C&P#114: cannabis for alcohol use disorder, cancer & anal sex
C&P#114: cannabis for alcohol use disorder, cancer & anal sex
Hemp-derived cannabinoids in legal turmoil
This week…
For alcohol use disorder, cannabis drastically lowers the inflammation
A special issue monograph of ‘Cannabis Use Among Cancer Survivors’
For the pain of anal sex, cannabis suppositories & mindfulness training
Preclinical: CBD for methamphetamine use disorder & the pain of sickle cell
What does smoking cannabis do to your mouth?
Catatonia from oral cannabis ingestion
Horses failing a drug test due to bedding on hemp straw (which is what I always tell officers)
CBD’s effects on the sexual behaviors of stallions
Kevlar & hemp + antibacterial hemp textiles
A medieval Arabic ode to hashish
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 114th 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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Clinical
In a case study of early onset Alzheimer's dementia, nabilone (a synthetic pharmaceutical cannabinoid that activates the CB1 receptor) improved sleep, quality of life, engagement & communication with family as well as decreased aggressive incidents & caregiver distress
Nabilone as Part of the Holistic Treatment in Early Onset Alzheimer’s Dementia: A Case Study
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/0BD2038AD829773B35C10FD1C6A8151A/S2056472424006872a.pdf/nabilone_as_part_of_the_holistic_treatment_in_early_onset_alzheimers_dementia_a_case_study.pdf
In people with alcohol use disorder & the associated inflammation, cannabis was so good at lowering inflammation that the inflammatory biomarker “IL-6 levels [were] only significant in individuals with AUD without recent cannabis use”
Examining the moderating role of cannabis use on the relationship between alcohol consumption and inflammation in individuals with alcohol use disorder
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/adb.13431
In a study that seemed to be looking for dementia harms, in people over 50, cannabis users were more likely to show moderate to severe anxiety & depression but their “use was also associated with improved verbal reasoning but not with change in other cognitive scores”
Daily cannabis use and cognitive impairment in community residents aged 50 and over
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14659891.2024.2365173
In men who have sex with men experiencing anodyspareunia (pain after receptive anal intercourse), a combination of cannabis suppositories & mindful compassion help to reduce pain better than either treatment alone
A preliminary study looking at the use of mindful compassion and cannabis suppositories for anodyspareunia among men who have sex with men (MSM)
https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/9546/
“Feedback revealed that participants felt mindful compassion potentiated the effects of cannabis suppositories during sexual intimacy, reducing pain and enhancing sexual self-efficacy, sexual functioning, and well-being.”
In a thesis project on exercise, runners taking CBD ran 2 miles at a 3% faster rate & with less anxiety & perceived exertion
The Effects of an Acute Dose of Cannabidiol on Health and Two-Mile Time Trial Performance
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/320/
A brain scan study of people who use cannabis or have cannabis use disorder found no significant differences in brain structures
Association Between Cannabis Use and Brain Structures: A Mendelian Randomization Study
https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/original_article/pdf/276278/20240831-320635-v0wper.pdf
A pharmacogenetic analysis on how our bodies process THC & CBD differently & how this might lead to drug interactions
Predicted Net Effects of Drug-Gene Interactions on Levels of Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4731545/v1
In horses using hemp straw as a bedding, eating it could lead to them failing a drug test
In vivo comparative study of hemp straw exposure and cannabidiol oil administration in horse urine
https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dta.3783
And a thesis project on CBD’s effects on the sexual behavior of young stallions (more vocalizations, less love bites)
Evaluation and Effects of Cannabidiol on Young Stallion Reproductive Behavior, Physiology, and Heart Rate
https://www.proquest.com/openview/b18135737004d15c19c09262bccc54f2/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
You must be reading my mail…
‘Cannabis Use Among Cancer Survivors’, a monograph from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
In a survey across 12 cancer centers, over 30% reported cannabis use since diagnosis with the most common perceived benefits to be for pain, sleep, stress, anxiety & treatment side effects
Perceptions, prevalence, and patterns of cannabis use among cancer patients treated at 12 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/202/7728495
“Reported perceived risks were less common and included inability to drive, difficulty concentrating, lung damage, addiction, and impact on employment. A majority reported feeling comfortable speaking to health-care providers though, overall, only 21.5% reported having done so. Among those who used cannabis since diagnosis, the most common modes were eating in food, smoking, and pills or tinctures, and the most common reasons were for sleep disturbance, followed by pain and stress and anxiety with 60%-68% reporting improved symptoms with use.”
