C&P#123: [LinkedIn ban + new day] CBD for endometriosis, exercise & eczema

Costa Rica legalizes homegrows

---

This week…

• For endometriosis, a review of surveys on the benefits of CBD

• CBD for your exercise’s power, oxygenation & recovery

• CBD cream for eczema

• Big health insurance savings from medical cannabis laws

• From early adulthood to early midlife, less cognitive decline in cannabis users

• Finally, a CBN preclinical study on sleep architecture effects (it’s good news!)

• Lots of vaping data this week: links to more wheezing

• The sperm of cannabis smokers more abnormal & less mobile

• Stoners, your salvia microbiome is linked to worse oral health

• A conference of the American Heart Association’s had mixed news on cannabis & heart health (but it was mostly bad)

• Hemp to clean soil at the Tar Creek Superfund site (and 2 more on phytoremediation)

• AI to narc on drug smuggling methods

• Feed your chickens hempseed meal!

• The global trends of microdosing

• DEA still awful, this time at the airport

---

Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 123^rd edition of Cannabinoids & the People, Lex Pelger’s free weekly digest of all the new cannabinoid science + assorted canna-news & psychedelic updates. Upgrade to a paid subscription here to support my work sharing canna-science. On the cannabinoids, ask me anything.

Editor’s notes: delivery day + LinkedIn ban + what to do?

1.       I’m switching to Monday for delivery day of this newsletter so that you have it waiting for you at the start of your week.

2.       My LinkedIn account got banned again & this time it’s permanent (maybe it was for a CBD video, maybe not. no real answers). Ten years of networking gone & over two-thirds of my newsletter subscribers lost (I had 4k people on LinkedIn & have not quite 2k here on Substack). The idea of starting over is heavy, but here’s my new LinkedIn & Bluesky accounts.

3.       I want this newsletter to be useful & I want to be useful. With the changes in the world, I want to use my fire to help. I’ve been thinking about going back to journalism or podcasting to cover more about the War on Drugs. Or to use my writing or content to help out harm reduction orgs or others doing the Good Work. I’m not quite sure where I fit in & I’m looking for places where I might help. I have a canna-science archive I’m happy to share & if you follow me here, you probably have a good sense of what I can do. Reach out if you see a place I can help out.
And for this newsletter, let me know if there’s ways to make it more useful to you. It will probably always be gargantuan & completionist because that’s how my brain works, but I can reorganize the top to highlight what is most useful to you if you have any feedback.

4.       For paid work, most of all, I want to find a partner for sponsoring this newsletter & to start hosting a podcast for a great company.

Thanks to all of you for coming along for the ride.

---

Free resources

• CVResearch.info: the extensive cannabinoid science archive I maintain for CV Sciences & our new canna-edu video series on YouTube @CVScienceInc & on TikTok @pluscbd

• Read my free How-To Guides or watch my 3-Minute Cannabinoid Science videos on YouTube or read my canna-science journalism here

• As always, here’s the Glossary of Cannabinoid Terms & at the bottom is the album of the week

For more from Lex… (my Linktree)

• My canna-graphic novels: On Amazon, buy ‘SUNset’, my Queer cannabis history graphic novel or ‘The CROWN’, the story of the hunt for the structure of CBN. To see more about this series of canna-graphic novel series based on Moby Dick, see lexpelger.com

• Listen to the first 2 seasons of my podcast ‘The Lex Files’ on cannabinoids, psychedelics & spirituality

• Work with my company White Whale Creations to produce content for cannabis & psychedelic companies: writing, science archives, social media content, newsletters & podcasts: my portfolio

A request to spread the word
This newsletter only spreads by word of mouth,
so please forward to colleagues & tell your friends & relatives.

My work this week:

An interview with me about the I Ching (which is the tool closest to my heart)
Human Design Philosophy: The Eastern I Ching

https://sites.libsyn.com/548297/human-design-philosophy-the-eastern-i-ching

CV Sciences Canna-Edu Vids:
(on YT @CVSciencesInc & TT @pluscbd)

Long videos:

• Arthritis & the Cannabinoids: one powerful anecdote!
  (or see the updated Arthritis page here on CVResearch.info)

Short videos:

• Cannabis & Pain

• Cannabis & Arthritis

• Cannabis & Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

• Alzheimer's & CBD (on the biochemistry of how this works)

• PEA & Alzheimer's Disease

• Cannabinoids & the Spasticity of Multiple Sclerosis

• Dogs, THC Toxicity & CBD

My Vids:
(on TT @lexpelgerandhisbooks or on YouTube)

• Sci-fi week: 'True Names' by Vernor Vinge + 'The Diamond Age or, A Young Ladies Illustrated Primer' by Neal Stephenson + 'Colossus' by DF Jones + Robert Heinlein, AI & Free Love

• Sciencemancy: How did bird flight evolve?

• 1 Million Pages & AI Dating (looking for love between the pages)

• 'The Cryptoterrestrials' hypothesis by Mac Tonnies

• Opening Uncle Buck's Books: Box #56 (Buddhist Edition)

---

Ways to support this work:
A paid subscription on Substack
Buy Me a Coffee
Venmo: @Lex-Pelger
PayPal: donate here

---

Best Of Cannabinoid Science...

In states with medical cannabis laws, they experienced a significant decrease in employee health insurance cost
Measuring the Impact of Medical Cannabis Law Adoption on Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Costs: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis, 2003-2022
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39287774/
“Under a hypothetical scenario where all 50 states adopted medical cannabis in 2022, we estimated that employers and employees could collectively save billions on healthcare coverage, potentially reducing healthcare expenditure's contribution to GDP by 0.65% in 2022.”

---

Clinical

In people with anxiety in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, cannabis-based medicines were associated with improvements in anxiety, sleep & quality of life over 12 months with no differences between the formulations used
UK Medical Cannabis Registry: a cohort study of patients prescribed cannabis-based oils and dried flower for generalised anxiety disorder
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14737175.2024.2423634

For endometriosis, a review of surveys on the benefits of CBD
Endometriosis: cannabidiol therapy for symptom relief
https://www.cell.com/trends/pharmacological-sciences/fulltext/S0165-6147(24)00215-3

In people & in a tissue model of atopic dermatitis (eczema), a CBD cream reduced itch via modulation of the immune system
Cannabidiol modulation of immune cell function: in vitro insights and therapeutic implications for atopic dermatitis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39290893/

In healthy adults, two weeks of broad-spectrum CBD use did not lead to a positive urine test & was associated with a significant reduction in sleep disturbances & pain intensity
Urinalysis and Perceived Effects Following 2-Week Use of a Commercial Broad-Spectrum Cannabidiol Product
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2025-41888-001.pdf

In public health data of 5k+ Danish men, the cannabis users had less cognitive decline from early adulthood to late midlife
Cannabis Use and Age‐Related Changes in Cognitive Function From Early Adulthood to Late Midlife in 5162 Danish Men
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11541857/

