Analysis: Cannabis Consumers Possess Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Tabriz, Iran: Adults with a history of cannabis use are less likely than non-consumers to develop type 2 diabetes, according to data published in the journal Phytotherapy Research. A team of Iranian investigators performed a meta-analysis of the relevant literature, including 11 surveys and four cohorts consisting of more than 478,000 subjects. They reported, “[T]he odds of developing T2DM [type 2 diabetes] in individuals exposed to cannabis was 0.48 times lower than in those without cannabis exposure.”
Authors speculated that cannabis may possess “protective effects” against the development of diabetes, but they cautioned against drawing any definitive conclusions absent additional studies.
“To our knowledge, our meta-analysis presents the … most up-to-date evidence on the association between cannabis consumption and T2DM,” they concluded. “Given the rising trend of cannabis consumption, and legalization of cannabis consumption there is an increasing need to design prospective longitudinal randomized studies investigating the honest effects of cannabis consumption and providing practical guidelines to manage cannabis usage.”
Gallup: Americans Perceive Cannabis to Be Less Harmful than Either Alcohol or Cigarettes
Washington, DC: Most US adults believe that marijuana use poses fewer risks to health than does either the use of alcohol or cigarettes, according to nationwide polling data compiled by Gallup.
According to the survey, 95 percent of adults perceive smoking cigarettes to be either “very harmful or somewhat harmful” to health. Eighty percent of adults say that consuming alcohol is harmful.
By contrast, only 58 percent of respondents described marijuana cannabis as either “very harmful or somewhat harmful.”
Gallup’s poll comes just days after survey data published in the journal JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Network Open reported that a plurality of Americans perceive tobacco smoke exposure to be more hazardous than marijuana.
Gallup’s findings are consistent with those of other recent polls, including data published earlier this year reporting that most Americans consider marijuana to be significantly less harmful than cigarettes, alcohol, and opioids.
Several scientific analyses – such as those here and here – comparing the health burdens associated with the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis have concluded that marijuana poses far fewer hazards to health. Specifically, a paper published in the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal estimated that health-related costs per user are eight times higher for drinkers of alcoholic beverages than they are for those who use cannabis, and that they are more than 40 times higher for tobacco smokers. The paper’s authors concluded, “In terms of [health-related] costs per user: Tobacco-related health costs are over $800 per user, alcohol-related health costs are much lower at $165 per user, and cannabis-related health costs are the lowest at $20 per user.”
Detailed poll results are available from Gallup.
Study: Cannabis Exposure Not Associated with Increased Psychosis Risk Among High-Risk Youth
Hempstead, NY: The use of cannabis doesn’t raise one’s risk of psychosis or other adverse health outcomes, even among adolescents who are at high risk for the disorder, according to longitudinal data published in the journal Psychiatry Research.
A team of researchers affiliated with Hofstra University in New York and with Stanford University in California assessed the relationship between cannabis use and health outcomes in a cohort of adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis. Study participants were tracked for two years.
Investigators reported that those subjects who consumed cannabis were no more likely than non-users to become psychotic.
Authors concluded: [C]ontinuous cannabis use over 2-years of follow-up was not associated with an increased psychosis transition rate, and did not worsen clinical symptoms, functioning levels, or overall neurocognition … indicating that CHR [clinical high risk] youngsters are not negatively impacted by cannabis. … These findings should be confirmed in future clinical trials with larger samples of cannabis using individuals.”
The findings are similar to those published in April in the journal Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. That study also failed to identify cannabis use as a risk factor for psychosis in clinically at-risk subjects. The study’s authors concluded: “Our primary hypothesis was that cannabis use in CHR [clinically high risk] subjects would be associated with an increased rate of later transition to psychosis. However, there was no significant association with any measure of cannabis use. … These findings are not consistent with epidemiological data linking cannabis use to an increased risk of developing psychosis.”
By contrast, a recent Spanish study identified an increased risk of the development of a mental health disorder among youth admitted to treatment for cannabis use disorder.
Although the use of cannabis and other controlled substances tends to be more common among those with psychotic disorders, studies indicate that lifetime incidences of acute marijuana-induced psychosis are relatively rare among the general population. To date, the adoption of adult-use legalization laws in the United States has not been shown to be correlated with any increase in “overall rates of psychosis-related diagnoses or prescribed antipsychotics.”
