C&P#146: CBD for severe autism & lots of case reports
Restrictions in Malta & Tennessee + quiet quitting the War on Drugs
🌟 This week 🌟
CBD for the behavioral problems of severe autism
Adult use cannabis laws linked to decreased prescription drug claims for small businesses
On the importance of harm reduction vending machines
On countries quiet quitting the War on Drugs
Preclinical: CBN for aging brains + cannabis for strokes + CBD for autism, chronic stress & when scared shitless by venomous snakes
The help of electroacupuncture for the pain of fibromyalgia & the help of exercise for memory is mediated by the endocannabinoid system
For UTIs, 3D-printing a CBD stent
Rhododendrons & Jamaican nettletrees with cannabinoids
In pigs, cows & steers, you can feed them hemp products but they might test hot for cannabinoids
Is Shakespeare our fellow stoner?!?! <swooneth>
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 146th edition of Cannabinoids & the People, Lex Pelger’s free weekly digest of all the new cannabinoid science, canna-news, War on Drugs coverage, harm reduction & psychedelic updates. Upgrade to a paid subscription here to support my work sharing canna-science. As always, ask me anything.
(this week’s numbers: 7,200 words, ~17 minutes reading time, 170 papers)
📌 Editor’s notes:
If you cannabinoid science but you find this weekly newsletter a tad overwhelming, I recommend the monthly newsletter I curate for our sponsor, the Cannabis & Health Research Initiative. If you sign up for the CHRI newsletter, you’ll get one email a month with only the best of new clinical research (benefits & harms) as well as the top review papers. It’s a more focused piece of work that aims to be helpful to healthcare practitioners & knowledgeable DIYers.
Yesterday was my lecture at the Cannabis Public School called ‘Neuro Neuro Neuro: Cannabinoids for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's & MS’. Feel free to email me for the slide deck. Or see the CVResearch.info site where I updated the pages for those conditions with all of the new data.
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🧰 Free resources
CVResearch.info: the extensive cannabinoid science archive I maintain for CV Sciences
Canna-edu videos: on YouTube @CVScienceInc & on TikTok @pluscbd
My Free How-To Guides on cannabinoids for different conditions. #AMAGlossary of Cannabinoid Terms (& my Neural Ocean metaphor)
And as always, at the bottom is the album of the week.
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🐋 For more from Lex… (my Linktree)
My canna-graphic novel series based on Moby Dick, ‘‘Anandamide; or, the Cannabinoid’ to explain endocannabinoid science, the darkness of the War on Drugs & the long human history with our favorite plant.
See the volumes ‘SUNset’ (Queer canna-history from the AIDS crisis) & ‘The CROWN’ (the story of the hunt for the chemical structure of CBN, the first fully-solved cannabinoid in the 1940s). To see more about this ongoing series, see lexpelger.comThe first 2 seasons of my podcast ‘The Lex Files’ on cannabinoids, psychedelics & spirituality
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🎥 My work this week 🎤
Canna-Edu Vids for CV Sciences:
(on YT @CVSciencesInc & TT @pluscbd)
🍃 Best Of (Phyto)Cannabinoid Science🍃
⚕️ Clinical ⚕️
In boys with autism & severe behavior problems, a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of 8 weeks of CBD caused clinically evident improvement but also a prominent placebo effect
Cannabidiol (CBD) Treatment for Severe Problem Behaviors in Autistic Boys: A Randomized Clinical Trial
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-025-06884-y
In 19 people with drug-resistant epilepsy, CBD caused almost half to have reduced seizure frequency
Real-life study with pharmaceutical cannabidiol in refractory epilepsy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40163830/
For the different ingestion methods of THC, how they affect the subjective drug effects & blood THC levels (dabs get you higher 📈!!!)
Mode Matters: Exploring How Modes of Cannabis Administration Affect THC Plasma Concentrations and Subjective Effects
https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-025-00282-y
“Compared with modes typically associated with flower products (i.e., bong-, joint-like modes), dabbing was associated with higher plasma THC concentrations and subjective effects, indicating greater THC exposure when using this mode and its associated products. Interestingly, dabbing and vaping exhibited more rapid reductions in levels of subjective intoxication over time, suggesting that higher levels of intoxication may not be sustained for these modes.”
