New Strains Alert: Monolith, Hoarfrost, Orange Durban, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is just in time for the Feast of St. Stretchy Pants, also known as Thanksgiving. Spilling over like some stinky cornucopia, this list of strains is packed with the resinous bounty of Mother Nature herself. Enjoy a double dose of grape goodness in Grape Drink and Concord Grape Blockhead. If […]
Olivia’s Story – Cannabis and Epilepsy
From birth, doctors were sure Olivia’s lack of cerebral cortex and severe underdevelopment in her brain would yield an abbreviated life. After four years of testing and endless doctor’s visits, Olivia was diagnosed with pyruvic dehydrogenase deficiency, a genetic neurodegenerative disease that prevents cells from fully metabolizing glucose, affecting energy production and increasing the buildup […]
Hawaii County Resolution to Decriminalize Cannabis
November 2nd, 2016 – Hawaii County Lead by Council member Margaret Willie the Hawaii County Council voted to urge the Hawaii State Legislature to; 1) Establishing possession of marijuana of one ounce or less as a civil violation; 2) Directing that violations be punishable by fines and or community service; and 3) Directing that civil […]
New Strains Alert: Jack’s Dream, Hades Haze, Enemy of the State, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is steeped in mysterious genetic crosses. Ginger Ale, whose grandparent genetics remain unclear, is quickly gaining a reputation as a heavy-hitting hybrid with a potent, effervescent euphoria and a second-to-none sedation that bubbles up throughout the body. Elephant, an old school sativa known for its mammoth buds, is making a comeback […]
California and Washington Cultivation Compliance – Guide and Law
In California, The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is the lead agency for the promulgation of rules and the issuing of licenses for cultivation according to the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), “a community based, non-profit organization that advocates for science-based protection and restoration of Northwest California’s Forests”. Starting in 2018 the Department of […]
New Strains Alert: Pineapple Fields, Purple Pinecone, Fruity Widow, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is a terpene-rich “Hail to the Chief!” Whomever you voted for and whether or not they won or lost, this list of pungent flowers has a flavor or effect for you. Angel OG is a fruity twist on a classic OG cross, offering deep sedation and a berry undertone. Ultra […]
Medical Marijuana Through The Eyes And Suffering Of Those Who Need It Most
There is only one question we should be asking ourselves in the debate over medical marijuana. That question should be, To what lengths would you go to save your loved one? I hope your answer is that you would do whatever it takes to not see the person you love suffer. It’s time to let […]
Whistler Marijuana Grower Runs Fully Certified Organic Grow House
As a 14-year-old loading soil at a Quebec poinsettia greenhouse, David Bernard-Perron never would have expected he’d grow up to be the lead agronomist for a marijuana company in Whistler. But at 29, that’s exactly what he’s doing, and the company he works for is at the forefront of quickly growing industry. Bernard-Perron says the poinsettia job can […]
New Strains Alert: Dolla Sign OG Kush, Gummy Bears, Sirius Black, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is a full house! Ty Dolla $ign is in the living room rolling up his own dank OG cross (of Irene OG x Larry OG) that, like his phat beats, is next-level fire; Sirius Black is in the kitchen casting spells on the herb garden; The Wife is upstairs on […]
New Strains Alert: Vader OG, Alien Rift, Blue Ox, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert delivers a collection of up-and-coming classics from Ocean Grown Seeds and dishes up a few white-hot user-submitted strains for the weekend. Sequoia Strawberry is a fantastic fruity cross of White Strawberry and White Nightmare that will put a sizzle in your brain and some pep in your step. If you […]
New Strains Alert: Cali Jack, Ultra Banana, Blue Wonder, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is stacked high with fruity genetics. Grape Calyx by Calyx Garden is a nuanced complex of strains that has been in development since 2012 and offers deep Kush and Cookies elements for the refined cannabis connoisseur. Ninja Fruit from our pals at Ocean Grown Seeds reeks of a phenomenal Haze […]
New Strains Alert: Cali Jack, Ultra Banana, Blue Wonder, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is stacked high with fruity genetics. Grape Calyx by Calyx Garden is a nuanced complex of strains that has been in development since 2012 and offers deep Kush and Cookies elements for the refined cannabis connoisseur. Ninja Fruit from our pals at Ocean Grown Seeds reeks of a phenomenal Haze […]
