Frank Schuler, Author at International Cannabis Chronicle

People With A History Of Cannabis Use Do Not Exhibit More Severe Symptoms Of Psychosis

Written by Frank Schuler on October 15, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

Just because someone has consumed cannabis and suffers from mental health struggles, that does not automatically mean that the cannabis consumption caused the mental health issues that the person is unfortunately experiencing.

That may seem like a logical statement, however, cannabis opponents do everything that they can to try to skirt that fact. To make matters worse, the reefer madness mental health propaganda efforts that cannabis opponents pursue is often assisted by mainstream media coverage that echoes their talking points without any context, which is a huge disservice to society.

Mental health is a very serious issue, and it should be treated as such. Facts and science should lead the way, and with that in mind, the results of a new study out of New Zealand further debunks the ‘cannabis makes you crazy’ talking point of opponents. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Christchurch, NZ: Those with a history of cannabis consumption do not exhibit more severe symptoms of psychosis than do those with no history of regular use, according to longitudinal data published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

A team of New Zealand researchers assessed the relationship between marijuana use and the severity of psychotic symptomology in a cohort of over 1,200 subjects born in 1977. Investigators compared the symptom profile of cannabis consumers and non-consumers at age 18, 21, and at age 25.

Researchers reported that cannabis-consuming subjects were more likely than non-users to report experiencing a greater variety of psychotic symptoms overall. However, investigators acknowledged that consumers were not more likely to report experiencing severe symptoms.

Authors reported: “The present analyses sought to determine whether there was a qualitative difference in the kind of symptoms being reported by the two groups. … Both groups tended to report common, low-level symptoms (such as “having ideas or beliefs that others do not share”), and neither group was likely to report what would be considered as more severepositive symptoms of psychosis.”

They concluded: “Collectively, the results suggest that while those who were regular cannabis users reported a significantly greater number of symptoms than non-users, the symptom profile between the two groups did not differ, showing that there was no evidence of greater ‘severity’ among regular cannabis users.”

Although the use of cannabis and other controlled substances is more common among those with psychotic illnesses, studies indicate that lifetime incidences of marijuana-induced psychosis are relatively rare among those who do not already have a prior diagnosis of a psychiatric disease.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis use and patterns of psychotic symptomology in a longitudinal birth cohort,” appears in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

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Far More Britons Want Cannabis Laws Loosened Compared To Tightened

Written by Frank Schuler on October 14, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Cannabis policy discussions in London have made considerable headlines in recent weeks, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan currently in somewhat of a political showdown with some of his political peers.

Mayor Khan is exploring the idea of reforming the way that law enforcement handles simple cannabis possession in London. The policy exploration is part of the work that a newly formed commission is performing at the behest of Mayor Khan. He recently indicated that calls from his political peers to refrain from pursuing the work would not deter him.

Additional headlines were made when it was reported that Home Secretary Suella Braverman was considering changing cannabis’ classification level to a more restricted status. The Prime Minister’s office has since made it clear that what is being reported will not happen, although it’s still unclear to what degree Braverman wants to pursue the concept in the future, if at all.

YouGov recently conducted a poll, asking Britons, “Do you think that the current cannabis laws should be tougher, less tough, or are about right?”

“Home secretary Suella Braverman has been reportedly planning to change cannabis from a class B drug to a class A But only 23% of Britons want to see cannabis laws made tougher, with 42% wanting less tough laws, and 19% thinking they’re ok as they are.” YouGov tweeted regarding the poll’s results.

Sixteen percent of poll participants indicated that they ‘don’t know’ in response to the question being posed to them. Obviously, 42% is not a majority, and for that matter the poll was not legally binding in any way.

However, the fact that only 23% of Britons indicated that they wanted cannabis laws to be made tougher is encouraging, and something that shouldn’t be ignored by lawmakers.

