Tag: Weed Connection

MMJ Substituting CBD Study; Hemp THC Analysis

Study: Many Consumers Report Substituting CBD for Traditional Medications

La Jolla, CA: A significant percentage of US adults who have consumed CBD products acknowledge either substituting it for traditional medications or using it adjunctively, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Diego assessed responses from a nationally representative sample of adults.

They reported that 35 percent of adults have used CBD products, a finding that is consistent with previously published data. Among consumers, 11 percent said they used CBD in place of other medications. Twenty-four percent said that they used CBD in combination with other medications.

Respondents were most likely to have used CBD in place of or in concert with pain medications (including ibuprofen and gabapentin) or anxiolytics.

“These findings highlight that millions of US adults use CBD as a substitute and adjunct for a wide range of health conditions,” the study’s authors concluded. “Clinical care should emphasize open, nonjudgmental communication so that patients feel comfortable disclosing CBD use, alongside a pragmatic, harm-reduction approach focused on safety. This includes reviewing concomitant medications, discussing uncertainty in dose and product composition (including possible THC exposure), monitoring for adverse effects in higher-risk situations (e.g., individuals using higher doses), and helping patients identify more reliable products and appropriate follow-up when symptoms emerge.”

In December, the Trump administration announced that Medicare recipients would be able to begin seeking financial reimbursement for certain CBD products later this year.

Full text of the study, “Self-reported use of cannabidiol as a substitute or adjunct for approved medications,” appears in Frontiers in Public Health.

Analysis: Many Unregulated Hemp-Derived Intoxicants Contain THC, Synthetic Cannabinoids

Milwaukee, WI: Many commercially marketed hemp products contain THC levels exceeding federal limits as well as synthetically produced novel cannabinoids, according to an analysis published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Reporters purchased 30 unregulated hemp products from area retailers and had them independently tested for purity and potency.

Consistent with the results of prior analyses of commercially available intoxicating hemp products, most products contained THC percentages exceeding legal limits (above 0.03 percent). Half of the products tested positive for the presence of lab-produced cannabinoids, including HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) and THCP (tetrahydrocannabiphorol). Over one-third of the products contained mold and pesticides, while one product tested positive for the presence of the chemical solvent methylene chloride, which is commonly used in paint stripper. At least one product contained a forged COA (certificate of analysis).

In November, federal lawmakers approved legislation recriminalizing the sale of certain hemp-derived intoxicating products. Specifically, the bill redefines federally legal hemp products as only those containing no more than either 0.3 percent or 0.4 milligrams of THC or other cannabinoids that produce similar effects, including THCA. In addition, it criminalizes “any intermediate hemp-derived cannabinoid products which are marketed or sold as a final product or directly to an end consumer for personal or household use” as well as products that are produced following chemical synthesis, such as those high in delta-8 THC content.

In 2021, NORML issued a report on delta-8-THC and other novel synthetically derived cannabinoids, cautioning consumers to avoid these unregulated products because they are often mislabeled and may contain impurities. NORML has urged the FDA to establish regulatory guidelines governing the production, testing, labeling, and marketing of hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoid products, but has argued against recriminalizing them.

The full report is available from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Study: Plant-Derived THC Extracts Reduce Fibromyalgia-Related Pain

Novara, Italy: Fibromyalgia (FM) patients suffering from treatment-resistant pain experience therapeutic benefits following the daily use of plant-derived cannabis extracts, according to observational data published in the Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Critical Care.

Italian investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of THC-dominant cannabis extracts in a cohort of 65 FM patients. Study participants, on average, had lived with the disease for seven years and were generally unresponsive to conventional pharmacological therapies. Patients in the study administered THC extracts three times daily for six months.

On average, participants experienced a 2.6-point reduction in pain on a ten-point numerical rating scale. Improvements were most pronounced in younger patients. Six patients elected to discontinue the study because of self-reported side effects, including dry mouth, headache, drowsiness, and impaired thinking.

In December, British researchers published longitudinal data finding that the adjunctive use of cannabis preparations provided sustained improvements in fibromyalgia patients’ pain, anxiety, sleep, and overall quality of life. Numerous other studies have reported similar results.

Full text of the study, “Real-world use of cannabis oil for pain management in fibromyalgia,” appears in the Journal of Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Critical Care.