In people using medical cannabis for symptom relief, cannabis tolerance diminished the efficacy
Cannabis Tolerance Reduces Symptom Relief
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1496232/abstract
In prescription drug claims to insurance companies, adult-use cannabis laws are linked to a drug claims reduction of $34-42 annually for small group, but not large group, insurance markets (small employers vs large employers)
The Effects of Medical and Recreational Cannabis Laws on Prescription Drug Claims in Commercial Group Insurance Markets
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40395055/
🩺 Case Reports 🩺
A case report of infant death after accidental hashish ingestion (but also cocaine & opioid metabolites found in the system)
Infant Death Due to Cannabis Ingestion
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40399755/
In a case report of chronic atopic dermatitis (eczema), a cannabis seed oil topical considerably reduced inflammation, itchiness, redness, dryness & scaling of the skin
Topical Use of Cannabis sativa-Based Emulsion for Management of Atopic Dermatitis – A Case Study
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391944207_Topical_use_of_Cannabis_Sativa_L_-_based_emulsion_for_management_of_atopic_dermatitis_persisting_from_infancy_in_a_23_year-old_male_-_a_case_study
For hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness), an anecdote on medical cannabis
Medical Marijuana: A Surprising Solution to Severe Morning Sickness
https://www.mothering.com/threads/medical-marijuana-a-surprising-solution-to-severe-morning-sickness.1622735/
A case report of cannabis-related Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (aka stress cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome, a sudden temporary weakening of the muscular portion of the heart)
Cannabis-Related Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Presenting With Ventricular Tachycardia and Cardiogenic Shock Successfully Treated With Milrinone and Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666084925010277
A case report of a synthetic cannabinoid linked to a heart attack
Synthetic Cannabinoid (Mojo)-Induced STSegment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Case Report
https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/case_report/pdf/332967/20250521-317583-mcknjq.pdf
2 case reports in adolescents on differentiating cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome from catamenial cyclical vomiting (linked to the menstrual cycle & treatable by hormonal contraceptives)
The Clinical Conundrum of Cyclic Vomiting in the Setting of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis
https://journals.lww.com/acgcr/fulltext/2025/05000/the_clinical_conundrum_of_cyclic_vomiting_in_the.32.aspx
A case report of an Ayurvedic treatment for successfully managing cannabis abuse
Ayurvedic Management of Cannabis sativa Abuse with Psychiatric Manifestations
https://aamjournal.in/?mno=200146
📑 Reviews 📑
For anxiety, a systematic review of medical cannabis
Medicinal Cannabis in the Management of Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178125002008
“Among the 13 highest-quality studies, 70 % (n = 9) reported a positive improvement for disorders including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 30 % (n = 4) reported a negative result for conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, trichotillomania, test anxiety and SAD. Over 90 % of all studies, including lower quality studies, reported positive outcomes for CBD and THC-based cannabis.”
Relatedly, for people with anxiety, a survey of their ingestion patterns found a preference for high-THC products, with flower & other oral ingestion methods being the most common
Medical Marijuana Product Utilization Patterns and Preferences in the Treatment of Anxiety
https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/research_day/research_day_GA_2025/researchGA2025/13/
For epilepsy, a review found that hemp extracts worked significantly better than CBD isolate, especially because of CBC & CBN
Antiepileptic activity and potential mechanism of full-spectrum hemp extract
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40166106/
For palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a review of its therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders, pain & immune system dysregulation
Palmitoylethanolamide: A Multifunctional Molecule for Neuroprotection, Chronic Pain, and Immune Modulation
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1271
For CBD & the immune system, a review of its preclinical & clinical effects (great charts)
Cannabidiol as an Immune Modulator: A Comprehensive Review
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44446-025-00005-7
“Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate its efficacy in treating autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease, along with its potential in neuropathic pain and cancer therapy.”