Britain

Morocco Government Issues Ten Permits For Cannabis Production

Written by Frank Schuler on October 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

Morocco first adopted its current medical cannabis policy last year. The 2021 measure authorized the legal production of cannabis for medical, cosmetic, and industrial uses, as well as tasked a national agency to oversee the launch and operation of the industry.

Back in March of this year Morocco’s government selected three provinces where medical cannabis would eventually be legally cultivated for domestic and export purposes. Roughly three months later the nation’s national cannabis regulatory agency met for the first time, moving the launch of the nation’s legal industry one step closer.

This month Morocco’s industry effectively did launch, in that the government issued its first round of cannabis production permits. Per Reuters:

A Moroccan state agency has issued the first 10 permits for the use of cannabis in industry and medicine and for export, it said, the result of a law passed last year.

Farmers who organise into cooperatives in the northern mountain areas of Al Houceima, Taounat and Chefchaouen will be gradually allowed to grow cannabis to meet the needs of the legal market, the agency said.

Morocco has long served as a top source for unregulated cannabis, particularly hashish. Consumers and patients all over the world, and particularly in Europe, consider Morocco’s unregulated cannabis products to be top shelf.

It will be interesting to see if Morocco’s success in the unregulated market transfers over to the regulated industry. Only time will tell, although, the speed at which Morocco is moving is certainly encouraging.

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Israel Study Finds CBD Is “Highly Effective” In Adults With Refractory Epilepsy

Written by Frank Schuler on October 8, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

When it comes to medical cannabis, arguably the most effective way that cannabis can be used is in cannabidiol (CBD) form to treat refractory epilepsy. Cannabis can effectively treat a number of conditions, however, it seems to be particularly useful among epilepsy patients.

CBD’s ability to successfully treat refractory epilepsy among child patients has received a lot of media attention in recent years, and for good reason. When pharmaceutical medications fail parents turn to CBD which is non-toxic and does not induce intoxication, and in a vast majority of cases, it proves to be a tremendous form of treatment.

Cannabidiol is also effective at treating adult patients that suffer from refractory epilepsy according to a new study out of Israel. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Tel Aviv, Israel: Adults with treatment-resistant focal epilepsy (epilepsy characterized by seizures arising from a specific part of the brain) respond favorably to the adjunctive use of plant-derived CBD dominant cannabis extracts, according to data published in the journal Neurological Sciences.

A Colombian investigator assessed the efficacy of high CBD/low THC extracts in a cohort of epileptic patients. Of those who maintained a cannabis-treatment regimen for at least three months, 80 percent experienced a greater than 50 percent reduction in seizure frequency at 12 weeks. Only a minority of patients reported any side-effects.

“The reduction in seizures frequency is maintained over time.” the study’s author concluded. “The CBMF (cannabis-based magistral formulation) is a highly effective and safe therapy to treat adult patients with DRFE (drug resistant focal epilepsy).”

Israeli data published in June similarly reported that children with refractory forms of epilepsy experience significant reductions in seizure frequency following the long-term use of plant-derived CBD extracts.

In 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration granted market approval to Epidiolex, a prescription medicine containing a standardized formulation of plant-derived cannabidiol for the treatment of two rare forms of severe epilepsy: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Shortly after approval, the US Drug Enforcement Administration reclassified Epidiolex to Schedule V of the US Controlled Substances Act — the lowest restriction classification available under federal law.

Full text of the study, “Cannabis based magistral formulation is highly effective as an adjuvant treatment in drug-resistant focal epilepsy in adult patients: An open-label prospective cohort study,” appears in Neurological Sciences. Additional information on cannabis and epilepsy is available from NORML.

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Poll Finds Majority Support For Medical Cannabis Legalization In Singapore

Written by Frank Schuler on October 8, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Singapore is currently home to some of the worst cannabis laws on earth. As proof of that, consider the fact that people can still be subjected to the death penalty for cannabis-only offenses, a penalty that was rendered as recently as this last summer by authorities in Singapore.