Study: Medical Cannabis Products Provide Improved Sleep Outcomes for Patients With Insomnia

London, United Kingdom: Patients diagnosed with insomnia experience sleep-related improvements following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to long-term observational data published in the journal PLoS Mental Health.

British investigators assessed the adjunctive use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in a cohort of 124 patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. (British healthcare providers may prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Patients’ outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. Study participants consumed either herbal cannabis or oil extracts containing standardized concentrations of THC and CBD.

Consistent with other studies, participants reported improvements in their sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life. Fewer than 1 in 10 participants reported an adverse event, most of which were categorized as mild or moderate (e.g., fatigue, dry mouth).

“These findings indicate a promising association between cannabis-based medicinal product treatment and improvements in sleep-specific outcomes and general HRQoL [health-related quality of life] measures,” the study’s authors concluded. They cautioned, however, that the magnitude of participants’ improvements declined over time – suggesting that some patients may become tolerant to the sleep-inducing effects of cannabis. Therefore, there remains “a need for high quality RCTs [randomized clinical trials] to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of cannabis-based medicinal products for primary insomnia.”

Placebo-controlled clinical trial data have previously documented the short-term efficacy of plant-derived cannabis extracts in patients suffering from chronic insomnia. A 2025 observational study reported sustained improvements in subjective sleep scores among state-registered medical cannabis patients over one year.

Other observational studies assessing the use of cannabis products among patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry have reported them to be beneficial for those diagnosed with treatment-resistant epilepsy, cancer-related pain, anxiety, endometriosis, inflammatory bowel disease, hypermobility disorders, migraine, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, substance use disorders, and inflammatory arthritis, among other conditions.

Full text of the study, “UK Medical Cannabis Registry: A clinical outcomes analysis for insomnia,” appears in PLoS Mental Health.

Analysis: Over One-Third of US Adults Acknowledge Having Consumed CBD Products

Palo Alto, CA: A growing percentage of those ages 18 and older have consumed CBD products, according to nationwide survey data published in The Journal of Cannabis Research.

Investigators at Stanford University and the University of California at San Diego surveyed a nationally representative sample of adults regarding their use of CBD, as well as other plant-derived or synthetic cannabinoids.

More than 35 percent of those surveyed acknowledged having consumed CBD, with respondents indicating that they primarily used it to mitigate pain, relieve anxiety, or improve sleep. Fewer than five percent of respondents acknowledged having consumed products containing the plant cannabinoids CBN (cannabinol) or CBG (cannabigerol).

Nearly eight percent of respondents acknowledged having used delta-8-THC products. Most respondents said they did so primarily for recreational purposes. (Elevated quantities of delta-8 THC in commercially available products are typically the result of a chemical synthesis during which manufacturers convert hemp-derived CBD to delta-8 THC.) Fewer than two percent of respondents said that they had ever tried the synthetic novel cannabinoid HHC (hexahydrocannabinol). Both products are mood-altering.

“A considerable proportion of US adults have ever used cannabinoid products, especially CBD and delta-8 THC,” the study’s authors concluded. Pain, anxiety, insomnia and arthralgia [are] common medical reasons for use across the different cannabinoids assessed. These differences underscore the complexity of the derived cannabinoid product landscape and the diverse motivations driving their use.”

Consumers are more likely to use delta-8-THC products in jurisdictions where cannabis remains legally unavailable. Neither commercially available delta-8-THC nor HHC products are subject to regulatory testing for purity or potency.

Full text of the study, “Prevalence and reasons for using cannabidiol, delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol, cannabigerol, and hexahydrocannabinol among US adults,” appears in The Journal of Cannabis Research.

Analysis: Medical Cannabis Products Provide Sustained Improvements in Patients With Chronic Pain, Anxiety, and Depression

Toronto, Canada: Patients authorized to use medical cannabis products experience sustained improvements in their pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of life, according to observational data published in the Canadian Journal of Pain.

Researchers assessed the real-world effectiveness of cannabis products in a cohort of 139 Canadian patients authorized to use medical cannabis. (Nearly 200,000 Canadians are currently registered in Canada’s medical cannabis access program.) Patients’ symptoms were assessed at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 weeks.

