C&P#109: orgasms, athletes & anhedonia

Thailand U-turns & Czechs headed for adult use!

Aug 06, 2024

For postmenopausal orgasms, cannabis
For athletes, CBD
Preclinical: delta-8 THC for arthritis + CBD for liver cirrhosis & Alzheimer’s disease + CBN for chronic pain & neuroprotection
On effects of prenatal cannabis exposure, 3 reviews with opposing conclusions
Love this. Put CBD in your lemonade & the citric acid converts a non-negligible amount to THC
Cannabis & anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure)
Lots on psilocybin, MDMA & LSD
One joke, a political stance, an admission of stimulant use & an Easter Egg

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the 109^th edition of Cannabinoids & the People, Lex Pelger’s free weekly digest of all the new cannabinoid science + assorted canna-news & psychedelic updates. On the cannabinoids, ask me anything.

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Sponsor: ReShape, a new solution to weight management

PlusCBD just came out with a cool product for balancing your metabolism called ReShape. The three active ingredients are…

Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) – the endocannabinoid known as your body’s ‘signal of satiation’
Cinnamon – a long history of help with blood sugar & insulin sensitivity
Berberine – the active ingredient of berberis shrubs for managing fat metabolism

But did you want a deeper dive into the science?
Because I happen to have my full research report right here... So I’ll start with the fascinating OEA this week & cover the other two ingredients next week.

Oleoylethanolamide

(editor’s note: OEA is also sometimes used in the literature to refer to the endocannabinoid oleamide, linked to sleep, which causes an annoying amount of confusion. But everything below refers to oleoylethanolamide)

When eating, your body uses the fatty acid oleoylethanolamide (OEA) as the signal of satiety. Even though OEA is in the endocannabinoid family, it might be better known as an anti-endocannabinoid. While endocannabinoids like anandamide make you want to eat, oleoylethanolamide “delays meal initiation, reduces meal size, and increases intervals between meals” via various mechanisms. Thus, it helps you lose weight.

When fasting, the OEA levels in your intestines decrease and when feeding, they increase. As a hormone of the gut-brain axis, the OEA in your guts communicates via the vagus nerve to your hypothalamus (feeding center of the brain) and increases the time until you next desire to eat. A number of clinical trials have shown that daily supplements of OEA lead to significant reductions in weight, body mass index, waist circumference and fat percentage as well as decreased hunger, a lowered desire to eat, increased fullness and less cravings for sweet food.

OEA also improves the gut levels of bacteria related to energy homeostasis and modulate the gut microbiome towards a more ‘lean-like phenotype”. In animal models of obesity, OEA has consistently been shown to lower inflammation in the guts as well as to protect the heart and liver.

Not only does OEA change your energy homeostasis, it also increases the rewarding (hedonic) properties of food (via dopamine levels in the brain) so that you enjoy the food more and need to eat less of it. In mice, OEA also shifted their preferences towards more healthy foods. One key is that OEA helps to maintain a normal glucose homeostasis via its ability to increase levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1, the intestinal hormone and target of the popular new semaglutide weight-loss drugs like Wegovy). In obese mice, OEA enhanced GLP-1 signaling to promote weight loss, decreased eating, and increased energy expenditure.

When people eat foods richer in oleic acid (the precursor to OEA), it leads to significant reductions of energy intake and there’s even a dairy snack containing OEA that reduces weight in minipigs. The Mediterranean diet also increases your OEA levels. And when a Burmese python takes in one of its infrequent (but huge meals), its intestinal OEA levels jump 300x. In hibernating brown bears, OEA might even be the molecule they use to regulate lipid breakdown and send a constant anorexic signal.

For safety, preclinical research and a recent toxicity study has shown no signs of anxiety or other negatives and data from the one FDA-approved OEA drug on the market (RiduZone) found that up to 600 mg per day for 10 weeks in 42 people caused an average 7-8% decrease in BMI with the only side effect being one transient case of nausea.

There’s also been a number of other positive preclinical studies on OEA’s health effects including…

Protecting the brain during Parkinson’s disease and neuronal degeneration and in a model of Alzheimer’s disease, OEA increased plaque clearance and rescued cognitive impairments
Helping to improve anxiety and depressive behaviors as well as the frustration around stress-induced binge eating
In colitis, protecting the colon and reducing inflammation
Protecting the kidney during injury and lowering inflammation
Reducing the drinking of alcohol in an adolescent rat model of alcohol use disorder and in adults
In a roundworm model of longevity, OEA extended life

Also, 2 months of OEA also helped people with intense period pains and when premenopausal, higher OEA levels are linked to a lower craving for sweet-rich foods.

