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Tag: cannabis use

  • DC’s closure of 100th illegal marijuana operation marks milestone for city’s crackdown – WTOP News

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    On Jan. 1, 2026, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) and the MPD shut down an illegal cannabis operation at a home on B Street SE, marking the 100th closure over the past 16 months.

    For more than a year D.C. has been targeting illegal cannabis operations in the city. Now, the city has announced the closure of the District’s 100th illegal cannabis business since enforcement actions began in September 2024.

    On Jan. 1, 2026, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) shut down an illegal cannabis operation at a home on B Street SE, according to a news release, marking the 100th closure.

    “This is about keeping our community safe and healthy,” Mayor Bowser said in the release. “We have a legal medical cannabis market – that is the market where eligible people should be buying and selling medical cannabis. As we mark this 100th closure, I’m grateful for the steady work of our enforcement teams, and now the work continues.”

    Over the past 15 months, the District has seized more than 700 lbs. of marijuana and 6,300 lbs. of THC edibles. Law enforcement also captured more than 3,000 lbs. of THC lotions and made 56 arrests so far.

    The Metropolitan Police Department add they have seized 12 guns in this operation so far, which is significant because these shops can be “drivers” of violence in the city.

    In the recent closure on B Street SE, police arrested three people and seized a 9mm rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, and 114 rounds of ammunition.

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    Kyle Cooper

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  • 5 things to know from this week’s big report on cannabis – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    5 things to know from this week’s big report on cannabis – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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  • About That ‘Cannabis Causes Head and Neck Cancer’ Study – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    About That ‘Cannabis Causes Head and Neck Cancer’ Study – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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    Tom Hymes

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  • Study: ‘Little Evidence’ That Cannabis Harmfully Impacts Cognition in People with HIV | High Times

    Study: ‘Little Evidence’ That Cannabis Harmfully Impacts Cognition in People with HIV | High Times

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    Cannabis is widely used to help mitigate the symptoms of a variety of conditions and diseases. Specifically, a number of state medical cannabis programs list HIV/AIDS as a qualifying condition, as cannabis can help to eliminate a variety of symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS treatment.

    Though, some clinicians have expressed concern how regular cannabis treatments in this regard may impact patient cognition. 

    Researchers affiliated with the University of California at San Diego sought to investigate the cognitive impacts of cannabis use in people with HIV through a newly published meta-analysis in the journal Current HIV/AIDS Reports. 

    Ultimately, they conclude that neither the use of whole-plant cannabis or cannabis-based medicines are associated with significant cognitive changes in those with HIV.

    Cannabis Use Among People with HIV

    In the study abstract, researchers note the potential benefits that cannabis use can offer patients with HIV while recognizing this population’s “high burden of persisting neurocognitive impairment” and physician concerns with adding cannabis into the mix, specifically its potential cognitive effects.

    Cannabis use among those with HIV is far from a new trend. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved synthetic oral THC capsules (dronabinol) to treat HIV-induced cachexia, or loss of appetite, in 1985.

    Additionally, surveys have consistently affirmed that cannabis use is common among people with HIV, with one 2007 study predating the bulk of medical reform measures in the U.S. still finding that more than 60% of HIV/AIDS patients self-identified as medical cannabis users. 

    Another more recent 2022 study noted that 77% and 34% of people with HIV reported lifetime and past-year cannabis use, respectively.

    While some of these patients report recreational use as one reason, research over the years has found that cannabis is largely used among people with HIV to stimulate appetite, reduce pain, relax and ease anxiety and help with sleep.

    ‘Little Evidence’ of Harmful Cognitive Cannabis Impacts

    With plenty of existing data to pull from, researchers reviewed data from 34 clinical studies to determine the extent that cannabis impacts cognition among patients with HIV. The results, according to the study, revealed that there is “little evidence” to support that cannabis has a harmful impact on cognition among those with HIV.

    “Overall, the number of reported adverse effects were largely outnumbered by beneficial or null findings, providing insufficient support for the detrimental impact of CU [cannabis use] on cognition in PWH [people with HIV],” researchers reported, adding that the results suggest both cannabis and cannabis-based medications can be prescribed to people with HIV “while posing little threat to cognitive function.”

    The topic of cannabis use and cognition has seen a recent uptick in popularity, especially given recent conversations surrounding cannabis-induced psychosis (which has largely been linked to pre-existing conditions and vulnerabilities and is not a widespread issue among cannabis consumers, with some advocates arguing that the focus on this topic is a repackaged version of “Reefer Madness” propaganda from decades past).

    Of course, it’s important to look at the full picture and recognize how cannabis use and abuse may impact a variety of populations, and myriad studies attempt to look a bit more broadly at the topic.

    Recent research shows that cannabis users may actually have a lower chance of cognitive decline overall.  Previous studies have also noted links between heavy cannabis use and cognitive performance, though researchers noted that particular products used, methods of consumption and the reasons for use can also impact cognitive effects associated with cannabis use.

    Another recent study similarly found that adolescents who occasionally use cannabis do not see cognitive differences compared to those who abstain, once again highlighting a distinction surrounding frequency of use among other variables.

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    Keegan Williams

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  • Organs from Cannabis Consumers Don’t Pose Risks of Infection | High Times

    Organs from Cannabis Consumers Don’t Pose Risks of Infection | High Times

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    A study published in the American Journal of Transplantation recently shows that organs that come from donors with a history of recent cannabis use don’t show signs of infection or significant risk.

