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In recent years, the number of states that have approved cannabis for both medicinal and recreational use has grown substantially. Yet many doctors are still reluctant to endorse cannabis as a treatment for various ailments — and with good reason.

One group, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), issued a statement in February 2021 saying, “There is not enough high-quality human clinical safety and efficacy evidence to allow IASP to endorse the general use of cannabis and cannabinoids for pain at this time.”

To get a better understanding of why the IASP issued the statement and what the group is looking for in the future, we spoke to psychologist Judith Scheman, PhD.

Who is the IASP and what did they do?

Made up of over 7,000 pain specialists from 125 countries, the IASP is the primary organization for pain specialists in the world. “The IASP is very interested in finding the best and safest way of helping patients manage pain,” says Dr. Scheman.

As the availability of cannabis increased thanks to legalization efforts, the IASP recognized the need to assess the risks and benefits of using it to treat pain. A systematic overview of cannabis and cannabinoids was especially important in light of the opioid epidemic of the last few decades.

U.S. researchers say there’s simply not enough information available yet to determine if using cannabis does or does not influence brain development or functioning in adolescents and young people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

That conclusion is part of a detailed new review published last week in the July/August issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

“[T]he evidence to date does not clearly support either an addictive effect or an interaction — whether protective or harmful — with cannabis use,” write Dr. Philip Cawkwell of the Stanford University School of Medicine and his study colleagues.

Getting more confident about conclusions either one way or the other demands additional research “to clarify possible effects of cannabis on brain structure, function and behaviour in young people with ADHD,” according to Wolters Kluwer Health, which publishes the journal.

Trying to pin down the combined effects of cannabis use and ADHD in adolescence, investigators looked at 11 studies that assessed any type of neurodevelopmental outcome in the age group who did or did not use weed.

Insomniacs who received nightly sublingual administration of a cannabinoid extract managed to get more and better sleep, suggests a new Australian study.

Investigators found that the extract was “well-tolerated and improves insomnia symptoms and sleep quality in individuals with chronic insomnia symptoms,” notes a study abstract, published online this month in Sleep.

Participants included those who had been experiencing chronic insomnia symptoms for at least three months. They received either the extract or a placebo over a two-week period.

Comparing the effects of the extract to a placebo, researchers considered self-reports from participants, measurements of sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, total sleep time and sleep efficiency, and self-reports of sleep quality and feeling rested upon waking. One person did not finish the study.

The remaining participants, the vast majority of whom were female, did not report any serious adverse outcomes. There were, however, 40 mild, non-serious, adverse events — 36 of those involving subjects being administered the extract — “with all but one resolving overnight or soon after waking,” the study abstract reports.

Following the Florida Supreme Court upholding the state’s seed-to-sale medical marijuana model, the Department of Health is preparing to issue 15 new treatment center licenses.

Those involved in the industry believe the expansion will increase competition and benefit patients, but some lawmakers doubt whether the new players will actually make a dent on cost and availability.

There are more than 575,000 medical marijuana patients in Florida and the ever growing number has opened the door for 15 new MMTC licenses.

Once the patient count hits 600,000, a total of 19 licenses will be available.

“This frankly doubles the size of the industry,” said Jeff Sharkey with the Medical Marijuana Business Association.

A combination of inflammatory cytokines in the blood and regular cannabis use, or use at a young age, can increase the chances of developing psychiatric disorders, researchers have demonstrated.

A first-of-its-kind study by researchers at the University of São Paulo‘s Ribeirão Preto Medical School (FMRP-USP) in Brazil found that individuals exposed to a combination of these two factors – the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood and cannabis use (either daily or during adolescence) – are more likely to suffer from psychosis than those who are exposed to neither or to only one. According to the authors, the study provides “the first clinical evidence that immune dysregulation modifies the cannabis-psychosis association.”

The study was part of a project conducted by the European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions (EU-GEI), a consortium of research centres in 13 countries, including Brazil. An article published in The Lancet Psychiatry by the consortium in 2019 showed that daily cannabis use increased the likelihood of suffering from a psychotic disorder threefold.

The article has been published in the journal Psychological Medicine.

Cannabis use and body functioning

In the more recent study, the researchers analysed data for 409 people aged 16 to 64, including patients experiencing their first psychotic episode and community-based controls. The sample was drawn from the populations of Ribeirão Preto and 25 other cities in the region. The variables analysed included cannabis use frequency (daily, not daily, or never), duration (five years or less), and onset age (in adolescence or later).

While ibuprofen is very effective, it carries several risk factors that affect quite a significant number of users. Side effects after using CBD, however, are rare.

Pain is a natural and unavoidable occurrence in the human body. It is one of the body’s responses to self-healing. But, sometimes it gets too much and painkillers have to come into the picture.