Consistent with other long-term observational studies, patients experienced notable improvements in their pain, anxiety, depression, sleep duration, and quality of life. These improvements were maintained throughout the duration of the study. Few, if any, significant adverse events were associated with cannabis treatment.

The study’s authors concluded: “Patients in the study had improved scores with respect to a reduction in pain and pain-related disability, anxiety, depression, sleep, and overall quality of life. Often, the benefits of MC [medical cannabis] were maintained long-term into Week 24. Further data from the … study may offer additional insights into the usage of medical cannabis products and their potential benefits in the general population and inform dosing for future clinical trials focused on cohorts with specific medical conditions or indications.”

According to a recently published meta-analysis of 64 studies, most patients consuming medical cannabis products experience sustained improvements in their health-related quality of life. “Improvements [are] observed across multiple health conditions over short-, medium- and long-term follow-up,” researchers determined.

Full text of the study, “Canadian real-world evidence: Observational 24-week outcomes for health care practitioner authorized cannabis,” appears in the Canadian Journal of Pain.

Analysis: Medical Cannabis Products Provide Sustained Improvements in Patients With Chronic Pain, Anxiety, and Depression

Toronto, Canada: Patients authorized to use medical cannabis products experience sustained improvements in their pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of life, according to observational data published in the Canadian Journal of Pain.

Researchers assessed the real-world effectiveness of cannabis products in a cohort of 139 Canadian patients authorized to use medical cannabis. (Nearly 200,000 Canadians are currently registered in Canada’s medical cannabis access program.) Patients’ symptoms were assessed at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 weeks.

Consistent with other long-term observational studies, patients experienced notable improvements in their pain, anxiety, depression, sleep duration, and quality of life. These improvements were maintained throughout the duration of the study. Few, if any, significant adverse events were associated with cannabis treatment.

The study’s authors concluded: “Patients in the study had improved scores with respect to a reduction in pain and pain-related disability, anxiety, depression, sleep, and overall quality of life. Often, the benefits of MC [medical cannabis] were maintained long-term into Week 24. Further data from the … study may offer additional insights into the usage of medical cannabis products and their potential benefits in the general population and inform dosing for future clinical trials focused on cohorts with specific medical conditions or indications.”

According to a recently published meta-analysis of 64 studies, most patients consuming medical cannabis products experience sustained improvements in their health-related quality of life. “Improvements [are] observed across multiple health conditions over short-, medium- and long-term follow-up,” researchers determined.

Full text of the study, “Canadian real-world evidence: Observational 24-week outcomes for health care practitioner authorized cannabis,” appears in the Canadian Journal of Pain.

Study: Retail Cannabis Access Associated With Decline in Suicides Among Older Adults

Atlanta, GA: The opening of state-licensed adult-use cannabis retailers is associated with fewer suicides among mid-life and older adults, according to data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Researchers affiliated with Emory University assessed the relationship between adult-use marijuana legalization and suicide rates. They determined: “Suicide rates among adults aged 45 and older decline following the opening of recreational marijuana dispensaries, while there is no effect among those ages 25-44. … These results hold when controlling for other state-level factors such as beer and cigarette taxes, opioid policies, unemployment rates, poverty, and income, none of which show significant impacts on suicide rates in this demographic. … These findings are important because of the implication that access to recreational marijuana has palliative effects among older populations which manifest in lower suicide rates.”

The study’s authors concluded: “These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on the public health impacts of marijuana legalization, offering evidence that recreational dispensary openings may play a role in reducing suicides among older adults, particularly in vulnerable subgroups. Although further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms driving these effects, these results point to one potential benefit of legalized recreational marijuana.”

Full text of the study, “Marijuana legalization and suicides among older adults,” is available from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Ohio: Attorney General Certifies Proposed Referendum Challenging Marijuana Recriminalization Law

Columbus, OH: The state’s Attorney General has authorized petitioners to begin collecting signatures in favor of a proposed referendum challenging a GOP-backed law recriminalizing certain marijuana-related activities.

In December, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed SB 56 into law. The law amends and repeals various provisions of Ohio’s voter-approved adult-use legalization law. Among the more significant changes, it criminalizes possessing marijuana products obtained from out-of-state, including products legally purchased at licensed dispensaries in neighboring jurisdictions. It also repeals provisions protecting adult-use consumers from facing either workplace or professional disciplinary action, as well as other forms of discrimination based solely upon their private marijuana use (such as the denial of parental rights or certain hospital procedures, such as organ transplants).

