WeedLife News Network

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.” 

State lawmakers in Louisiana approved a bill on Wednesday that allows patients in the state’s medical marijuana program to access smokable forms of cannabis. The measure, House Bill 391, was approved in the Louisiana House of Representatives by a vote of 76 to 17 after being approved by the state Senate with a 23 to 14 vote last month.

Under the newly passed measure, registered patients in Louisiana’s medical marijuana program will be permitted to possess and use unprocessed, smokable forms of cannabis. The program’s current regulations only allow patients to access medical marijuana products including topicals, tinctures, gummies, and inhalers that deliver a metered dose of a vaporized cannabis. Marijuana in raw flower form is not allowed and smoking medical marijuana products is also not permitted.

Republican House Speaker Pro-tem Tanner Magee, the sponsor of the bill, told local media that the approved products are too expensive for many of the state’s medical marijuana patients.

“Most of the products aren’t covered by insurance,” Magee said. “This is a way to provide a more affordable option.”

HB 391 was originally approved by lawmakers in the Louisiana House of Representatives in May. However, the bill was amended as it was being considered by the state Senate, requiring the House of Representatives to vote again on the revised version. The measure received overwhelming bipartisan support in both houses of the Louisiana state Legislature.

Delta-8 has caused quite a stir in the world of cannabis, with federal and state governments trying to find ways to cope with this new entrant into the products field. As laws are being put in place to keep it out, a new question becomes, is delta-8 THC a recreational or medicinal product?

Are you a delta-8 user for recreational or medicinal reasons? We know delta-8 is great for relaxing, as well as obtaining medical benefits with less psychoactive effect and couch locking. And this makes it great for both worlds. It doesn’t matter why you like it, we just want you to have it! Check out our array of Delta-8 THC deals, and find the products that work best for you, whether you’re just trying to chill, or need a dose of medicine.

What is delta-8 THC?

Before we get into specifics about it, and whether delta-8 should be considered recreational or medicinal, let’s go over what delta-8 THC is, for anyone who hasn’t been following along with the current controversy. Delta-8 THC is both an isomer and analogue of delta-9 THC, the standard THC of marijuana that people associate with getting high. Delta-9 doesn’t actually exist in large amounts in fresh cannabis flowers, rather its precursor THCA does. THCA decarboxylates when it comes into contact with heat, or over time, losing a carboxyl group (COOH) to form delta-9 THC.

The chemical transformation is this: C22H30O4  –> C₂₁H₃₀O₂. However, we already know about delta-9 THC, what we want to know about, is delta-8. Once the delta-9 THC comes into contact with oxygen, it loses electrons, a process called oxidation. This process transforms delta-9 into delta-8. The loss of electrons makes the compound more stable, meaning delta-8 has a longer shelf life than delta-9. The chemical structure is identical for both.

Delta-8 is an isomer of delta-9 because it actually has the same chemical structure, with a different configuration of atoms within. It’s an analogue of delta-9 because it is structurally and functionally (medically) nearly identical. For this reason, delta-8 and delta-9 THCs are often cited as being useful to treat the same ailments.

Tobacco and nicotine products are some of the most dangerous consumer products on earth, and that’s been the case for many years.

The World Health Organization estimates that over 8 million people die annually worldwide due to tobacco.

Roughly 7 million of those annual deaths are due to direct tobacco use by the consumer, and the remaining 1 million+ die from secondhand smoke inhalation.

Nearly half of all tobacco consumers will die as a direct result of their tobacco use, which is extremely unfortunate.

Cannabis is Safer Than Tobacco

Nicotine, one of the main ingredients in tobacco products, is highly addictive. Anyone who has tried to quit consuming tobacco products will be quick to tell you that.

UC San Diego Health are conducting what they say is the first known randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial examining cannabis as a treatment for acute migraines.

Around 20 participants are already enrolled in the trial, with the aim to reach 90 participants aged 21-65. The participants are provided four different treatments to be self-administered for four separate migraine attacks – one based on THC, another on CBD, one with a THC/CBD combination and one a placebo. All treatments will be administered using a vaporiser.

Participants will be self-administering the treatments at the onset of a migraine or as early as possible into the attack – one treatment per attack. Among the outcomes to be measured are freedom from pain and pain relief, and the presence or lack thereof of photophobia (sensitivity to light), phonophobia (sensitivity to sound) and nausea. These will be reported at 1 hour, 2 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours after administration.