Among people with cancer, their average out-of-pocket cost for cannabis was $80 & for the majority who stopped using cannabis early or used it less than preferred, over half attributed this to the cost or to a lack of insurance coverage
Patient out-of-pocket costs for cannabis use during cancer treatment
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/305/7728487
In a survey of cancer patients & healthcare providers, the patients reported cannabis to be helpful & while the majority of healthcare professionals agreed, less than 40% of them felt comfortable providing guidance about usage
A survey of patients with cancer and oncology health-care professionals about cannabis use during treatment
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/290/7728494
“The most common modes of ingestion were gummies (33%) and smoking (30%). The most commonly reported reasons for use were insomnia (46%), pain (41%), and mood (39%). For the 164 health-care professionals who completed the survey (25% response rate), the majority agreed that cannabis use (72%) is safe and beneficial for patients (57%). Four in 10 (39%) health-care professionals felt comfortable providing guidance to patients about cannabis use; however, only 1 in 8 (13%) felt knowledgeable about the topic of cannabis.”
In cancer patients, those who also used other substances were more likely to report improved sleep, increased appetite & treatment of additional medical content conditions
Concurrent substance use among cancer patients with and without a history of cannabis use since cancer diagnosis at an NCI-Designated Cancer Center in Florida
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/224/7728491
In people who had undergone cancer treatments, only one-third discussed medical cannabis for cancer symptoms with a healthcare provider, though 15% did receive a recommendation for medical cannabis
Patient-provider communication about the use of medical cannabis for cancer symptoms: a cross-sectional study
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/298/7728477
Unsurprisingly, among cancer survivors, those who perceive cannabis use benefits were more likely to use it than those who perceived risks
The association of perceived cannabis risks and benefits with cannabis use since cancer diagnosis
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/244/7728488
Among cancer patients, the rates of cannabis use before & after diagnosis
Cannabis use and patient-reported outcomes among patients at a comprehensive cancer center
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/259/7728482
Cancer patients with more advanced stages of cancer were more likely to consider cannabis use
Cancer stage and consideration of cannabis use among adult cancer survivors in Southern California
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/282/7728483
The ethnic breakdown of cannabis use among adults with cancer
Ethnic differences in the patterns, sources, and reasons for cannabis use among cancer patients at an NCI-Designated Cancer Center
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/252/7728476
Among cancer patients, Black patients were less likely to use opioids for pain & more likely to report cannabis as more effective than opioids
Cannabis and opioid perceptions, co-use, and substitution among patients across 4 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/267/7728486
A study of cancer patients found that in surveys, they were generally accurate in reporting their cannabis usage
Data quality in a survey of registered medical cannabis users with cancer: nonresponse and measurement error
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/218/7728481
In cancer patients & survivors, current cigarette use was associated with greater rates of cannabis use
Tobacco–cannabis co-use among cancer patients and survivors: findings from 2 US cancer centers
https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article/2024/66/234/7728493
Harms
A case report from India of oral cannabis ingestion leading to catatonia with mutism & rigidity, only lessened after 2 days & treatment with lorazepam
Catatonia Following Oral Ingestion of Cannabis
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/624EE8C0A9559EBEB31A2DF07B62A312/S2056472424006823a.pdf/catatonia_following_oral_ingestion_of_cannabis.pdf
It's not well enough known that when orally ingesting cannabis, your liver converts the delta-9 THC to 11-OH-delta 9-THC which is ~5 to 7 times more psychoactive. So in earlier American & Indian history when eating hashish was more common, catatonia from cannabis was a more often seen symptom. People always go on about how weed is stronger these days, but we're not getting high like Fitzhugh Ludlow the Hasheesh Eater.
(Confession: Fitzhugh is a hero of mine, the first great Amerikan drug writer, a brave explorer of inner spaces, a compassionate ally in the fight against the morphine epidemic of his day (similar to the opioid epidemic of ours) & he’s the star of the next 7 chapters in my canna-graphic novels based on Moby Dick that I have now written but not yet illustrated).
For COVID, a longitudinal study found cannabis use associated with a higher likelihood of reporting more than two COVID-19 infections
Dried Cannabis Use, Tobacco Smoking, and COVID-19 Infection: Findings from a Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study
https://publications.sciences.ucf.edu/cannabis/index.php/Cannabis/article/view/248
For synthetic cannabinoids, a large review of case studies involving exposure to other psychoactives
Potential Implications of Multi-Drug Exposure with Synthetic Cannabinoids: A Scoping Review of Human Case Studies
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-1851/3/3/23
“There were 278 human cases involving 64 different synthetic cannabinoids extracted from the databases. Cases involved a total of 840 individual co-exposures, with an average of four substances involved in each case. The most common co-exposures were alcohol (11.4%), opioids (11.2%), and cannabis (11.1%). When analyzed by case outcome, co-exposure to either antipsychotics/antidepressants, alcohol, or tobacco were significantly associated with mortality as an outcome (p < 0.05). Drug-use history (63.4%), mental illness (23.7%), and hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (20.1%) were prevalent patient histories in the case cohort.”