The nation’s obsession with reefer madness is not just found in law, but also elsewhere in Singapore society such as athletic competition. Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling became an international sensation in 2016 when he defeated the United States’ Michael Phelps in the 100-meter butterfly.

Schooling wasn’t just the first swimmer from Singapore to become an Olympic champion – he was the country’s first Olympic champion ever for any category. It’s a distinction that he holds to this day. Unfortunately, Schooling admitted to using cannabis and is currently being ruthlessly shamed by his government in addition to being suspended from competition.

With all of that going on, it’s clear to see why the results of a new poll demonstrating majority support for medical cannabis legalization is significant. Per The Straits Times:

Slightly more than half of 1,000 Singaporeans and permanent residents surveyed recently believe the Republic should consider legalising cannabis for medical purposes.

Asked whether Singapore should consider legalising cannabis only for medical purposes, 53 per cent said “yes”.

Unfortunately, the support for medical cannabis reform does not appear to extend to recreational cannabis reform, as only a mere 12% of poll respondents expressed support for adult-use cannabis legalization.

The poll was commissioned by The Sunday Times and in partnership with the consumer research company Milieu Insight in September 2022.

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CBD Extracts Reduce Agitation In Dementia Patients According To Israeli Study

Written by Frank Schuler on October 4, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

According to the World Health Organization as many as 55 million people worldwide live with some level of dementia. That number is expected to increase to 78 million by 2030 and up to 139 million by 2050.

Dementia is a syndrome that involves the deterioration of cognitive function among those that suffer from the condition. The deterioration goes beyond what is expected as a result of typical human biological aging.

The condition disturbs multiple higher cortical functions including but not limited to learning and memory, focusing, language, motor perception, and social cognition. Cases range from mild symptoms all the way to cases in which the patient is completely debilitated because of the condition.

Heightened agitation among patients suffering from dementia is common, as patients are often disoriented and become frustrated by their surroundings and interactions with people they are unfamiliar with. Fortunately, a recent study in Israel found that cannabidiol (CBD) may help. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Tel Aviv, Israel: The administration of plant-derived extracts containing high levels of CBD and low levels of THC reduces agitation in patients suffering from behavioral disturbances related to dementia, according to clinical trial data published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

Israeli researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of CBD-dominant extracts (30 to 1 ratio of CBD to THC) compared to placebo in a cohort of seniors (mean age: 79 years) with dementia. Subjects in the trial received sublingual drops of either cannabis extracts or a placebo (olive oil) three times daily for a period of 16 weeks.

“Patients in the investigational group experienced a significantly greater reduction in sleep disturbances, and in agitation and aggression sub-score using two different measurement tools. The improvements were accompanied with non-serious side-effects,” authors reported. “We recommend conducting a large scale randomized controlled trial on behavioral disturbances related to dementia and to compare clinical sub-types of dementia.”

The findings are consistent with those of other studies – such as those here, here, and here – reporting that the use of either cannabis flowers or extracts mitigates agitation in dementia patients.

Full text of the study, “Effects of rich cannabidiol oil on behavioral disturbances in patients with dementia: A placebo controlled randomized clinical trial,” appears in Frontiers in Medicine.

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Study Finds Cannabis Is Associated With Quality Of Life Improvements In Adults With Autism

Written by Frank Schuler on October 3, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

It is estimated that as much as 1% of the world’s population has autism spectrum disorder, although many cases go undiagnosed so it’s quite possible that there are more people out there that have autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological and developmental condition that affects how people communicate with others and how they learn and behave. The severity of autism spectrum disorder varies widely among those with the condition, which may contribute to any disparities in diagnosis rates.

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently examined the relationship between cannabis use and adults with autism spectrum disorder. The findings from the study are very insightful. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

London, United Kingdom: The use of cannabis flowers and extracts is associated with symptom improvements in adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to data published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology.

