WeedLife News Network

Pfizer wants in on the cannabis game. Will you be buying Pharma Weed? Most consumers say absolutely not.

You may not have heard the wonderful news. Our great overlords and global saviors at Pfizer announced their intentions to get into the medical cannabis market via their $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. Of course, the giant pharmaceutical company has a lot of “expendable cash” available due to the pandemic.

However, the news of Pfizer wanting to break into the medical cannabis industry isn’t something new. Every advocate understood that once cannabis is legalized globally, these giant pharmaceutical companies would definitely make their claim to some portion of the marketplace. Whether this is a “good” thing or a “bad” thing is irrelevant; the truth of the matter is that pharma entering into the cannabis industry is an inevitability.

For that to happen, pharma has to dig their money-hungry hands into the market and begin to do some R&D. In the case of their recent acquisition, we can already see that they are targeting specific conditions and will be creating a medication instead of trying to sell tinctures, whole plant, etc.

People who use cannabis during pregnancy and lactation choose it to manage pregnancy-related symptoms and pre-existing conditions, such as nausea and vomiting, mental health problems, insomnia and more, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

"Our findings have very little resonance with evidence on motivations for cannabis use identified in nonpregnant populations, suggesting that motivations for use during pregnancy and lactation are unique," writes Dr. Meredith Vanstone, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, with coauthors. "The reasons for use provided by our participants more closely match those identified in studies of medical cannabis use, such as for controlling pain, anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, nausea or appetite, and for sleep, with many using cannabis to manage multiple symptoms."

The study included 52 people recruited from across Canada, of whom 51 were women and 1 identified as nonbinary. All had used cannabis before their pregnancy. At the time of the interview, 30 people were pregnant and the remaining 22 were breastfeeding. The reasons that participants gave for using cannabis changed when they became pregnant. Some people stopped out of fear of harm to the fetus when they found out they were pregnant. Other people stopped because of social stigma, guilt and health reasons. Those who kept using cannabis described their motivation as related to managing symptoms of pregnancy and conditions that pre-existed pregnancy. After they gave birth, their motivations for using cannabis changed, more closely resembling the reasons they supplied for using cannabis before becoming pregnant.

These findings have implications for clinical practice, including counseling of pregnant and lactating people on the potential harms of cannabis use and alternative approaches.

"I think it's important for physicians to understand that people who use cannabis during pregnancy are often doing so because they perceive important benefits of cannabis for controlling a variety of symptoms. There's an opportunity here for exploring the benefits that pregnant patients are getting from cannabis and helping them find alternatives that we know are safe for both mom and baby," Dr. Vanstone concludes.

Before a person considers taking cannabis as a way of managing disease, it’s important to talk to a doctor.

Cannabis is a multipurpose plant. Depending on moods, method, strain and more, the plant can have different effects. The compounds in cannabis, called cannabinoids, are known as immune-modulators. This refers to them having some kind of influence on the immune system, thus producing a wide variety of effects.

Research conducted on mice with cancer found that cannabis causes apoptosis, which means that it kills cancerogenous cells. Another study conducted on humans with AIDS/HIV discovered that the patients who consumed cannabis ended up with stronger immune systems and had higher CD4 counts (these are T cells that kill the HIV virus).

For people with an autoimmune disease, where someone’s immune system doesn’t work as intended and may attack the healthy cells in their bodies instead of the infections, CBD can provide some benefits, such as reducing the strength of these symptoms. Autoimmune diseases include HIV, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and more, all of which are difficult to treat.

There’s plenty information out there, but there’s still not enough research to definitively explain cannabis’ role in peoples’ immune systems. Like most things cannabis-related, the way in which it interacts with the body is highly individualized and needs much more research than what is available now.

Senators overwhelmingly approved a bill to expand Ohio’s medical marijuana program to other conditions, some of which were rejected for medical pot by state regulators in the past.

“We’re here, and the last bill before our Christmas break and we can end on a high note," said Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), as laughter broke out in the chamber.

Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights), a longtime medical marijuana advocate, got in on the joke too, saying when he wanted to propose the idea when he first arrived in the legislature, "all I heard was, 'Hey, Yuko, how many joint sponsors have you got?'"

The bill would allow medical marijuana to be recommended for arthritis, autism spectrum disorder, chronic muscle spasms, migraines, opioid use disorder and for people in hospice care or with terminal illnesses. The Ohio State Medical Board has twice rejected adding autism to the list of conditions.

Women were interviewed 10 times over the course of study, while offspring were surveyed at age 22 to measure any drug dependence.

A new U.S. study suggests that women who regularly use cannabis during and after pregnancy may increase the likelihood that their adult offspring smoke cannabis and tobacco.