Ibuprofen is one of the most effective drugs for alleviating chronic pain symptoms from things like headaches, toothaches, and backaches. More than 50% of the American population has used ibuprofen at one point or another. Unfortunately, it sometimes comes with side effects like ulcers, etc.

Photo by Elsa Olofsson via Unsplash

Now, with the newly tested and proven therapeutic qualities of the cannabidiol (CBD) compound, one is left to assume that it may be an effective alternative to treating pain. But, CBD has not been approved for medical use yet.

In a new study, a group of international researchers investigated whether adolescent cannabis use has any effect on cortical thickness in the brains of teenagers.

Very few studies have looked at the link between cannabis use in adolescents and its impact on neurodevelopment, and although studies in animal models have pointed towards altered neurodevelopment with lasting behavioral effects with early cannabis use, studies in humans have provided conflicting results.

Now, reporting in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers show that cannabis use during youth might be associated with changes in neurodevelopment – specifically, the thinning of cortical regions rich in cannabinoid 1 receptors (CB1 receptors).

In the study, the researchers used longitudinal neuroimaging and behavioral data (self-reported) from the IMAGEN study data set and investigated 2,223 school children from 8 different European regions who were all approximately 14 years of age.

Out of that cohort, the authors identified 799 participants (450 Female and 349 Male) that had not used cannabis at a baseline of roughly 14 years. They were followed up after a five-year period to determine changes in their cannabis use habits during adolescence while having Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data of their brains available. 

Medical cannabis offers benefits for many different ailments, and one of the predominant ones in medical literature is connected to sleep. Which part of the plant is responsible for this? It looks like cannabinoid CBN might be partially responsible, at least in conjunction with other elements of the plant. CBN sleep products are already becoming quite popular.

Delta-8 THC is a great reminder that not all THCs are created equally. Whereas delta-9 THC is known for causing anxiety in some users, and leading to couch-locking effects, delta-8 does neither of these things. This provides a better option for those disenfranchised with the anxiety and heaviness of delta-9. If you’re looking to switch up your THC, give our collection of Delta-8 THC deals a look-thru, and we’ll ship you out your products ASAP.

What is CBN?

We’re all pretty aware of what the cannabis plant is at this point. We’re all pretty aware, whether we agree with the statements or not, that there is a growing body of medical research in support of the positive benefits of marijuana for a number of different medical issues, as well as for recreational purposes. By now, most of us are even aware that the US designates higher-THC cannabis as marijuana, and lower-THC cannabis as hemp, with a cutoff line at .3% THC to make the designation.

When looking into the plant closer, we can designate different effects of the plant to different molecules like THC, CBD, and limonene. We know there are cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other plant constituents, some of which are useful, and some of which we aren’t as concerned with. THC, of course, is the main psychoactive component, with a Schedule I spot in the Controlled Substances list of the US, while also being in Schedule I of both the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

THC isn’t the only psychoactive compound though. Not only does delta-9 THC oxidize to form another version of THC called delta-8, but there are other cannabinoids – albeit showing up in very small quantities – that also have psychoactive properties, and one of these is CBN, or cannabinol.

In recent years, many people have woken up to the benefits of cannabis, and all of the different ways in which it can help people to deal with stress, and relax in their daily life. However, there is a balance to be struck.

People might find that certain sativa strains help them, while other people focus on indica strains. Usually, people will want to find a strain of marijuana that is high in CBD, but go too far in with THC and you will probably find that you are provoking more of a “fight or flight” response, and therefore find that cannabis is not the most effective way that you can manage and reduce stress.

In this guide, we’re exploring what the studies say regarding cannabis and stress management.

Microdosing Could Be Key

It helps to understand that the two main impacting compounds in cannabis are CBD and THC. They can be found in different amounts in different strains, depending on whether you opt for sativa or indica or other hybrid strains.

CBD tends to have a very positive effect on the body as it binds to the body’s serotonin receptors to help your mood in general, but too much can make you feel sleepy.

A new analysis by Australian researchers has concluded that there is “little evidence” to justify treating medical cannabis patients differently than those who take other potentially intoxicating prescription medications and get behind the wheel.

Published online in the International Journal of Drug Policy, a team of researchers led by the University of Melbourne’s Daniel Perkins examined regulatory approaches used to mitigate potential road safety risks from the use of “impairing prescription medicines and illicit drugs.”

“Road safety risks associated with medicinal cannabis appear similar or lower than numerous other potentially impairing prescription medications,” the investigators write.

Medical cannabis users have long faced issues when it comes to driving, especially since THC can be detected for days or weeks after any acute impairment has ended. In 2019, a Nova Scotia woman even launched a constitutional challenge after she was arrested for impaired driving during a roadside test more than six hours after she had consumed her medication.

