WeedLife News Network

Study after study is finding that not only does CBD oil help with headaches, but also pain related to inflammation and anxiety.

It’s often said that there is nothing like the exhaustion of a thyroid condition. The endocrine system, when not in working order, can wreak havoc on many functions within the body. Functions like:

In fact, according to the American Thyroid Association, the complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight, and metabolism is being studied more and more. With so many bodily functions relying on one teeny gland, the function of the thyroid is paramount to your well-being — mind, body, and spirit.

A 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology researched cannabis use for self-medication in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and found that, “10.2% of patients reported using it for migraine headache symptoms…with low doses tending to alleviate migraine while higher doses even triggering headaches. These findings call for creating a highly specific prescription for individual patients, which might be required for a safe and successful treatment plan.”

To put it plainly, cannabis works but needs to be personalized to help alleviate symptoms in a way that’s personal and efficient.

Research out of University of Newcastle in Australia indicates cannabis has the potential to kill or inhibit cancer cells without impacting normal cells.

Cancer researcher Dr Matt Dun collaborated with Australian Natural Therapeutics Group (ANTG), which produces a variety of cannabis with high levels of cannabidiol (CBD) and low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) called Eve.

We mentioned ANTG and Eve last year when the company was successful in having the strain listed on Australia’s  Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) as being suitable for export.  ANTG notes Eve as has having 11-17% CBD and less than 0.1% THC.

ANTG asked Dr. Dun to test Eve against cancer.

“…so we initially used leukaemia cells and were really surprised by how sensitive they were,” he said. “At the same time, the cannabis didn’t kill normal bone marrow cells, nor normal healthy neutrophils [white blood cells].”

Chronic pain affects one in five Americans and recent data compiled by Harvard Medical School suggests that more people are turning to cannabis for relief than ever before.

“Though cannabis use was a taboo just a decade ago, increased widespread availability of medical and recreational cannabis coupled with social acceptability and its potential medicinal value has led to a normalization of its use in everyday life,” the study says.

The study, published earlier this month in the peer-reviewed journal Advances in Therapy, examined data from nearly 250,000 chronic pain patients from 2011 to 2015 and found that their cannabis consumption more than doubled in that time frame.

“We found that cannabis use is increasing among chronic pain patients and a subpopulation of chronic pain patients (tobacco users, men, low household income, Medicaid insurance coverage, and certain chronic pain syndromes),” the study says.

The study notes that the increase in cannabis consumption is “not surprising” given the increasing evidence that cannabis can reduce inflammation and improve the quality of life in chronic pain patients.

Sapphire Medical Foundation has announced its first patient has secured medicine funding for one year.

Two years following the rescheduling of cannabis-based medicinal products in the UK, Sapphire Medical Foundation has announced its first patient has successfully proceeded through the grant making processes and has seen a clinical specialist who has confirmed eligibility for treatment with cannabis-based medicines.

Sapphire Medical Foundation will fund the treatment for at least one year. The Foundation is the first of its kind and was set up to reduce the financial barriers of access to medical cannabis where clinically appropriate for those who are unable to afford potentially life-changing treatment.

Securing medical cannabis in the UK

The majority of UK medical cannabis patients receive prescriptions through the private sector and with limited access on the NHS, many prospective patients are unable to afford the prohibitive costs associated with a prescription.

38-year-old Kirran, who suffers with debilitating chronic pain due to fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, has been selected to have her treatment funded following application through the first grant round.

According to a new study published in the journal Addiction, neither the current nor the cumulative lifetime use of marijuana is associated with heart abnormalities at middle age. The study, first reported on by NORML, is titled Association between marijuana use and electrocardiographic abnormalities by middle age.

For the study researchers from Switzerland and the United States examined the relationship between cumulative marijuana use and the prevalence of electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in a group of 2,585 middle age subjects. “Researchers controlled for several potential confounders, including subjects’ use of alcohol and tobacco, as well as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”

Investigators reported: “We found no evidence that current or lifetime cumulative use of marijuana was associated with a higher prevalence or incidence of major or minor ECG abnormalities in this cohort, … although major ECG abnormalities seemed to be less frequent in current marijuana users. … Whether participants used marijuana daily, in the last 30 days or intermittently over a lifetime, marijuana use was not associated with an increase in prevalent or incident specific ECG abnormalities by middle-age.”

They concluded by stating that “Our finding that occasional marijuana was not associated with ECG abnormalities adds to the growing body of evidence that this level of marijuana use and CVD [cardiovascular disease] events and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis are not associated.”