Those enrolling will need to agree to a number of conditions, including not using cannabis outside of the study, abstinence from the use of opioids or barbiturates and not driving a motor vehicle within 4 hours of self-administering treatments provided in the course of the study.

However, more solid scientific evidence is needed to establish cannabis’s efficacy.

Minnesotans who rely on medical marijuana to treat a myriad of conditions will soon be able to smoke the plant. 

Gov. Tim Walz signed the omnibus health and human services bill into law this week, which includes a provision to expand the state's medical cannabis program that was created in 2014, with qualified patients allowed to buy the drug starting in July 2015. 

The state's program, though, is one of the most restrictive in the country because it only allows patients to use the drug in liquid, oil and pill forms — smokable medical marijuana is banned (a provision that was needed to get lawmakers and Gov. Mark Dayton to approve the program). 

Since the start, many patients have criticized the law for being overly restrictive and have said the cost of the non-smokable forms of medical cannabis is a major barrier (it's not covered by insurance).

But now, starting no later than March 1, 2022, patients will be able to buy the smokeable flower form of the plant, which supporters say will make the medical cannabis program more affordable and accessible. 

The Danish government has permanently authorized licensed companies to produce and export medical cannabis independent of an existing pilot program.

“This is an important milestone recognizing this young industry, which utilizes the local expertise in greenhouse agriculture mass production,” Aurora Europe said in a statement. “Being able to tap into resources of the established international pharmaceutical industry is also a valuable location advantage.”

Canada-based Aurora has said its Aurora Nordic Cannabis A/S unit, based in Odense, Denmark, is to become the company’s main supply source for the European market. The company’s operations in Odense include more than 9,200 square meters of greenhouse production space and promise a maximum output of approximately 10,000 kg per year. Aurora Nordic produces dried flowers and extracts and will introduce other formulations in the near term, the company has said.

Broad political support

The authorization for production and export of medical cannabis comes as the Danish government, with support of a broad majority of parliamentary parties, decided to continue the medical cannabis pilot program that has been running for four years, but which expires at the end of 2021. The trials were made permanent for growers of cannabis for medical use, and rules allow doctors to continue to prescribe medical cannabis to patients.

Growers finance the pilot program by paying fees but the government said it agreed to discuss grants and possible adjustments to the program in autumn 2021. Continuation of subsidies for patients purchasing cannabis medical supplies is also to be discussed in the future.

Researchers at the University of New Mexico (UNM) have found people suffering from nausea who consumed whole natural cannabis flower had at least some relief within five to 60 minutes.

But not only did individuals report significant symptom improvement almost right away — with nausea falling an average of almost four points on a scale of zero to 10 — that improvement increased by the hour-after mark.

“Symptom relief was statistically significant at five minutes and increased with time,” notes the study published last month in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology.

The investigation shows that 96.4 per cent of the study sample reported nausea relief within one hour. “Despite increasing clinical concerns regarding cyclical vomiting or hyperemesis syndrome in cannabis users, almost all users experienced relief,” study author Sarah Stith, an assistant professor at UNM, says in a statement on Sunday.

To get an idea of how using cannabis affected nausea, researchers employed a mobile phone app so sufferers could report symptom intensity. The study was based on data from 2,220 cannabis self-administration sessions recorded by 886 people using the Releaf App.

While more research is needed, there are some promising results indicating that patients affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia may benefit from using medical cannabis.

For anyone going through the aging process, the thought of forgetting their life or precious memories associated with loves ones can be debilitating. But new studies on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are finding surprising new ways to raise quality-of-life in the later years and what medicines can help patients experiencing the debilitating disease — right now.

In a 2015 study, researchers in the Czech Republic found that while dementia and Alzheimer’s do have a link, there was another stage in the process that was a precursor to memory loss: mild cognitive impairment (MCI) found to be a “boundary area between normal aging and dementia,” the stage before memory loss could hold the key to the development of the disease.

Photo by GDJ via Pixabay

Even more interesting, while cannabis and CBD were both being studied for Alzheimer’s disease, a 2020 study on dementia and cannabis opened the door to more knowledge. Lakewood Medical Health Clinic, a holistic medical marijuana practice located in Ohio, shared that, “In recent years, researchers have begun to study how medical marijuana could be used to treat Alzheimer’s and dementia. While more research is needed, there are some promising results indicating that patients affected by these two conditions may benefit from using medical cannabis.”

New Hampshire will now be expanding the pool of patients eligible to receive medical cannabis, thanks to a newly signed bill, HB 89.