My work this week:

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(@lexpelgerandhisbooks or on YouTube)
No new videos! I’ve been on vacation!
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The Canna-Science Writeup:
Analysis of the week's best papers, sponsored by CV Sciences

In a survey of postmenopausal women experiencing orgasmic dysfunction, the majority stated that cannabis helped with orgasm with the injection methods including smoking, vaping, edibles & topical applications
USE AND PERCEIVED IMPACT OF CANNABIS ON ORGASM IN POST MENOPAUSE WOMEN
https://academic.oup.com/jsm/article/21/Supplement_5/qdae054.020/7694046
Because of aging, over half of post-menopause women experience orgasmic dysfunction. This can result from damage to the blood vessels, neuropathic pain, medications, dyspareunia (painful intercourse), hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and the genitourinary syndrome of menopause. However, many of these are areas where we know cannabinoids can be helpful.
In this survey of 451 peri – or post-menopause women, 70% stated that cannabis helped them to orgasm and almost 30% used specifically for the purpose of orgasm. For ingestion methods, the most effective were smoking/vaping and edibles. In addition, topical application was also regarded as a very effective method for helping with orgasms. While no one is sure why cannabis tends to increase orgasms, increased blood flow and an altered mental state are both theorized. But the important part is that for some people, it works quite well.
Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a sexual health page on CVResearch.info, but as the data piles up, maybe it’s time.

In a survey of people in the UK with spinal cord injuries, the majority used street cannabis to manage their chronic pain, spasticity, difficulty in sleeping & anxiety/depression
Cannabis use by individuals with spinal cord injury in the UK: a call for improved patient education and physician awareness for pain and spasticity management
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38884807/
This survey is actually more sad than it is comforting. In the UK, 223 patients with spinal cord injuries (paraplegic or quadriplegic) answered questions about their use of cannabis. They listed symptoms including

chronic pain
spasticity
difficulty sleeping
anxiety and depression

Of those using cannabis to manage their symptoms, the majority were forced to source their medicine from the street. As someone who is forced to buy mine from the guys hanging out down by the river, I can’t fathom being a medical patient with a serious condition and the only medicine available to me is whatever I can find from the local dealers. All over the world, patients deserve safe well-made medicine in an array of ingestion forms. More studies on spinal injuries can be seen on the Pain & Inflammation page of CVResearch.info.

For athletes, a review of 18 studies on the ability of CBD to be anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, neuroprotective & painkilling as well as protecting the GI system from the damage of inflammation & for the healing of traumatic skeletal injuries
Nutrological modulation of cannabidiol in the inflammatory processes of athletes: a systematic review
https://ijn.zotarellifilhoscientificworks.com/index.php/ijn/article/view/361
For this review out of Brazil (a powerhouse of cannabinoid research), they reviewed 18 research papers about CBD for athletes including its ability to alter mood, sensation, perception, tension, appetite, and pain. While the status of CBD in competitive sports is complex, the World Anti-Doping Agency removed it from its banned substances list in 2018. Clinical research has shown the help of CBD for…

In addition CBD’s known anti-anxiety and neuroprotective effects, this paper also includes a long section on the ability of cannabinoids like CBD to regulate the microRNA (genetic control mechanisms that regulate the amount of proteins produced) and the synthesis of inflammatory mediators. Overall, this field of cannabinoids and athletics is still in its formative years but the most important proof comes from the number of customers we hear from and professional athletes who proclaim that CBD helps them. See more athletic studies on the Musculoskeletal System & Exercise page of CVResearch.info.

Best Of Cannabinoid Science...

For cramps, a video on using very rich cannabis oil in the navel
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/megan-mbengue_this-original-video-is-currently-sitting-ugcPost-7225200260317335557-Thrx/
I’ve seen some people push back on this because it’s based on the pechoti method from Ayurvedic medicine but hell, you could explain all of this through simple absorption through the skin. Putting that level of cannabinoids onto your skin can result in some amounts crossing directly into the tissue where it’d be most helpful. One commenter mentioned that they always get a head rush for a few minutes after application before it goes away. Not everything that’s not yet studied is a placebo effect!

Clinical

A review of public health data on cannabis use in the UK found that young people were more likely to report sleep improvements
Prescribed Medical Cannabis Use Among Older Individuals: Patient Characteristics and Improvements in Well-Being: Findings from T21
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38880841/

For vaping CBD, no effects on oral saliva levels
EFFECTS OF CANNABIDIOL EXTRACT FROM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES ON ORAL HEALTH
https://rjor.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/EFFECTS-OF-CANNABIDIOL-EXTRACT-FROM-ELECTRONIC-CIGARETTES-ON-ORAL-HEALTH.pdf

For refractory epilepsy, two case studies of using CBD & meditation
Patient experiential knowledge and CAM: a case study of refractory epilepsy patients in France
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381478999_Patient_experiential_knowledge_and_CAM_a_case_study_of_refractory_epilepsy_patients_in_France

Harms

For cannabis causing anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure), a review of 17 studies concluded that initial anhedonia predisposes cannabis users to intensified anhedonia
Cannabis and anhedonia: A systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38959579/