In males exercising on a treadmill, CBD did not alter their thermoregulation but did cause minor immunosuppressive effects
Effects of Cannabidiol Ingestion on Thermoregulatory and Inflammatory Responses to Treadmill Exercise in the Heat in Recreationally Active Males
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39294920/

In people with neuropathic pain from diabetes, a transdermal patch of THC, CBD & CBN applied to their lower extremities significantly reduced pain scores with an excellent safety profile
Efficacy and safety of transdermal medical cannabis (THC:CBD: CBN formula) to treat painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities
https://karger.com/mca/article-pdf/doi/10.1159/000542511/4300727/000542511.pdf

In people with rare childhood epilepsies, CBD reduced both focal & generalized seizures with over 50% seizure reduction in over two-thirds of the participants
Adjunctive cannabidiol offer long term efficacy for adult patients with Dravet’s and Lennox-Gastaut Syndromes’
https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/95/Suppl_2/A30.2.abstract
And in people with drug-resistant epilepsy, a retrospective study of pharmaceutical CBD treatment found it may benefit all adult patients, particularly those already receiving clobazam
Cannabidiol Treatment for Adult Patients with Drug-Resistant Epilepsies: A Real-World Study in a Tertiary Center
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/brb3.70122

In people with disc degeneration, they had significantly lower levels of anandamide & 2-AG
“Elucidating the immunomodulatory role of endocannabinoids in intervertebral disc degeneration”
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00586-024-08550-w

In a case report of somebody with spondyloarthritis (a chronic inflammatory disease of the spinal column), CBD helped control their pain
Cannabidiol for the Treatment of Cervical Spondyloarthritis-Related Pain: A Case Report
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39295690/

---

Harms

On the links of cannabis to cancer & genotoxicity by two of its best researchers, Reece & Hulse
Key insights into cannabis‐cancer pathobiology and genotoxicity
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11560801/
Nobody likes hearing about this data, but these two have put together excellent public health analyses showing small but real links between cannabis use & a variety of cancers & birth defects. Part of this link may be explained by stress to the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell).

On CBD drug interactions, a small study finds little reason for concern
Drug Interactions in People on Cannabidiol: Is There Cause for Concern?
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/can.2024.0041

And on the cannabinoid’s potential drug interactions with anticoagulant & antiplatelet drugs, a review of six articles
A Review of Cannabis and Interactions With Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Agents
https://perciseaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/A-Review-of-Cannabis-and-Interactions-With-Anticoagulant-and-Antiplatelet-Agents-JCP.pdf

In the sperm of men who smoke cannabis or tobacco, they had more abnormal & nonprogressive sperm as well as lowered DNA integrity
Impact of cannabis and tobacco smoking on male fertility and their relationship with sperm mitochondrial genetic variants in the Cytochrome C Oxidase genes
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5328744/v1

In chronic cannabis users, the bacteria of their saliva was most associated with those species linked to poorer periodontal health
Associations of Chronic Marijuana Use with Changes in Salivary Microbiome
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/11/2244
Yes, but worth it.

On tuberculosis risk from sharing bongs, a Thai study found an increased risk
Increased active pulmonary tuberculosis risk from sharing bong of cannabis: a case–control study from Thailand
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1474761/full

In daily cannabis consumers, a survey of their usage patterns found a relationship between the daily amount consumed & the risk & severity of cannabis use disorder
Quantity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol consumption and cannabis use disorder among daily cannabis consumers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39501796/

In Canadian pediatric emergency rooms, a survey of doctors found the majority saw an increase in cannabis-associated visits
Exploring Cannabis-Associated Presentations to Canadian Pediatric Emergency Departments: A Cross-Sectional Study
https://publications.sciences.ucf.edu/cannabis/index.php/Cannabis/article/view/255
“The main presentations to the ED were decreased level of consciousness, known unintentional (accidental) ingestion and vomiting.”

In public health data on cannabis use disorder, it was associated with a higher prevalence of anxiety & chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but not significant for atrial fibrillation (heart) hospitalizations
Association of cannabis use disorder with atrial fibrillation in young men without concomitant tobacco use: Insights from nationwide propensity matched analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39312691/

In public health data on liver health, while cannabis use was not associated with liver stiffness in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, in females, heavy cannabis use with that disease was associated with significant fibrosis (scarring)
Associations of Cannabis Use, Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, and Liver Fibrosis in U.S. Adults
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39286879/

Editorial on blunts increasing tobacco-related health problems
Blunt Talk on "Blunts": The Increasingly Popular Tobacco Product That Is Potentially Exacerbating Tobacco-Related Health Disparities
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39313669/

A case of severe poisoning from the semi-synthetic cannabinoids (HHC & HHC-P)
Severe poisoning with semi-synthetic cannabinoids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39323250/

In adolescent monkeys with chronic exposure to THC, they had persistent alterations to brain structure & connectivity as well as a disorder in reward sensitivity & motivational deficits
Chronic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in adolescent nonhuman primates: persistent abnormalities in economic demand and brain functional connectivity
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-024-02024-9
“Taken together, these data indicate that chronic adolescent THC exposure produced long-lasting neurocognitive abnormalities in reward processing.”

From Cuba, a rare ‘keep cannabis illegal’ review
CONTROVERSIAL ANALYSIS OF CANNABIS RECLASSIFICATION: PERSPECTIVES IN A NARRATIVE REVIEW
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385717308_CONTROVERSIAL_ANALYSIS_OF_CANNABIS_RECLASSIFICATION_PERSPECTIVES_IN_A_NARRATIVE_REVIEW

---

Vaping

Cannabis vaping & dual vaping with nicotine linked to respiratory symptoms such as wheezing or whistling
Association of vaping with respiratory symptoms in U.S. young adults: Nicotine, cannabis, and dual vaping
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009174352400330X

A case report of a cannabis vape leading to cannabis arteritis (inflammation of the blood vessels leading to restricted blood flow)
Tetrahydrocannabinol Vape-associated Cannabis Arteritis in a Patient with Minimal Tobacco Exposure
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468428724002570
Usually, arteritis is associated with tobacco & it's rare to be found in a person using just cannabis. There’s been less than 50 reported cases like this

In adults with disabilities, they had higher levels of cannabis vaping
Cannabis Vaping Among US Adults With Disabilities: Findings From the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00333549241292447

An analysis of the aerosols in the vaping of natural & synthetic cannabinoids
Chemical Composition of Aerosols from the E-Cigarette Vaping of Natural and Synthetic Cannabinoids
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00326

---

American Heart Association’s 2024 Resuscitation Science Symposium

In people with recurrent pericarditis (inflammation of the heart sac), pharmaceutical CBD isolate reduced chest pain
Pharmaceutically Manufactured Cannabidiol Demonstrates Clinically Relevant Reductions in Pericarditis Pain and C-Reactive Protein in Patients with Recurrent Pericarditis – the MAvERIC-Pilot Study
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4140774