Kauai Deputy Chief on Medical Marijuana Oversight Group
Stakeholders to develop, improve legislation; first meeting slated Wednesday in Honolulu The group tasked with developing and recommending legislation to improve the medical marijuana system to ensure safe and legal access to qualifying patients is scheduled to have its first meeting in Honolulu on Wednesday. The Act 230 Medical Marijuana Legislative Oversight Working Group will […]
New Strains Alert: Sonic Screwdriver, Lemonder, Golden Gage, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert includes some local favorites alongside a few up and coming heavy hitters. We’ve added some outstanding OG crosses, including Lemonder (Lavender x OG Kush) and Chem D.O.G. (Chemdawg x OG Kush). With complex terpene profiles and the right balance of heavy and heady, these OG’s are ready for the weekend. […]
New Strains Alert: Grape Cookies, Lemon Larry Lavender, Super G, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert has some fruity and floral favorites for the discerning cannabis consumer. Lemon Larry (AKA Larry OG) is a phenomenal citrus-loaded Kush cut that gains potency and dimension through the addition of the Linalool-rich genetics of Lavender. If berries are more your style, dig into the sweet, resinous foliage of Appalachian […]
WA: My Interview With “Terminal” Brain-Cancer Patient/Mother Saved By Cannabis
During the pregnancy of her 5th child, a young Washington mother named Jessamyn Way developed terrible migraine headaches, fainting spells, and blood pressure problems. After the birth of her child, she was sent to a Hospital ER where a CAT scan revealed that she had a brain tumor deep within her skull. She was told […]
Hawai’i Cannabis Awareness Expo 2016
Mahalo for Being You. We couldn’t fit all the gratitude on one page so we create a special mahalo page. Please check it out and give thanks for all the attendees, patients, caregivers, sponsors, presenters, volunteers, vendors, artists and other local businesses who made this event successful. Visit the Hawaii Cannabis Gratitude page. Educational Conference Classes […]
Canada: How Medicinal Cannabis Helped A Cancer Survivor Live Again
Radiation treatment for Kelly Oliphant’s Stage 4 prostate cancer left him with radiation colitis and cystitis. “I have, from one hip to the other in the front, a six-inch belt that burns constantly,” Oliphant explains. “It’s like having a sunburn on the inside of your skin. One doctor related it to having shingles.” Oliphant endured […]
Guam: Physicians Remain Silent On Medical Pot Program
A pair of bills to establish guidelines for Guam’s stalled medical marijuana program are likely to go before lawmakers for debate during their October session. Voters approved the Joaquin KC Concepcion II Compassionate Cannabis Use Act in the 2014 General Election, and the Department of Public Health and Social Services drafted the rules and regulations […]
Family Frustrated With Slow Pace Of Medical Marijuana In Ohio
Dayton, Ohio – Medical marijuana is now the law in Ohio but parents with sick children, especially those suffering from debilitating seizures, said they were frustrated because it may still take up to two years before they have access to the drug. Lindsay Sandlin was just 9-years-old when her parents started pushing for the passage […]
How to Make a Joint Burn Slower and Last Longer
Proper joint rolling is considered a fine art in many social circles. There’s something special about a properly rolled, evenly burning joint that seems to last as long as you want it to. Unfortunately, not all of us have the magic green touch and joint rolling can be somewhat of a cumbersome task. One opportunity […]
5 Experts Weigh in on Cannabis Concentrates and How to Use Them
This article is sponsored by Firefly, a San Francisco-based technology company that specializes in the research, design, and manufacturing of vaporizer hardware. Cannabis concentrates aren’t going anywhere. This segment of the market – which includes waxes, shatters, hash oils, rosins, tinctures, and more – is expanding at lightning speed, and may give us the most compelling vision […]
NSW: Medicinal-Cannabis Trials At Calvary Mater Newcastle And John Hunter Hospitals
The NSW government will begin a medicinal-cannabis trial at the Calvary Mater Newcastle hospital for patients with advanced cancer “in the coming months”. “Researchers are finalising the necessary arrangements to enrol the first patients soon,” a spokeswoman for the government’s Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation said. “The researchers are importing a leaf product, […]
Could Marijuana Become A Treatment For Heroin Addicts?