A review of the dangers of bioaerosols for cannabis workers
Bioaerosol Exposures and Respiratory Diseases in Cannabis Workers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38878249/
And from Bangladesh, a study in cotton workers on their reduced lung function & how early studies have found the same in hemp workers
Most studies in cotton and hemp workers report an increased incidence of chronic and progressive dyspnea, cough, and sputum production characteristic of symptoms seen in COPD
https://chestheart.org/journal/assets/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/chest%20journal%20-%2044%281%29%20january%202020-9-16.pdf

For hip or knee arthroplasty surgery, a review of 16 studies found that a history of cannabis use was linked to an increased risk of numerous complications as well as greater healthcare costs
Association between history of cannabis use and outcomes after total hip or knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38827608/

For the impacts of prenatal cannabis exposure, a review of 17 studies found no increased risk for autism, psychosis, anxiety or depression but a slight increase for ADHD
Prenatal Cannabis Exposure and The Risk for Neuropsychiatric Anomalies in the Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38908654/
While this public health data found a 7x risk of fetal death among cannabis users
The longitudinal assessment of prenatal cannabis use on neonatal outcomes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38890400/
And for the impacts of maternal cannabis use, this review of 33 articles on the effects in early childhood found a number of changes
Systematic review: the impact of maternal pre-and postnatal cannabis use on the behavioral and emotional regulation in early childhood
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38878224/
“Diminished regulatory abilities are more likely to be found in infants after PCE [prenatal cannabis exposure], while specific regulatory problems tend to be more frequently found after two years of age. Possible mechanisms are related to changes in methylation and expression of key genes involved in endocannabinoid, dopaminergic and opioid systems, increased cortisol reactivity and altered Secretory Immunoglobulin A levels. Furthermore, PCE has been associated with changes in brain structure and connectivity.”

Using Medicare data for older US adults, state cannabis legalization was linked to an increased rate of cannabis-related disorders
State Cannabis Legalization and Trends in Cannabis-Related Disorders in US Older Adults, 2017 to 2022
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38888925/

In Ontario, legalization saw a large increase in emergency department visits for anxiety involving cannabis
Changes in cannabis involvement in emergency department visits for anxiety disorders after cannabis legalization: a repeated cross-sectional study
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanam/article/PIIS2667-193X(24)00142-X/fulltext

A case series from Japan of a few people going to the hospital after ingesting CBD that had THC in it
Safety of cannabidiol products as a social issue: A case series
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38828078/

A case report of someone dying from the use of a homemade vape juice of “ethylene glycol” with THC for endometriosis pain
When Vaping Isn't Actually Safer: A Death From Toxic Alcohol Contaminated Vape Juice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38833354/
In this unregulated market, it turned out that the bottle labeled ethylene glycol actually contained methanol. And in this story of history repeating, that’s the same adulterant that killed thousands during the US Prohibition of alcohol after government orders had it added to industrial alcohol to keep it from being diverted to the black market. But of course, it got diverted to the black market anyway & the bootleggers hired chemists to try & get rid of the methanol. But that often involved other poisons & the federal methanol led to an epidemic of blindness, insanity & death.

Reviews

For psoriasis, a review of using CBD
The Perspective of Cannabidiol in Psoriasis Therapy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38911997/

For autism, a review of 77 studies on targeting the endocannabinoid & cholinergic systems
Targeting cholinergic and endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic intervention for core asd associated phenotypes in autism model: a systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38885129/

For obesity & weight loss, a review of the endocannabinoid system’s effects
The circulating and central endocannabinoid system in obesity and weight loss
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38834796/

A review of treating various neuropathologies with cannabis
Assessing effects of Cannabis on various neuropathologies: A systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38876946/

A review of producing CBD using biotechnology methods
Advancement of Research Progress on Synthesis Mechanism of Cannabidiol (CBD)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38900848/
However, the insider baseball here is that while these methods of using bacteria or yeast work to produce CBD do work, they have yet to scale up to be competitive against a field of the sun-kissed organic metabolic factories known as hemp.

Preclinical

In rats, gendered differences in the effects of high-dose edibles
Sex differences in the neural and behavioral effects of acute high-dose edible cannabis consumption in rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38844363/

In a rat model of liver cirrhosis, CBD protected the liver from changes in liver enzyme levels, scarring & cell death
Hepatoprotective Effect of Cannabidiol on the Progression of Experimental Hepatic Cirrhosis in Rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38885158/

In a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, CBD protected the neurons of the hippocampus (memory center of the brain) from the amyloid plaques
Cannabidiol protects mouse hippocampal neurons from neurotoxicity induced by amyloid β-peptide25-35
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38901785/

In a mouse model of chronic neuropathic pain, CBN relieved the pain while CBDV, CBG, THCV & delta-8 THC showed cannabimimetic activity (cannabis-like effects)
Select Minor Cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa are Cannabimimetic and Antinociceptive in a Mouse Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38834356/