British investigators affiliated with Imperial College in London assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis products in a cohort of autistic adults (mean age: 32) enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Subjects in the study either inhaled cannabis flowers or consumed sublingual extracts for a period of up to six months. Subjects primarily consumed cannabis preparations that were elevated in THC content and lower in CBD.

Consistent with prior studies, investigators reported that patients experienced symptomatic improvements following cannabis therapy. They also reduced their use of prescription medications. Specifically, there was “a 33.3 percent and 25.0 percent reduction in the concomitant prescribing of benzodiazepines and neuroleptics, respectively, within this cohort.” Authors further acknowledged that cannabis preparations were “well tolerated” by over 80 percent of the participants.

“In this first published experience of clinical outcomes in adult patients with ASD treated with CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products], there were associated improvements in general health-related quality of life, in addition to sleep- and anxiety-specific outcomes,” they concluded. “Moreover, there was a reduction in the administration of concomitant medications, some of which are associated with serious adverse events with long-term use. … These results … provide scientific justification for further evaluation within the context of randomized controlled trials while also providing guidance for clinical practice in the interim.”

Numerous trials have previously identified clinical improvements in autistic children who consume plant-derived CBD extracts. Survey data published in 2021 by the publication Autism Parenting Magazine reported that 22 percent of US caregivers or parents have provided CBD to an autistic child.

Full text of the study, “Clinical outcome analysis of patients with autism spectrum disorder: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology. Additional information on cannabis and ASD is available from NORML.

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Canadian Study Finds That Medical Cannabis Products Are Safe And Effective

Written by Frank Schuler on October 2, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

Humans have used cannabis and derivatives of cannabis for medical purposes for thousands of years. The cannabis plant is arguably the most versatile plant on earth and provides a number of wellness benefits.

Unfortunately, a number of governments around the globe still prohibit cannabis, even for medical use. For whatever reason, those governments cling to the false claim that cannabis has no medical value. Whereas cannabis’ wellness properties have been around for a very long time, cannabis prohibition is a relatively new thing.

Thankfully, the cannabis plant is being researched now more than ever before, and the results of many of those studies are providing key insight which can then be used to debunk prohibitionist talking points, including that cannabis is not safe for medical use.

A study in Canada determined recently that medical cannabis products are indeed safe and effective. Below is more information about it via a NORML news release:

Ontario, Canada: Medical cannabis products are safe and effective for older adults with chronic pain conditions, according to data published in The Journal of Cannabis Research.

Researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis products in a cohort of medically authorized Canadian patients age 65 or older. Subjects in the study used cannabis for at least three months.

Consistent with other studies assessing the use of cannabis by seniors, investigators reported that marijuana treatments were safe, well-tolerated, and associated with meaningful reductions in pain. “No serious AEs (adverse events) were reported, and non-serious AEs were experienced in less than 12 percent of the cohort,” they acknowledged.

Most patients in the study reported no prior experience with cannabis. Most initially purchased cannabis products either high in CBD or containing equal ratios of CBD and THC. Participants typically preferred cannabis oils over other formulations.

Authors concluded, “Our findings inform the underexplored area of medical cannabis use in this population and suggest that medical cannabis is associated with therapeutic effects on pain in older adults with an acceptable safety profile.”

Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis authorization patterns, safety, and associated effects in older adults,” appears in The Journal of Cannabis Research. Additional information is available in NORML’s fact sheet, ‘Cannabis Use by Older Adult Populations.’

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Minister In Sri Lanka Wants To Legalize Medical Cannabis Exports

Written by Frank Schuler on September 28, 2022. Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

Sri Lanka may not be the first place that you think of when it comes to cannabis reform and the emerging cannabis industry, however, the nation is trending in the right direction, albeit slowly. Adult-use cannabis is illegal in Sri Lanka while medical cannabis is legal in certain limited instances.

The cannabis plant has a long history in Sri Lanka, with local populations using it for centuries for religious purposes. A new push is underway in Sri Lanka to legalize medical cannabis exports, with the nation’s Minister of Indigenous Medicine leading the charge. Per Colombo Gazette:

Medical cannabis to be legalised for export, State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Sisira Jayakody said.