    The study was conducted by a handful of researchers from University of California, San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania, and Temple University, and funded by National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Transplant Foundation Innovative Research Grant Program. Researchers examined information from three specific transplant centers located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between transplants that were conducted by the Gift of Life Program between January 1, 2015-June 30, 2016.

    According to the CDC, organ transplant patients take anti-rejection medicine that lowers their body’s immune system response, which helps their bodies accept the new organ. That same medicine can sometimes lead to mild or life-threatening infections, which can develop days, weeks, months, or even years after transplant surgery occurs.

    The authors explained that cannabis leaves sometimes contain harmful bacteria or fungi, and inhaled cannabis has also been found in relation to infections in transplant patients. This study addressed the question regarding if cannabis consumer’s organs are harmful to patients on the organ receiving end. “The goal of our study is to better characterize the infection risks that marijuana use among deceased organ donors may pose to [solid organ transplants] recipients,” the authors wrote.

    The authors explained the importance of their findings amidst the rising percentage of people consuming cannabis regularly. “It is likely that a growing proportion of deceased organ donors have a history of marijuana use, as well, though this metric has not been specifically reported,” authors said.

    The study examined donors with cannabis use within the last 12 months prior to the study, as well as donors with no recent cannabis use history. “Despite concern that donor exposure to marijuana increases the risk of fungal infection in recipients, our study found that a donor history of marijuana use did not increase (1) the likelihood of donor culture positivity (including respiratory cultures), or (2) the risk of early recipient bacterial or fungal infection, graft failure, or death posttransplant,” the study stated. “Even when evaluating only lung recipients, there remained no association between donor marijuana use and the risk of posttransplant infection.”

    The researchers explored a variety of data from the three transplant facilities, such as donors who experienced bacterial or fungal infections, or if the transplant failed and led to death in the patient. Overall, organs from consumers with recent cannabis use posed little threat to the patients. “Among donors with a history of recent marijuana use, 79 (89%) had at least 1 positive culture, compared to 264 (87%) among those with no history of marijuana use,” researchers wrote. “On donor respiratory cultures, 76 (85%) donors with a history of recent marijuana use and 250 (82%) donors with no history of recent marijuana use had bacterial or fungal growth on respiratory cultures. On both unadjusted analyses and multivariable analyses, there was no association between recent donor marijuana use and donor culture positivity.”

    However, it’s important to note that the data that researchers reviewed was collected well after transplants occurred, and relied on next-of-kin to help measure a patient’s cannabis use. This was described as an “imperfect measure” of data collection.

    “In conclusion, our study demonstrates that donors with a history of recent marijuana use are not more likely to have positive donor cultures, and their recipients are not more likely to develop a bacterial or fungal infection, graft failure, or death in the early posttransplant period (in the context of current management),” the study concluded. “These results suggest that organs from donors with a history of recent marijuana use do not pose significant novel infectious risks to recipients in the early posttransplant period.”

    Currently, medical cannabis patients often experience discrimination when seeking out health care, but specifically encounter restrictions when it comes to organ transplants, according to a report published by the Petrie-Flom Center at Harvard Law School last October. “Many transplant centers prevent cannabis users from receiving solid organ transplantation due to concerns regarding interactions between cannabis and immunosuppressant drugs used for transplants, treatment non-adherence, fungal infections, and neuropsychiatric effects,” the report stated. As a result, medical cannabis patients are often ineligible for transplant.

    The review adds that larger-scale studies are needed in order to determine if medical cannabis consumption “…should not be an absolute contraindication to solid organ transplantation.” Furthermore, some research shows evidence of medical cannabis helping to prevent transplant rejection in some patients.

    Last year, another study found that cannabis use isn’t a risk for liver transplant patients. Researchers found no correlation between cannabis and non-cannabis users, stating that there was “no statistically significant associations between marijuana use with post-transplant bacterial or fungal infections, medication non-compliance, or continued substance use.”

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    Nicole Potter

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  • Study: Cannabis May Be Effective Harm Reduction Tool To Ease Stimulant Cravings | High Times

    Study: Cannabis May Be Effective Harm Reduction Tool To Ease Stimulant Cravings | High Times

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    Despite the skewed messaging of the past suggesting that cannabis is a gateway drug or will lead to the use and abuse of more addictive and harmful substances, many today understand that cannabis may be utilized as a harm reduction tool. 

    Whether its individuals looking to reduce or eliminate their use of opioids for medical reasons or people who use drugs seeking relief from withdrawal symptoms and cravings, research is increasingly finding that cannabis may help.

    In one of the more recent studies on the topic, researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) took a closer look at cannabis use and managing cravings to stimulant drugs. Ultimately their findings, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, indicated that cannabis is not only widely used to manage stimulant cravings but that it may be an effective strategy to reduce stimulant use.

    Cannabis as Harm Reduction for Other Drug Use

    Researchers note how medical and recreational cannabis reform has opened the door for other conversations, namely how cannabis use interacts with other higher risk substances and that cannabis substitution is a commonly utilized method of harm reduction. 

    Given today’s ongoing drug toxicity crisis and the prevalence of fentanyl contamination in a number of substances, researchers say that investigating cannabis as a substitute for stimulant use could have “important public health and harm reduction appliances among people who use drugs at a heightened risk of overdose and other drug-related harms.”

    To further analyze how cannabis use may affect people using stimulant drugs, researchers collected data from three cohorts in Vancouver, Canada: the At-Risk Youth Study (ARYS), the Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study (VIDUS) and the AIDS Care Cohort to Evaluate Exposure to Survival Services (ACCESS).