Other provisions in the law impose new criminal sanctions upon those who either possess or transport certain cannabis products if they are not in their original, unopened packaging and restrict the retail sale of hemp-derived products, including beverages, solely to state-licensed dispensaries.

Following the passage of SB 56, business owners and other advocates formed the group Ohioans for Cannabis Choice, which is pushing back against the new restrictions. The AG’s office rejected a prior petition submitted by the group due to potentially “misleading” language. By contrast, other statewide cannabis interest groups have expressed opposition to the referendum.

Organizers need to collect approximately 250,000 signatures from Ohio voters to place the referendum before voters in November.

A summary of SB 56’s revisions to Ohio’s adult-use marijuana legalization and hemp laws is available from Ohio State University.

Review: THC Concentrations Are “Unreliable” Indicators of Driving Impairment

Providence, RI: The detection of THC in biological fluids is not predictive of psychomotor impairment, according to a literature review published in the journal Current Addiction Reports.

Researchers at Brown University affirmed: “There are no reliable or practical biochemical or behavioral methods used in real-time with drivers on the road to determine cannabis-induced impairment. … Many studies have found weak or non-existent correlations between THC concentrations in blood, oral fluid, or breath and actual driving performance or impairment.”

That finding is consistent with the opinions of numerous scientists and traffic safety groups, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the American Automobile Association.

The study’s authors concluded: “These findings collectively underscore that THC concentrations in common biofluids (e.g., blood and saliva) and exhaled breath are unreliable as sole indicators of current driving impairment. … There are no empirically supported thresholds for blood or oral fluids that reliably indicate cannabis impairment.”

Nonetheless, several states impose per se limits for motorists who are determined to have trace levels of THC in their blood or other bodily fluids. (These laws criminalize operating a motor vehicle with detectable quantities of THC or its metabolites, even absent evidence of driving impairment.) Several studies have determined that subjects may continue to test positive for traces of THC in their blood and oral fluids for days post-abstinence.

NORML has long opposed the imposition of per se THC limits for motorists and has alternatively called for the expanded use of mobile performance technology like DRUID. In a peer-reviewed paper published by the Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano wrote: “The sole presence of THC and/or its metabolites in blood, particularly at low levels, is an inconsistent and largely inappropriate indicator of psychomotor impairment in cannabis consuming subjects. … Lawmakers would be advised to consider alternative legislative approaches to address concerns over DUI cannabis behavior that do not rely solely on the presence of THC or its metabolites in blood or urine as determinants of guilt in a court of law. Otherwise, the imposition of traffic safety laws may inadvertently become a criminal mechanism for law enforcement and prosecutors to punish those who have engaged in legally protected behavior and who have not posed any actionable traffic safety threat.”

Full text of the study, “Recent advances in the science of cannabis-impaired driving,” appears in Current Addiction Reports.

Analysis: In Utero Cannabis Exposure Not Associated With Later Developmental Delays

Chapel Hill, NC: Infants exposed to cannabis in utero are no more likely to require emergency department care or suffer from developmental delays than non-exposed children, according to data published in the journal Academic Pediatrics.

Investigators affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examined the relationship between in utero cannabis exposure and infants’ health care utilization and developmental outcomes.

“Compared to those unexposed, … children who were exposed to cannabis in utero have similar WCC [well child care] attendance and ED [emergency department] use over the first 2 years and similar developmental outcomes at 3 years,” researchers reported.

The authors acknowledged that their results were consistent with those of other studies, finding no differences in ED visits or developmental delays among cannabis-exposed and cannabis-unexposed children.

Although many studies have associated in utero cannabis exposure with low birth weight, longitudinal studies following in utero-exposed infants to adulthood have generally failed to identify “any long-term or long lasting meaningful differences” in their neurodevelopment.

Full text of the study, “Health care utilization and developmental delay among infants exposed to cannabis in utero,” appears in Academic Pediatrics.

California: Supreme Court Rules Police Can’t Search Vehicles Based on “Weed Crumbs”

Sacramento, CA: Police may neither charge a motorist with violating California’s “open container law” nor search a person’s vehicle solely upon the identification of a small quantity of marijuana “crumbs” on the floorboards, according to a ruling handed down by the state’s Supreme Court.