The authors speculate the fear of medical cannabis users on the road, and the subsequent legislation,  stems from the legal status and social stigma of cannabis, as opposed to an elevated safety threat.

Doctors are slowly enrolling patients in France's first experiment with medical cannabis, three months after it began. Many are eager to access the drug to address a range of disorders, including chronic pain, but participation in the experiment is onerous – and chances of success, for most, are slim.

In recent years, many people have woken up to the benefits of cannabis, and all of the different ways in which it can help people to deal with stress, and relax in their daily life. However, there is a balance to be struck.

People might find that certain sativa strains help them, while other people focus on indica strains. Usually, people will want to find a strain of marijuana that is high in CBD, but go too far in with THC and you will probably find that you are provoking more of a “fight or flight” response, and therefore find that cannabis is not the most effective way that you can manage and reduce stress.

In this guide, we’re exploring what the studies say regarding cannabis and stress management.

Microdosing Could Be Key

It helps to understand that the two main impacting compounds in cannabis are CBD and THC. They can be found in different amounts in different strains, depending on whether you opt for sativa or indica or other hybrid strains.

CBD tends to have a very positive effect on the body as it binds to the body’s serotonin receptors to help your mood in general, but too much can make you feel sleepy.

Three new qualifying medical marijuana conditions were approved Wednesday, bringing the list to 25.

The Ohio State Medical Board approved Huntington's disease, terminal illness and spasticity to the list. They join a list that includes HIV/AIDS, cancer and chronic pain.

Huntington's disease is a rare brain disease that is inherited. It causes the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Huntington's disease has a broad impact on a person's functional abilities and usually results in movement, thinking (cognitive) and psychiatric disorders. With spasticity or severe muscle spasms, a person's muscles stiffen or tighten and can't be stretched. This can affect movement and speech., or muscle spasms,

The board voted to reject petitions to add autism spectrum disorder, restless leg syndrome, panic disorder with agoraphobia and spasms.

Each year, the board accepts petitions from the public for new conditions. received 30 petitions to add new conditions. Submissions must include evidence cannabis can be used to treat or alleviate the disease or condition and letters of support from physicians. Before Wednesday, the board had added just one condition through the process so far, approving cachexia, or wasting syndrome, in 2020.

Charlotte’s Web Holdings is teaming up with the University of Colorado-Boulder on investigating supporting improved sleep with two cannabinoids.

Many people would be familiar with the cannabinoid CBD (cannabidiol) these days, but it’s just one of many cannabinoids in cannabis. Another is CBN – cannabinol, which is found only in trace amounts in the plant.

Charlotte’s Web says while there is some anecdotal evidence for CBN supporting better sleep, there is little substantiated clinical or preclinical evidence to back these claims.

Charlotte’s Web’s CW Labs division is collaborating with University of Colorado-Boulder’s REACH (Research and Education Addressing Cannabis and Health) Center to investigate the company’s full spectrum hemp formulations with CBN (cannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) to examine the impact on anxiety and sleep quality. These formulations contain less than 0.3% THC.

University of Colorado-Boulder’s Monika Fleshner, PhD, Professor of Integrative Physiology, and a member of the Center for Neuroscience at the University is lead for the project, which will be conducted her Stress Physiology Laboratory.

Besides treating gastrointestinal inflammation and pain, CBD may also help treat particular psychological conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of at least 144 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Unlike delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is another well-known cannabinoid, CBD has no intoxicating effects.

CBD acquired from hemp has different effects than marijuana because of its lack of an ability to produce a “high,” unlike THC. Legally, delta-9 THC cannot be present in any chemical entities in quantities of more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. Hemp contains less than this amount of THC, while marijuana has a greater concentration.

Photo by Nisangha/Getty Images

Effects of CBD on the Brain

Before understanding the effects of CBD, we have to learn about an important system in our body known as the ECS, or endocannabinoid system. It is a critical system that helps the body maintain homeostasis (i.e. balance).

Acne: the four-letter word that haunts many people from their teenage years to adulthood.

According to The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, as it effects up to 50 million Americans annually. Known medically as Acne Vulgaris it effects 80% of all Americans at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, after puberty, acne continues for many. A study done by the AADA showed overall facial acne prevalence of 54% for woman and 40% for men aged 25 and up. In recent years, due to widespread legalization of cannabis and subsequent studies, CBD is now being hailed as a natural and effective form of acne medication.