Is marijuana a gateway drug? Carrie Roberts sure hopes so. Roberts, a consultant with Colorado-based Medicine Man Technologies, doesn’t believe that marijuana use leads to abuse of harder drugs, though. Instead, she thinks it might present a gateway out of risky drug use for people struggling with opioid dependency. “I think we could save a […]
US Government Has Been Funding This Israeli Cannabis Researcher For 50 Years
As many Americans approach November 4 with a sense of dread, facing the fact that either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be the next president, much more hopeful things will be going on that day. Residents in at least nine states will be voting on ballot initiatives to legalize recreational or medical cannabis use. […]
Before And After Affects As Man Takes Cannabis For Parkinson’s Tremors
A stunning video has been made by a man living with Parkinson’s Disease to demonstrate the relief he gets from using cannabis to self-treat his symptoms. Ian Frizell has posted a short film to show why he supports the drug’s legalisation, calling for MPs to back its legal use for treating medical conditions. He said, […]
New Strains Alert: Space Cream, Mother’s Milk, Pink Lemonade, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is a full house of hybrid buds that reach toward indica or sativa dominance but don’t quite hit the mark. That’s not to say the effects of these strains are weak or without nuance, but rather an illustration of the middle ground they inhabit with their complementary mental and physical […]
Autistic Boy Gains Ability To Speak After Just 2 Days Of Cannabis Oil Treatment
At 10 months of age, Kalel Santiago of Puerto Rico was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma. He endured chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and surgery for two years – and survived. Then he was diagnosed with something permanent: severe autism that disabled him from speaking. “While he was in the hospital, we noticed […]
MO: KCMO Mom Wants Medical Marijuana For Her Son’s Severe Epilepsy
Kansas City, Mo. – A Kansas City mom wants Missouri voters to legalize medical marijuana for patients who need it, like her son with severe epilepsy, but politicians are blocking it from going on November’s ballot. “I’m very upset because these elected politicians are trying to stop something that we the people who put them […]
PA: Medical Marijuana Stopped Brenden’s Epileptic Seizures
Dingmans Ferry When Brenden Doran of Dingmans Ferry was only three weeks old, he got very sick. When he threw up, the contents of his stomach flew five feet from his bassinet. He was losing weight. Doctors prescribed medicine but it didn’t work. It took weeks before they identified the problem: pyloric stenosis, the narrowing […]
CBD Oil Is Shaking Up The Medical Cannabis Industry
Corinne Malanca credits CBD oil with saving her father’s life. Five years ago, Stan Rutner underwent chemotherapy for Stage 4 lung cancer. After treatment, an inoperable brain tumor was found and he fell sick with pneumonia caused by his radiation treatments. Thinking Rutner only had weeks to live, Malanca turned to the internet for answers. […]
How Medical Cannabis Changed My Life
Medical cannabis is slowly becoming part of the mainstream discussion in the UK. The NHS is trialling a cannabis vape pen, you can now buy medical oils with a high CBD content (the chemical in weed that helps mitigate the symptoms of lots of nasty ailments) and just last week a parliamentary report recommended that […]
Sign-ups Open for Fall 2016 Emerald Scientific Cannabis Proficiency Testing
PRESS RELEASESAN LUIS OBISPO, CA, September 14, 2016 – Cannabis testing labs across the United States are signing up for the Fall 2016 Emerald Test Inter-labComparison and Proficiency Test (ILC/PT), in an effort to advance quality assurance in the industry. Labs interested in joining the contest have until September 21 to registerthrough the Emerald Test […]
Advocates urge state to speed up medical marijuana card processing
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The state’s Medical Marijuana Registry office only has a handful of workers, and they’re responsible for keeping up with the growing demand for medical marijuana cards. The small staff processes and verifies approximately 1,200 applications a month. Once patients get a card, they’re allowed to legally obtain medical marijuana. “Every single app that […]
Two Dutch Coffeeshops Now Offering Lab Results to Customers
Dutch cannabis sales are moving into the 21st century despite the industry’s legal status being stuck in a bygone era. Before long, buds of dubious provenance may become relics of the past. Two Dutch coffeeshops have begun providing customers with extensive information about the cannabis they sell, including lab-verified cannabinoid content, strain information, batch numbers, […]
How Backyard Pot Farming Is Helping Kids With Autism
Karlee lives in a quiet town in southeastern Washington. Last year, she put in a new cedar fence around her home. The fence is 6 feet tall, and behind it Karlee grows tomatoes, zucchini, and marijuana. As it matures, the sweet smell of pot starts to waft into the neighborhood. This is Karlee’s cue that […]
New Strains Alert: Moloka’i Frost, Sour Joker, Stardawg Guava, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is a surprisingly sativa-dominant bouquet of flowers from Hawai’i, the circus, and a galaxy far, far away. We’ve added three distinct Hawaiian landrace strains that are loaded with tropical terpenes and history. For all the Chemdawg enthusiasts, dig into some Stardawg Guava, which combines two awesome Chemdawg cuts, Chemdawg 4 […]