One of the most controversial and sensitive topics when it comes to cannabis is cannabis use during pregnancy. That is true regardless of what country someone is in.

All responsible parents (or soon to be parents) want to do what is best for their child. That, of course, is coupled with doing what is best for pregnant mothers’ health as well.

After all, the overall health of the pregnant mother is a major factor in determining the overall health of the developing baby.

For many years it was generally accepted that any cannabis use during pregnancy was bad. However, a growing body of evidence is calling that absolutist position into question.

Data Analysis Shows Mixed Results

Researchers at Ohio State University College of Medicine analyzed data regarding maternal cannabis exposure and the risk of premature birth (prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy).

The New York State Senate approved a bill on Tuesday that would grant housing protections for registered medical marijuana patients. The measure, S.4117, “prohibits the eviction of tenants for using medical marijuana for a certified medical use,” according to a summary of the bill.

S.4117 was originally introduced in the New York State Senate by Democratic Sen. Anna Kaplan in February 2019. The bill was approved by the Senate in April of that year and referred to the State Assembly, where it died in January 2020.

That sent the measure back to the Senate, where it was passed again by the chamber this week by a vote of 58 to 2. The bill has been referred again to the State Assembly, where it has been assigned to the Housing Committee for consideration as A.7764.

“This legislation would seek to ensure that tenants lawfully using medical marihuana are protected from eviction proceedings,” a memo accompanying the Assembly version of the legislation cites as justification for its passage.

Elderly Patient Evicted

The legislative memo goes on to relate the story of a 78-year-old man from Niagara Falls who was evicted from his residence because he used medical marijuana for pain management. The eviction was made on the grounds that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development “prohibits and has a strict policy of allowing and evicting individuals who use marihuana.”

Interest in medical cannabis oil has increased exponentially in recent years as news stories about suffering patients finding relief from the substance have spread to virtually every corner of the planet.

Medical cannabis has been found by many suffering patients to be safe and effective at treating their condition(s).

That is true for all types of ailments, including and especially severe seizures caused by epilepsy which seems to be a condition that is particularly responsive to this type of therapy.

In the United Kingdom, government health workers are considering manufacturing their own medical cannabis oil.

Is that a good idea? Will it help?

A recently released survey report states just 3.9% of Australians who used cannabis for medical purposes obtained it by prescription.

The Australian Government’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey has been conducted every 2 to 3 years since the first survey in 1985. In the 2019 survey, 2 new questions were included relating to the medical use of cannabis, which were:

The report states 6.8% of those surveyed who used cannabis only used it for medical purposes. Just 1.8% always had it prescribed and 2.1% sometimes had it prescribed.

Of those using cannabis medicinally, around half of this group had chronic pain. Older people were more likely than younger Australians to use cannabis only for medical purposes, with those aged 60 and over most likely to use cannabis for medical reasons only, while those in their 20s were least likely to.

People who used cannabis only for medical purposes were more likely to use oil (23% compared with 4.5% of those using it for non‑medical purposes) and much less likely to use leaf/flower (27% compared with 51%).

Research finds that CB1 receptors do have an impact on urination, and their manipulation with cannabinoids from marijuana has promise for treating OAB.

Thirty-three million Americans are living with overactive bladder disease or OAB. According to the National Association for Continence, OAB (sometimes called “spastic bladder”) is the “frequent and urgent need to empty your bladder.” 

More than 50% of individuals with OAB also struggle with Urgency Urinary Incontinence (UUI), which affects the quality of life for both men, women, and non-binary individuals. Studies have shown that many assume that OAB and UUI are part of the aging process and live with the conditions, not realizing that there are treatment options and often treatment options come with risks that make patients hesitate. 

The two medicines often prescribed for OAB are powerful and can cause constipation, blurred vision, hallucinations, seizures, and coma. Could CBD and THC have a place in addressing the disorder, without troublesome side effects? 

While OAB can’t be pinpointed to a single root cause, the central nervous system (which regulates impulse control and muscle memory) has a significant part to play. Often, damage to nerve fibers and receptors in the bladder can make the body more susceptible to bladder overactivity. From childbirth to aging, sports injuries to long-term illness, OAB can piggyback on another condition wreaking havoc with every sneeze or surprise. 

Thonburi Healthcare Group (THG) is teaming up with partners to research, develop and produce cannabis and hemp products for medical purposes.

The collaboration is outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Srinakharinwirot University (SWU), Mahidol University and Kasetsart University.