For the heart, a review of the potential negatives of cannabis
Cardiovascular (side) effects of cannabis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00508-024-02403-8
And a retrospective analysis found no links between cannabis use & heart-related adverse events, cardiac dysrhythmias or the cost of hospitalization but it was significantly associated with the likelihood of mortality
The effects of cannabis use on major adverse cardiovascular outcomes, mortality, cost of hospitalization, and cardiac arrhythmias: A Retrospective analysis using the national inpatient sample
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0146280624004249
A case report of potential cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome with lactic acidosis (elevated lactic acid levels)
Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Lactic Acidosis in a Chronic Marijuana User
https://www.mdedge9-ma1.mdedge.com/authors/caroline-trevisan-md
Reviews
For ADHD, a review of using cannabis
Uso de cannabis no Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade (TDAH): uma revisão de escopo
https://ojs.latinamericanpublicacoes.com.br/ojs/index.php/ah/article/view/2280
“Some studies suggest that treating ADHD with medicinal cannabis may have beneficial impacts on symptoms, such as improved attention, reduced hyperactivity, and mood stabilization”
For depression as well as alcohol use disorder, a review of 17 studies on the relationship to endocannabinoid levels
Peripheral endocannabinoids in major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder: a systematic review
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-024-05986-8
“Stressors increase peripheral 2-arachidonyl-glycerol (2-AG) concentrations, and 2-AG may be a particular feature of depression severity and chronicity. Anxiety symptoms are negatively correlated with anandamide (AEA) concentrations, and AEA significantly increases during early abstinence in AUD. Studies suggest a negative correlation between Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and length of abstinence in AUD patients. They also show a significant negative correlation between peripheral levels of AEA and OEA and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity. Eicosapentaenoylethanolamide (EPEA) is correlated to clinical remission rates in depression.”
For Alzheimer's & dementia, a review of 14 articles using CBD (Portuguese)
Estado da arte relacionado ao uso do canabidiol no tratamento e prevenção do mal de Alzheimer
https://ojs.revistacontribuciones.com/ojs/index.php/clcs/article/view/9216
And a review of 65 papers on cannabis for neurodegenerative diseases (Portuguese)
O uso terapêutico da Cannabis e seus derivados no tratamento de doenças neurodegenerativas
https://ojs.brazilianjournals.com.br/ojs/index.php/BJHR/article/view/71708
For endometriosis, review of using CBD to suppress inflammation as well as the associated angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) (includes 2 great charts!)
Cannabidiol as a possible treatment for endometriosis through suppression of inflammation and angiogenesis
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/iid3.1370
CBD “has been shown to decrease IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, VEGF, TGFβ, and MMPs in different animal models of diseases.”
For rheumatic pain, a review of the efficacy of cannabinoids
The Elusive Truth of Cannabinoids for Rheumatic Pain
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11926-024-01162-9
On THC & CBD in dentistry, this review paper suggested promising benefits for inflammation & painkilling but risks for increased cavities, periodontal disease & potential oral cancers (especially with smoking)
The role of THC and CBD in dentistry – a review of impacts on oral health
https://www.jpccr.eu/The-role-of-THC-and-CBD-in-dentistry-a-review-of-impacts-on-oral-health,191337,0,2.html
And a review on cannabis causing alterations to the oral microbiome & the potential links to mental health & neurological disorders
Cannabis use, oral dysbiosis, and neurological disorders
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/nipt-2024-0012/html
For cancer, a review of cannabinoids for advancing cancer treatment (with two great charts on the general effects of cannabinoids)
The Role of Cannabinoids in Advancing Cancer Treatment: Insights from Evidence-Based Medicine
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11912-024-01589-4
On the mechanisms of memory formation, a review of the interactions between cannabinoids & long-term synaptic plasticity
The interaction between cannabinoids and long-term synaptic plasticity: A survey on memory formation and underlying mechanisms
https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cbf.4100
A review of CBD's many formulations & drug delivery systems
A comprehensive update on cannabidiol, its formulations and drug delivery systems
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11101-024-10001-9
Preclinical
In a rat model of colon inflammation from a fatty sugary diet, CBG lowered inflammation, protected the colon tissue & reduced the conditions for the initiation & progression of cancer
Cannabigerol as an anti-inflammatory agent altering the level of arachidonic acid derivatives in the colon tissue of rats subjected to a high-fat high-sucrose diet
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332224011703
In mice with small intestines altered by a high fructose diet, THC treatment suppressed inflammation & improved the cell proliferation balance as well as protecting the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell)
Effects of ∆-9 tetrahydrocannabinol on the small intestine altered by high fructose diet: A Histopathological study