In a rat model of obesity, a thesis project on using oleoylethanolamide to alter the oxytocin system & its effects on olfactory clues, food stimuli & social memory as well as the transcription of genes related to inflammation & neural plasticity
Pre-clinical evaluation of novel pharmacological targets for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders: focus on Oleoylethanolamide and the oxytocinergic system
https://iris.uniroma1.it/handle/11573/1711872
And for calcification of your vascular system (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease), oleoylethanolamide activated the STING1 signaling system to reduce calcification, cellular aging & damage to the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell)
STING1-accelerated vascular smooth muscle cell senescence-associated vascular calcification in diabetes is ameliorated by oleoylethanolamide via improved mitochondrial DNA oxidative damage
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38889865/

In a mouse model of arthritis, delta-8 THC reduced inflammation, protected from cartilage & bone erosion & decreased depression-related behaviors
The minor phytocannabinoid delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol attenuates collagen-induced arthritic inflammation and pain-depressed behaviors
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38834355/

In neurons, CBN displayed no cytotoxic effects while causing changes to a number of gene’s expression
Cannabinol Regulates the Expression of Cell Cycle-Associated Genes in Motor Neuron-like NSC-34: A Transcriptomic Analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38927547/
“Our results highlighted the absence of any cytotoxic effect of CBN. The comparative transcriptomic analysis pointed out the downregulation of Cdkn2a, Cdkn2c and Cdkn2d genes, which are known to suppress the cell cycle. Ccne2, Cdk2, Cdk7, Anapc11, Anapc10, Cdc23, Cdc16, Anapc4, Cdc27, Stag1, Smc3, Smc1a, Nipbl, Pds5a, Pds5b, and Wapl genes, renowned for their role as cell cycle progression activators, were instead upregulated. Our work suggests that CBN regulates the expression of many genes related to the cell cycle, which are required for axonal maturation, migration, and synaptic plasticity, while not affecting the expression of genes involved in cell death or tumorigenesis.”

For SARS CoV-2, CBG & CBL blocked cell fusion
Cannabigerol and Cannabicyclol Block SARS-CoV-2 Cell Fusion
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38885660/

the Headlines & Fav Articles

Kamala Harris (who I, no surprise, hope wins against that asshat) evolved significantly on cannabis since fighting against its legalization in California as the state Attorney General into now being the first presidential candidate in favor of full legalization
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/where-kamala-harris-stands-on-marijuana-as-she-prepares-to-accept-the-democratic-presidential-nomination
And I also learned from this post that after being told for years that she was harsh on cannabis, I was severely uninformed at the actually small number of cannabis convictions under her term as California AG
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/olivia-sawyer-a823112a_for-all-the-people-who-wanna-say-kamala-jailed-activity-7225559495689564160-QGOB/

Cathy Jordan, the heroic ALS patient referred to as the ‘patron saint’ of Florida medical cannabis, finally passed away from her ALS 38 years after her diagnosis (the average time to death is 5 years)
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cathy-jordan-floridas-patron-saint-of-medical-marijuana-dies-at-74

On moving cannabis down to Schedule III, a Congressional Research Report found that it would allow for cannabis advertising in magazines & newspapers, but little other change to criminal penalties or collateral damage
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-businesses-could-advertise-in-newspapers-and-magazines-if-rescheduling-is-approved-congressional-researchers-say
And of the 40k comments submitted to the DEA on cannabis rescheduling, only 8% support keeping it in Schedule I
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/strong-majority-of-marijuana-rescheduling-public-comments-support-even-broader-reform-than-bidens-plan-two-analyses-show
Meanwhile in a long report on DEA corruption, more info about DEA agents boasting about a “world debauchery tour” of “boozing and whoring” where one of the agents was eventually arrested for “forcible anal rape”
https://apnews.com/article/drugs-dea-rape-corruption-fentanyl-opioids-trafficking-649db430c4953a083a7af33ec34b9781

Top drug official Nora Volkow says the right things about moving away from criminalizing substance use disorders or stopping people using while in prison
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/top-federal-drug-official-wants-u-s-to-move-away-from-criminalization-and-focus-on-treatment
And the largest doctor group in the US, the American College of Physicians, calls for cannabis to be decriminalized
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/top-doctors-group-calls-for-marijuana-decriminalization-and-urges-better-evidence-based-education-on-cannabinoids

Cannabis research priorities released by the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) Priorities for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38844364/
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-health-officials-lay-out-priorities-for-medical-marijuana-and-cannabinoid-research
And NIST is selling the “most carefully quantified cannabis ever sold” at $174/g for use as a reference standard for labs
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-science-agency-begins-selling-most-carefully-quantified-cannabis-ever-sold-for-174-a-gram

According to Whitney Economics, only 27% of US cannabis businesses are profitable, with numbers being even worse for minority-owned businesses
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/only-one-in-four-marijuana-businesses-are-profitable-yet-optimism-prevails-amid-rescheduling-push-industry-survey-finds

A case against METRC – the ubiquitous cannabis tracking company
https://www.higherorigins.com/articles/the-case-against-metrc-why-california-should-not-renew-their-contract

In North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will begin adult-use cannabis sales, becoming the first seller in the state or region
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cherokee-tribe-will-open-the-first-legal-marijuana-store-in-north-carolina-to-all-adults-over-21-next-month

In Oklahoma, a court ruled that a pregnant woman can’t be charged with child neglect for using medical cannabis
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/oklahoma-woman-cant-be-tried-for-using-medical-marijuana-while-pregnant-court-rules
“For us to find that Aguilar’s use, fully authorized by her medical marijuana card, became illegal due to her pregnancy, would require us to rewrite the statutes.”
I think the science here is pretty clear. If you can avoid using cannabis while pregnant, that’s for the best – but the use of it is not linked to any large increases of risk for harm, just small ones similar to the moderate use of alcohol.