    Researchers used a cross-sectional questionnaire alongside logistic regression models to analyze the relationship between cannabis use to manage stimulant cravings as well as self-reported changes in the frequency of stimulant use. A total of 297 participants reported cannabis and stimulant use over the past six months and were included in the study. 

    Cannabis a Common Strategy to Reduce Stimulant Use

    Of the participants, 45.1% reported that they used cannabis to manage stimulant cravings and 77.6% of those participants said that cannabis use indeed decreased their use of stimulants, including powder cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamines. 

    Researchers noted that cannabis use to manage cravings was significantly associated with reduced stimulant use specifically among those who used crystal meth daily, though it was not significantly associated with reduced stimulant use among crack cocaine users.

    While the study doesn’t provide all the answers, lead author Dr. Hudson Reddon noted the importance of the results.

    “Our findings are not conclusive but do add to the growing scientific evidence that cannabis might be a beneficial tool for some people who want to better control their unregulated stimulant use, particularly for people who use crystal meth,” Dr. Reddon said. “This suggests a new direction for harm reduction strategies among people who use drugs.”

    Adjacent Research and the Push for Further Investigation

    While it’s surely an adjacent but far different issue, myriad research has explored the topic of cannabis as means to limit or replace opioids for medicinal use. 

    Recent studies have found that cannabis may be comparable to opioids in treating pain while providing more holistic relief and that patients largely reduce or fully replace opioid use after beginning a medicinal cannabis regimen. Another recent study also found that CBD curbed opioid cravings in rats.

    There is far less research available regarding the relationship between cannabis and recreational drug use and abuse, though the UBC study’s findings are still echoed in past studies. 

    A 2021 study similarly found that cannabis is commonly used as a harm reduction strategy to substitute for stimulants and opioids. Another 2023 study found that cannabis was often utilized as a harm reduction strategy for those who had difficulty accessing addiction treatment or those using substances where effective treatments are limited.

    Dr. Zach Walsh, a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, called the findings of the UBC study “promising” while emphasizing the need for further research on the topic.

    “[The findings] underscore the need for more comprehensive studies to understand the full potential of cannabis in the context of the overdose crisis,” Dr. Walsh said.

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    Keegan Williams

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  • New Research Explores Cannabis Use, Binge Eating | High Times

    New Research Explores Cannabis Use, Binge Eating | High Times

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    Just about everybody knows that smoking weed can result in a serious bout of the munchies now and then. Researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia are taking a deeper look at the phenomenon, however, with a new study that explores the possible connection between using cannabis and binge eating.

    The research, which was published recently in the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, investigated how often people subject to binge eating are also using cannabis recreationally. The study also explored whether people who use cannabis experience more severe symptoms of eating disorders or mental illness.

    Previous research has explored how using cannabis can affect a person’s eating habits. However, little is known about the impact that using weed can have on binge eating, which is defined as the experience of feeling out of control when eating or unable to stop eating. Prior studies have also found that cannabis use may increase the pleasure people receive from eating foods high in sugar or fat, suggesting that cannabis may play a role in binge eating.

    “Distinguishing the relationship between cannabis use, eating disorder severity and other psychiatric symptoms in binge eating patients is necessary for informing screening and clinical recommendations,” lead author Megan Wilkinson, a doctoral student in Drexel Univesity’s College of Arts and Sciences, told Drexel News.

    Nearly A Quarter of Binge Eaters Reported Recent Cannabis Use

    The new study involved a cohort of participants who were seeking treatment for binge eating. As part of the research, participants reported their use of alcohol and cannabis. The researchers found that more than 23% of the 165 participants reported using cannabis either “once or twice” or “monthly” during the previous three months, suggesting that cannabis use may be associated with binge eating. 

    The researchers learned that participants who used weed reported “a strong desire or urge to use cannabis.” They also drank alcohol more frequently and reported more problems related to their use of alcohol. However, the team of researchers noted that participants with eating disorders who were also cannabis users did not have more severe eating disorders or symptoms of depression.

    “Both alcohol and cannabis can impact an individual’s appetite and mood. Our finding that patients with binge eating who use cannabis also drink more alcohol may suggest that these individuals are at a higher risk for binge eating, given the compounded effects on appetite and mood from these substances,” Wilkinson said. “Treatments for binge eating should explore how substance use affects hunger, mood and eating for patients.”

    The study participants also completed interviews and surveys about their experience with binge eating, depression and symptoms of other eating disorders. The researchers then compared the results of participants who used cannabis with others who did not to determine if there were statistically significant differences in eating disorder symptoms, alcohol use or depression symptoms.

    The study’s findings indicate that a significant portion of those with binge eating disorders use cannabis and have a strong desire or urge to do so. The researchers also determined that for patients with binge eating disorders, cannabis use appears to be related to alcohol drinking patterns and problems with drinking such as requiring more and more alcohol to feel intoxicated and the inability to control drinking.

    “We hope this research is helpful for clinicians treating patients with binge eating, as it can provide them with updated information about the prevalence of cannabis use in their patients,” said Wilkinson. “We recommend that clinicians screen for cannabis and alcohol use in all their patients and assess any potential problems the patient may be experiencing related to their substance use.”

    The researchers noted that continued study of the relationship between cannabis and binge eating will be needed because of the evolving legal landscape and changing social norms surrounding cannabis. Wilkinson and her team are planning a new study to investigate how cannabis use may impact hunger and mood for people with binge eating, factors which could make binge eating symptoms worse.