Chronic maternal use is a concern, authors of the latest study suggest, since the findings show this may predict adult cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) in their adult offspring.

Per information from Alberta’s health department, CUD occurs when people have become dependent on cannabis. Among others, they may experience extreme changes in mood, trouble concentrating and memory problems.

To find out if maternal weed use affected offspring substance use at age 22, they reviewed information from a year pre-pregnancy to 16 years postpartum.

Recruited from a prenatal clinic between 1982 and 1984, the women were surveyed by trained interviewers twice during pregnancy, at delivery, eight and 18 months following birth and at three, six, 10, 14 and 16 years postpartum. Offspring were measured for substance use and dependence at age 22.

Taking CBD or marijuana might help your pain, but could be making the other drug(s) you’re taking more toxic.

It is widely known that cannabis has many medicinal benefits, with managing chronic pain, epilepsy, anxiety and treating the symptoms of PTSD among them.

However, in the case of cannabinoids, a group of substances found in the cannabis plant, there is a risk that combining it with other prescription drugs could pose harmful drug-drug interactions, suggests new research undertaken by scientists at Washington State University (WSU).

The findings examined the interaction between three of the most abundant cannabinoids – tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN).

“Physicians need to be aware of the possibility of toxicity or lack of response when patients are using cannabinoids,” said Philip Lazarus, senior author on the paper and Boeing distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences. “It’s one thing if you’re young and healthy and smoke cannabis once in a while, but for older people who are using medications, taking CBD or medicinal marijuana may negatively impact their treatment.”

The Findings

Researchers used manipulated human kidney cells and confirmed their results in human liver and kidney specimens in which enzymes were present.

The best way to determine whether or not marijuana can play a role in helping patients overcoming opioid addiction is by continuing to closely study the relationship between the two.

The devastation the opioid crisis has wrought upon communities throughout the country, especially throughout the pandemic, is immense. Deaths from opioid overdoses amassed the threshold of 93,000 in 2020, and relief is nowhere in sight.

That’s why now, more than ever, governing bodies and the medical community benefit from pulling out all the stops to get a handle on the situation.

Part of leaving no stone unturned in the fight against opioid addiction is studying the effects marijuana can have on people currently dealing with an addiction to opioids. Fortunately, recent moves made from the Biden Administration have made researching marijuana easier than it ever has since current research on the impact of marijuana on opioid addiction recovery is limited. 

Here are a few things research has already concluded about marijuana and opioid addiction.

Marijuana Helps Ease The Symptoms of Withdrawal

The journey of opioid recovery is intimidating to lots of people currently in the throes of opioid addiction because of how daunting withdrawal can be. The long process of overcoming an addiction to opioids can consist of a variety of undesirable side effects, including anxiety, nausea, chronic pain, insomnia and chronic pain. Fortunately for people undergoing the process of opioid withdrawal, marijuana has shown evidence of being an adequate resource in helping patients to overcome withdrawal symptoms.

ASUI passed resolutions on medical marijuana and Boise State Professor Scott Yenor

ASUI passed a slew of legislation Wednesday and held its first meeting for spring semester senators, including supporting Boise State University countering sexism and legalizing medical marijuana. 

ASUI introduced and passed a resolution supporting Boise State University students and their petition to investigate Professor Scott Yenor for sexist comments. 

The petition comes after a video from the National Conservatism Conference in Florida surfaced in which Yenor commented that women should not be recruited into the fields of engineering, medicine and law as well as trade occupations. 

Following the video’s surfacing, Yenor has since taken to Twitter. saying that there should be no “special efforts to recruit women into fields where they don’t seem to want to be.” 

“BSU students are currently petitioning and protesting actively to have (Yenor) investigated for sexist grading and sexist evaluations of fellow faculty and staff,” Director of Safety, Health and Wellness Abbey Rode said.  

Cannabinoids (CBD) can reduce tumor growth, reduce tumor invasion and can also increase the potency of certain drugs used to treat Cancer.

Pecos Valley Production (PVP), a New Mexico medical cannabis company, has announced that their most recent fundraiser and partnership with the Anita Salas Memorial Fund generated an unexpected and philanthropic amount of money. During the month of October, PVP focused on raising money by educating their medical cannabis patients and ultimately asking them for a donation at checkout. Patients received entries into raffle baskets and mystery bags for their contribution efforts.

Additionally, PVP ran an internal contest throughout their stores to see which store could raise the most money. The reward for the winning store was $500 and was spread throughout the employees at the victorious location.

Because of PVP’s efforts during the fundraising campaigns, the Anita Salas Memorial Fund received a $12,000 check from them that is sure to help this longtime organization focus on education, awareness and fundraising.