California admonished a judge for, among other things, saying that a victim smelled of cannabis
https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/1858892

Thesis Corner: An impressive 42-page thesis on Thomas Pynchon’s California Trilogy & his postmodern take on the War on Drugs
Pot, Politics, and Postmodernism: The War on Drugs in Thomas Pynchon’s California Trilogy
https://helda.helsinki.fi/server/api/core/bitstreams/c957a719-beb0-4482-bee8-19e125986753/content
For context, here’s my book review of ‘Inherent Vice’.

International

In Thailand, a U-turn as they decide to not re-criminalize cannabis!
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/thailand-will-not-re-criminalize-cannabis-deputy-pm-says-4773324.html
And Czech Republic headed towards full commercial adult-use market!
https://businessofcannabis.com/czech-republic-will-pursue-full-adult-use-commercial-cannabis-market-leaked-documents-suggest/

The German Joint Committee made a ruling on cannabis being covered by health insurance & said that it’s only covered when other usual medications/services failed & only if the prescribing doctor is from one of 21 specialties (such as palliative medicine or pain)
https://www.g-ba.de/presse/pressemitteilungen-meldungen/1200/
I think it’s a mistake to limit the conditions for which cannabis can be prescribed because there’s evidence from members of hundreds of rare conditions. But that being said, Germany is one of the only places in the world where national or private insurance covers access to our favorite plant.

Also, the Germans make the mistake of a ‘per se’ THC limit for penalizing drugged driving
https://aussiedlerbote.de/en/federal-council-approves-cannabis-limit-for-driving
The amount of THC in your blood does not correspond well to your impairment, especially for chronic users such as medical patients.

In the UK, the European Industrial Hemp Association’s application for regulation of CBD just cleared its first hurdle with approval from the Food Standards Agency (FSA)
https://businessofcannabis.com/eihas-cbd-consortium-application-clears-first-hurdle-with-fsa-approval/
The EIHA is a coalition of 160 companies that sat down to standardize their product offerings so they could get the entire category approved through the arduous Novel Foods approval process. However, there has been some disappointment since the FSA pushed back on the EIHA’s already low recommended daily intake of 17.5 of isolated CBD per day & dropped it to just 10 mg per day.

Italian government adds CBD to its list of narcotic drugs, defying EU law & a regional court ruling
https://hemptoday.net/italian-government-again-designates-cbd-as-a-narcotic-in-defiance-of-eu-law/

Barcelona closes thirty of its famed cannabis social clubs
https://www.leafie.co.uk/news/cannabis-clubs-barcelona-ordered-shut/
There's still 200 clubs left in the city but it does seem like the deputy mayor is continuing with his plan to “put an end [to cannabis social clubs]… with legal certainty, with rigour, and without flaws caused by haste.”

A Japanese ceramic artist pushes back against his cannabis possession charge with a constitutional defense
https://cbdlogistics.jp/2024/02/02/an-artist-asks-why-using-cannabis-to-stimulate-creativity-is-a-criminal-offense
Meanwhile, when hashish sellers in Pakistan got caught, his family & neighbors waged a 40-minute attack against the police officers to free them
https://cannabislaw.report/pakistan-24-booked-for-attacking-police-freeing-hashish-seller

Across the world, small-scale cannabis growers are often also distributors
Global patterns in small-scale cannabis growers' distribution practices: Exploring the grower-distributor nexus
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38834441/

A Swiss review advocating for medical access to cannabinoids [French]
[Requests for cannabinoids for therapeutic use : how to support patients ?]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38836391/
And info on the pilot cannabis sales trial in Lausanne [French]
Opportunities associated with cannabis sales pilot trials : the Cann-L project
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38836393/

In Canada, a review on the effects of cannabis legalization
The Cannabis Act: implications for human participant research with cannabis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38889952/

A paper uses Antigone to explain the tragedy of cannabis in Brazil [Portuguese]
The Tragedy of marijuana: Antigone, cannabis neoactivism, and transformation of the moral regime into anti-prohibitionist mobilizations
https://www.scielo.br/j/dilemas/a/zsWhxkFk9nbVQfrxtqSVWgM/abstract/?lang=en#