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    A.J. Herrington

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  • Study: Same-Day Cannabis Use Improves Sleep for Users With Anxiety | High Times

    Study: Same-Day Cannabis Use Improves Sleep for Users With Anxiety | High Times

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    The relationship between cannabis and sleep is still widely debated. Research has found that cannabis can indeed help with sleep, and many consumers who use cannabis will also attest to its more sedative effects that combat symptoms like insomnia. One study even found that people are increasingly turning to cannabis instead of over-the-counter sleep aids.

    Conversely, other studies suggest the opposite, that cannabis use may impede sleep in some circumstances. Ultimately, it’s a complicated topic that seems to involve a number of variables, and like a bulk of cannabis research topics, our knowledge on cannabis and sleep is still growing.

    Though a recent study published in the journal Behavioral Sleep Medicine offers further proof that cannabis could help to improve sleep, specifically for consumers experiencing moderate anxiety who use cannabis the same day.

    Examining Cannabis Effects on Sleep for Consumers with Anxiety

    Interestingly enough, anxiety and cannabis tends to be another contentious and complex topic. While cannabis is widely known to potentially increase anxiety and related symptoms, research suggests that — once again — this can be a complex topic involving a number of variables. 

    Specifically, THC is known to increase anxiety at high doses, while CBD and/or low-dose THC tends to help reduce anxiety. There are also individual factors, broadly how one person may respond to cannabis as it pertain to anxiety versus another, that can come into play.

    Researchers note the varied evidence for both sleep and anxiety in the study abstract, along with the various outcomes pertaining to specific cannabinoids.

    “Cannabis is increasingly used to self-treat anxiety and related sleep problems, without clear evidence of either supporting or refuting its anxiolytic or sleep aid effects,” researchers write. “In addition, different forms of cannabis and primary cannabinoids delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have differing pharmacological effects.”

    To investigate the relationship between cannabis use, anxiety and sleep quality, University of Colorado-Boulder researchers examined a cohort of 348 adults with mild-to-moderate generalized anxiety symptoms. Subjects were instructed to consume either cannabis flower or edibles dominant in THC, CBD or combined equal ratios of both THC and CBD.

    To follow the progression of each participant through the experiment, individuals in the study completed daily online surveys for 30 days.

    A Growing Body of Literature on Cannabis, Sleep and Anxiety

    The study ultimately found that when participants reported cannabis use on a particular day, they also reported better sleep quality the following night. Researchers also noted that moderation analyses found better perceived sleep following cannabis use for respondents with higher baseline affective symptoms.

    The study also noted that respondents who used high-CBD edibles reported the highest perceived quality of sleep.

    Another recent study similarly examined how cannabis affects anxiety and sleep, looking to compare outcomes among patients prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) for generalized anxiety disorder, both with and without impaired sleep.

    The research noted an association between CBMPs and improvements in anxiety, along with improvements in sleep and health-related quality of life. Similar to the CU Boulder study, those with the most severe baseline anxiety were most likely to experience the highest clinical improvements in anxiety upon the final 12-month assessment.

    A similar study from 2023 found that CBMP prescriptions were associated with “clinically significant improvements in anxiety.” The study also noted improvements in sleep quality and quality of life at 1-, 3- and 6-month time points.

    Looking more closely at cannabis and sleep, particularly same-day cannabis use, another recent study conclude that cannabis use is associated with “same day improvements in self-reported sleep quality, but not pain or depressive symptoms, although sleep improvements occurred in the context of increased frequency of cannabis use, raising the risk for cannabis use disorder.”

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    Keegan Williams

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  • Munchies Explained Scientifically in New Study | High Times

    Munchies Explained Scientifically in New Study | High Times

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    A new study has found scientific evidence and further explanation for why cannabis increases and stimulates the appetite, more commonly known as “the munchies.”

    The study, championed by researchers at Washington State University and published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports was performed by administering vaporized cannabis sativa to mice, after which they scanned their brains using technology similar to an MRI machine to see how the mice reacted. 

    According to a press release, the researchers found that a particular set of neural cells in the hypothalamus of the mice, an area of the brain most associated with maintaining homeostasis in the body, was activated in the mice who were exposed to cannabis. The same neural cells did not appear to become activated in the mice who were not exposed to the cannabis vapor. 

    “When the mice are given cannabis, neurons come on that typically are not active,” said Jon Davis, an assistant professor of neuroscience at WSU and corresponding author on the paper. “There is something important happening in the hypothalamus after vapor cannabis.”

    Now, this is not the first study to associate cannabis use with hypothalamus stimulation. A 2015 study published in Nature found that activation of a certain cannabinoid receptor in the brain which in turn regulates a group of neurons that normally suppress appetite is believed to be what causes cannabis to increase hunger in its users. A 2019 study by UC Davis built on this knowledge by introducing vaporized cannabis as opposed to injected, as was used by most cannabis-related studies before it. The most recent study at Washington State University attempted to build on that knowledge in a bit of a different way. 

    The exact methods used by Davis and the Washington State University researchers were described in Scientific Reports using the following language: 

    “To determine how cannabis vapor affects temporal feeding patterns, we housed rats in metabolic chambers with real-time automated feeding measurement of meal frequency and meal size following exposure to air or a behaviorally characterized dose of cannabis vapor known to elicit feeding behavior,” the study said. “Further analysis of meal patterns revealed that cannabis vapor exposure promoted increased meal frequency and reduced meal size throughout the evaluation period, suggesting that inhaled cannabis may provoke motivational components of feeding.”

    Beyond the more-or-less direct association that inhaling cannabis vapor tends to increase appetite, the research team involved in this study took it a step further. They used what’s known as a “chemogenetic” technique, which according to the National Library of Medicine is “technique that allows for the reversible remote control of cell populations and neural circuitry via systemic injection or microinfusion of an activating ligand.” This is a very scientific and fancy way of saying that certain groups of cells can be turned on and off like a “light switch” as Washington State University described it. 