How to Prevent Enforcement Interference in Your Cannabis Organization
MJ Freeway Program Manager, Tony Reese and Operations Consultant, Tyler Stratford share clear, actionable tips that you can implement immediately. They discuss compliance as a company culture, how to reduce risk, record keeping best practices, and more. Written by Jasmine on August 16, 2016 http://youtu.be/NjTYVNr1wbk
Identifying Old or Bad Cannabis Past its Shelf Life
Cannabis can have an indefinite shelf life, but only if all of the proper conditions have been met. For cannabis to truly stand the sands of time, one must not only handle each process of the growth and harvest cycle carefully, but also store the cannabis properly. If all of these conditions are met, one could […]
These Factors Can Impact How Quickly or Slowly Your Cannabis Burns
It doesn’t take much to experience an enjoyable cannabis smoking session — some fine cannabis flower, a smoking apparatus with the appropriate heating mechanism, and perhaps a grinder are all that are really needed. Once everything is ready to go, however, there are a few variables that still may go awry, such as your cannabis […]
New Strains Alert: Biochem, Sun Ra, White Durban, and More
It’s a new week at Leafly and you know what that means…New Strains Alert, baby! This week we’ve added a Tangerine Haze cross called Tangenesia, Biochem for all the Chemdawg faithful, a couple entries from Tahoe Hydro, and more. Dig in and drop a comment if you’ve had the pleasure of any of these fine […]
Living Soil 101
There are many different ways to ensure you are maximizing your yield while also staying sustainable in your grow. While there are certainly various options out there , living soil is one we keep hearing about in the cannabis industry as being one of the best. This guide was concise and fairly simple to understand, […]
New Strains Alert: Thelonious Skunk, Gorilla Biscuit, Apple Jack, and More
This week’s New Strains Alert is brought to you by you, the Leafly community! Thelonious Skunk, Sugar Pine, Apple Jack, Gorilla Biscuit, and others made this list via submissions to Leafly by growers, seed banks, and consumers, just like you. Here at Leafly we seek to share the communal knowledge of this wondrous flower and […]
Protecting Your Cannabis Plants During a Hurricane
The Coriolis acceleration assures hurricanes North the of the equator, spin counter-clockwise. Most hurricanes in Hawaii come from the South across Hawaii Nei. Wind is extremely variable during storms in Hawaii and is largely dependent on the geography of the area you live. Regardless, know where the prevailing winds will blow and place your plants […]
Talking Law with David Sereno: Medical Marijuana on Maui
Hawai‘i’s Medical Marijuana Registry Program was signed into law in 2000, making Hawaii the first state to legalize medical-use cannabis via the legislature, as opposed to voter initiative. In 2015, Hawai‘i created the Medical Marijuana Dispensary Program, which gives permitted patients places to buy their cannabis. The program is administered by the state Department of Health, which will […]
Cannabis reduces short-term motivation to work for money
Smoking the equivalent of a single ‘spliff’ of cannabis makes people less willing to work for money while ‘high’, finds a new UCL study. The research, published in Psychopharmacology, is the first to reliably demonstrate the short-term effects of cannabis on motivation in humans. The researchers also tested motivation in people who were addicted to […]
This Overdose Awareness Day, Let’s Commit to Making Fatal Drug Overdoses a Thing of the Past
August 31, 2016– By Morgan Humphrey Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. Numerous families and friends will come together today to remember loved ones lost due to the failed war on drugs. Forty-plus years of ineffective policies have left millions without treatment and proven life-saving measures. The results are staggering: according to the CDC, in […]
How to Save a Life: Recognize an Overdose
August 31, 2016– By Stefanie Jones Whether or not you’re someone who uses alcohol or other drugs, undoubtedly you will be around people who do at some point. And being able to recognize when something’s gone wrong is the first step toward being able to take action – and possibly save a life. That’s why […]
ON: Nurses Won’t Give Cannabis Oil To Son Who Suffers Seizures, Toronto Mom Says
A Toronto mother whose son suffers from chronic seizures due to a rare genetic condition is frustrated that some nurses in Toronto hospitals have refused to administer cannabis oil, which she says brings him relief. Maria Niembro, mother of 11-year-old Francesco, told CBC’s Metro Morning on Monday that she has to administer the cannabis oil […]
Prenatal Cannabis Exposure – The “First Hit” to the Endocannabinoid System.
As more states and countries legalize medical and/or adult recreational marijuana use, the incidences of Prenatal Cannabis Exposure (PCE) will likely increase. While young people increasingly view marijuana as innocuous, marijuana preparations have been growing in potency in recent years, potentially creating global clinical, public health, and workforce concerns. Unlike fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, there […]
Delineating the Efficacy of a Cannabis-Based Medicine at Advanced Stages of Dementia in a Murine Model.