The Anita Salas Memorial Fund is a nonprofit 501(c)3, that helps pay for women’s breast or cervical cancer treatment, or related bills such as transportation, lodging or medications for treatment.

The women the fund supports are moderate to low income, underinsured or uninsured. The funds go directly to the bills, not the women. There is only a 5 percent administration fee. So 95 percent is used for direct breast and cervical cancer services for women in New Mexico; with nominal amounts going toward more fundraising.

The pandemic has been associated with an increase in public health spending, rising mental health issues and a record number of overdose deaths, according to a report from the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group.

Getting roughly eight hours of sleep is crucial for most of us to avoid feeling like a zombie at work the next day. While some people use caffeine to keep alert during the day, others have turned to cannabis as a sleep aid.

Data on cannabis use and sleep duration for 21,729 adults were obtained from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a cross-sectional survey designed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The authors of the new study, led by researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada, wanted to determine the relationship between recent cannabis use and sleep duration in a nationally representative sample from the US. Participants were required to report their age range, race, sex, education post high school, average hours worked per week, and other health-related variables. 

Sleep duration was categorized as short, optimal, or long, with short sleep defined as less than 6 hours, and long sleep defined as more than 9 hours on average weeknights or worknights.

Sleep quality measures were also part of the survey, with questions relating to difficulty falling asleep, ability to stay asleep, sleeping too much in the past two weeks, and whether participants had consulted a physician about sleeping issues. 

Cannabis has become an unlikely source of relief for many suffering from PMS. Here are some products that could ease the discomfort.

Periods affect women in unpredictable ways. While some may feel a general sense of grumpiness and discomfort, a significant group of women experience rough menstrual periods, where they are faced with crippling pain and symptoms such as nausea, muscle aches, abdominal pressure and more. While women have turned to all sorts of medications and practices for relief, marijuana has become an option to alleviate a variety of symptoms. The cannabis industry has capitalized on this need, creating products to treat these symptoms, such as cannabis suppositories and tampons, which provide localized and fast relief. But there’s also soaks and bath salts to relax your entire body while targeting other symptoms aside from the pain in your uterus. Here are four of the best cannabis menstruation products you can find.

Cannabis suppositories are meant to provide fast-acting pain relief.  Taking around 15 – 20 minutes to kick in, cannabis suppositories affect your pelvis region, relaxing your muscles and uterus. Depending on the brand, suppositories can contain more or less THC, with there being CBD options as well.

A good remedy against pain and period cramps is relaxation, which can be facilitated with a nice long bath and some fancy bath salts. These can be effective and powerful, providing relief for up to 5 hours, and maybe leaving you a little loopy after your bath. Use with care. There’s a variety of brands making these products, including Vertly, Happy Dance, and more.

Tinctures are very concentrated and strong, healing your pain with just a few drops if you can stomach the powerful and oily taste. They’re placed under your tongue, and they act fast, within 10 minutes you’ll experience effects, hopefully getting some much-needed relief for your cramps. Tinctures are also a great and safe option for consuming during the daytime, because they won’t make you feel high at all. 

Skin Balms & Creams

Cannabis balms can be used anywhere on the body, providing analgesic effects. Products like Love Your Lady Parts allow you to scoop a spoonful of product and apply it, providing an effective, if a bit messy, option for pain and cramp relief. Wear your least favorite underwear.

West Virginia residents with qualifying medical conditions will have an opportunity Dec. 7 in Mercer County to sign up for access to medical cannabis products that will be sold by a company planning to open dispensaries in southern West Virginia.

The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC) will host a public sign up event for medical cannabis patients from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 7 at Country Inn & Suites along 111 Halls Ridge Road near Princeton, according to an announcement from the state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR).

Jason Frame, director of the state OMC, said that he knew of plans for a cannabis dispensary in the Princeton area.

“There are two dispensaries in the state now, and we expect that number to grow quickly in 2021 and into 2022,” Frame told the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.

The dispensaries are in Morgantown and Weston. Dispensaries are not for selling recreational cannabis products, he said.

Connecticut approved an increased limit of mold and yeast allowed in medical marijuana at one of the state’s two cannabis testing labs through private emails last year, documents show.

At the request of AltaSci Labs, the state Department of Consumer Protection agreed to raise the total passing level of yeast and mold from 10,000 colony forming units per gram to 1 million per gram for the lab, according to August 2020 emails obtained via a Hearst Connecticut Media Group public records request.

The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis is holding registration events in several cities in the coming days.