In a meta-analysis of 26 studies covering 72 million people, cannabis users had a significant increase in the odds of heart attack & stroke
Cannabis Use and Cardiovascular Crisis: A Meta-Analytical Evaluation of Stroke and Myocardial Infarction Risk
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4141299

In public health data of people with heart failure, those with a history of cannabis use had a higher chance of uncontrolled hypertension, blocked major arteries, acute kidney injury & stroke
Cannabis Use Among Heart Failure Hospitalizations and Cardiovascular Outcomes. A Five-Year Retrospective Study
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4120496

In young adults, cannabis use disorder not linked to greater risk of heart attacks, strokes or death
Young Adults with Migraine and Established Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Studying the Impact of Cannabis Use Disorder on Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events in a Nationwide Study
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4146725

In an analysis of cannabis legalization, each year of legalization was associated with increased hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation, heart failure & heart attack
Cannabis Legalization and Cardiovascular Hospitalizations: A Nationwide Difference-in-Differences Analysis
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4112546

A case report of cannabis perhaps causing bradycardia (very slowed heart rate)
The Cardiac Conundrum of Cannabis: A Case of Junctional Bradycardia Triggered by Cannabis Use
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4145609

In a rat model of smoking or vaping, their vascular system was impaired via vagal stimulation from the airway
Impairment of Vascular Endothelial Function by Inhalation of Smoke or Aerosol from Tobacco and Marijuana Products is Dependent on Vagus Nerve Input from the Airway
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.150.suppl_1.4134277

---

Reviews

A review’s review: an analysis of 23 systematic reviews on medical cannabis
Evidence synthesis of medical cannabis research: current challenges and opportunities
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00406-024-01893-x

For pain, a review of using CBD & how it alters the epigenetics of the opioid & cannabinoid receptors
Opioid and Cannabinoid Systems in Pain: Emerging Molecular Mechanisms and Use in Clinical Practice, Health, and Fitness
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273354/

For exercise & recovery, a review of seven articles that support CBD's benefit for strength parameters, power, oxygenation & recovery
The Effect of Cannabidiol on Performance and Post-Load Recovery among Healthy and Physically Active Individuals: A Systematic Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39275158/

For rheumatic diseases, a review of using cannabinoids to target the endocannabinoid system for pain, inflammation & joint metabolism (one good chart!)
Cannabinoids in the Inflamed Synovium Can Be a Target for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273304/

In kidney damage from diabetes, a review of PEA’s protective & therapeutic effects
Protective and Therapeutic Efficacy of Palmitoylethanolamide in Diabetes Induced Renal Damage: A Narrative Review of Scientific Evidences
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385597743_Protective_and_Therapeutic_Efficacy_of_Palmitoylethanolamide_in_Diabetes_Induced_Renal_Damage_A_Narrative_Review_of_Scientific_Evidences

For ADHD, a review of using cannabis
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cannabis Use, and the Endocannabinoid System: A Scoping Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39267530/

For psychiatric disorders, a review of 23 studies on the minor cannabinoids
Therapeutic potential of minor cannabinoids in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X24007508

For treating drug-resistant epilepsy, a Spanish review of using CBD, cenobamate & fenfluramine
Advances and guidance in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy: a review by the Andalusian Epilepsy Society of the new drugs cenobamate, fenfluramine and cannabidiol
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39267402/

For obesity, a review of the impact of the endocannabinoid system
Beyond the Scale: Exploring the Endocannabinoid System’s Impact on Obesity
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11892-024-01562-2

---

Preclinical

In a rat model of sleep, CBN increased total sleep time as well as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) & rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, with its metabolite showing surprisingly high activity at brain CB1 receptors
A sleepy cannabis constituent: cannabinol and its active metabolite influence sleep architecture in rats
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-024-02018-7

In a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, the combination of THC & CBD (but not when either of them was alone) reduced extracellular glutamate levels & the excitability of the hippocampus, suggesting their utility against the excitotoxicity of the condition
A combination of Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol modulates glutamate dynamics in the hippocampus of an animal model of Alzheimer's disease
https://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/216359/1/867454.pdf

In a mouse model of obesity, the endocannabinoid oleoylethanolamide (anti-hunger neurotransmitter) protected their hearts from lipid dysmetabolism & decreased cardiac inflammation & fibrosis (scarring) via the PPAR nuclear receptors (regulators of genetic transcription)
Oleoylethanolamide mitigates cardiometabolic disruption secondary to obesity induced by high-fat diet in mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0024320524008166

In a rat model of methamphetamine use disorder, CBD modulated the addictive properties via a dopamine receptor
Cannabidiol Plays a Modulatory Function on the Methamphetamine-Induced Reward Through Hippocampal D2-Like Dopamine Receptors
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11064-024-04256-z

In a mouse model of apnea due to opioids, CBD pretreatment antagonized this fatal opioid response
Proof of Concept for High-Dose Cannabidiol Pretreatment to Antagonize Opioid Induced Persistent Apnea
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39314412/

In a mouse model of anxiety, the terpenes linalool & β‐myrcene had gendered responses in their combination with CBD
Sex Differences in the Anxiolytic Properties of Common Cannabis Terpenes, Linalool and β‐Myrcene, in Mice
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385564740_Sex_Differences_in_the_Anxiolytic_Properties_of_Common_Cannabis_Terpenes_Linalool_and_b-Myrcene_in_Mice

In rat brains, PEA lowered brain activity in a number of regions as well as the levels of anandamide & other endocannabinoids/endolipids
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) causes dose-dependent changes in brain function and the brain and plasma lipidome
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2024.1506352/abstract

In a tissue model of the neuroinflammation of autism, a low-THC extract reduced inflammatory markers & protected neuronal proliferation & differentiation under conditions of excitotoxicity (the brain harming itself from overfiring)
Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Full-Spectrum Low-THC Cannabis Plant Extract Using In Vitro Models of Inflammation and Excitotoxicity
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/14/11/1434

Against the COVID-19 virus, cannabis extracts & their secondary metabolites reduced activity, especially CBD & THC,
Secondary metabolite profiles and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of ethanolic extracts from nine genotypes of Cannabis sativa L.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ardp.202400607

Novel Studies

(my new grab bag section for stuff I haven’t quite seen before)

An analysis of cannabis potency (by the UMiss researchers who grow the federal cannabis supply) found that over the last 10 years, cannabis all over the country basically had the same profile: greater than 10% THC & less than 1% of the other cannabinoids
A 10-year trend in cannabis potency (2013–2022) in different geographical regions of the United States of America
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1442522/full
But there’s pushback from other researchers on claims that the federal cannabis supply matches what’s to be found in the state markets:
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federally-approved-research-marijuana-is-very-similar-to-whats-on-commercial-markets-study-says-but-other-scientists-arent-so-sure

““It doesn’t resemble cannabis. It doesn’t smell like cannabis,” researcher Sue Sisley told PBS Newshour at the time, adding that some of the government samples didn’t match her requested potency while other samples were contaminated with mold.”