Previous reports have demonstrated that the combination of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) botanical extracts, which are the components of an already approved cannabis-based medicine, reduce the Alzheimer-like phenotype of AβPP/PS1 transgenic mice when chronically administered during the early symptomatic stage. Here, we provide evidence that such natural cannabinoids are still effective in reducing memory […]
The endocannabinoid anandamide impairs in vitro decidualization of human cells.
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are endogenous mediators that along with the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), a membrane transporter and metabolic enzymes form the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Several eCBs have been discovered with emphasis on anandamide (AEA). They are involved in several biological processes such as energy balance, immune response and reproduction. Decidualization occurs during the secretory […]
My Struggle With PTSD
“I couldn’t help but notice your Pain…. It runs deep, share it with me.” -Tupac Shakur, “Pain” What is Pain? Seems to be a straight up question, but can you describe it? I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time now, and I am still hung up. How does one interpret their own pain, […]
Effects of continuation, frequency, and type of cannabis use on relapse in the first 2 years after onset of psychosis: an observational study.
BACKGROUND: Although cannabis use after a first episode of psychosis has been associated with relapse, little is known about the determinants of this most preventable risk factor for relapse of psychosis. Here we aimed to study whether the effects on outcome vary depending on the type of cannabis consumed and usage pattern. METHODS: In this […]
The gastrointestinal tract – a central organ of cannabinoid signaling in health and disease.
BACKGROUND: In ancient medicine, extracts of the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa were used against diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Today, our knowledge of the ingredients of the Cannabis plant has remarkably advanced enabling us to use a variety of herbal and synthetic cannabinoid (CB) compounds to study the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a physiologic entity […]
The use of rapid review methods in health technology assessments: 3 case studies.
BACKGROUND: Rapid reviews are of increasing importance within health technology assessment due to time and resource constraints. There are many rapid review methods available although there is little guidance as to the most suitable methods. We present three case studies employing differing methods to suit the evidence base for each review and outline some issues […]
What’s the Best Strain for Crohn’s Disease?
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease 12 years ago and got my first medical cannabis card in California around the same time. I have written about it online and I happily talk about it whenever prompted. I am frequently asked the same question, “what’s the best strain for Crohn’s Disease?” First and foremost, I am […]
Opiate Addiction Experts Turn To Marijuana As Safer Alternative To Pain Relief
The U.S. is in the grips of a well-documented opiate epidemic. More people in the country now die from heroin and prescription opiates than they do from car accidents. In 2014, nearly 19,000 fatal overdoses were related to legal opiates like Oxycontin and Vicodin, and according to the Center for Disease Control, at least half […]
Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility.
Marijuana has the highest consumption rate among all of the illicit drugs used in the USA, and its popularity as both a recreational and medicinal drug is increasing especially among men of reproductive age. Male factor infertility is on the increase, and the exposure to the cannabinoid compounds released by marijuana could be a contributing […]
Researchers find new role for cannabinoids in vision
A multidisciplinary team including researchers from the Montreal Neurological Institute has improved our understanding of how cannabinoids, the active agent in marijuana, affect vision in vertebrates. Scientists used a variety of methods to test how tadpoles react to visual stimuli when they’ve been exposed to increased levels of exogenous or endogenous cannabinoids. Exogenous cannabinoids are […]
Cannabis and a lower BMI in psychosis: What is the role of AKT1?
Cannabis use has been associated with favorable outcomes on metabolic risk factors. The cause of this relation is still unknown. In this study we investigated whether this effect is mediated by the AKT1 gene, as activation of the related enzyme by cannabis may cause metabolic changes. Six Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AKT1 gene […]
Reflection of socio-economic changes in wastewater: licit and illicit drug use patterns.
The economic crisis plaguing Greece was expected to impact consumption of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs – a priori to an unknown extent. We quantified the change of use for various classes of licit and illicit drugs by monitoring Athens’ wastewater from 2010 to 2014. A high increase in the use of psychoactive drugs was detected […]
Marijuana Smoking in Patients With Leukemia.
Worldwide, marijuana (cannabis) is a widely used drug. The incidence of marijuana smoking is increasing and is second only to tobacco as the most widely smoked substance in the general population. It is also the second most commonly used recreational drug after alcohol. Some adverse effects of marijuana smoking have been documented; however, the number […]
Definitions of Risky and Problematic Cannabis Use: A Systematic Review.