    This light switch technique was used to essentially block the effects of cannabis from the group of neurons that were lit up in the mice, scientifically known as Agouti Related Peptide (AgRP) neurons. Essentially, what they found was that cannabis increased appetite in mice who did not have these neurons turned off and had no effect on appetite when the neurons were blocked. 

    The researchers also found that cannabis managed to stimulate appetite in the mice without inhibiting their ability to move around, referred to as “locomotor activity.”

    “Our data demonstrate that inhalation of cannabis vapor augments the appetitive phases of feeding behavior as evidenced by an increase in the number of meals consumed, a decrease in meal size and enhanced effort-based responding for palatable food,” the study said. “Notably, these behavioral observations occurred in the absence of reduced locomotor activity, and in the presence of increased energy expenditure.”

    If all of that scientific jargon didn’t really make sense to you, Davis best summarized the findings of this study in the following, very succinct statement:

    “We now know one of the ways that the brain responds to recreational-type cannabis to promote appetite,” Davis said.

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    Patrick Maravelias

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  • Cannabis and Gun Rights: Predictions for the Future – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    Cannabis and Gun Rights: Predictions for the Future – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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  • Study: Canadian MJ Legalization Has No Association with Increasing Psychosis Rates | High Times

    Study: Canadian MJ Legalization Has No Association with Increasing Psychosis Rates | High Times

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    Amidst the growing cannabis reform across the West, there have been growing conversations surrounding cannabis-induced psychosis, suggesting that regular cannabis use and highly concentrated products may exacerbate mental health symptoms as access increases.

    However, a recent study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy took a closer look at shifting cannabis policy following Canada’s cannabis legalization in October 2018, ultimately finding no association with legalization and increasing rates of cannabis-related psychosis.

    The research suggests that, at least so far, changing cannabis legislation is not related to increasing cases of psychotic disorders, though researchers also cautioned that “a longer post-legalization observation period … is needed to fully understand the population-level impacts of non-medical cannabis legalization.”

    No Association Between Psychotic Disorders and Cannabis Reform

    The research highlights the concern that has made waves in recent years, with cannabis as a “risk factor in the onset and persistence of psychotic disorders” and the notion that recreational cannabis legalization could elevate these risks.

    A team of Canadian researchers examined regional changes in health services use and incidences of psychotic disorders over the months immediately following cannabis legalization through a cross-sectional interrupted time-series analysis from January 2014 to March 2020. 

    Researchers examined psychosis-related outpatient visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and inpatient length of stay along with incident cases of psychotic disorders among people aged 14 to 60 years.

    Ultimately, researchers did not find evidence of increase in health service use or incident cases of psychotic disorders over the short-term period, 17 months, following cannabis legalization. However, they noted “clear increasing trends in health service use and incident cases of substance-induced psychotic disorders” throughout the 2014-2020 observation window as a whole.

    “Our findings suggest that the initial period of tight market restriction following legalization of non-medical cannabis was not associated with an increase in health service use or frequency of psychotic disorders,” authors concluded, stressing the need for a longer, post-legalization observation period to fully understand the population-level impacts of legalization and reform. 

    “Thus, it would be premature to conclude that the legalization of non-medical cannabis did not lead to increases in health service use and incident cases of psychotic disorder,” they state.

    Further Proof That Legalization Does Not Increase Psychosis Instances

    The study adds to a growing body of research similarly affirming that cannabis reform is not associated with significant changes surrounding cannabis-induced psychosis.

    Another 2022 study looking at Canada’s cannabis legalization framework in relation to cannabis-induced psychosis and schizophrenia emergency department presentations also found that reform was not associated with these cases. Researchers still noted that there is a need for further research on the topic.

    Looking at the United States and recent reform trends, recent research has also suggested that states with legal cannabis programs do not have elevated rates of psychosis. A 2023 study looked at the relationship between adult-use cannabis legalization and psychosocial functioning among a cohort of 240 pairs of identical twins, with one residing in a state where adult-use cannabis was permitted and the other where it was criminally prohibited.

    While researchers noted a slight uptick in the frequency subjects reported cannabis use, they found that legalization was not positively correlated with increased psychotic or substance abuse disorder instances, along with other adverse outcomes. The research also found that those in legal cannabis states were less likely to engage with problematic alcohol use behaviors.

    Additionally, 2022 data examining a cohort of 233,000 European cannabis consumers found that cannabis consumption rarely triggers episodes of acute psychosis among those without a pre-existing psychiatric disorder. Authors reported that less than one-half of 1% of subjects reported ever having “cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms,” with those at higher risk being younger subjects and those with a prior diagnosis of bipolar, anxiety, or depressive disorder, or psychosis.

    Cannabis and Psychosis Messaging: Modern Resurgence of ‘Reefer Madness?’

    While further research on the topic is still needed, many cannabis professionals, experts and advocates have deemed the new trend of associating legal cannabis with newly onset psychosis symptoms as a modern-day form of “reefer madness.”

    Many have drawn comparisons of these modern-day conversations, associating legal cannabis with psychosis symptoms and mental health concerns, as mirroring the conversations had in the 1900s, when cannabis use became more prominent and broader messaging suggested that cannabis use and access innately carries greater mental health risks across populations.

    While research has found a correlation between schizophrenia and heavy cannabis use, and psychiatrists have also long known that substance abuse disorders carry psychiatric comorbidities, there is limited evidence showing how this relationship translates to the general population. There is also limited information surrounding how much substance use disorders are driven by such comorbidities.