This week, Republican Governor Chris Sununu signed HB 89, which will go into effect July 21. Under this new law, physicians will be allowed to authorize patients who have moderate or severe insomnia to use medical cannabis. In addition to this exciting news, it also allows adults and pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder to receive medical cannabis in some cases.

This move to sign HB 89 is in line with recently published data that shows autism spectrum disorder can be treated with cannabis safely and with favorable results. A recent study out of Israel looked at the safety and efficacy of cannabis and how administering CBD-heavy cannabis oil can help those with autism. 

The ratio they used was 30 percent CBD and 1.5 percent THC, and the study was conducted with 188 patients who all have autism spectrum disorder. The patients underwent the treatment for six months and provided feedback about their experience. Of those who participated, 90 percent said they had some level of improvement in their symptoms, such as relief from restlessness, seizures, and rage attacks. About one-third of those polled said they were also able to take less of other medications because of the CBD.

Authors concluded: “Cannabis as a treatment for autism spectrum disorders patients appears to be well-tolerated, safe and seemingly effective option to relieve symptoms, mainly: seizures, tics, depression, restlessness and rage attacks. … [W]e believe that double blind placebo-controlled trials are crucial for a better understanding of the cannabis effect on ASD patients.”

Promising news for cardio-conscious medical cannabis consumers has come to light.

The consumption of certain medical cannabis products is not associated with an increased risk of “serious cardiovascular effects,” according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

“The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular toxicity associated with medical use of cannabinoids,” write the authors, who note that “several systematic reviews (SRs) have summarized the potential effectiveness of medical cannabinoids, but it is unclear to what extent safety-related outcomes were incorporated.”

A team of clinicians analyzed a total of 47 studies involving 2,800 patients. Forty-five per cent of the studies excluded patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases, they noted.

Although cannabis use was “significantly associated with increased risks” of non-serious issues such as orthostatic hypotension and hypotension (low blood pressure), as well as “a trend of increased risk” of tachycardia (a racing heartbeat), researchers noted that none of the studies reviewed noted any “serious cardiovascular effects.”

After the Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in a case, justices typically try to hand down a ruling within six months.

Although the court heard final arguments in Florida Department of Health v. Florigrown nearly eight months ago, it has yet to render a judgment.

It’s difficult to overstate the stakes of the case. The court could decide to upend the state’s medical marijuana regulations, throwing a $1.2 billion industry with several national conglomerates into a state of uncertainty. Lawmakers and bureaucrats would have to rewrite the rules for the industry — potentially from scratch.For months, the people invested in one of Florida’s fastest growing industries have swapped nervous texts and phone calls every Thursday at 11 a.m. — when the Supreme Court publishes its opinions — bracing for a ruling that could make or break their companies.

“We look to see if it is, in fact, the day of reckoning,” said Taylor Biehl, a Tallahassee lobbyist and the co-founder of the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida.

Judges could uphold all or parts of the state’s current regulations, dealing a blow to smaller firms like Florigrown, a Tampa-based company that applied to become a medical marijuana treatment center in 2017. The company was turned down by the state because at the time, the Florida Department of Health had not yet made rules to regulate the industry.

Weed hangovers are a mystery. Unlike alcohol hangovers, which happen to even the most resilient drinkers, when weed hangovers happen there’s never much of an explanation. Maybe you smoked more than you’ve ever smoked or maybe you consumed weed in a brand new way. It could never happen to you or it could happen often.

Weed hangovers encompass a range of effects that include brain fog, headaches, fatigue and feeling like you’re still high hours later. While they’re not as uncomfortable as an alcohol hangover, they can still be pretty limiting, starting from the moment you smoke until hours after.

Due to marijuana’s legal status, there’s not a lot of information out there on why these types of hangovers occur. Anecdotal evidence suggests it’s related to the amount of weed that’s consumed. This varies from person to person, depending on the individual’s cannabis threshold.

In general, the more THC there’s in cannabis, and the more you consume of it, the higher the odds of getting a cannabis hangover. Marijuana hangovers aren’t as crippling as alcohol hangovers but there are a few things you can do to put them under control.

If you get recurring weed hangovers

Recurring weed hangovers may indicate that something is off with your cannabis consumption. Everyday users should try to limit the amount of cannabis they ingest, consuming it every other day or just on the weekends. A change of your cannabis smoking schedule might also help; if you get hangovers when you smoke at night, trying smoking during the day.