Although cannabis is widely used, it remains unclear which consumption patterns are more likely to produce future consequences (risky/hazardous use) or current damage (problematic/harmful use). This unresolved issue contributes to cannabis public health implications. In order to facilitate further consensus, this review analyzes previously used definitions in the literature. METHODS: This systematic review was performed […]
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol decreases willingness to exert cognitive effort in male rats.
BACKGROUND: Acceptance of cannabis use is growing. However, prolonged use is associated with diminished psychosocial outcomes, potentially mediated by drug-induced cognitive impairments. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, yet other phytocannabinoids in the plant, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have unique properties. Given that CBD can modulate the undesirable effects of THC, therapeutic […]
THC in marijuana makes rats lazy, less willing to try cognitively demanding tasks
New research from the University of British Columbia suggests there may be some truth to the belief that marijuana use causes laziness — at least in rats. The study, published today in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, found that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, makes rats less willing to try a […]
Brain imaging studies on the cognitive, pharmacological and neurobiological effects of cannabis in humans: Evidence from studies of adult users.
Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug worldwide. Regular cannabis use has been associated with a range of acute and chronic mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, psychotic symptoms and neurocognitive impairments and their neural mechanisms need to be examined. This review summarizes and critically evaluates brain-imaging studies of cannabis in recreational and […]
Pharmacological Treatment of Cannabis-Related Disorders: A Narrative Review.
BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit psychoactive substance world-wide, yet no medication is approved for the treatment of intoxication, withdrawal, or cannabis use disorder (CUD). OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively review the current state of knowledge. METHOD: Search of the PubMed electronic data base and review of reference lists of relevant articles to identify controlled […]
The problematic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in adolescents by the cross sectional JOITIC study.
BACKGROUND: The emerging field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has brought about new interaction styles. Its excessive use may lead to addictive behaviours. The objective is to determine the prevalence of the problematic use of ICT such as Internet, mobile phones and video games, among adolescents enrolled in mandatory Secondary Education (ESO in Spanish) […]
Child Restraint Use and Driver Screening in Fatal Crashes Involving Drugs and Alcohol.
BACKGROUND: There are reports that the incidence of alcohol-involved crashes has remained stable among fatally injured drivers while drug involvement has increased in recent years. METHODS: Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) from 2010 to 2013 were used to examine drug and alcohol status of drivers (N = 10 864) of 4-wheeled passenger vehicles […]
Cannabinoids and post-traumatic stress disorder: clinical and preclinical evidence for treatment and prevention.
There is substantial evidence from studies in humans and animal models for a role of the endocannabinoid system in the control of emotional states. Several studies have shown an association between exposure to trauma and substance use. Specifically, it has been shown that there is increased prevalence of cannabis use in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) […]
Dominant psychoactive drugs in the Central European region: A wastewater study.
The aim of this study was to analyze 26 various illicit drugs, psychopharmaceuticals and metabolites thereof in sewer from 17 selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Slovak and Czech Republics. Urinary bio-markers used were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with the tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We then compared our results with data obtained in […]
Cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonism ameliorates harmaline-induced essential tremor in rat.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder with unknown etiology. Its symptoms include cerebellar motor disturbances, cognitive and personality changes, hearing and olfactory deficits. Excitotoxic cerebellar climbing fibre hyperactivity may underlie essential tremor and has been emulated in rodents by systemic harmaline administration. Cannabinoid receptor agonists can cause motor disturbances although there […]
Health Department Seeking Input For Implementation Of PA’s Medical Marijuana Program
Harrisburg – Health Secretary Dr. Karen Murphy has provided an update on the implementation status of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program and announced the department is seeking input on its draft temporary regulations for growers and processors. “The Department of Health is being very thoughtful and thorough in developing this complex patient and medically-focused program,” said […]
Contribution of health motive to cannabis use among high-school students.
The Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM), which is derived from a scale measuring alcohol use motives, has been the main instrument used to explore the role of motives in cannabis use and related problems. Two studies attempted to developed specific cannabis use motives but none of them showed a unique association to cannabis use and problems […]
First-Ever Delivery Of Theraputic Cannabis In NW Florida Hoped To Improve Boy’s Life
Shalimar, Fla. – It’s called CBD Oil: short for Cannabidiol. And it was specially delivered this week to a little boy, JJ, short for Jonathan Junior. The parents of the nine year-old were presented with the first-ever delivery of cannabis oil in Northwest Florida. Their son was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy called […]
DEA Ends Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana Research Monopoly
Countless activists, researchers and enthusiasts let out a collective whimper when the Drug Enforcement Administration upheld a 46-year-old policy of classifying marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic with no medicinal properties. But then, federal officials did something utterly unexpected and loosened restrictions on the cultivation of marijuana for research purposes. While that might sound counterintuitive, […]
Psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity: a European case series.