    Studies have shown that heavy alcohol use can be shown to cause organic psychosis and dementia, though these potential risks typically don’t promote the idea of avoiding alcohol use entirely, especially among those who don’t already have associated risk factors.

    Paul Armentano, deputy director of pro-cannabis advocacy organization NORML, wrote about this topic last year, noting that those with certain psychiatric disorders or predispositions may carry additional risks of increased mental health symptoms when it comes to cannabis consumption, “but sensationalizing the potential risks of cannabis will do little to protect them.”

    “Calling for the re-criminalization of cannabis in state-legal markets won’t either,” Armentano writes. “Rather, the establishment of a regulated market designed to keep cannabis products away from young people, and that provides clear warnings to those specific populations who may be more vulnerable to its effects — coupled with a policy of consumer education — is the best way to protect public health and mitigate consumers’ risks.”

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    Keegan Williams

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  • There's No Heightened Cardiovascular Danger with Cannabis Use, Study Indicates | High Times

    There's No Heightened Cardiovascular Danger with Cannabis Use, Study Indicates | High Times

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    According to a study published in the journal Heart Rhythm, middle-aged adults who have a history of using cannabis are not at an elevated risk of experiencing atrial fibrillation (AFib), aka an irregular heartbeat, NORML reports. The relationship between cannabis and heart disease is currently under close scrutiny and attention. 

    This longitudinal study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. The team looked at the connection between cannabis use and AFib in a very large sample size, a group of over 150,000 individuals aged between 40 and 69. This group of people was made up of people who didn’t use cannabis, occasional users, and frequent cannabis users. They monitored participants over six years. The findings reveal no significant evidence suggesting that people who used cannabis had a bigger chance of developing atrial fibrillation compared to non-users.

    “Among a large, prospective cohort, we were unable to find evidence that occasional cannabis use [defined as more than 100 times] was associated with a higher risk of incident AF,” the study writes. “To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal cohort study to assess such recreational use and the first to report an absence of a relationship between cannabis use and risk of AF.”

    AFib is a heart rhythm disorder identifiable by a rapid and irregular beat of the heart’s upper chambers, aka the atria. This arrhythmia can cause disruptive, settling, and potential dangerous symptoms like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, or chest pain. Some people may not experience any symptoms at all. AFib is dangerous because it increases the risk of blood clots forming in the heart. These can then develop into strokes. Over time, AFib may also weaken the heart, which could result in heart failure. Before you panic and have an anxiety attack that you mistake for AFib, know that it needs to be diagnosed by a doctor and is done so using electrocardiograms (ECGs). The treatment for AFib is focused on controlling the heart rate to return to a normal heart rhythm using medications or medical interventions, in addition to lifestyle changes. 

    As NORML reports, in October, research findings suggested that middle-aged folks who use weed don’t have a higher risk of atherosclerosis, aka which is the hardening of the arteries, compared to those who have never used cannabis. This conclusion was backed up by a meta-analysis published in May, concludeding, “Cannabis use insignificantly predicts all major cardiovascular adverse events,” referring to conditions like myocardial infarction and stroke. However, at times, the data is conflicting. A contrasting report from September of 2024 in the journal Addiction highlighted that adults involved in problematic cannabis use do have a heightened risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. 

    As High Times reported, the research analyzed medical data from nearly 60,000 adults in Alberta, Canada. It specifically looked at diagnostic codes for “cannabis use disorder,” keep in mind, this is a publication with a focus on addiction. As High Times reported, they define cannabis use disorder as an inability to cease cannabis use despite negative consequences. 

    They compared these with codes for various cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes, occurring between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019.

    The study’s findings were a bit alarming: “Canadian adults with cannabis use disorder appear to have an approximately 60% higher risk of experiencing incident adverse cardiovascular disease events than those without cannabis use disorder,” it reported. “Importantly, this evidence suggests that cannabis use may place a healthier population at increased risk of major cardiovascular events. As a result, our study points to the importance of educating our patients about the potential risks associated with cannabis use and cannabis use disorder,” reads the study. 

    It additionally revealed that people diagnosed with cannabis use disorder who were otherwise deemed ‘healthy’ (having no co-occurring mental health disorders, doctor visits in the past six months, prescribed meds, or no other medical conditions) were at a greater risk for these cardiovascular events.

    But, to end on a more reassuring note, know that this too has conflicting evidence. Research published in August of 2023 in the American Journal of Cardiology indicates that middle-aged adults using cannabis are not at an increased risk of heart attack. The study, which compared people who used cannabis with non-cannabis users, found that individuals who consumed it monthly over the past year did not face a heightened risk of heart attack.  

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    Sophie Saint Thomas

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  • Cannabis use linked to higher risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, study finds – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

    Cannabis use linked to higher risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, study finds – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

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    Cannabis use linked to higher risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, study finds – Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news






























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    AggregatedNews

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  • New Study Suggests Cannabis Does Not Help Opioid Use Disorder | High Times

    New Study Suggests Cannabis Does Not Help Opioid Use Disorder | High Times

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    A long-term study on opioid addiction and cannabis use found little to no evidence that using cannabis can help addicts reduce or stop their long-term intake of illicit opioids. 

    The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, was led by researchers at the University of Sydney and followed over 600 heroin addicts for up to 20 years, monitoring their cannabis and heroin intake at regular intervals to try and associate a relationship, positive or negative, between the two. 

