of complications, … as well as lower in-hospital mortality despite correcting for several confounding factors. This highlights how cannabis remains a poorly understood substance despite a relentless rise in consumption and social acceptance. Our study underscores the need for further research in the physiology and pharmacology of cannabinoids not only as potential therapeutic agents but also to provide the population with a more informed and nuanced understanding of the possible risks associated with cannabis consumption.”

Studies assessing the association between cannabis use and cardiovascular health have yielded inconsistent results, with some studies finding an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases among marijuana consumers, while others report either no risk or provide evidence of possible cardioprotection.

Full text of the study, “Unmasking the cannabis paradox: In-hospital outcomes of cannabis users admitted with acute myocardial infarction over a 20-year period in the United States,” appears in the Archives of Medical Sciences: Atherosclerotic Disease.

Literature Review: Patients Turning to Cannabis To Treat Chronic Skin Condition, Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Vancouver, Canada: Patients diagnosed with the skin condition Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS aka acne inversa) frequently consume cannabis products and report that they improve their quality of life, according to a literature review published in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. HS is a chronic skin condition characterized by the reoccurring formation of small painful lumps under the skin, typically in the armpit and groin.

Researchers affiliated with the University of British Columbia and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota reviewed data from six studies, encompassing 34,435 patients.

They reported, “Findings show higher cannabis use among HS patients, demonstrating efficacy in pain management, sleep, anxiety relief, itch relief, and improved quality of life.”

The study’s authors concluded: “Cannabis may play a role in analgesia, improved quality of life, pain, itch, and overall mental health in patients with HS and healthcare providers including dermatologists should increase their familiarity in appropriate use of cannabis-related products. … Efforts to reduce the stigma of utilizing cannabis-related products for medical purposes, education, and open discussion about the harms of illicit substances with patients are highly encouraged.”

Full text of the study, “Evaluation of cannabis-related product use among patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A narrative review,” appears in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery.

Survey: Most Patients and Providers Report That Cannabis Reduces Opioid Use

New York, NY: The majority of medical cannabis patients and their providers say that marijuana reduces reliance on prescription opioids, according to survey data compiled by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.

Administrators surveyed over 4,000 providers and over 123,000 patients involved in the state’s medical cannabis access program.

Eighty-four percent of healthcare providers said that “medical cannabis should be used to reduce the use of opioids for pain management,” and 75 percent of them said that it “poses less risk than opioids.” Among patients, 66 percent “agreed that medical cannabis has reduced their need for prescription opioids for pain reduction.”

The survey’s findings are consistent with those of numerous studies reporting that patients frequently reduce or cease their use of prescription opioids following the initiation of cannabis products.

Overall, patients expressed high degrees of satisfaction with New York’s medical cannabis program. Seventy-nine percent of patients surveyed said they plan to continue with the program when their current certification expires, and 86 percent of respondents said they would recommend their friends or family to participate in the program.

The full text of the report, “NYS Medical Cannabis Program Patient & Provider Survey Report,” is available from the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.