BACKGROUND: Psychosis can be associated with acute recreational drug and novel psychoactive substance (NPS) toxicity. However, there is limited data available on how common this is and which drugs are most frequently implicated. We describe a European case series of psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity, and estimate the frequency of psychosis for different […]
Long term stability of cannabinoids in oral fluid after controlled cannabis administration.
Cannabinoid stability in oral fluid (OF) is important for assuring accurate results since OF has become a valid alternative matrix of choice for drug testing. We previously published OF cannabinoid stability studies using Quantisal™, Oral-Eze®, and StatSure™ devices stored at room temperature for 1 week, 4 °C for up to 4 weeks and in -20 °C up to 24 weeks. […]
U-shaped curve of psychosis according to cannabis use: New evidence from a snowball sample.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) assessed using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experience (CAPE) questionnaire and the pattern of cannabis use in a non-clinical sample collected by snowball sampling. METHODS: Our sample was composed of 204 subjects, distributed into three groups by their cannabis use […]
Discussing prevalence, impacts, and treatment of substance use disorders in athletes.
The consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs has become a concern in high-performance athletes. Professional athletes are more exposed to drugs than the general population. Although some drugs are unquestionably detrimental to performance, several studies have nevertheless shown evidence of increased consumption of these substances within this sub-population. This review aimed to elucidate alcohol, […]
Premature responses in the five-choice serial reaction time task reflect rodents' temporal strategies: evidence from no-light and pharmacological challenges.
RATIONALE: The five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is regularly used to study attention and impulsivity. In the 5-CSRTT, rodents initiate a trial, then after an inter-trial interval (ITI), a light appears in one of five holes. Responding in the lit vs. unlit hole reflects attention (accuracy), while responding prematurely before a light appears is […]
Exploring Marijuana Advertising on Weedmaps, a Popular Online Directory.
With an increase in the legalization of recreational marijuana across the USA, advertising for marijuana products is more widespread, especially on the Internet where such practices pose a regulatory challenge. In this study, we examined the content of marijuana advertising on Weedmaps, a popular website that markets marijuana retailers online. A total of 146 recreational […]
Premorbid cannabis use is associated with more symptoms and poorer functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
BACKGROUND: Cannabis use disorder is associated with an earlier age at onset and a more severe outcome of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The role of cannabis use before the onset of illness (premorbid cannabis use) has not been fully investigated. We here examined how amount and type of premorbid cannabis use was associated with the later […]
Occurrence of illicit drugs and selected pharmaceuticals in Slovak municipal wastewater.
We analyzed illicit drugs and their metabolites and pharmaceuticals in wastewater from 15 selected wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Slovakia. Our results indicate that methamphetamine is one of the most commonly used illegal drugs in all the regions of Slovakia monitored in this study. Compared with the international results, the Slovak cities of Dunajská Streda […]
Rapid identification of drug-type strains in Cannabis sativa using loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.
In Cannabis sativa L., tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive compound and exists as the carboxylated form, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). C. sativa is divided into two strains based on THCA content-THCA-rich (drug-type) strains and THCA-poor (fiber-type) strains. Both strains are prohibited by law in many countries including Japan, whereas the drug-type strains are regulated in […]
Cannabis Use and Associated Harms among Schizophrenia Patients in a Nigerian Clinical Setting: A Case-Control Study.
AIM: The overall aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cannabis use among patients with schizophrenia with associated levels of harm in a Nigerian clinical setting. METHOD: In this case-control study, consecutive 150 patients with schizophrenia were matched by age and gender with an equal number of patients that utilized the general […]
Age at First Use and Later Substance Use Disorder: Shared Genetic and Environmental Pathways for Nicotine, Alcohol, and Cannabis.
Behavioral genetic studies have provided insights into why early substance use initiation is associated with increased risk for disorder. Few genetically informative studies, however, have operationalized initiation as the of first use and simultaneously modeled the timing of initiation and problematic use of multiple substances. Such research can help capture the risk associated with early […]
Lack of housing, hospital treatment and premature mortality: a cohort study of people in Counties Manukau district.