Sebum Production

Sebum is an oily substance produced by your body’s sebaceous glands. Sebum oil is instrumental in skin health. When an ideal amount is produced your skin is glowing and healthy, however, too little creates excessive dry skin and leads to cracking. It is over production of this sebum that is a key contributor to acne, as the excess oils clog your pores. Sebocytes are cells that synthesize sebum. In a 2014 study investigating the effects of CBD on Sebocytes, the research discovered that CBD could prevent these cells from creating too much sebum oil. Research also suggests that CBD causes anti-inflammatory effects on these cells.

Dry Skin

A 2009 study suggests that CBD may be an effective treatment for dealing with dry and dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin results in the buildup of dead skin cells and, in conjunction with the sebaceous glands producing excess sebum oil to make up for the dry skin, it can cause acne. These results are promising.

Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Fungal Effects

A review conducted by Frontiers in Plant Science in 2016 on the cannabis plant revealed that due to CBDs anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, their effects could reduce the infections caused by pollutants on the skin. This is an important finding as dirt and other pollutants can block your skins pores and leave you with acne.

Cannabis – both medical and recreational – are certainly on the rise. We know the kids are doing it, and we know adults are too. But what about our grandparents? These days, cannabis and seniors go together like… seniors and bingo!

Everyone uses cannabis these days, from seniors to athletes to medical patients and so on. And there are so many different kinds, that users can always find the products they need. It’s good to have options! For example, THC makes a lot of people couch-locked and anxious. This doesn’t happen with alternate form delta-8 THC. This form leaves users clear-headed and energetic, and without paranoia, making it ideal for those who struggle with standard THC. We have a plethora of awesome Delta-8 THC deals. Take a look, and pick the option right for you.

A little about the senior population of America

We don’t usually think of the geriatrics of America as being cool, or a part of pop culture. Though we conceptually understand that these older wrinkled people used to be young and beautiful – just like us – it’s hard to imagine a guy now taking baby steps with a walker, as the hard-bodied kid doing the jitterbug in the 50’s and 60’s. These days, once a person gets old and gray, it’s like they’re invalidated from present culture, often stuck in a home with other old folks to talk about their glory days. In some ways, we forget that they’re thinking, vibrant people. Until we become them.

In the 2010 US census bureau report, there were just over 40 million Americans living over the age of 65, approximately 13% of the population. This was up from 1985, when those over 65 took up 11% of the population. By July 1st, 2019, the number of those over 65 reached 54 million. It is expected by the year 2030, that citizens 65 years and older will account for an entire 20% of the population. Another publication puts the number at 95 million seniors by the year 2060, up to 23%. That’s now nearly a quarter of the population that is grandparent age.

But wait, living to 65 is hardly a big deal these days. A pretty large percentage of the population gets way past their mid-60s, and this population is growing at a staggering rate as well. In the year 1900, as few as 100,000 people lived to 85 or above. 110 years later, that number was up to 5.5 million in the 2010 census report. It is estimated that by the year 2050, senior citizens 85 and above will account for 5% of the country’s total population, 24% of the entire population of senior citizens, and reach approximately 19 million in numbers.

The road to establishing a medical marijuana program in Mississippi has a ways to go if Thursday's state Senate hearing was any indication.

Ken Newberger, executive director of the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association and one of the organizers behind the recently nullified Initiative 65, told members of the senate's Committee on Public Health and Welfare "there are some major gaps" in what voters approved last November and what is actually needed to create a viable medical marijuana program.

"Large parts of Initiative 65 need to stay," Newburger said after the hearing. "The things that (Initiative) 65 got wrong are more procedural."

Initiative 65, approved by 74 percent of voters in November, was overturned by the Mississippi Supreme Court last month, with justices citing the state's outdated initiative process. 

Specifically, the initiative did not address potential zoning concerns, how tax revenue generated might be used or if the Mississippi State Department of Health was adequately equipped to oversee such a program by itself, Newburger said.

In a controlled study involving mice, researchers found that a specific synthetic cannabis reduced essential tremor, a potentially groundbreaking finding for a condition that impacts 10 million people in the United States alone.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark conducted the study and published their findings in the journal Nature Neuroscience. 

Essential tremor is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. While it can impact any part of the body, it typically manifests in people’s hands and is most noticeable when they try to do simple tasks such as drinking from a glass or tying a shoelace.

While not dangerous on its own, the condition worsens over time and can make day-to-day life extremely difficult for some. Essential tremor is a separate condition from Parkinson’s disease, which also causes tremors. The condition typically first appears in people over 40.

“We have focused on the disease essential tremor. It causes involuntary shaking, which can be extremely inhibitory and seriously reduce the patient's quality of life,” Associate Professor Jean-François Perrier, who headed the research project, said in a news release. “However, the cannabinoid might also have a beneficial effect on sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, for example, which also cause involuntary shaking.”