The public events for medical cannabis patients will be held Wednesday in Morgantown at Fairfield Inn and Suites, Thursday in Weston at Hampton Inn and Dec. 7 in Princeton at Country Inn & Suites. Each registration will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pharmacy chains will be appealing the verdict that they created a public nuisance by contributing the Ohio’s opioid crisis.

A federal jury in Ohio on Tuesday found that pharmacy giants Walgreens, CVS and Walmart contributed to the opioid crisis in that state, a verdict that could serve as a bellwether for thousands of similar cases pending from coast to coast. The decision is the first verdict returned by a jury that holds a pharmacy retailer responsible for its role in the devastating epidemic of opioid overdoses that has plagued the United States for decades.

In the lawsuit, Lake and Trumbell Counties in northeastern Ohio maintained that the pharmacy retailers had recklessly distributed more than 100 million opioid pain pills in the counties, leading to addiction, death and a strain on public services. Between 2012 and 2016, more than 80 million prescriptions painkillers were dispensed in Trumbull County alone, or about 400 pills for every resident. During the same period, approximately 61 million opioid painkillers were dispensed in Lake County.

“For decades, pharmacy chains have watched as the pills flowing out of their doors cause harm and failed to take action as required by law,” a committee of attorneys representing local governments in federal opioid lawsuits said in a statement. “Instead, these companies responded by opening up more locations, flooding communities with pills, and facilitating the flow of opioids into an illegal, secondary market.”

Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that the actions of the pharmacies amounted to a public nuisance that cost the counties about $1 billion each to address. Mark Lanier, an attorney representing the counties, said that the pharmacies failed to hire or train enough employees and implement systems to prevent suspicious orders from being filled.

“The law requires pharmacies to be diligent in dealing drugs,” Lanier said. “This case should be a wake-up call that failure will not be accepted.” 

A ‘world first’ trial assessing a cannabis-based drug to treat an aggressive form of brain cancer is to go ahead, a charity has announced.

Members of the public backed an appeal by the Brain Tumour Charity to raise £400,000 to fund the three-year trial.

Olympic champion Tom Daley also backed the campaign.

The gold medal-winning diver’s father Robert died aged 40 from a brain tumour in 2011.

The trial will begin recruiting 230 patients at 15 hospitals across the UK early next year.

If the trial proves successful, researchers hope it could represent one of the first additions to NHS treatment for glioblastoma patients in more than a decade.

Green Labs Provisions, a medical marijuana dispensary in Luna Pier, is open for business.

Owned and operated by Jason (JD) Davison, a 39-year-old veteran, along with Sean Lyden and Breen Lyden, the facility located at 10701 Madison St. specializes in medical cannabis, accessories and apparel.

Open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., customers must be 18 or older and have valid identification and a medical marijuana card.

The business has 12 employees. Dave Azoni serves as chief operating officer and Stephen Georgiadis is chief plant officer. Budtenders assist customers with in-store purchases and orders can be placed online.

"Many people need help to find what will help them the most and our knowledgeable bud-tenders facilitate that process. We specialize in the finest cannabis in the Michigan market featuring our house brand, Dutch Touch Genetics,” Davison said. “The new business (opened November 3) has been very well-received by the local community and we are starting to gain traction at the store. Many people have commented on how nice our storefront is and how they welcome the investment into their town.”

Sativyl contains a 27 mg/ml concentration of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and 25 mg/ml of CBD. It’s sold by the flask and contains 10 ml and 250 mg of concentration.

Cannabis-based drug Sativyl has been approved as a treatment for cancer-related pain in Peru.Sativyl, produced by Verdemed, was created to be as similar as possible to Sativex, produced by Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC’s GW Pharmaceuticals and is recommended for the relief of cancer symptoms and spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis.Among other uses, Sativyl is indicated to relieve strong pain. The medication is considered an efficient, non-addictive substitute for opioids, like morphine or oxycodone.In the United States, opioids are considered a public health issue. The CDC recorded a 28.5% increase in deaths caused by opioid overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. For the first time ever, the country surpassed the mark of 100,000 drug-related deaths over a year-long period.

Sativyl also works to control nausea caused by chemotherapy treatment. The antiemetic performance of the medication improves the patient’s appetite and, consequently, their physical condition to face the therapy.

Sativyl contains a 27 mg/ml concentration of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and 25 mg/ml of CBD. It’s sold by the flask and contains 10 ml and 250 mg of concentration.

The Peruvian health license was approved less than one month after Verdemed received the Brazilian Sanitary Agency (ANVISA) approval to distribute full spectrum 50 mg/ml CBD, a medicine developed in partnership with the American-Colombian company Clever Leaves. Documentation for Sativyl has already been submitted to ANVISA (the Brazilian equivalent of the FDA) for analysis.