THG chairman Dr Boon Vanasin said the MoU is aimed at developing and carrying out research on medical products from cannabis and hemp extracts that are easy to use, efficient and suitable in the treatment of many diseases.

The aim is to create quality medical-grade cannabis products that are affordable to the Thai people, said Dr Boon.

He said the project is being carried out in response to government legislation that allows private individuals and companies to grow hemp for commercial purposes.

According to a new study published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, marijuana inhalation is associated with short-term reductions in depressive feelings. The study was epublished by the National Institute of Health, and is titled The effectiveness of cannabis flower for immediate relief from symptoms of depression.

For the study researchers examined the effects of marijuana inhalation on depressive feelings in 1,819 subjects over a one-month period. Study participants self-administered marijuana and reported symptom changes in real time on a mobile software application.

According to researchers “almost all patients in our sample [96 percent] experienced symptom relief from using cannabis to treat depression.. with an average symptom intensity reduction of –3.76 points on a zero-to-ten visual analogue scale.”

Marijuana varieties that were dominant in THC were used. Researchers reported “minimal evidence of serious side-effects in the short run,” though they acknowledged that prior studies have shown “mixed findings on the association between cannabis use and symptoms of depression, with unclear conclusions as to the direction of causality.”

A Look at How Cannabis can help with the treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Medical cannabis is one area of the applications of cannabis that slowly continues to gain prominence and acceptance in different climes. With the increase in the legalization of cannabis in different regions, there has also been an increase likewise into studies on the numerous medicinal benefits that are present in cannabis. Cannabis is readily used and prescribed by some physicians to help with the regulation of inflammation and used internally for certain ailments.

One such condition where the medicinal benefits of cannabis can be illustrated is the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which is a painful condition associated with the median nerve of the hand and wrists and compression by the carpal tunnel. Before going into the role cannabis can play in alleviating the pain and dealing with the inflammation associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, it is important to first have a concrete and balanced understanding of the condition, the cause of the condition, the symptoms, and common modes of treatment.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a persistent painful health condition characterized by inflammations, severe pain, nerve damage, and so on. Studies show that enormous pressure and compression of the carpal tunnel on the median nerve is the major factor that causes it. The carpal tunnel is a narrow opening that runs through the wrist and hand and protects the median nerve. The carpal tunnel also holds tendons in the wrist area and allows for bending of the fingers. CTS is an entrapment neuropathy because the median nerve is one of the large nerves of the hand and it is the compression of swelling around the carpal tunnel that affects its activity thereby causing pain and inflammation.

A systematic review of 14 existing studies in animals has concluded CBD could possess “important” therapeutic potential in the treatment of people addicted to crack cocaine. 

According to the study published in the journal Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, CBD or cannabidiol was shown to reduce addictive behaviors in animals dependent on cocaine, meaning the non-psychoactive compound found in marijuana could act as an adjunct therapy for people struggling with cocaine addiction. 

The reason scientists believe CBD could help alleviate the symptoms of addiction is due to its effects on anxiety, cocaine consumption and reward effects, neuronal proliferation, behavioral responses, hepatic protection and safety. 

“Cannabinoids may have an important therapeutic potential for the treatment of dependence on crack cocaine. Cannabidiol (CBD), in particular, has anxiolytic, antipsychotic and anticonvulsant properties and plays a role in regulating motivation circuitry and controlling sleep disorders,” the team behind the review wrote. 

However, as always, more clinical trials are necessary in order to determine whether the results of animal studies can be replicated in human test subjects diagnosed with cocaine or crack cocaine use disorder. 

New data from the journal of Advances in Therapy shows that more people now than in the past are using cannabis to treat and cope with chronic pain—and that those who are using it as treatment report favorable results. 

The study, which came from Harvard Medical School, looked at cannabis use trends in pain patients starting in 2011 and ending in 2015. Currently, chronic pain is the most commonly reported qualifying condition by medical cannabis patients who report data back to their state medical programs regarding why and how they consume cannabis. 

“This overall increase is not surprising given that several studies have shown cannabis to be effective in mitigating inflammation and demonstrated benefit to chronic pain symptoms with the use of cannabis, including improved pain, functional outcomes, and quality of life in patients with chronic pain syndromes,” the study explains regarding the results. “With chronic pain projected to increase over the next two decades to a rate of one in three people from the current rate of one in five people, our findings foretell that cannabis use can be projected to increase even more rapidly.”

“Over the course of our study…we identified a significant and progressive increase in the number of patients using cannabis. In patients with chronic pain, cannabis use more than doubled during this period,” the study added. 