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00418-024-02311-y
In a mouse model of sickle cell disease, this thesis project showed how CBD helped with pain
Understanding the Mechanisms Underlying the Anti-Hyperalgesic Action of Cannabidiol (CBD) in Sickle Mice
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0ff0b06k
In a rat model of methamphetamine use disorder, CBD's inhibitory effects were linked to dopamine receptors in the ventral tegmental area (a brain region linked to reward, learning, memory & addiction)
The role of D1-like dopamine receptors within the ventral tegmental area in the cannabidiol’s inhibitory effects on the methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference in rats
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923024001710
In a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy, small levels of CBD potentiated the antiseizure effects of the treatment drug levetiracetam
Subthreshold Cannabidiol Potentiates Levetiracetam in the Kainic Acid Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202408.0813/v1
In a model of allergies, PEA combined with melatonin to lower the release of immune-inflammatory modulators
Nutraceutical formulation based on a synergic combination of melatonin and palmitoylethanolamide for the management of allergic events
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1417747/full
In neutrophils (white blood cells that help fight infection), CBD improved their ability to kill bacteria & fight tumors
Cannabidiol and CNR2 Signaling Derives N2-Like Neutrophil Polarization with Impaired Bacterial Killing and Cancer Promoting Properties
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382529277_Cannabidiol_and_CNR2_Signaling_Derives_N2-Like_Neutrophil_Polarization_with_Impaired_Bacterial_Killing_and_Cancer_Promoting_Properties
In dental stem cells, CBD increased their bone regeneration
Dental pulp stem cells-derived cannabidiol-treated organoid-like microspheroids show robust osteogenic potential via upregulation of WNT6
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-06655-y
For salmonella, on the ability of CBD to disrupt the outer membrane proteins & antibiotic resistance mechanisms
Cannabidiol Interactions with Outer Membrane Proteins in Salmonella Typhimurium LT2
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4858257/v1/0793e1f9-5423-4851-a6ad-9d381b9346ff.pdf?c=1723019425
the Headlines & Fav Articles
A federal appeals court ruled THC-O-acetate to be qualified as legal hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill, rejecting DEA arguments that it belongs in Schedule 1
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/thc-o-qualifies-as-legal-hemp-under-federal-law-appeals-court-says-rejecting-deas-restrictive-stance
“Specifically, the opinion says, “The Ninth Circuit held that it didn’t need to consider the DEA’s position on synthetically derived substances because the definition of ‘hemp’ under the 2018 Farm Act was unambiguous in its application to all products derived from the cannabis plant, ‘so long as they do not cross the 0.3 percent delta-9 THC threshold.'””
Meanwhile, in California, Gov. Newsom issued emergency regulations to ban all hemp-derived cannabinoids
https://mjbizdaily.com/california-issues-emergency-regulations-for-intoxicating-hemp/
An appeals court ruled that a gun owner in Texas cannot be prosecuted for violating a federal ban on users of illegal drugs owning firearms
https://www.reuters.com/legal/marijuana-user-cannot-be-banned-gun-ownership-us-court-rules-2024-08-28
“"Marijuana user or not, Paola is a member of our political community and thus has a presumptive right to bear arms," U.S. Circuit Judge Kurt Engelhardt … wrote for a three-judge panel. Engelhardt said that while the government may be allowed to bar someone currently under the influence of drugs from having weapons, "there is no historical justification for disarming a sober citizen not presently under an impairing influence."”
On the cratering of the US CBD industry
https://www.greenmarketreport.com/cbd-industry-continues-to-crater-amid-regulatory-uncertainty-price-pressure
Oregon has the cheapest cannabis in the US
https://www.greenmarketreport.com/oregon-has-cheapest-cannabis-in-nation-according-to-industry-study
Of nurse practitioner students, 94% think cannabis should be legalized
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/94-of-nurse-practitioner-students-say-medical-marijuana-should-be-legalized-across-the-us
As someone who has spent my life surrounded by nurses, let me just say, God bless nurses.
Volkswagen to start using hemp as a sustainable leather alternative
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/volkswagen-launches-project-to-use-hemp-as-a-sustainable-leather-alternative-for-its-car-interiors
And I’d be remiss in not noting the oft-mentioned fact that in 1941, Henry Ford debuted an automobile that used hemp as a filler and that was fueled by hemp seed oil, though it’s a myth that he created a vehicle made completely of hemp.
History Corner: Excellent chapter on the medieval Muslim experience with hashish, including ʿAlī b. Makkī’s enchanting 12th century ‘Ode to Hashish’
Chapter 15 Al-Badrī (d. 894/1489) on Hashish and the Senses
https://brill.com/display/book/9789004515932/BP000025.xml
Now drive sadness away from me as well as harm
With the help of a virgin(al being), wedded in its green dress.
It reveals itself to us adorned with brocade.
No metaphor in verse or prose is strong enough for it.
It appears, filling the eyes with light through its beauty,
A beauty that puts to shame the light of meadow and flowers with a bright sheen (?).
It is a bride whose hidden secret gladdens the soul.