The State Minister has instructed the relevant officials to prepare the legal documents for this purpose.

He said that Sri Lanka can earn around USD 3 billion through the export of indigenous medicine.

It is no secret that Sri Lanka’s economy is in ruins right now. Roughly a decade ago Sri Lanka had one of the fastest growing economies in the region, however, in May the country defaulted on its debt for the first time in history, and it has been all down hill from there.

Legalizing medical cannabis exports may not fix every economic problem that Sri Lanka has, yet it could definitely help to some degree. In addition to legalizing exports the government in Sri Lanka also needs to embrace cannabis domestically and ensure that every suffering patient in the country is afforded the same level of safe access as found in many other countries.

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Artisanal CBD Extracts Display Long-Term Efficacy In Kids With Epilepsy

Written by Frank Schuler on September 26, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 50 million people worldwide suffer from some level of epilepsy, from mild cases to severe. Nearly four out of every five patients diagnosed with epilepsy live in developing countries.

Epilepsy is a chronic, noncommunicable disease within the brain that affects people of all ages. Unfortunately, many cases go undiagnosed, especially cases involving child patients. Undiagnosed cases make it extremely difficult to provide proper care for the suffering patient.

Fortunately, cannabidiol (CBD) has been found to be effective at treating epilepsy. It’s likely the only form of medicine that can be cultivated and processed all over the globe via the hemp plant. Yet another study has found CBD to be effective at treating kids with epilepsy, this time out of Israel. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Tel Aviv, Israel: Children with refractory epilepsy respond favorably to long-term treatment with plant-derived CBD extracts, according to data published in Pediatric Neurology.

Israeli researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of artisanal CBD-rich extracts in a cohort of adolescents with treatment-resistant forms of epilepsy. Among patients administered extracts for a period of at least one year, 51 percent experienced a significant decline in seizure frequency. Patients reported only nominal side-effects associated with CBD treatment.

Authors concluded, “Artisanal cannabidiol-enriched cannabis may be an effective and safe long-term treatment for refractory epilepsy.”

Full text of the study, “The long-term effectiveness and safety of cannabidiol-enriched oil in children with drug-resistant epilepsy,” appears in Pediatric Neurology. Additional information on cannabis and epilepsy is available from NORML.

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International Researchers Determine Cannabis Rarely Induces Psychosis

Written by Frank Schuler on September 26, 2022. Posted in Archives, Science.

One of the oldest and most-popular talking points among cannabis prohibitionists is that cannabis is ‘bad for the brain.’ Cannabis prohibitionists, aided by mainstream media and film, have historically portrayed cannabis users as being completely insane.

Arguably the best example of that is via the 1936 film Reefer Madness, in which many of the actors in the film try cannabis and are instantly thrust into a full-blown psychotic episode. One character even commits suicide in the film ‘due to consuming reefer.’

To be sure, mental health issues are a major concern and not to be taken lightly. With that being said, it’s an enormous disservice to people experiencing mental health issues to falsely place blame on cannabis and essentially issue a misdiagnosis.

Suffering patients of all types deserve to have safe access to effective medicine and to have their health advice based on science, not politics. Several studies have debunked the ‘cannabis makes you crazy’ myth, including a recent one involving a team of international researchers. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Lausanne, Switzerland: Cannabis consumption rarely triggers episodes of acute psychosis in those without a pre-existing psychiatric disorder, according to data published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

An international team of researchers from Australia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom assessed lifetime occurrences of “cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms” (CAPS) requiring hospitalization in a cohort of 233,000 European marijuana consumers.

Authors reported that less than one-half of one percent of subjects reported ever having had such an experience. Those at higher risk for such incidences included younger aged subjects, as well as those with a prior diagnosis of bipolar, anxiety, or depressive disorder, or psychosis.