The Laws, The War on Drugs & the End of Prohibition

From 2002 to 2020 according to a Human Rights Watch & DPA report, the US deported a half million people for drug offenses (47k for cannabis alone)
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/half-a-million-people-have-been-deported-for-drugs-since-2002-including-tens-of-thousands-for-marijuana-possession-alone-new-report-shows

The 6 worst places in the world to get caught with cannabis
https://www.leafie.co.uk/articles/worst-places-caught-cannabis/

‘The Colonial Legacy of Drug Control in Lebanon’
https://cannabislaw.report/article-the-colonial-legacy-of-drug-control-in-lebanon/

Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives

Two new psilocybin species discovered in Africa
A description of two novel Psilocybe species from southern Africa and some notes on African traditional hallucinogenic mushroom use
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00275514.2024.2363137

Captagon: the popular amphetamine of the Gulf States
https://doubleblindmag.com/captagon-in-the-middle-east

Nazi-themed party pills spreading across Europe
https://doubleblindmag.com/nazi-party-drugs/

On the debate of how to classify MDMA
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine is a connectogen with empathogenic, entactogenic, and still further connective properties: It is time to reconcile "the great entactogen-empathogen debate"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39068642/

The Psychoactive Research

Unsurprisingly, in people using psilocybin, they were also more likely to enjoy cannabis
Comparing Cannabis Use Motivations and Dependence Across Regular Cannabis Users Who Have or Have Not Recently Used Psilocybin
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38885938/

Big study of how psilocybin desynchronized the brain
Psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39020167/

And in humans, how psilocybin & the 2-CB family distort the encoding of emotional episodic memories
Psilocybin and 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) at Encoding Distort Episodic Familiarity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38942147/

Interviews on psychedelics causing “transformative experiences”
A Transformative Trip? Experiences of Psychedelic Use
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12152-024-09567-0
And on the experiences of Canadians with cancer who receive compassionate access to psilocybin
Longitudinal experiences of Canadians receiving compassionate access to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39019922/
And interviews on the positive effects at an ayahuasca center from purging (vomiting at a whole new level)
Purging to cleanse: a qualitative study of Ayahuasca healing at a drug treatment centre in Peru
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38864823/

In humans with anxiety, the benefits of long-term LSD therapy
LSD-assisted therapy in patients with anxiety: open-label prospective 12-month follow-up
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39078038/

In humans, the individual variability to microdosing LSD
Inter-individual variability in neural response to low doses of LSD
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39009578/
And in pain patients, an fMRI can be used to evaluate the efficacy of LSD
Clinical utility of fMRI in evaluating of LSD effect on pain-related brain networks in healthy subjects
https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)10432-X

In humans with treatment-resistant depression, positive results from extended-release ketamine tablets
Extended-release ketamine tablets for treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled phase 2 trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38914860/

For seizures, a review of 16 studies were heterogeneous but suggested that psychedelics may not increase risk
Do classic psychedelics increase the risk of seizures? A scoping review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38917636/
“A total of 16 publications on humans, and 11 on animals, were found. The results are heterogeneous, but globally suggest that psychedelics may not increase the risk of seizures in healthy individuals or animals in the absence of other drugs. However, concomitant use of other substances or drugs, such as kambo or lithium, could increase the risk of seizures.”

A review suggesting placebo effects from microdosing LSD or psilocybin
Is microdosing a placebo? A rapid review of low-dose LSD and psilocybin research
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38877715/

In primates, the functional connectivity effects in the brain of psilocybin & salvinorin-A (the active ingredient of salvia)
Acute Effects of Hallucinogens on Functional Connectivity: Psilocybin and Salvinorin-A
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38916752/
“Findings support the cortico-claustro-cortical network model for probing functional effects of hallucinogens regardless of serotonergic potential, with a potential key paradigm centered around the claustrum, PFC [prefrontal cortex], anterior cingulate cortices (ACC), and angular gyrus relationship. Thalamo-cortical networks are implicated but appear dependent on 5-HT2AR activation. Acute desynchronization relative to the DMN [default mode network] for both drugs was also shown.”

In a mouse model of obesity, the benefits of MEAI
5-Methoxy-2-aminoindane Reverses Diet-Induced Obesity and Improves Metabolic Parameters in Mice: A Potential New Class of Antiobesity Therapeutics
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsptsci.4c00353

Analogs of MDMA
Bioisosteric analogs of MDMA: Improving the pharmacological profile?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38898705/

The Plant & the History

In Canada, hemp growing licenses declined for the third year in a row, this time by 26%
https://mjbizdaily.com/canadian-hemp-license-numbers-decline-for-third-straight-year

On the classic smell of cannabis, an analysis of other molecules besides terpenes causing the aromas
Nonterpenoid Chemical Diversity of Cannabis Phenotypes Predicts Differentiated Aroma Characteristics
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.4c03225
“We found aroma differences between certain phenotypes that are driven by key minor, nonterpenoid compounds, including the newly reported 3-mercaptohexyl hexanoate. We further report the identification of octanoic and decanoic acids, which are implicated in the production of cheese-like aromas in cannabis. These results establish that even genetically similar phenotypes can possess diverse and distinct aromas arising not from the dominant terpenes, but rather from key minor volatile compounds.”