For driving & blood THC levels, a review of 12 studies found no useful correlation between blood THC & measures of driving
Association of driving with blood delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: a systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40172477/
⚠️ Harms ⚠️
Unsurprisingly, on 4/20, cannabis-related emergency department visits spike by 17%
Cannabis April 20th Celebration and Related Emergency Department Visits
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2834356
For the risk of ischemic stroke, a meta-analysis found an increased risk with cannabis use, particularly among young adults
Cannabis Use in Different Ethnicity/Race Populations and Risk of Ischemic Stroke
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15332640.2025.2505059
In a survey of middle-aged & older adults, higher frequencies of cannabis use were associated with higher odds of subjective cognitive decline
Marijuana use and subjective cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults: Analysis of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40179228/
As someone approaching middle age, #worthit.
In people with breast cancer, cannabis may dampen the immune system activation typically triggered by anti-cancer treatments, lessening their efficacy
Characterization of Cannabis Use Impact on Breast Cancer Patients’ Immune System
https://www.esmoopen.com/article/S2059-7029(25)00509-5/pdf
In heavy alcohol drinkers, the combination of cannabis & alcohol was associated with more acute verbal learning & memory impairments than alcohol alone, with stronger effects for females
Effects of Legal-Market Cannabis and Alcohol on Verbal Learning and Memory
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391694922_Effects_of_Legal-Market_Cannabis_and_Alcohol_on_Verbal_Learning_and_Memory
In Colorado adolescents, psychosis-related hospitalizations rose modestly after legalization
Changes in Psychosis-Related Emergency Department and Hospitalization Rates Among Youth Following Cannabis Legalization in Colorado
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871625001723
For cannabis exposure during neurodevelopment, a review of the sensitive periods in development
Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor-Sensitive Neurodevelopmental Processes and Trajectories
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-025-03057-2
A case report of extreme self-mutilation after the combination of cannabis & kratom
Case Report: Cannabis and kratom-induced self-amputation of ears and penis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40171304/
In young mice, CBD reduced sperm quality & the levels of Sertoli cells (sperm “nurse” cells of the testes)
Post-Weaning Exposure to Cannabidiol Disrupts Testicular Cytoarchitecture and Sperm Quality in Mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890623825001236
🐁 Preclinical 🐁
In aging mice, CBN improved their spatial memory (with more pronounced effects in females) partially via the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell)
Cannabinol (CBN) Alleviates Age-Related Cognitive Decline by Improving Synaptic and Mitochondrial Health
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231725002058
And on CBN's binding sites for neuroprotection, specifically the key mitochondrial target isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2)
Affinity-Based Protein Profiling Reveals IDH2 as a Mitochondrial Target of Cannabinol in Receptor-Independent Neuroprotection
https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/chem.202501143
In a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, CBD improved short- & long-term memory, decreased plaque aggregation & reduced their transport, increased viability of the neurons, reduced neuroinflammation, lowered levels of reactive oxygen species & shifted to a more neuroprotective phenotype of the microglia (guardian immune cells of the brain)
Cannabidiol as a Multifaceted Therapeutic Agent: Mitigating Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology and Enhancing Cognitive Function
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-025-01756-0
In a mouse model of chronic stress, a very low dose of CBD reversed symptoms & caused improvements in the prefrontal cortex & across multiple neurotransmission systems
Low-Dose Cannabidiol Treatment Prevents Chronic Stress-Induced Phenotypes and Is Associated with Multiple Synaptic Changes
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390825002321
In a rat model of stroke, cannabis extracts improved neurological deficits & protected against oxidative stress as well as lung inflammation
Full-spectrum Cannabis sativa extract enhances gut-peripheral organ integrity after experimental ischemic stroke
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10787-025-01775-1
In mouse models of autism, CBD restored social deficits with gendered effects
Cannabidiol-Induced Recovery of Social Behaviour in Mouse Models of Syndromic Autism