The drug company Mira Pharmaceuticals has a synthetic THC analog MIR-55 & this poster appears to be a way to run down regular cannabis as more toxic than their creation
Getting into the weeds on cannabis: Known potential side-effects and toxicity.
https://mirapharmaceuticals.com/pechoagl/2024/10/Poster6thiCDDD1.pdf

On the Jamaican nettletree (Trema micranthum) as a potential source of cannabinoids (it’s in the Cannabaceae family)
Can Trema micranthum (L.) Blume (Cannabaceae) become a new source of cannabinoids? A UHPLCHRMS/MS analysis
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5125664/v1/3c5ae6f5-1b86-4d88-83c8-df0512f4035f.pdf

---

the Headlines & Fav Articles

Costa Rica legalizes cannabis home grows
https://elplanteo.com/costa-rica-autocultivo-cannabis

The head of Panacea Plant Sciences sues the DEA to halt cannabis rescheduling over allegations of illegal proceedings & agency bias
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/researcher-asks-federal-court-to-halt-dea-marijuana-rescheduling-hearings-over-allegations-of-illegal-proceedings-and-agency-bias

The Department of Energy gave an $8.4M grant to a business for providing hemp alternatives or building materials, packaging & automobile parts
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-agency-grants-8-4-million-to-hemp-company-to-produce-sustainable-cannabis-based-alternatives-for-building-and-car-parts

As requested by her deceased father, a YouTube chef grows cannabis in his ashes & then smokes it
https://boingboing.net/2024/11/19/popular-youtube-chef-smoked-weed-grown-in-her-fathers-ashes-as-he-requested.html
Note to my kids: you can do this with me if you’d like to indulge when you’re older
(note to everyone else: I bet my kids are going to think weed is so boring & uncool. it’s what papa is always droning on about…)

---

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

The Dept of Justice orders to the DEA to halt airport searches because of “significant issues” with cash seizures
https://reason.com/2024/11/21/justice-department-orders-dea-to-halt-airport-searches-because-of-significant-issues-with-cash-seizures/
For airline employees who sent reports to them, the DEA paid them out of the sezied cash, even though most of the owners of this property were never arrested or charged with a crime. A 2017 report found from the Inspector General of the Dept of Justice found the DEA seized $4B+ cash over the last decade, but $3.2 B was never connected to any crime.

The Dept. of Justice urges a US Court of Appeals to continue blocking the opening of a safe consumption site in Philadelphia
https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/2256635
I do believe there’s a special circle in public health hell for those against safe consumption facilities.

In Vermont, drug use harm reduction vending machines that include Naloxone kits & testing strips
https://news.delaware.gov/2024/11/14/delaware-officials-unveil-harm-reduction-vending-machines/
There’s a special circle of heaven for the activists behind this.

In Ontario, a report on the utility of supervised consumption services (due to be shut down) from the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation
Supervised Consumption Services in Ontario: Evidence and Recommendations
https://cdpe.org/publication/scs-in-ontario-evidence-and-recommendations/

On the evolution of cannabis enforcement practices with legalization, an analysis of 10 studies found while cannabis offenses involving adults decreased, enforcement involving youth was a mix between increase & decrease but that the race-related enforcement disparities continued even as overall enforcement dropped
Developments in cannabis enforcement practices and patterns associated with non-medical cannabis legalization policies: a basic literature/data review
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0735648X.2024.2427284

A review of how states evaluate their medical cannabis programs
Evaluations of State Medical Cannabis Programs in the US: A Narrative Review
https://karger.com/mca/article-pdf/doi/10.1159/000542472/4297792/000542472.pdf

An analysis of state laws on cannabis delivery
US State Recreational and Medical Cannabis Delivery Laws, 2024
https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307874
“Fourteen states authorized the direct delivery of recreational cannabis to adults. Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia permitted the direct delivery of medical cannabis to qualifying patients. Twelve states allowed the delivery of medical cannabis to patients exclusively through caregivers.”

AI to narc on drug smuggling methods via the postal system
Machine Learning-Based Algorithms Applied to Identifying Drug Smuggling via Postal and Express Delivery Channels
http://www.csroc.org.tw/journal/JOC35-5/JOC3505-05.pdf
Never forget that the largest US courier of drugs is the US Postal Service.

I wish I had access to this chapter on the Israeli mafia’s involvement in drug production & smuggling
The ‘Kosher Mafia’ on Three Continents
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-73561-5_8

For driving, chronic cannabis use linked to more emotion-directed driving styles & a greater risk of risky driving
Is cannabis associated with more than just driving impairment? An investigation into the psychological dysfunctioning and driving behaviours of active cannabis users
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847824003127

In a national analysis of who's driving after cannabis, sexual minority individuals are more likely to report driving under the influence of cannabis
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Cannabis by Sexual Identity, Race, Ethnicity, and Gender: A Nationwide Analysis Using the 2016 to 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39282695/

For driving, a thesis project on edible cannabis, blood THC levels & the impact on driving
The Relationship of Driving to Blood THC After Edible Cannabis
https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/140513/2/Zhao_Sampson_Heng_Xing_202411_MSc_thesis.pdf
Unsurprisingly, “blood 11-OH-THC and CBD levels were negatively correlated with measures of speed…, indicating that higher levels of these cannabinoids were associated with lower measures of speed.”

From the CDC, the statistics of young drivers driving under the influence found driving after cannabis to be on the rise
Special Report from the CDC: Driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other illicit drugs among drivers aged ≥16 years — National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2016–2019
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022437524001361

---

Business & Education

An analysis of US cannabis taxes: the average tax level is $37.93 per flower ounce, accounting for 18% of the retail price
Recreational cannabis excise taxation in the USA: Constructing a comparable tax measure for empirical analysis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395924003141
Overtaxation is one of the great sins of cannabis legalization. It also leads to the thriving black market which still funds cartel violence.

The California Institute of Integral Studies to offer a major in psychedelic studies
https://sfstandard.com/2024/11/06/psychedelic-major-degree-undergraduate-ciis/

---

Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives

Nazi MDMA sweeping across the EU
https://www.vice.com/en/article/nazi-drugs-are-sweeping-across-europe/

---

The Psychoactive Research

In a small trial of psilocybin for fibromyalgia, the participants reported improvements to pain interference & sleep disturbance
Preliminary safety and effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy in adults with fibromyalgia: An open-label, pilot clinical trial
https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/j8zb5
“Using the Patient Global Impression of Change, one participant reported their symptoms “very much improved,” two reported “much improved,” and two reported “minimally improved.”