Growing, Farming & Processing

When drying cannabis with a microwave, the effects of vacuum & pre-freezing on the drying quality
Microwave-assisted hot air drying of Cannabis sativa: Effect of vacuum and pre-freezing on drying kinetics and quality
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669024009920

On how hemp interacts with the soil to alter its mechanical characteristics
Influence of the interaction between fiber hemp residues and soil on the mechanical characteristics of residues
https://sciforum.net/index.php/paper/view/17745
“Results indicated that rolled hemp exhibited a significantly higher moisture content (73%) and required approximately 53% more energy to break than unrolled hemp. Additionally, rolled hemp showed a 39% greater extension and took 39% longer to break. These findings suggest that rolling hemp residues before overwintering could strengthen their mechanical properties, enhancing their utility in no-tillage agricultural practices by facilitating their integration into seedbeds, even in conditions unfavourable for seed growth.”

A precision air seeder for sowing hemp
PRECISION AIR SEEDER FOR HEMP – CONTROL SYSTEM SIMULATION
https://www.iitf.lbtu.lv/conference/proceedings2024/Papers/TF093.pdf

A thesis project deep-dive on two hemp pests: tobacco budworm & corn earworm
Phenology Phenology, Olfact , Olfactory Response, and T y Response, and Tritrophic Inter ophic Interactions of actions of Helicoverpa zea and Chloridea virescens on Hemp, Cannabis Sativa
https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=10897&context=utk_graddiss

On controlling your greenhouse with Internet of Things technology
Cannabis Greenhouse Management System with IOT Technology
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10553934

Food & Nutrition

To prevent potential negative byproducts from heating hemp seed oil for cooking, use antioxidants like resveratrol
Effectiveness of different antioxidants in suppressing the evolution of thermally induced peroxidation products in hemp seed oil
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38823855/

In broiler chickens, hempseed increased immune responses with no negative effects on growth performance or gut health
Effects of hempseed (Cannabis sativa L.) in diet on growth, gut health, and immunity in broilers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38889341/

On the stability of nanoCBD in acidic food stuff
Stability of Nano-Emulsified Cannabidiol in Acidic Foods and Beverages
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38888614/
Wow. If you put a regular amount of CBD in a lemonade or sports drink that contains an acid, you can get up to 3 milligrams of your CBD converting to THC.
aka free edibles
aka accidental highs

Industrial Use

For hempcrete development, EPA awards $6 million grant
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/epa-awards-6-2-million-to-fund-project-promoting-hempcrete-and-other-agriculture-based-building-materials

On fermenting hemp biomass to produce energy & fatty acids
Valorisation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) biomass residues through acidogenic fermentation and co-fermentation for volatile fatty acids production
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35545211/

For automotive components, hemp fiber with titanium carbide
Hemp Fiber/Titanium Carbide Embedded High-Density Polyethylene Composite Prepared via Injection Mold: Characteristics Study
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40033-024-00784-8
For the next Terminator movie, Big Hemp is in product placement talks to have the next cyborg made out of titanium & cannabis stems.

Drill tests on hemp/epoxy composites
Optimizing drilling parameters for fly ash-filled hemp/epoxy composites: investigating drill bit geometries, feed rates, and spindle speeds
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2053-1591/ad5816/pdf

CANNABINOID SCIENCE

Public Health

In Lebanon, knowledge about cannabis among healthcare providers
Health Care Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Medicinal Cannabis: The Case of Lebanon
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/can.2024.0013

Cannabis use among Canadian correctional workers
Cannabis use among correctional workers in Ontario, Canada: Prevalence, mental health comorbidities, and risk and protective factors associated with cannabis use.
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-93342-001

Adolescents & Young Adults

In Canada, a review of 47 articles on the effects of legalization on young adult health
Understanding youth and young adult cannabis use in Canada post-legalization: a scoping review on a public health issue
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38886804/
“Key findings from the studies reviewed include an increase in cannabis use among 18-24-year-olds post-legalization, with mixed results for youth under 18. ED visits for intentional and unintentional cannabis-related injuries have increased in young children and teens. Perception studies show a mix of concern and normalization of cannabis use. Though limited, prevention studies are promising in raising awareness. A decline in cannabis-related offenses was noted by one study.”