    “The Australian Treatment Outcome Study (ATOS) recruited 615 people with heroin dependence in 2001 and 2002 and reinterviewed them at 3, 12, 24, and 36 months as well as 11 and 18–20 years after baseline,” the study said. “Heroin and cannabis use were assessed at each time point using the Opiate Treatment Index. A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model analysis was conducted to identify within-person relationships between cannabis use and heroin use at subsequent follow-ups.”

    The results of the study did not find cannabis to be a statistically significant factor in reducing or ceasing a person’s opioid use, despite anecdotal evidence from addicts who claim the plant helps them use less opioids or stop using them altogether. The lead author of the study credited these misconceptions to the way previous studies were conducted, in that they only followed addicts for a short time and did not examine long-term impacts.

    “Our investigation shows that cannabis use remains common among this population, but it may not be an effective long term strategy for reducing opioid use ,” says lead author Dr. Jack Wilson, from The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, at the University of Sydney.

    “There are claims that cannabis may help decrease opioid use or help people with opioid use disorders keep up with treatment. But it’s crucial to note those studies examine short-term impact, and focus on treatment of chronic pain and pain management, rather than levels of opioid use in other contexts.”

    The study actually found data that indicated cannabis use may lead to further opioid use, particularly around the two-three year period of the study. 

    “After accounting for a range of demographic variables, other substance use, and mental and physical health measures, an increase in cannabis use 24 months after baseline was significantly associated with an increase in heroin use at 36 months,” the study said. 

    That said, the study did not go so far as to make a claim that cannabis use may increase heroin use, it merely mentioned the data. Rather, the results section of the study indicated that there simply was not a significant enough relationship in the data to draw any conclusive conclusions, if you will. 

    “Although there was some evidence of a significant relationship between cannabis and heroin use at earlier follow-ups, this was sparse and inconsistent across time points. Overall, there was insufficient evidence to suggest a unidirectional or bidirectional relationship between the use of these substances,” the study said. 

    Dr. Wilson indicated in a press release from the University of Sydney that based on previous available research there does not appear to be a one-size-fits-all solution to opiate addiction, a sentiment which was further reinforced by the results of this long-term study. 

    “Opioid use disorders are complex and unlikely to be resolved by a single treatment,” Dr Wilson said. “The best way to support them is evidence-based holistic approaches that look at the bigger picture, and include physical, psychological, and pharmacotherapy therapies.”

    Previous studies have found somewhat contradictory results compared to this one but as aforementioned, none of those studies were conducted for anywhere near as long. For instance, a study conducted through the University of Connecticut found evidence that cannabis users required less opioids while recovering from a particular major neck surgery. However, the study lasted less than a year and did include data on any possible adverse outcomes that may have occurred after the study, context which is important due to the nature of addicts to sometimes stumble into opiate addiction after having them prescribed for pain.

    Additionally, a 2022 study published in Substance Use and Misuse found that around four out of five patients who were prescribed opioids self-reported in a survey that they were able to reduce or cease their opiate intake using medical cannabis. However, this study was based on one survey and did not follow anyone long-term. That said, there have been several other studies that found similar, positive results. In general, the issue of cannabis as a potential replacement for opioids appears to be a mixed bag until more research is conducted. 

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    Patrick Maravelias

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  • Study: MMJ, Opioids Comparable in Treating Pain––Weed Carries More ‘Holistic’ Relief | High Times

    Study: MMJ, Opioids Comparable in Treating Pain––Weed Carries More ‘Holistic’ Relief | High Times

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    There has been plenty of recent research affirming that medical cannabis is indeed a suitable alternative to opioids, with many users finding they are able to reduce or eliminate opioid use entirely after maintaining a medical cannabis regimen. Now, one study is taking a closer look at the specific holistic effects that both medical cannabis and opioids provide to get more insight on the efficacy of each substance as it pertains to chronic pain management.

    The recent study, “The holistic effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in Finnish patients with chronic pain,” was conducted by a team of researchers from Åbo Akademi University, who looked into the effects of medical cannabis and opioids for chronic pain treatment.

    Published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, the study aimed to take a closer look at how effective medical cannabis is compared to traditional opioids in treating chronic pain, as cannabis use for symptom management has become increasingly more common in recent years. Results suggested that opioids and cannabis are both “equally efficacious” at mitigating pain intensity in patients with chronic pain, while cannabis offered more “holistic” relief in improving sleep, focus and emotional wellbeing

    Comparing Opioids and Medical Cannabis for Pain Relief

    To investigate the efficacy of both substances, researchers had subjects complete retrospective surveys to measure the positive and negative phenomenological effects of both cannabis and opioids. 

    The sample included 201 chronic pain patients, with 40 who used medical cannabis and 161 who used opioids to treat pain. Each group had some crossover, with about 45% of medical cannabis patients reporting the use of opioids to treat pain and about 4.3% of opioid users having used medical cannabis.

    Participants were asked to evaluate statements detailing positive and negative effects of their medications, with researchers comparing scores from the two groups.

    While neither opioids nor medical cannabis are first-line treatments for chronic pain, researchers noted that both are commonly used when other treatments cannot provide sufficient relief. Recreational users of cannabis or opioids or people who used either substance to treat conditions other than chronic pain were also “explicitly asked not to partake in the study.”

    The analysis revealed three experience factors: negative side effects, positive holistic effects and positive emotional effects. The medical cannabis group received higher scores than the opioid group in the positive emotional effects and holistic positive effects, with no difference in negative effects.

    Chronic Pain Treatment: Medical Cannabis More Beneficial Than Opioids?

    Ultimately, researchers concluded from the self-ported data that, while both medical cannabis and opioids were “perceived to be equally efficacious in reducing pain intensity,” medical cannabis positively affects broader factors related to pain, like emotion, functionality and an overall sense of wellbeing.