The reported average age of chronic pain patients who use cannabis were 45 years old, and most reported users were lower on the socio-economic scale, showing that it could be seen as a more affordable source of pain medication for some who suffer from chronic pain. 

Many government officials are comparatively skittish about supporting cannabis and its synthetic counterparts because of its Class 1 drug status, even for the treatment of COVID-19. That being the case, there was recently some surprising news from an association that may have made some people in the U.S. federal government sit up and take notice.

The independent association, the Creating Options for Veterans Expedited Recovery (COVER) Commission, released its report this past January. Despite the recommendations of its drug policy findings, the document has gone mostly unnoticed by reform advocates and the media.

Chaired by presidential appointee Jake Leinenkugel, the panel of the commission tasked with developing recommendations to improve mental health treatment for military veterans determined that cannabis and psychedelics represent promising mental health treatment options for veterans.

The COVER Commission Report noted that Veteran Affairs officials should work closely with other U.S. federal agencies to research the potential and short- and long-term risks and benefits of medical cannabis and psychedelic drugs. Congress and the executive branch need to promote research into the therapeutic potential of cannabis and psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA, it added.

The findings cannot be generalized because of sample size and homogeneity issues. Still, studies have shown some promise for treating disorders for which available treatments are insufficient — mood, substance, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder — using psychedelics, including MDMA,” the COVER Commission report laid out in recommendations.

It’s always been a point of contention in Hawaii that edibles aren’t part of the state’s medical offerings, despite the fact that the state has an established medical market. But, as of last Friday, the state legislature has officially passed a bill that allows edibles to be sold at licensed, medical dispensaries within the state. As long as Governor David Ige signs it into law, the state will open up to the edible market. 

“Passage of HB 2097 is a victory for the state’s 30,798 registered medical cannabis patients,” Randy Gonce, Hawai’i Cannabis Industry Association program director, said in a press release regarding the new bill. “Coronavirus has prompted more patients to seek ingestible forms of cannabis to replace inhalation due to concerns about lung health, so the approval of edibles is welcome news. Hawaii will now join 34 of 35 legal cannabis states that allow for remediation of cannabis plant material for biotic reasons, under specific conditions, as allowed by the DOH.” 

A Case For Edibles And Education

When the state first legalized, edibles weren’t included in the list of what dispensaries could offer to their new patients. Legislators were concerned that they would appeal too much to children and encourage early-age consumption. However, ingesting cannabis specifically is a preferred style of medication for a lot of patients, as it provides holistic effects and doesn’t involve smoking or other harmful ways of consuming. And, in light of all the economic struggles caused by COVID-19, a new avenue for product sales is definitely welcome. 

“We were hopeful that the bill would pass, but there were serious doubts that it would get through this year considering the circumstances,” said Diana Hahn, communications director for Hawaiian Ethos, a Hawaiin dispensary that has made it through the COVID-19 pandemic. The dispensary will start offering edible and drinkable products as long as this bill gets signed into law. 

“The timeline for edible products to roll out under this new legislation is still undetermined … since the bill that is now in front of the governor grants the DOH the ability to create rules around edible products,” Hahn said. “Until those rules are released by the DOH, dispensaries will not be allowed to sell edibles. So many of our patients have requested edibles,” she continued. “It’s great that the Legislature heard this request from constituents and delivered. On the mainland, edibles represent a significant and growing amount of revenue for dispensaries, and we believe this will be true in Hawai‘i as well.” 

A New Mexico medical cannabis provider has filed a suit in state district court that seeks to invalidate regulations recently adopted by the state Department of Health. The new rules governing aspects of the department’s Medical Cannabis Program such as lab testing, facilities standards, and product labeling went into effect earlier this month.

In a filing for the lawsuit, attorneys for medical cannabis producer Ultra Health wrote that the rules are “arbitrary and capricious” and would place a significant burden on providers and medical cannabis patients, and are not based on sound science.

“Producers, who already pay well over $100,000 per year for their license and are precluded by federal law from taking any income tax deductions, will have to pay for the increased testing burden and will pass along the costs to patients,” reads the petition, a copy of which was obtained by The NM Political Report.

“While Petitioner Ultra Health agrees that some testing is necessary to protect the safety of cannabis patients, DOH’s rules do not draw the necessary connection between the arbitrarily chosen testing parameters and specific measurements of patient safety,” the petition continues.

Attorneys for the plaintiff also called into question the DOH practice of relying on regulations enacted in other states as the basis for the new rules, rather than drafting regulations specific to New Mexico’s environment and other conditions.