In adolescent rats, THC impacted cognitive processes as well as the changes caused by amphetamines
Adolescent THC impacts on mPFC dopamine-mediated cognitive processes in male and female rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38826339/
(also, this experiment is exactly how I got my books written)

The Brain & Neurological Disorders

For multiple sclerosis, a trial of nabiximols (1:1 THC:CBD sprays) for a short time period did not meet the spasticity primary endpoints for this study
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Nabiximols Oromucosal Spray on Clinical Measures of Spasticity in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(24)00317-1/abstract

For Dravet syndrome, a study on the cost benefit of adding CBD to the standard treatment is locked up behind a paywall...
Cost-Utility Analysis of Add-on Stiripentol Vs Cannabidiol and Vs Fenfluramine in Dravet Syndrome in the USA
https://www.valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S1098-3015(24)00684-3/abstract

Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders

On the link between adverse childhood experiences & cannabis use in adulthood, a review of 28 papers about those complex links
Adverse childhood experiences as precursors to cannabis use in adulthood: A systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38889556/
“Instruments used to assess ACEs [Adverse Childhood Experiences] and cannabis use varied considerably across studies, leading to loss of consistency. Nevertheless, presence of ACEs-childhood sexual abuse in particular-was consistently associated with cannabis use later in life. Frequency and severity of ACEs was found to exert an additive cumulative effect on severity of cannabis use.”

In females with depression, a review of seven studies on the alterations to their endocannabinoid system found changes but no significant pattern
Endocannabinoid levels in female-sexed individuals with diagnosed depression: a systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38886733/

Among people in the US with severe psychological distress, there's been an increase in cannabis use over the last 15 years
Disproportionate increase in cannabis use among people with serious psychological distress and associations with psychiatric service use in the United States, 2009-2019
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38905902/

The Guts & Metabolism

In humans, how different diets altered the circulating endocannabinoids
Postprandial Circulating Endocannabinoidome Mediators—Impact of Host's Metabolic Health and Dietary Fatty Acid Profile
https://diabetesjournals.org/diabetes/article/73/Supplement_1/517-P/156492

In a mouse model of colon injury, activating the CB1 receptor decreased mucosal gaps, reduced inflammation, helped the recovery of tight junctions & lessened swelling of the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell)
Inhibiting the CB1 receptor in CIH-induced animal model alleviates colon injury
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38888634/

In a mouse model of obesity, a CB1 inverse agonist (a drug that binds & causes an opposite reaction) caused considerable weight loss, reduced food intake & improvements to biomarkers of inflammation & glucose homeostasis
Efficacy in diet-induced obese mice of the hepatotropic, peripheral cannabinoid 1 receptor inverse agonist TM38837
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38886096/

The Heart

In red blood cells, CBD caused an increase in hemoglobin release & other changes to hemolytic vesicles
In vitro Effect of Cannabidiol on Red Blood Cells: Implication in Long-Lasting Pathology Treatment
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38874045/

Well hell, it’s summertime & I’m curious if anyone ever reads this far. So let’s do a book giveaway. The first 2 people to see this sentence & email me can choose a free copy of one of my graphic novels.

The Skin

For skin inflammation, the synthesis of new CBG & CBC analogs
Minor Cannabinoids as Inhibitors of Skin Inflammation: Chemical Synthesis and Biological Evaluation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38889235/

Cancer & Chemotherapy

In glioblastomas (the most aggressive brain cancer), activation of the CB2 receptor caused a potent anti-tumor response
Endocannabinoid Receptor 2 Function is Associated with Tumor-Associated Macrophage Accumulation and Increases in T Cell Number to Initiate a Potent Antitumor Response in a Syngeneic Murine Model of Glioblastoma
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38888628/

Synthetic Cannabinoids

On CB1 activation by HHC, HHC-O & HHC-P
In vitro activation of the CB1 receptor by the semi-synthetic cannabinoids hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), hexahydrocannabinol acetate (HHC-O) and hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHC-P)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38894658/

Cool Chemistry & Tools

Creating CBD powders for the inhalation of high doses
High-loading cannabidiol powders for inhalation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38906498/

On creating agonists to target GPR18 (a receptor activated by THC) for cancer & immunity
Potent, Selective Agonists for the Cannabinoid-like Orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor GPR18: A Promising Drug Target for Cancer and Immunity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38885438/

For GPR55 (the receptor that may one day be known as CB3), a thesis project on the computational modeling of the receptor & its potential hotspots
Computational Study of GPR55 Tertiary Model and Potential Mutation Hotspots
https://kb.osu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/2b81d6e4-6769-4c8e-b82b-5a4922f721a2/content

For cannabinoid biosynthesis, a thesis project on the structure & function of a type III polyketide synthase
Structure and function of a type III polyketide synthase involved in cannabinoid biosynthesis
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6k86g85k

A patent review of CB2 modulators
Patent review of cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) modulators (2016-present)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38886185/

Thanks.
- lex

PS: During a drive home from the beach with my youngest sleeping on my left & my oldest cuddling on my right, my sister Anna continued her excellent DJing skills by introducing me to the heartbreak song of the summer:
Stick Season by Noah Kahan (1B plays on Spotify!)
Bonus points for a line about weed that will go in the Extracts section of my canna-graphic novels based on Moby Dick.

This newsletter is the backbone of my work & I hope it brings you a measure of value. If so, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription & support my sharing all of the new cannabinoid science each week.

Cannabinoids & the People