International
An analysis of the influential cannabis vote in 2020 at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs
The end of prohibitionist hegemony over cannabis? An analysis of the 2020 CND vote and its meaning
https://www.cartainternacional.abri.org.br/Carta/article/view/1399
On Canada’s 3 failed cannabis decriminalization bills in the early 2000s
“Please Wait, Your Policy is Important to Us” issue prioritization, the ACF, and Canada’s failed attempts at cannabis decriminalization, 2003–2005
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11077-024-09545-6
Thai cannabis oils also suffering from reliability problems
Analysis of THC and CBD in Cannabis Commercial Oil: Preliminary Study
https://ph02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/gskku/article/view/247277
The Laws, The War on Drugs & the End of Prohibition
In California, rich neighborhoods were more likely to have laws allowing retail cannabis commerce than poor neighborhoods as well as other differences in the ethnic distribution of laws
Racial, ethnic, and neighborhood socioeconomic disparities in local cannabis retail policy in California
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955395924002263
In data on impaired drivers, increased blood levels of any drugs were linked to increased impairment, but this correspondence was weakest for amphetamines & THC
The relationship between clinical impairment and blood drug concentration: Comparison between the most prevalent traffic relevant drug groups
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824002615
In South America, a study of the dark networks & elicit trades on the borders between Argentina, Brazil & Paraguay
Underworld Crossroads: Dark Networks and Global Illicit Trade in the Tri-border Area Between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay
https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/underworld-crossroads-dark-networks-and-global-illicit-trade-tri-border-area-between
“The marijuana that passes through this hub is produced locally in Paraguay for regional consumption, and Brazil and Argentina provide the largest markets for this illicit flow, with around 80% of all marijuana produced moving into Brazil [13]. While Paraguay is the largest producer of marijuana in South America today, less than one percent of its own population consumes the drug, which is deeply stigmatized and socially sanctioned.[14] It should then not come as a surprise that almost 94% of all of Paraguay’s cannabis farming is concentrated in the northeast of the country along the 438 km dry border with Brazil.”
Awful: A man in Singapore planted enough cannabis in the car of his estranged wife that she would’ve been eligible for the death penalty
https://cannabislaw.report/singapore-man-planned-perfect-crime-by-planting-cannabis-in-estranged-wifes-car-knew-it-could-draw-death-penalty
Sponsor: the Science in the City 2024 Conference by Medical Resource Associations
Here in Bordeaux on the 26th of October, Science in the City is a wonderful gathering of plant-based executives & healthcare leaders from around the world. You can attend virtually or join us in person at the lovely Cité du Vin on the Garrone River.
This full-day event offers networking opportunities, open forum educational sessions & clinical exchanges with professionals from across the globe. With a focus on integrative & functional medicine as well as plant-based medicines, you can see their great array of speakers here & buy tickets here.
Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives
A history of LSD in the US by Erika Dyck (who wrote a pretty book on it)
Acid Kick: An Historical Overview of LSD in the United States
https://brewminate.com/acid-kick-an-historical-overview-of-lsd-in-the-united-states/
The Psychoactive Research
A review of 34 studies on using psychedelics for long-term spiritual growth
Psychedelic experiences and long-term spiritual growth: a systematic review
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-024-06272-2
In the Global South, a review of using psychedelics for mental health
Treatment and therapy of mental health conditions in the Global South using psychedelics: A scoping review and narrative synthesis
https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/aop/article-10.1556-2054.2024.00333/article-10.1556-2054.2024.00333.xml
For alcohol use disorder, a review of using psychedelics
The Therapeutic Effects of Classic Psychedelics in Alcohol Use Disorder
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-024-00581-z
On kratom, a review of the benefits & adverse health effects
Beneficial and adverse health effects of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): A critical review of the literature
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691524004794
The Plant & the History
Growing, Farming & Processing
On the effects of light intensity & supplemental UV on cannabis productivity
Influence of light intensity and supplemental UV on biomass production, morphology and specialized metabolites of medicinal cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.)
https://www.uvgrowlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24.03.11-DLI-Report.pdf
On making cuttings from cannabis & the effects of cutting position & the use of auxin
Effect of cutting position in the mother plant and use of auxin on the rooting efficiency of cuttings in four varieties of Cannabis sp.
https://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/agricultura/article/view/14892
On grafting cannabis
Grafting of Cannabis – The effect of the rootstock on vegetative and reproductive indices of the scion
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168945224002371
A more efficient hairy root transformation method for cannabis
Mother Transformer: A High-Throughput, Cost-Effective in Planta Hairy Root Transformation Method for Cannabis
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4802873/v1
On cannabis weed management in Georgia, USA
Exploring Chemical and Cultural Weed Management for Industrial Hemp Production in Georgia, USA
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-3145/3/3/15
AI for classifying cannabis leaf diseases
Hybrid Adaptive Multiple Intelligence System (HybridAMIS) for classifying cannabis leaf diseases using deep learning ensembles
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772375524001400
How Nebraska farmers feel about hemp
Nebraska Conventional Farmers’ Perspectives Toward Agricultural Hemp: A Qualitative Insight Guided by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory
https://open.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3930&context=joe
When cannabis is planted in cadmium, where does it accumulate?