In a unanimous opinion, the Justices determined that the state’s “open container” law should not be applied so broadly as to pertain to situations where police find “any loose marijuana” in a motor vehicle. Rather, the court decided that the marijuana “must be of a usable quantity, in imminently usable condition, and readily accessible to an occupant” to constitute a violation of the state’s “open container” law.

The Court further determined that a police officer’s identification of “weed crumbs” does not provide probable cause for a warrantless vehicle search. They ruled, “The marijuana-related conduct here – possession of the rolling tray on the backseat and the crumbs on the floor [totaling 0.36 grams] – was lawful and alone was insufficient to find probable cause of a violation of California’s controlled substances law.”

The Supreme Court’s ruling reverses the decision of the California Court of Appeals, which had previously granted police the authority to search the defendant’s vehicle based upon a finding of probable cause.

The case is Sellers v. The Superior Court of Sacramento County.

Oklahoma: Governor Says State’s Medical Marijuana Program a “Pandora’s Box,” Calls for It To Be “Shut Down”

Oklahoma City, OK: Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt says that the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis access law “opened a Pandora’s Box” and should be repealed.

Speaking Monday during his State of the State address, the Governor said: “This industry is plagued by foreign criminal interests and bad actors, making it nearly impossible to rein in. We can’t put a Band-aid on a broken bone. Knowing what we know, it’s time to let Oklahomans bring safety and sanity back to their neighborhoods. Send the marijuana issue back to the vote of the people and shut it down.”

On Tuesday, the state’s Attorney General similarly said that he would like to see the medical cannabis industry “gone.”

Fifty-seven percent of Oklahomans approved a ballot initiative in 2018 legalizing the production and dispensing of cannabis for authorized patients. Approximately 320,000 Oklahomans are currently registered with the state to access medical cannabis products.

Despite the Governor’s claims of foreign involvement in the state’s medical cannabis industry, DEA statistics published last year reported interdicting only 15 Chinese-affiliated illegal marijuana grow operations nationwide.

Since 2022, Oklahoma lawmakers have imposed a moratorium prohibiting regulators from issuing licenses for any new medical cannabis dispensaries, processors, or commercial growers. Approximately 1,450 dispensaries are currently licensed in the state.

Earlier this year, representatives from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics publicly alleged that nearly half of the marijuana sold illegally in the United States originates from the state. However, other state agencies said that they had no data to substantiate those claims.

Florida: DeSantis Administration Says Marijuana Legalization Won’t Appear on November’s Ballot, Petitioners Say Otherwise

Tallahassee, FL: Election officials and the state’s Attorney General announced this week that petitioners behind a proposed ballot initiative legalizing adult-use retail marijuana sales had failed to gather the requisite number of signatures to qualify it for the November ballot. But representatives with the campaign are challenging the state’s count and have called the administration’s declaration “premature.”

According to a campaign spokesperson, representatives from the Smart & Safe Florida campaign submitted over 1.4 million signatures from Florida voters – far more than the 880,062 signatures necessary. To date, however, election officials have verified fewer than 784,000 total signatures.

Specifically, the campaign is challenging the state’s dismissal of at least 98,000 signatures, which, if determined valid, would be sufficient to qualify it for this year’s ballot.

Petitioners qualified a similar measure on the 2024 ballot. That proposal gained 56 percent of the vote, just shy of the 60 percent threshold required to pass a constitutional amendment in Florida. (Florida is the only state that requires citizen-initiated measures to gain more than a simple majority.)

The DeSantis administration has vigorously opposed both efforts. In May, Gov. DeSantis signed legislation making it harder for parties to qualify measures for the electoral ballot. Last month, state election officials audited the work of several counties, which they alleged had not properly verified voters’ signatures. Most recently, the state launched a criminal probe to investigate the actions of various petitioners involved with the Smart & Safer campaign. Separately, the Attorney General’s office had previously challenged the wording of the proposed measure in court, calling it “unconstitutional.”

Historically, Florida has been among the states with the highest number of annual marijuana-related arrests. Under state law, possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana is a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Possessing greater amounts is a felony offense, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Additional information is available from Smart & Safe Florida.