“Our findings are in line with the idea of a common (genetic) vulnerability representing risk that is shared across psychiatric disorders,” authors determined. They concluded, “Rates of CAPS as observed here are comparable to rates of other drug-induced psychosis, such as alcohol-associated psychosis (around 0.4 – 0.7 percent).”

The study’s findings are consistent with those of a separate paper, published in July in the journal Substance Use & Misuse, which reported that medical cannabis patients are at “low” risk for psychiatric hospitalizations resulting from their marijuana use. In that trial, investigators assessed marijuana-related hospitalizations among a cohort of over 23,000 subjects over a median period of 240 days. During that time, only 26 patients were hospitalized explicitly because of “mental or behavioral disorders due to the use of cannabis.”

The findings push back against high-profile claims from some cannabis reform opponents that marijuana exposure is a frequent trigger for psychosis and other mental health disorders.

Full text of the study, “Rates and correlates of cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms in over 230,000 people who use cannabis,” appears in Translational Psychiatry. Additional information on cannabis and mental health is available from NORML’s white paper, ‘Cannabis, Mental Health, and Context: The Case for Regulation.’

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Nearly 10% Of Canadian Cannabis Consumers Engage In Home Cultivation

Written by Frank Schuler on September 25, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Cultivating your own cannabis can provide many benefits, with one of the most obvious benefits being cost savings. If someone is knowledgeable and able, they can cultivate their own cannabis for a fraction of what it costs to purchase cannabis from retail outlets.

Another major benefit is controlling what goes into your cannabis. After all, if you cultivate your own cannabis then you know exactly how often it is watered, what the water quality is, and what and when your plants are fed nutrients. There are no mysteries as to what your cannabis contains.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the right to legally cultivate their own cannabis, even in places where legalization measures have been passed. Home cultivation is legal in most of Canada, with some local exceptions which are working their way through legal challenges, and the option appears to be very popular according to newly released data. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Waterloo, Canada: Approximately ten percent of Canadian cannabis consumers report engaging in home cultivation, according to data published in the journal Addictive Behavior Reports.

Canadian researchers surveyed home cultivation patterns prior to and following the enactment of adult-use legalization in 2018. Under the law, adults in most regions of the country are permitted to grow up to four cannabis plants for their own personal use. (The provinces of Quebec and Manitoba prohibit home cultivation.)

Researchers reported that the percentage of consumers who grew their own cannabis increased from six percent prior to the passage of legalization to nine percent in 2020. Those residing in more rural areas were more likely to home cultivate. Most of those who engaged in home cultivation did not exceed legally imposed plant limits.

“Almost one-in-ten Canadian cannabis consumers reported home cultivation of cannabis in 2020, with modest increases following legalization of non-medical cannabis,” authors concluded. “The uptake of home cultivation is associated with province and cultivation policies; specifically, Manitoba and Quebec, the only provinces to prohibit non-medical home cultivation, reported among the lowest rates. Although the current study reported an increase in home cultivation among past 12-month consumers after legalization, it will be important to see whether rates continue to increase, even as access to legal cannabis and the price of legal cannabis decreases.”

Data from the United States has estimated that fewer than two percent of cannabis consumers acknowledge engaging in home cultivation, although the actual percentage of home growers has likely increased in recent years as more jurisdictions have adopted marijuana legalization policies.

NORML has long advocated that consumers in legal jurisdictions ought to have the option to home cultivate personal use quantities of cannabis, opining: “The inclusion of legislative provisions protecting the non-commercial home cultivation of cannabis serves as leverage to assure the product available at retail outlets is high quality, safe and affordable. Additionally, permitting home cultivation provides adult consumers with an immediate source of cannabis — providing an alternative to the illicit market. Such a source is necessary because it typically takes state regulators several months, or even years, following the law’s enactment to establish licensed retail operators.”

Full text of the study, “Home cultivation across Canadian provinces after cannabis legalization,” appears in Addictive Behavior Reports.