Accumulation and Histochemical Localization of Cadmium in Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Leaf and Root Tissue
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382745066_Accumulation_and_Histochemical_Localization_of_Cadmium_in_Hemp_Cannabis_sativa_L_Leaf_and_Root_Tissue
6 phytocannabinoid-like terpenes found in Rhododendron spinuliferum (a Chinese evergreen shrub)
Phytocannabinoid-like meroterpenoids from twigs and leaves of Rhododendron spinuliferum
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031942224002784
On terpenes, an analysis of the stability of the various enantiomers (mirrored image molecules with the same structure but different ‘handedness’)
Comprehensive analysis of chemical and enantiomeric stability of terpenes in Cannabis sativa L. flowers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39103248/
Food & Nutrition
In pigs, the benefits of feeding them hempseed
ASSESSING OF THE IMPACT OF HEMPSEED JUBILEU VARIETY ON PIG GROWTH PERFORMANCE, N METABOLISM, AND N2O PREDICTION
https://www.animalsciencejournal.usamv.ro/pdf/2024/issue_1/Art15.pdf
And a thesis project on feeding hempseed meal to yearling bulls
Effect of Dietary Hempseed Meal on Interactive Behavior and Handling Metrics in Yearling Rough Stock Bulls
https://www.proquest.com/openview/4f0003f89a7f28a1e1ebbd6b9d048284/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
The characteristics of hemp seeds after dehulling & defatting
Characterization of different hempseed fractions after dehulling and defatting: chemical composition and functional properties
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11694-024-02771-9
Industrial Use
Combining Kevlar & hemp fiber for heat resistance in thermal insulation panels, fire-resistant clothing & automotive underbody shields
Experimental investigation on the thermal characteristics of Kevlar/hemp intraply hybrid composites: Influence of various weaving designs
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669024012573
Antibiotic textiles with cannabis
Elucidating study of “Eri” and Cannabis sativa: An antibacterial approach via B/nZVCu-M NPs fabrication
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468023024010216
CANNABINOID SCIENCE
Public Health
A review of the benefits of medical cannabis
Clinical Benefits and Safety of Medical Cannabis Products: A Narrative Review on Natural Extracts
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40122-024-00643-0
“Most data from observational registry studies are supportive of ∆9-THC-based products (∆9-THC-predominant or balanced CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products]) in the management of chronic neuropathic pain. Balanced products are also effective in reducing spasticity in multiple sclerosis. Most CBMPs show benefit in providing symptomatic benefits in reducing anxiety, nausea, and in improving sleep”
A survey of why people in Florida are using medical cannabis
Reasons for Use and Perceived Effects of Medical Cannabis: A Cross-Sectional Statewide Survey
https://karger.com/mca/article-pdf/7/1/138/4271074/000540593.pdf
In Florida long-term care facilities, the majority of providers felt cannabis to be a viable treatment option but less than half felt they received adequate training on its use
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs Regarding Medical Cannabis Among Patients and Providers in Florida’s Long-Term Care Facilities
https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/original_article/pdf/275351/20240903-961239-v0wper.pdf
In healthy individuals, a low dose of CBD beverage for 8 weeks did not change their physical or mental health measurements
Low dose daily CBD beverage consumption for eight weeks does not improve physical and mental health measures in healthy individuals: A randomized clinical trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949834124000357
In a tissue model of Parkinson's disease, the terpenes linalool & geraniol protected the neurons from oxidative stress & inflammation as well as from increased levels of iron
Linalool and Geraniol Defend Neurons from Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Iron Accumulation in In Vitro Parkinson’s Models
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382694687_Linalool_and_Geraniol_Defend_Neurons_from_Oxidative_Stress_Inflammation_and_Iron_Accumulation_in_In_Vitro_Parkinson%27s_Models
How different lineages of mice respond to single doses of CBD-rich extracts
Inter-strain variability in responses to a single administration of the cannabidiol-rich cannabis extract in mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691524004757
On creating a deep learning model to predict the molecular targets & pathways used by cannabis
CANDI: A Web Server for Predicting Molecular Targets and Pathways of Cannabis-Based Therapeutics
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4744915/v1/dc8e726a-3134-4949-8706-872e497675a6.pdf?c=1723189685
Adolescents & Young Adults
In college students with PTSD, cannabis use disorder was not directly associated with symptom severity but was indirectly associated with PTSD through higher psychological inflexibility
The Indirect Influence of Cannabis Use Disorder Symptoms on PTSD Symptom Severity Through Psychological Inflexibility
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2024.2383979
In college students, how the context of their cannabis use related to cannabis outcomes
Beyond Frequency and Quantity of Cannabis Consumption among College Students: Context of Using Cannabis Relates to Cannabis-Related Outcomes
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382925634_Beyond_Frequency_and_Quantity_of_Cannabis_Consumption_among_College_Students_Context_of_Using_Cannabis_Relates_to_Cannabis-Related_Outcomes
In medical students, cannabis use decreased after the COVID pandemic
COVID-19 Impact on Substance Use (Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabis) and Stress in Medical Students
https://www.lidsen.com/journals/neurobiology/neurobiology-08-03-237
In young adults, the patterns of their alcohol & cannabis use
Longitudinal patterns of alcohol and cannabis use among US young adults: Correlates and implications for problematic health outcomes