The global trends of microdosing
Global Trends in Psychedelic Microdosing: Demographics, Substance Testing Behavior, and Patterns of Use
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2024.2424284

For PTSD, MDMA therapy found cost-effective for moderate or high-severity cases
Cost-effectiveness of midomafetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) in chronic and treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder of moderate or higher severity: A health-economic model
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0313569

On empathy, a meta-analysis of the effects of psychedelic drugs
Effects of classical psychedelics on implicit and explicit emotional empathy and cognitive empathy: a meta-analysis of MET task
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-74810-w

People given MDMA had higher levels of openness & positive affect 48 hours later
Rapid Effects of MDMA Administration on Self-Reported Personality Traits and Affect State: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Healthy Adults
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2024.2420044

In people with traumatic brain injuries, those who were given ketamine had no worse survival or disability & had less instances of elevated intracranial pressure but in the very rare outcomes of cardiac events or seizure activity, those were more likely in the ketamine-exposed people
Outcomes and physiologic responses associated with ketamine administration after traumatic brain injury in the United States and Canada: a retrospective analysis
https://jtraumainj.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.20408/jti.2023.0034

For vision, the effects of psilocybin on visual contrast
Enhanced visual contrast suppression during peak psilocybin effects: Psychophysical results from a pilot randomized controlled trial
https://jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2802199

In those taking psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, there was no impact from their discontinuing antidepressant drugs before treatment
The impact of antidepressant discontinuation prior to treatment with psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395624005855

The effects of psychedelics on dysfunctional attitudes
Acute Psychedelic Reactions, Post-Acute Changes in Dysfunctional Attitudes, and Psychedelic-Associated Changes in Wellbeing
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2024.2421892

In a mouse model of depression, the benefits of psilocybin require the serotonin 1B receptor (which is nonhallucinogenic)
The non-hallucinogenic serotonin 1B receptor is necessary for the antidepressant-like effects of psilocybin in mice
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.18.618582v1

The effects of psilocybin require the classic 5H2A receptor as well as pyramidal cells (a main excitatory neuron of the cortex)
Pyramidal cell types and 5-HT2A receptors are essential for psilocybin’s lasting drug action
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.11.02.621692v1

---

The Plant & the History

Growing, Processing & Measuring

In female plants at the middle reproductive stage, on using silver thiosulfate to induce male flowers & the production of seeds that are genetically male
Characterization of Male Flower Induction by Silver Thiosulfate Foliar Spray in Female Cannabis at the Middle Reproductive Stage for Breeding
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273911/

With methyl jasmonate or nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, zinc dioxide or cerium dioxide, the effects on the antioxidant activity of cannabis
Effect of three kinds of nanoparticles and methyl jasmonate on antioxidant system activity in Cannabis sativa L.
https://hpn.shahed.ac.ir/article_4617.html?lang=en

For adventitious roots (which emerge from non-root organs of the plant), methyl jasmonate & salicylic acid enhanced cannabinoid & flavonoid production
Methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid enhance the total flavonoid, phenolics, and cannabidiol contents of Cannabis sativa L. adventitious roots
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11240-024-02909-z

In allelopathy (the effect of one plants chemicals on another species), high concentration of hemp leaf inhibited the germination & plant growth of wheat, itchgrass, lettuce, & pea bean
Allelopathic characterization and allelochemicals identification of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) leaf residue
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669024019800

With osmotic stress (a sudden change in solvent levels, often due to drought, salt or cold), the response of the NAC gene family (essential for plant growth and & development
Genome-Wide Identification of NAC Family Genes and Their Expression Analyses in Response to Osmotic Stress in Cannabis sativa L
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273412/

A biorefinery method for the extraction of cannabis compounds
Application of D.I.C. technology for the extraction of high added value compounds from Cannabis Sativa L. buds according to the bio-refinery concept.
https://hal.science/hal-04762195/document

Optimizing supercritical CBD extraction using response surface methodology
Optimization of Supercritical Extraction of Cannabidiol Using Response Surface Methodology
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/12/11/2498

Analyzing terpene & terpenoid levels with a GC-MS coupled to GC-FID
Development of GC-MS coupled to GC-FID method for the quantification of cannabis terpenes and terpenoids: Application to the analysis of five commercial varieties of medicinal cannabis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39305633/

A thesis project on a handheld THC detector using laccase (enzyme) biosensors
ElectroSpray Immobilization of LAccase foR cANnabinoids deTEction – ESILARANTE
https://cris.unibo.it/handle/11585/996468

In Brazil, the factors for implementing medical cannabis cultivation
Factors for Implementing Medical Cannabis Cultivation in Brazil
https://www.benthamdirect.com/content/journals/npj/10.2174/0122103155290748240416050539

An analysis of six Moroccan hemp cultivars
A comparative evaluation of biomass and resin by-products attributes of six hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivars grown in Rif Mountains (northern Morocco)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42535-024-01077-x

The genetic diversity of North Indian CBD-rich cultivars
Morpho-anatomical, phytochemical, and molecular diversity of North-Indian Cannabis sativa L. germplasms for CBD-rich genotypes
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13237-024-00519-w

On growing cannabis in Greece
Cannabis Cultivation for Cannabinoids Production in Thessaloniki-Greece
https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/jasjnl/v12y2024i7p172.html
Yielding Morphological Characteristics and Biochemical Analysis of “Karma Lemon†Cannabis Producing Cannabinoids in Thessaloniki-Greece
https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/jasjnl/v12y2024i7p182.html

Phytoremediation

(the use of plants to clean contaminated soil)

Using hemp to remediate soil with heavy metals at the Tar Creek Superfund site
Evaluation of Industrial Hemp Cultivar and Biochar Rate to Remediate Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil from the Tar Creek Superfund Site, USA
https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/8/4/114

In cannabis exposed to cadmium & zinc, an analysis of plant accumulation & genetic changes
Histochemical and gene expression changes in Cannabis sativa hypocotyls exposed to increasing concentrations of cadmium and zinc
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667064X2400321X

In hemp used for soil remediation, an analysis of burning it
Pyrolysis of industrial hemp biomass from contaminated soil phytoremediation: Kinetics, modelling transport phenomena and biochar-based metal reduction
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040603124002387

Food & Nutrition

In chickens, replacing their soybean meal with hemp seed cake caused a significant increase to daily feed intake, weight gain & feed conversion efficiency, greater immunity & anti-inflammatory capabilities as well as improvements to meat quality traits such as meat color, water-holding capacity, intramuscular fat content & fatty acid ratios
Effects of partial replacement of soybean meal with hemp seed (Cannabis sativa L.) cake on the growth and meat quality in female three-yellow chickens
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579124010447

In lambs fed hemp seed cake, they had significant increases in the levels of their polyunsaturated fatty acids
EVALUATION OF THE ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE LIPIDOME PROFILE IN GROWING LAMB BEFORE AND AFTER SUPPLEMENTATION WITH HEMPSEED CAKE
https://research.unite.it/handle/11575/154140

In postpartum dairy cows, an analysis of the genetics of the endocannabinoid system & its relationship with endometritis & fatty liver
Connections between Endometrial Health Status, Fatty Liver and Expression of Endocannabinoid System Genes in Endometrium of Postpartum Dairy Cows
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273135/

For hemp seed oil, an analysis of the influence of water shortage & fertilizer ratios
Influence of water shortage and N:P ratio on growth and seed chemical components of hemp (Canna sativa “.)
https://notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/13941/9883