AIM: We considered risk factors for mortality in people admitted to Counties Manukau inpatient facilities, who were also identified by medical staff to have insufficient housing. METHOD: A cohort study of people aged 15 to 75 years admitted to Counties Manukau inpatient facilities were selected between 2002 and 2014, with ICD-10 codes for insufficient housing. […]
Smoking marijuana provides more pain relief for men than women
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) found that men had greater pain relief than women after smoking marijuana. Results of the study were recently published online in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. “These findings come at a time when more people, including women, are turning to the use of medical cannabis for pain relief,” said […]
Sen. John McCain’s Silence on Medical Cannabis Is Deafening
In the fall of 2013 I began working with Dr. Sue Sisley raising awareness and support for her research studying the safety and efficacy of cannabis when used to treat treatment-resistant post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When Dr. Sisley was fired from the University of Arizona we found ourselves abruptly going from a friendly, cooperative […]
Cannabidiolic acid-mediated selective down-regulation of c-fos in highly aggressive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells: possible involvement of its down-regulation in the abrogation of aggressiveness.
The physiological activities of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), a component of fiber-type cannabis plants, have been demonstrated and include its function as a protector against external invasion by inducing cannabinoid-mediated necrosis (Shoyama et al., Plant Signal Behav 3:1111-1112, 2008). The biological activities of CBDA have been attracting increasing attention. We previously identified CBDA as an inhibitor […]
Clinical trials of medicinal cannabis for appetite-related symptoms from advanced cancer: A survey of preferences, attitudes and beliefs among patients willing to consider participation.
BACKGROUND: Australian clinical trials are planned to evaluate medicinal cannabis in a range of clinical contexts. AIMS: To explore the preferences, attitudes and beliefs of patients eligible and willing to consider participation in a clinical trial of medicinal cannabis for poor appetite and appetite-related symptoms from advanced cancer. METHODS: A cross-sectional anonymous survey was administered […]
Association between cannabis use and treatment outcomes in patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment: a systematic review protocol.
BACKGROUND: With the non-medical use of prescription opioids increasingly becoming a method of abuse in Canada, the number of patients requiring methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for opioid use disorder has increased dramatically. The rate of cannabis use in this population is disproportionately high (~50 %). Because its use is generally perceived as harmless, cannabis use is […]
Cannabis Epidemiology: A Selective Review.
BACKGROUND: Globally, the most widely used set of compounds among the internationally regulated drugs is cannabis. OBJECTIVE: To review evidence from epidemiological research on cannabis, organized in relation to this field's five main rubrics: quantity, location, causes, mechanisms, and prevention/control. METHOD: The review covers a selection of evidence from standardized population surveys, official statistics, and […]
Effect of the novel synthetic cannabinoids AKB48 and 5F-AKB48 on “tetrad”, sensorimotor, neurological and neurochemical responses in mice. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies.
RATIONALE: AKB48 and its fluorinate derivate 5F-AKB48 are two novel synthetic cannabinoids belonging to a structural class with an indazole core structure. They are marketed as incense, herbal preparations or chemical supply for their psychoactive Cannabis-like effects. OBJECTIVES: The present study was aimed at investigating the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activity of AKB48 […]
Critical comparison of mass analyzers for forensic hair analysis by ambient ionization mass spectrometry.
RATIONALE: Recently, several direct and/or ambient mass spectrometry (MS) approaches have been suggested for drugs of abuse imaging in hair. The use of mass spectrometers with insufficient selectivity could result in false-positive measurements due to isobaric interferences. Different mass analyzers have been evaluated regarding their selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from […]
Association Between Lifetime Marijuana Use and Cognitive Function in Middle Age: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.
IMPORTANCE: Marijuana use is increasingly common in the United States. It is unclear whether it has long-term effects on memory and other domains of cognitive function. OBJECTIVE: To study the association between cumulative lifetime exposure to marijuana use and cognitive performance in middle age. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We used data from the Coronary Artery […]
Development of a novel immunoassay for herbal cannabis using a new fluorescent antibody probe, “Ultra Quenchbody”.
We developed a novel immunoassay for herbal cannabis based on a new immunoassay principle that uses Ultra Quenchbody (“UQ-body”), a recombinant antibody Fab fragment fluorolabeled at the N-terminal regions. When the antigen binds to anti-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) UQ-body, the fluorescence intensity (FI) decreases. The analytical conditions of the immunoassay were optimized based on the FI reduction […]
Adolescent cannabis use: What is the evidence for functional brain alteration?
Background Cannabis use typically commences during adolescence, a period during which the brain undergoes profound remodeling in areas that are high in cannabinoid receptors and that mediate cognitive control and emotion regulation. It is therefore important to determine the impact of adolescent cannabis use on brain function. Objective We investigate the impact of adolescent cannabis […]