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460324001722
In adolescents, how their internalizing & externalizing behaviors relate to their alcohol & cannabis use
The Association of Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems and Prospective Self with Alcohol and Marijuana Use
https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202408.0823/v1
In young people, the use of cannabis with tobacco (but not cannabis alone) is associated with an increased intake of sugary food & drink
Dual Use of Cannabis with Tobacco Is Associated with Increased Sugary Food and Drink Intake in Young People
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/8/1016
On the marketing of blunts to youth, they were more likely to believe that the products did not contain tobacco or nicotine
Examining the influence of cigar and cannabis co-marketing on packaging perceptions: An experiment with a sample of US youth
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460324001758
A telehealth program for youth wanting to lower their cannabis use
Telehealth counseling plus mHealth intervention for cannabis use in emerging adults: Development and a remote open pilot trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S294987592400184X
In adolescent rats, THC altered their cognitive processes via dopamine in their prefrontal cortex
Adolescent THC impacts on mPFC dopamine-mediated cognitive processes in male and female rats
https://storage.prod.researchhub.com/uploads/papers/2024/05/26/2024.04.12.588937.full_nDgPvjn.pdf
The Brain & Neurological Disorders
In a low-income population with epilepsy, on the use of artisanal & non-regulated cannabis products
Use of artisanal and non-regulated cannabis-based products for the treatment of epilepsy in a low-income population
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1525505024003238
For Parkinson's disease, a review of the involvement of the endocannabinoid system
Beyond dopamine: exploring endocannabinoids in Parkinson’s disease
https://www.oaepublish.com/articles/and.2024.18?to=comment
Mental Health & Addictions
On cannabis use disorder & emotional disorders, a review of using cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Comorbid Cannabis Use Disorder and Emotional Disorders
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-62971-6_3
For schizophrenia, a review of the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (Portuguese)
O sistema endocanabinoide e seu papel na esquizofrenia: uma revisão sistemática da literature
https://ojs.latinamericanpublicacoes.com.br/ojs/index.php/ah/article/view/2167
In Canada, legalization led to increased cannabis use among people with schizophrenia
Changes in Cannabis Use Patterns in Psychiatric Populations Pre- and Post-Legalization of Recreational Cannabis Use in Canada: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey
https://publications.sciences.ucf.edu/cannabis/index.php/Cannabis/article/view/238
For autism, a medical student grand rounds on the cannabinoid studies
Increasing AEA/AG-2 Levels through Cannabinoid Therapy to Alleviate Behavioral Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder
https://jmsgr.tamhsc.edu/increasing-aea-ag-2-levels-through-cannabinoid-therapy-to-alleviate-behavioral-symptoms-in-autism-spectrum-disorder/
A review of the relationship between cannabis & nicotine use
The relationship between cannabis and nicotine use: A systematic review and meta-analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39129583/
Developing a new questionnaire for analyzing the problematic use of medical cannabis
Conceptualizing problematic use of medicinal Cannabis: Development and preliminary validation of a brief screening questionnaire
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460324001710
In a rat model of stress, rimonabant (a blocker of the CB1 receptor) prevented memory loss & anhedonia (loss of joy)
Acute rimonabant treatment prevents anhedonia and memory loss in rats submitted to mild restraint stress
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39098399/
A thesis project on the addiction potential of CB1 positive allosteric modulators
Exploring the Dependence Liability of CB1 Positive Allosteric Modulators
https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/7797/
Pain & Surgeries
In a double-blind trial of chronic pain patients, a combination of PEA, acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) & vitamin E decreased pain intensity
Efficacy of a Mixture of Palmitoyl ethonalamide, acetyl L Carnitine and Vitamin E as a Nutraceutical in Decreasing the Intensity of Chronic Pain – A Randomized Double Blinded Trial
https://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume12number2/efficacy-of-a-mixture-of-palmitoyl-ethonalamide-acetyl-l-carnitine-and-vitamin-e-as-a-nutraceutical-in-decreasing-the-intensity-of-chronic-pain-a-randomized-double-blinded-trial/
In a female rat model of facial inflammatory pain, a drug that inhibited both the FAAH enzyme & soluble epoxide hydrolase did not lower pain levels
4-Phenyl-thiazole-based dual inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase and soluble epoxide hydrolase do not alleviate orofacial inflammatory pain in female rats
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667160324000073
On antioxidant synergy between cannabis & Golden root (Rhodiola rosea)
The synergistic effect between Golden root and Cannabis Sativa L. Determination of the antioxidant activity of the extracts
http://www.bcc.bas.bg/BCC_Volumes/Volume_56_Special_D1_2024/BCC-56-D1-2024-19-25-Vetskov-S2L6.pdf
Guts & Metabolism
In a mouse model of fatty liver disease caused by metabolic dysfunction, a neutral antagonist of the CB1 receptor (RTI-348) showed reduced steatosis (fatty liver) & biomarkers of liver damage
Novel Peripherally Selective Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Neutral Antagonist Improves Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Mice
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsptsci.4c00356
In a mouse model of gut inflammation, the endocannabinoid system regulated the hypersensitivity to pain via the gut-brain axis