In hemp seeds, an analysis of their nutritional profile depending on the method of fertilization
Profile of Polyphenols, Fatty Acids, and Terpenes in Henola Hemp Seeds Depending on the Method of Fertilization
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39275026/

Using enzymes to mix coconut & hemp oils into structured lipids
Enzymatic Interesterification of Coconut and Hemp Oil Mixtures to Obtain Modified Structured Lipids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39272488/

Industrial Uses & Fiber

3D printing with hemp fibers
3D-Printed Biocomposites from Hemp Fibers Reinforced Polylactic Acid: Thermal, Morphology, and Mechanical Performance
https://ojs.bioresources.com/index.php/BRJ/article/view/23979

Making nursery pots out of hemp hurd
Development and validation of hydrophobic molded pulp nursery pots made of hemp hurd
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214993724003609

For removing paracetamol from wastewater, a study of using magnetized cellulose material from spent cannabis
Magnetized cellulosic material from Cannabis biomass as a green adsorbent: Effective removal of paracetamol from wastewater
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13399-024-06322-6
And removing Congo red with magnetic hemp hurd biochar
Congo red removal using microwave assisted pyrolysis derived magnetic hemp hurd biochar
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263876224006427

On how drought stress affects hemp fibers
Assessing the Impact of Drought Stress on Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Fibers
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39274587/

Making hydrophobic hemp fiber with compounds from pine bark
Coating of Hemp Fibres with Hydrophobic Compounds Extracted from Pine Bark
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/12/11/96

On extracting biomethane from hemp residue
The Potential of Biomethane Recovery from Hemp Biomass Residue (Cannabis sativa L.)
https://en.mahidol.ac.th/enricp/index.php/enricproceeding/article/view/44

Hemp-based biocomposites
Preparation of hemp-based biocomposites and their potential industrial application
https://4spepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pc.29206

On synthesizing hemp carboxymethyl cellulose (a common type of cellulose used across an array of industries)
Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis for the production of green and sustainable hemp carboxymethyl cellulose
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39278434/

A thesis project on producing the biopolymer PHB from the fermentation of hemp waste
Production of Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from batch fermentation of hemp wastes via co-fermentation of Cupriavidus necator with Paraburkholderia sacchari
https://krex.k-state.edu/items/c40b6c11-a9cb-437a-a6f4-2ff5adb61fad

---

CANNABINOID SCIENCE

---

Public Health

In Chilean epilepsy patients, an analysis of their CBD medicine found significant levels of variability in CBD & THC concentrations
Chemical analysis and concentrations of cannabidiol substances used for refractory epilepsy in Chilean patients. An underestimated worldwide risk
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39503571/

Adults who co-use cannabis & alcohol had the greatest risk of traumatic brain injury from a fall
Co-use of cannabis and alcohol among adults and the burden of traumatic brain injury from fall-related events
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14659891.2024.2428719

Analyzing hospital policy on the use of medical cannabis & CBD
Hospital Policy Regarding Medicinal Marijuana and Cannabidiol Use
https://web.p.ebscohost.com/abstract?site=ehost&scope=site&jrnl=10920811&AN=180573587&h=9lJMHPzwnP0SXvkDdnWYb9UC5pmbSfx%2bGOua%2fFoeu39utgiMzh68JB0noTyFQ%2fxYjxRK9lSwt0qcYvZH%2bvChFw%3d%3d&crl=c&resultLocal=ErrCrlNoResults&resultNs=Ehost&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d10920811%26AN%3d180573587

In Australia, people who regularly use drugs had difficulty obtaining a prescription for cannabis
Difficulty obtaining a prescription for cannabis products among two national samples of people who regularly use drugs in Australia, 2024
https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/entities/publication/3c8c0c4c-0829-4080-9c49-413a3d08c9bd

In Poland, a scrape of forums found a nuanced discussion of harms & benefits
“Now I like to know what I smoke”—differentiated cannabis normalization in Polish online discussions
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09687637.2024.2423755

In California, in this survey a majority of people felt comfortable talking about cannabis to their healthcare practitioner
Older Adults' Use of Cannabis and Attitudes Around Disclosing Medical Cannabis Use to Their Healthcare Providers in California: A Mixed Methods Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39294485/

In older adults in Pennsylvania, a survey found that primary care providers were more likely to ask about alcohol & tobacco use than cannabis
Primary Care Providers’ Communication About Medical Cannabis With Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Survey
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/21501319241295922

Interviews with nurses about their thoughts on the impacts of cannabis use
Nurses’ Perceptions of the Professional and Personal Impacts of Cannabis Use
https://www.journalofnursingregulation.com/article/S2155-8256(24)00070-X/abstract

The people who think secondhand cannabis smoke is harmful are the ones who don't have cannabis smoking in their homes
Clearing the air: Heightened perception of harm from secondhand cannabis smoke exposure is associated with no in-home cannabis smoking in a 21-country convenience sample
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743524003335

---

Adolescents & Young Adults

For adolescents using cannabis, clinicians discuss the barriers to treatment
Clinician perspectives on barriers and facilitators to the treatment of adolescent cannabis use: A qualitative study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2949875924002716

In a cohort study of adolescents, those using cannabis reported a greater number of psychosis spectrum symptoms, but some evidence for the ‘self-medication’ hypothesis
Psychosis Spectrum Symptoms Before and After Adolescent Cannabis Use Initiation
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2825423

On the links between adverse childhood experiences & later substance use
Psychological Pathways from Adverse Childhood Experiences to Cigarette, Marijuana, and Excessive Alcohol Use in Early Middle Adulthood: A Longitudinal Examination
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-024-01410-0

In young people with trauma, they had a robust association with depressive symptoms & substance use
Influence of trauma on longitudinal association between depressive symptoms and use of alcohol and cannabis among young people
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39325418/

In adolescents with cannabis use disorder, a new model for prevention & treatment (nice charts)
Towards a New Dynamic Interaction Model of Adolescent CUD Manifestation, Prevention, and Treatment: A Narrative Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39280928/

In adolescents, closeness to a mother was linked to less cannabis use, unless the mother also used, in which case it increased their pro-cannabis attitudes & intentions to use
Parents & Cannabis: Adolescents’ Reports of Parent-Related Factors Associated with Their Attitudes About and Intentions to Use Cannabis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-024-02943-7

In parents who limit time with friends, they had less use of cannabis, alcohol & tobacco
Parental Monitoring and Its Association With Alcohol, Tobacco Cigarettes, and Cannabis Initiation in the United States Adolescent Population
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1054139X24004567

In college students, a tech intervention to reduce cannabis use
A proof-of-concept study examining a health communication intervention to reduce cannabis misuse among college students
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448481.2024.2418527

In college students, a scale for measuring the simultaneous use of alcohol & cannabis
Development of the Alcohol and Cannabis Simultaneous Use Scale (ACSUS) in College Students
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39268332/