Full text of the study, “Recreational cannabis use over time in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: Lack of associations with symptoms, neurocognitive, functioning, and treatment patterns,” appears in Psychiatry Research.
Study: Cannabis Inhalation Leads to Symptom Improvements in Patients with Chronic Pouchitis
Tel Aviv, Israel: The daily use of herbal cannabis provides sustained relief to patients diagnosed with chronic pouchitis, according to data published in the journal ACG Case Reports. (Pouchitis is an inflammatory condition that frequently occurs in patients following surgery to treat ulcerative colitis.)
Israeli researchers assessed the use of cannabis in nine patients with treatment-resistant pouchitis. Patients inhaled one gram of herbal cannabis (16 percent THC) daily in addition to their regular medications. Patients were monitored for one year.
Investigators reported: “Symptom improvement was reported by eight of nine patients, including improvements in abdominal pain and swelling, nausea, appetite, and general well-being. Mood, memory, concentration, sleep, alertness, and daily function were also improved. Patients reported no events of hallucinations, negative behavioral effects, restlessness, or confusion. None reported IBD [inflammatory bowel disease] exacerbation.”
They concluded: “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the effect of cannabis consumption among patients with chronic pouchitis. ... Cannabis use led to significant symptomatic improvement and better quality of life in this group of patients with refractory pouchitis. Larger, controlled studies are needed to further evaluate the role of cannabis in the treatment of chronic pouchitis.”
Prior studies have shown that cannabis can mitigate symptoms associated with a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and gastroparesis.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis improves clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with chronic pouchitis,” appears in ACG Case Reports.
Case Report: Oral CBD Treatment Associated with Alleviation of Refractory Pain in Sickle Cell Disease Patient
Paris, France: The daily consumption of oral CBD is associated with dramatic improvements in chronic pain due to sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a case report published in the American Journal of Hematology.
French researchers reported on the use of synthetic CBD in a 15-year-old SCD patient suffering from chronic refractory pain in his spine, thorax, and knee. Prior to CBD treatment, the patient had required prolonged hospitalizations due to chronic pain.
Following two weeks of CBD treatment, the patient experienced “a complete regression of pain.” During 10 months of treatment, the patient did not require any further hospitalizations.
Authors concluded: “We report here for the first time a case of refractory chronic pain with dramatic improvement after CBD treatment in an adolescent with SCD. … As it seems to be a well-tolerated drug, CBD could represent a promising therapeutic perspective for patients with SCD suffering from chronic pain.”
Survey data indicates that patients with SCD often consume cannabis for symptom management. Clinical trial data published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the short-term use of vaporized cannabis in SCD patients is associated with improved mood and may also mitigate symptoms of SCD-related pain. Other studies have reported that SCD patients who consume cannabis are less likely to require hospitalization as compared to those who do not.
Full text of the study, “Dramatic efficacy of cannabidiol on refractory chronic pain in an adolescent with sickle cell disease,” appears in the American Journal of Hematology.
Colorado: Marijuana Tax Revenue Surpasses That of Alcohol, Cigarettes
Denver, CO: State tax revenues derived from the retail sale of cannabis products continue to surpass those gained from the sale of alcohol and cigarettes, according to data provided by the Colorado government.
For fiscal year 2022-2023, marijuana tax revenue totaled over $282 million dollars. By comparison, taxes generated by alcohol totaled just over $56 million; taxes generated by the sale of cigarettes totaled approximately $234 million. (Cannabis products are subject to a higher excise tax rate than are either alcohol and cigarettes, and they are also subject to an additional 15 percent “special” sales tax rate.)
According to the report, about $60 million of marijuana-related tax revenue was directed toward public school construction, while another $25 million went toward the State Public School Fund.
The report excluded revenue generated from the imposition of locally imposed taxes.
According to calculations provided earlier this year by the Marijuana Policy Project, tax revenues derived from licensed retail sales of state-legal, adult-use cannabis products totaled approximately $3.8 billion in 2022. Since 2014, retail sales of adult-use cannabis products have generated $15.1 billion dollars.
Full text of the report, “Marijuana Revenue in the State Budget,” is available from the Colorado General Assembly.