Endocannabinoids regulate enteric neuron-glia networks and visceral hypersensitivity following inflammation through a glial-dependent mechanism
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39132860/
In a mouse model of obesity induced by diet, deleting the GPR55 receptor (which may one day be known as CB4) impaired their glucose handling & increased cell death of insulin-secreting cells
Global deletion of G protein-coupled receptor 55 impairs glucose homeostasis during obesity by reducing insulin secretion and β-cell turnover
https://dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/dom.15816
In a thesis project on rats & mice, the effects of cannabis use on feeding behaviors & the hypothalamus (a feeding center of the brain)
CLASSIFICATION OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC NEURONAL, APPETITIVE BEHAVIORS, AND GENETIC EFFECTS OF CANNABIS USE IN LABORATORY RAT AND MOUSE
https://rex.libraries.wsu.edu/esploro/outputs/doctoral/CLASSIFICATION-OF-THE-HYPOTHALAMIC-NEURONAL-APPETITIVE/99901136941401842
A simple method for synthesizing CBN & its derivatives for protecting the intestinal barrier
A facile one-pot iodine-mediated synthesis of cannabinol and derivatives, and their intestinal epithelial barrier protective effect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040402024003697
Reproduction & Hormones
In dairy cows, how endocannabinoids mediate their transition from pregnancy to lactation
Lipolysis pathways modulate lipid mediator release and endocannabinoid system signaling in dairy cows’ adipocytes
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-024-01062-z
In rats with prenatal THC exposure, the males had a reduced fasting glycemia (blood glucose levels)
Impact of prenatal THC exposure on lipid metabolism and microbiota composition in rat offspring
https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)11668-4
In zebrafish embryos, CBD exposure inhibited the development of the reproductive system & growth of the eyes as well as causing a stress response leading to embryo death
Cannabidiol exposure during embryonic period caused serious malformation in embryos and inhibited the development of reproductive system in adult zebrafish
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724054652
And in zebrafish embryos, on the negative effects of CBD exposure, especially to the liver
Toxicological mechanism of cannabidiol (CBD) exposure on zebrafish embryonic development
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691524004952
An editorial on the potential effects of prenatal THC exposure on fetal cardiac development
Brownie bliss or cardiac risk: unraveling the effects of prenatal THC exposure on fetal cardiac development
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpheart.00510.2024?journalCode=ajpheart
The Genitourinary System
In public health data on urological cancer surgery, cannabis use disorder had no impact on complication rates but those patients did have a higher length of stay & inpatient cost
The impact of cannabis use disorder on urologic oncologic surgery morbidity, length of stay, and inpatient cost: analysis of the National Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2014
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00345-024-05151-6
Cancer & Chemotherapy
For colorectal cancer, a computer analysis on CBD inhibiting their activity via the EGFR & MAPK pathways
A Bioinformatic Analysis Predicts That Cannabidiol Could Function as a Potential Inhibitor of the MAPK Pathway in Colorectal Cancer
https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/46/8/506
And CBD’s potential to fight cancers by inhibiting glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD – a drug target with no approved medicines)
In Silico Approach for Assessment of the Anti-tumor Potential of Cannabinoid Compounds by Targeting Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Enzyme
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cbdv.202401338
In the immune system’s natural killer cells, CBD lowered their levels of heat shock proteins with a potential reduction of their killing power for tumor cells
The immunomodulatory effects of cannabidiol on Hsp70-activated NK cells and tumor target cells
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161589024001366
Developing a polymer/CBD nanoparticle for cancer treatment
Synthesis, characterization and antitumor activity of a poly-4-Vinyl pyridine-co-cannabidiol polymer
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014305724005895
Synthetic Cannabinoids
On the intoxication equivalents of JWH-018
Interpreting mono- and poly-SCRA intoxications from an activity-based point of view: JWH-018 equivalents in serum as a comparative measure
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-024-03830-2
On the negative kidney effects of the synthetic cannabinoid AB-FUBINACA
In vivo assessment of the nephrotoxic effects of the synthetic cannabinoid AB-FUBINACA
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-024-00699-9
Cool Chemistry & Tools
On how THC binds to GPR18 (a receptor that may one day be known as CB4)
Unlocking the Reverse Targeting Mechanisms of Cannabidiol: Unveiling New Therapeutic Avenues
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01353
How mutations to the binding sites of CB1 & CB2 receptors alter their activity
Comparison of Agonist Activity between CB1 and CB2 Receptors with Orthosteric Site Mutations
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2564/3/3/18
A review of advances in analyzing endocannabinoids & phytocannabinoids in biological samples
Recent advances in the chromatographic analysis of endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids in biological samples
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021967324005995
Thanks.
- lex
PS: In today’s inspiring & melodic album, ‘Terra’ by Little Whale. A group of musicians came together to make an album that’s “an exploration & celebration of the musical tones & colors of nature & existence.” All profits from the purchases on their Bandcamp go to water protectors & workers for Indigenous rights in Brazil.
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