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6683632/v1
And in a mouse model of autism, CBD improved their social interaction & anxiety levels as well as lowering of oxidative stress
Cannabis Oil Protects Against Valproic Acid–Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder by Reducing Oxidative Stress
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dneu.22969
In a mouse model of panic induced by venomous snakes, CBD lowered their anti-predatory responses
Unravelling a Potential Therapeutic Effect of Polymeric Lipid-Core Nanoencapsulated Cannabidiol on Anxiety- and Panic-Like Behaviours Elicited by Bothrops jararaca Lancehead Pit Vipers
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378517325005848
In a rat model of gastric ulcers, the terpene beta-caryophyllene decreased gastric contractions & protected gastric tissues from oxidative stress, inflammation & apoptosis (programmed cellular suicide)
Investigation of the Protective Effect of Beta Caryophyllene Against Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00210-025-04269-7
In a mouse model of fibromyalgia, electroacupuncture caused its pain-killing effects via increased CB1 receptor levels & modulated TRPV1 signaling
Accurate Chemogenetics Determines Electroacupuncture Analgesia Through Increased CB1 to Suppress the TRPV1 Pathway in a Mouse Model of Fibromyalgia
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/5/819
In a mouse model of exercise helping with neurogenesis (birth of new brain cells) in the hippocampus (memory center of the brain), the effects were at least partially mediated by the CB2 receptor
The Effects of Exercise-Associated Factors on Hippocampal Progenitor Cell Dynamics Are Mediated by Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptors
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40405428/
🧬 Novel Studies 🧬
(my grab bag section for intriguing studies or stuff I haven’t quite seen before)
For urinary tract infections, 3D printing a CBD stent
3D-Printed Cannabidiol Stent for Local Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378517325005988
From Rhododendron anthopogon D. Don (the dwarf rhododendron), the isolation of cannabinoids & triterpenoids
Isolation of Cannabinoids and Triterpenoids from Rhododendron anthopogon Leaves
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14786419.2025.2505601
Analysis of cannabinoids from Trema micranthum (Jamaican nettletree)
Cannabinoids From Trema micranthum: A Cannabinoid Profiling System
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40403289/
📰 US Headlines & Fav Articles 📰
Matt Zorn, a lawyer who sued the US over cannabis rescheduling, will become HHS deputy general counsel with a focus on psychedelics
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/lawyer-who-sued-federal-health-agency-to-release-marijuana-documents-now-works-there-with-focus-on-psychedelics/
US Department of Agriculture to close a trade committee for promoting US hemp abroad
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/usda-trade-committee-that-promotes-hemp-internationally-to-be-closed-under-trump-executive-order/
In Sabrina Fendrick’s book about her time at NORML, she alleges sexual harassment from the board chair Steve Dillon
https://www.celebstoner.com/blogs/steve-bloom/2025/05/27/sabrina-fendrick-tokin-female-norml-book/
In Tennessee, a hemp-killing bill bans THCA & synthetic cannabinoids as well as direct-to-consumer sales
https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/us-states/tennessee/news/15746892/tennessee-governor-signs-hempkilling-legislation-banning-thca-synthetic-cannabinoids
In Minnesota, bong water finally decriminalized
https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/05/20/at-long-last-minnesota-has-decriminalized-bong-water/
“Under current law, quantities of bong water greater than four ounces can be treated like the pure, uncut version of whatever substance the bong was used to smoke. That can lead to massive criminal penalties: 4 ounces of bong water used to consume methamphetamine, for instance, can trigger a first-degree felony charge carrying up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.”
On the great therapist RD Laing & his framing of psychedelics & altered states
Laing and Altered States
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003564294-12/laing-altered-states-douglas-kirsner
Remembering The First 20 Years Of The Boston Freedom Rally
https://talkingjointsmemo.com/remembering-the-first-20-years-of-the-boston-freedom-rally/
RIP Amanda Fielding, psychedelic hero
https://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2025/05/27/amanda-feilding-rest-in-peace/
<swoon!> On the “Shakespeare-Hemp-Cannabis (SHC) Hypothesis” & that our favorite plant was his Tenth Muse & the “noted weed” of Sonnet 76
John Taylor (1620) and the Shakespeare-Hemp-Cannabis Hypothesis: Was “Noted Weed” a Source of Inspiration?