In college students, the simultaneous use of alcohol, cannabis & energy drinks was linked to increased alcohol consumption & harmful consequences
Simultaneous use of alcohol, cannabis, and energy drinks predicts increased daily alcohol consumption and alcohol consequences
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2025-42679-001

In South American young adults, reducing their alcohol & cannabis use by giving them money (a behavioral economics intervention)
Reducing alcohol and cannabis use risk in South American young adults: is behavioral economics an effective approach? Results from a randomized controlled pilot trial
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-024-06799-4

---

The Brain & Neurological Disorders

In a mouse model of chronic stress, mice with no fatty-acid binding protein 7 (a transporter of endocannabinoids) had lower brain levels of CB1 receptors
Fatty acid-binding protein 7 gene deletion promotes decreases in brain cannabinoid type 1 receptor binding
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304394024004191

In mouse brains, a distribution map of their CB1 receptors
Rimota-Gd: Paramagnetic Probe for In Vivo MRI Studies of the Cannabinoid 1 Receptor Distribution in the Mouse Brain
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00259

In mice, using cannabis as a sedative
Evaluation of Sedative activity of Cannabis Sativa in mice
https://vipublisher.com/index.php/vij/article/view/628

In mice with no CB1 receptors, they had disruptions to their myelination (the sheath for conductivity surrounding neurons)
CB1 receptors in NG2 cells mediate cannabinoid-evoked functional myelin regeneration
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301008224001199

In mouse models of drug-resistant epilepsy, the cannabis-like drugs amorfrutin 2 & magnolol (which are derived from other plants) caused anti-seizure activity
Cannabinoid-like compounds found in non-cannabis plants exhibit antiseizure activity in genetic mouse models of drug-resistant epilepsy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39530840/

---

Mental Health, Addiction & Cannabis Use Disorder

A new edition of D'Souza's book ‘Marijuana and Madness’
Marijuana and Madness
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/marijuana-and-madness-3rd-edn-edited-by-deepak-dsouza-david-castle-and-sir-robin-murray-cambridge-university-press-2023-1799-pb-353-pp-isbn-9781009305433/C064F909C5B129CBFC2D2AE64B60D8B8
(if anyone feels like getting me a Christmas present, I'm a sucker for the negatives)

Cannabis use disorder linked to a higher level of LSD & psilocybin use
Associations Between Psychedelic Use and Cannabis Use Disorder in a Nationally Representative Sample
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871624014273

In people receiving transcranial magnetic therapy for depression, a case series of adverse events with their concurrent cannabis use
Adverse events with concurrent cannabis use during transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for major depressive disorder: A case series analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39303809/

In people with cannabis use disorder & schizophrenia, treatment with cariprazine (an atypical antipsychotic) improved schizophrenia symptoms, increased functioning, & decreased cannabis use & dependence
Cariprazine as a maintenance treatment in dual schizophrenia: a 6-month observational study in patients with schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39319529/

A case report of using cannabis for generalized anxiety disorder
Venlafaxine for tramadol dependence and medical cannabis therapy for generalized anxiety disorder
https://journals.lww.com/intclinpsychopharm/citation/2024/11000/venlafaxine_for_tramadol_dependence_and_medical.1.aspx

[paywalls suck]
Receipt of Smoking Cessation Medications and Smoking Abstinence Among Veterans Prescribed Opioid Analgesics With and Without Cannabis Use
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-024-09193-9

In Canada, the cannabis legalization laws caused no changes on the prevalence of cannabis use or readiness to quit cannabis
Examining the Potential Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Individuals Receiving Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: An Interrupted Time Series Study in Guelph, Ontario, Canada
https://publications.sciences.ucf.edu/cannabis/index.php/Cannabis/article/view/260

In mice with repetitive chewing motions from the antipsychotic haloperidol, CBG lessened these chewing movements without impacting normal motor activity
Cannabigerol Mitigates Haloperidol-Induced Vacuous Chewing Movements in Mice
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5410694/v1/bb86e1da-6d0a-49ef-ab2b-c92fc1a59fe4.pdf

In a rodent model of opioid use disorder, a neutral CB1 antagonist suppressed opioid-taking & seeking as well as cocaine seeking
AM6527, a neutral CB1 receptor antagonist, suppresses opioid taking and seeking, as well as cocaine seeking in rodents without aversive effects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38600154/

In a mouse model of anxiety, the deletion of NAPE-PLD (which produces anandamide) caused more anxious behaviors & a heightened freezing response via dysregulations in the HPA axis of the hypothalamus, as well as in males, higher corticosterone levels
Genetic deletion of NAPE-PLD induces context-dependent dysregulation of anxiety-like behaviors, stress responsiveness, and HPA-axis functionality in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39314440/

---

Pain, Musculoskeletal & Surgeries

In people having a total knee replacement, use of cannabis before the operation did not increase their opioid use afterward
Preoperative Cannabis Use Did Not Increase Opioid Utilization After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Propensity Score-Matched Model
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39281986/

In people who had orthopedic surgery, cannabis use was not associated with the development of a surgical site infection
Does Marijuana Smoking Increase the Odds of Surgical Site Infection After Orthopaedic Surgery? A Retrospective Cohort Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39325055/
It was, however, associated with being totally rad.

In a tissue model of osteoarthritis, activating the CB2 receptor with turmeric oleoresin reduced inflammation & oxidative stress
Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 by Turmeric Oleoresin Reduces Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in an Osteoarthritis In Vitro Model
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1488254/abstract

For TRPV1 & neuropathic pain, a review of this vanilloid receptor activated by endocannabinoids
The dual role of TRPV1 in peripheral neuropathic pain: pain switches caused by its sensitization or desensitization
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39315294/

Guts, Metabolism & Oral Health

For obesity, new CB1 antagonists restricted to the body helped with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
New peripherally-restricted CB1 receptor antagonists, PMG-505-010-010 and-013 ameliorate obesity-associated NAFLD and fibrosis
https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/gachon/handle/2020.sw.gachon/92955

Immune System & Microbial

In a mouse model of fibromyalgia, electroacupuncture reversed the overexpression of TRPV1 receptors (which are also activated by endocannabinoids)
Electroacupuncture Mitigates TRPV1 Overexpression in the Central Nervous System Associated with Fibromyalgia in Mice
https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202411.0417/v1

---

Reproduction & Hormones

For prenatal cannabinoid exposure, a thesis project on the neurodevelopmental effects
The Neurodevelopmental Consequences of Prenatal Cannabinoid Exposure: Pathological Impacts in the Mesocorticolimbic System and Exploratory Therapeutic Interventions
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10477/

In the mouse ovary, cannabinoids tend to impair folliculogenesis (maturation of a follicle into a fertilizable egg) via the CB2 receptor
The role of cannabinoid agonists and antagonists on folliculogenesis, and evolutionary events in mouse ovary
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5351873/v1