    “Both MC and opioids were perceived to reduce pain intensity equally well. The group differences support the hypothesis that the effects of [medical cannabis] on pain are more holistic than those of opioids,” authors state. The study also notes that the strongest difference between the two groups — which were more commonly reported in the medical cannabis group — were deeper relaxation, better sleep, improved mood and the ability to feel pain without reacting to it.

    “In sum, the results lend support to the notion that the psychoactive effects of MC are relevant to its therapeutic effect on pain, in line with suggestions in previous literature,” authors said. However, they noted that their use of “psychoactive” isn’t in reference to something producing an altered state of consciousness or distorting perception, but “instead something that holistically alters consciousness to a more positive direction, or towards ‘normality.’”

    Researchers also said that there were no indications of medical cannabis distorting cognitive processes. Instead, it was perceived to improve memory, focus and clarity of thought.

    “The results of the present study underline that the psychoactive effects of [medical cannabis] can be therapeutically positive and have beneficial effects on mood and functioning,” authors conclude. “However, this conclusion would require more robust testing, ideally in randomized controlled trials.”

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    Keegan Williams

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  • Scientists Find Weed Traces in 17th Century Italian Skeletons | High Times

    Scientists Find Weed Traces in 17th Century Italian Skeletons | High Times

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    Researchers in Italy have found evidence that cannabis was used by residents of Milan hundreds of years ago by studying bones from a 17th-century cemetery. In a report on the research, the scientists surmise that weed was likely used recreationally, noting that hospital records from the time do not include cannabis in an inventory of medicinal plants used in Milan in the 1600s.

    Medical records from the Middle Ages show that cannabis was used in Europe as an anesthetic and as a treatment for gout, urinary infections and other medical conditions. But in 1484, cannabis was banned in what is now Italy by a decree issued by Pope Innocent VIII. In it, the pope referred to cannabis as an “unholy sacrament” and banned the use of the herb by all Catholics. 

    Marco Peruca, a former Italian senator and founder of Science for Democracy, led a referendum to legalize cannabis in Italy in 2021. He told reporters that the papal decree and other bans on cannabis throughout history have led to a stigma against the plant.

    “This was a plant belonging to another culture and tradition that was intertwined with religion,” said Perduca, who says it traveled centuries ago to Italy from the eastern Mediterranean.

    “So anything and everything that had to do with a non-purely Christian set of rules…was supposed to be linked with paganism and movements not only against the Church, but against the [Holy Roman] Empire.”

    Definitive evidence of the use of cannabis in what is now Italy had not been found in the centuries that followed the papal ban. That changed, however, when researchers studied the femur bones from skeletons of people who lived in 1600s Milan. The remains had been buried in the Ca’ Granda Crypt, under a church annexed to the Ospedale Maggiore, the city’s most important hospital for the poor at the time, according to a report from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

    “We know that cannabis has been used in the past, but this is the first study ever to find traces of it in human bones,” said biologist and doctoral student Gaia Giordano at the University of Milan’s Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology (LABANOF) and Laboratory of Toxicological Investigation. “This is an important finding, because there are very few laboratories that can examine bones to find traces of drugs.”

    Study Investigates Historical Use of Recreational and Medicinal Plants

    The research, which was published in the December issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Archaeological Science, attempted to discover traces of plants used for medical or recreational purposes by residents of 17th-century Milan. The results of the research can help fill in the gaps in the historical records of plants used for medicinal or recreational purposes.

    “Toxicological investigations on historical and archaeological remains are rare in literature but constitute a different and potent tool for reconstructing the past, and in particular for better understanding remedies and habits of past populations,” the researchers wrote in the introduction to the study. “Archeotoxicological analyses have been performed on hair samples collected from pre-Columbian Peruvian mummies revealing the presence of cocaine or nicotine.”

    To conduct the research, scientists studied nine femur bones from the cemetery in Milan. Two of the bones, one from a woman in her 50s and another from a teenage boy, contained traces of the cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), direct evidence that the two people had used cannabis.

    “The results obtained on bone samples showed the presence of two molecules, Delta-9-THC and CBD, highlighting the administration of cannabis,” the researchers wrote. “These results, to the best of our knowledge, constitute the first report on the detection of cannabis in historical and archaeological human osteological remains. Indeed, according to the literature, this plant has never been detected in ancient bone samples.”

    The researchers note that the findings suggest that people of all ages and genders used cannabis at the time. An analysis of the medical records of the Ospedale Maggiore did not include cannabis among its records of healing plants used at the time, leading the researchers to conclude that cannabis was used recreationally. The researchers believe that cannabis may have been added to foods as a way to relax and escape the realities of the time.

    “Life was especially tough in Milan in the 17th century,” archaeotoxicologist Domenico di Candia, who led the study, told the newspaper Corriere della Sera. “Famine, disease, poverty and almost nonexistent hygiene were widespread.”

    Italy was a major producer of hemp for use in rope, textiles and paper for centuries. Peruca notes that the popularity of hemp in Italy throughout history makes it likely the plant was also used for its psychoactive effects.

    “People used to smoke and make ‘decotta,’ or boiled water, with all kinds of leaves, so it is very difficult to identify what was the habit back then,” Peruca said. “But because hemp was used for so many industries, it’s possible that people knew those plants could also be smoked or drunk.”

    This is not the first time the researchers have studied human remains to find evidence of historical drug use. In an earlier study, Giordano found traces of opium in cranial bones and well-preserved brain tissue.

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    A.J. Herrington

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