In a rat model of maternal obesity, the young rats had changes to the endocannabinoid system of their small intestine associated with reduced intestinal permeability & impaired glucose homeostasis
Maternal obesity changes the small intestine endocannabinoid system and fecal metabolites of weanling rats associated with reduced intestinal permeability and impaired glucose homeostasis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S095528632400233X

In female sheep, anandamide regulated the reproductive processes, perhaps via gonadotropin-releasing hormones in the hypothalamus
Effect of central administration of indomethacin on anandamide-induced GnRH/LH secretion in the hypothalamus of anoestrous ewes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39318510/

---

The Heart

A review of the heart effects of the endocannabinoids
Myogenic Classical Endocannabinoids, Their Targets and Activity
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0006297924100080

In the rare genetic disorder Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (which leads to fatal heart scarring), anandamide appeared to be a blood biomarker for the levels of scarring & mouse studies showed help from Zevaquenabant (MRI-1867, a peripheral CB1 receptor & iNOS antagonist)
Circulating Anandamide is an Early Blood Biomarker of Progressive Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Pulmonary Fibrosis
https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/64/suppl68/pa5215

In a mouse model of high cholesterol & atherosclerosis (hardened arteries), those engineered to have no CB1 receptors experienced less vascular damage from a high-fat diet
Investigating the Role of Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptors in Vascular Function and Remodeling in a Hypercholesterolemic Mouse Model with Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor Double Knockout Animals
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273484/

In a tissue model of atherosclerosis (hardened arteries), the endocannabinoid LPI activated endothelial cells & inhibited autophagy (cellular recycling) via the GPR55 receptor & long noncoding RNAs (genetic & cellular regulator)
LPI-GPR55 promotes endothelial cell activation and inhibits autophagy through inducing LINC01235 expression
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39316662/

---

The Lungs

In a Guinea pig model of asthma, inhibiting the endocannabinoids lessened the metabolic changes & immune cell increase “underscoring its anti-inflammatory efficacy”
Metabolomic analysis of the effect of endocannabinoid metabolism inhibition in allergic airway inflammation
https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/64/suppl68/pa2989

In Ireland, a survey of acute medical patients found 75% smoking cigarettes & 7% smoking cannabis
A review of patient disclosure of cannabis and e-cigarette use in an acute medical cohort
https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/64/suppl68/pa4033

---

The Liver

In people who had liver surgery, the effects of cannabis use on postoperative outcomes was… [fuck paywalls]
Cannabis use and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hepatectomy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39322515/

---

The Genitourinary System

In a Guinea pig model of cystitis & bladder pain, a combination of drugs that activate the CB1 & CB2 receptor (ACEA & PrNMI, 4Q3C & olorinab respectively) reduced bladder sensitivity & pain signaling
A combination of peripherally restricted CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonists reduces bladder afferent sensitisation in cystitis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014299924007684

---

The Skin

In skin stem cells exposed to UVB radiation, the combination of CBG & 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid helped to maintain the stability of the proteome & the recovery of the cells
Proteomic analysis of the combined effects of cannabigerol and 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid on kinase-dependent signalling in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-78859-5

---

Cancer & Chemotherapy

In people at a cancer center, a survey found that over half did not disclose cannabis use to their doctor or care team
Experiences and Comfort of Young Cancer Patients Discussing Cannabis with Their Providers: Insights from a Survey at an NCI-Designated Cancer Center
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39294413/

In breast cancer cells, activation of the CB1 receptor inhibited colony formation, induced cell cycle arrest & reduced cell invasion ability
Combinatorial effects of cannabinoid receptor 1 and 2 agonists on characteristics and proteomic alteration in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0312851

In ovarian cancer cells, derivatives of CBD combined well with cisplatin to cause antiproliferative effects
Cytotoxicity of Natural and Synthetic Cannabinoids and Their Synergistic Antiproliferative Effects with Cisplatin in Human Ovarian Cancer Cells
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1496131/abstract

In colorectal cancer, combining the treatments of cannabinoids, caloric restriction & DNA-damaging agents
Targeting carbohydrate metabolism in colorectal cancer - synergy between DNA-damaging agents, cannabinoids, and intermittent serum starvation
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11556254/

---

Synthetic Cannabinoids & Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids

Creating analogs of the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-CHMICA & testing them against the CB1 receptor
Synthesis, Analytical Characterization, and Human CB1 Receptor Binding Studies of the Chloroindole Analogues of the Synthetic Cannabinoid MDMB-CHMICA
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/14/11/1414

On detecting synthetic cannabinoids with antibodies
Establishment of Broad-Specificity Monoclonal Antibody-Based Immunoassay for Rapid Detection of Indole-Type and Indazole-Type Synthetic Cannabinoids and Metabolites
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c03658

On detecting synthetic cannabinoids in e-cigarette oil using LC-MS/MS
Simultaneous determination of 102 synthetic cannabinoids in electronic cigarette oil by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39327658/

A platform for sensitive detection of synthetic cannabinoids in e-cigarettes
Highly-sensitive detection of CP-type synthetic cannabinoids from e-cigarettes by novel Zn/Bi bimetallic organic framework-derived ZnO-Bi 2 O 3 heterojunctions sensing platform
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5068541/v1

---

Cool Chemistry & Tools

Improving CBG bioavailability with a polyvinylpyrrolidone microparticles
Production of Biopolymeric Microparticles to Improve Cannabigerol Bioavailability
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39274617/

CBD derivatives with strong antioxidant activity
Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Novel Cannabidiol-Based Derivatives with Potent Antioxidant Activities
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39273525/

An oral CBD delivery system with zeolite
Development and characterization of a zeolite based drug delivery system: Application to cannabidiol oral delivery
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39296216/

Synthesis & microencapsulation of CBD, THC & delta-8 THC
Synthesis of (-)-Cannabidiol (CBD), (-)-Δ9- and (-)-Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinols, Encapsulation of CBD with Nanoparticles for Controlled Delivery and Biological Evaluation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39307687/

A review of CBD microencapsulation techniques
Microencapsulation techniques for developing cannabidiol formulations: a review
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/20415990.2024.2421155

A student project on the structure-activity relationships of psychoactive cannabinoids
STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP OF PSYCHOACTIVE CANNABINOIDS: A CHEMOMETRIC EXPERIMENT FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS IN CHEMICAL EDUCATION
https://ojs.campodahistoria.com.br/ojs/index.php/rcdh/article/view/296

In the traditional Thai herbal remedy Suk-Saiyasna (which contains cannabis leaves as one of its 12 herbs), on analyzing the levels of THC & CBD
Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol in Commercial Suk-Saiyasna Herbal Remedy: Applying Hansen Solubility Parameters for Sample Extraction to Ensure Regulatory Compliance
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/17/11/1502

Thanks.
 - lex

PS: The great ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax preserved early Americana music such as in this album ‘Texas Folk Songs’. Recorded during his extensive fieldwork across the US for the Library of Congress, this record features songs by local Texans, including ranchers, cowboys, and other folk artists. These songs often tell stories about frontier life, cattle drives, and personal struggles.

---

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.