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003613244-4/john-taylor-1620-shakespeare-hemp-cannabis-hypothesis-noted-weed-source-inspiration-creativity-invention-francis-thackeray
Ever since they found cannabis residue in the “tobacco” pipes on his estate, I nursed the hope that the Bard was a fellow stoner. And this is sweet timing for me because this year, as the kids got a little older & I got a little bit more time, I restarted my study of Shakespeare. I just finished my watchings & readthrough of ‘Measure for Measure’ (fucking fantastic) & now I’m starting my next problem play, “All’s Well That Ends Well”. Plus, on a sweet note, for Mother’s Day here in France, my mother-in-law got us to a cultural festival for families & there was a rollicking, over-the-top performance of ‘The Tempest’. And now my oldest has all these questions about all of the magic in that most magical of Shakespeare’s plays & what’s the deal with Caliban anyway? Luckily, God bless the BBC, because they have animated versions of Shakespeare’s plays for kids & that’s our plan for tonight. So all this fan-boying aside, if Shakespeare also took himself “to the basement” for inspiration like me, I’d be delighted.
🌐 International News 🌐
Cannabis companies flocking to the EU as the US stall continues
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2025/05/25/with-federal-legalization-stalled-cannabis-companies-are-finding-a-new-green-rush-in-europe/
In Canada, punitive taxes said to be killing the legal cannabis industry
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/john-ivison-punitive-taxes-are-killing-the-legal-cannabis-industry
In Malta, a series of stricter controls on cannabis users includes fines for cannabis odors, further restrictions on cannabis associations & all cannabis infractions now going through the courts
https://businessofcannabis.com/smell-that-maltas-new-cannabis-crackdown-could-cost-you-e235/
London's mayor calls for cannabis decriminalization
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/london-mayor-backs-marijuana-decriminalization-after-a-commission-he-created-recommends-reform
In Morocco, an analysis of their transition from illegal hashish producer to legal cannabis producer
Policy Reform and the International Future of Moroccan Cannabis Production
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925001410
In Uruguay, an analysis of their cannabis legalization
Cannabis Legalization in Uruguay
https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/monochap/book/9781529250152/ch006.xml
In Nepal, an analysis of the industrial hemp value chain
Industrial Hemp Production and Valorization Potential in Nepal
https://policycommons.net/artifacts/20137082/industrial-hemp-in-nepal/21037607/
⚖️ Business, Laws & Education ⚖️
In a review of international cannabis legalization, a regulated cannabis supply was associated with increased adult cannabis use & healthcare utilization but not with youth use or traffic-related issues
Getting “The Whole Picture”: A Review of International Research on the Outcomes of Regulated Cannabis Supply
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925000957
In a secret shopper study of smoke-shop employees, they frequently made health claims about kratom & hemp-derived THC
Hemp-Derived THC and Kratom Related Health Claims Provided by Smoke Shop Employees: A Secret Shopper Study
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00952990.2025.2502743
A new wide-ranging book on intellectual property issues around cannabis
Intellectual Property and Cannabis
https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollbook/book/9781035329397/9781035329397.xml
For Colorado hotels, on the revenue benefits from cannabis legalization
Impact of Recreational Marijuana Legalization on Hotel Performance and Operations: A Bayesian Causal Inference Approach
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10591478251345522
For cannabis social equity programs, a thesis project case study of New York
Reparative Entrepreneurship
https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/CBLR/article/view/13510
In US states, the socioeconomic variables that predict their cannabis law trajectory
Influence of Socio-Ecological and Economic Correlates on Marijuana Legalization Policy Across the States of America
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/6/823
In North Carolina CBD advertising, an analysis of their product descriptors & promotion for health conditions
Advertising Among Cannabidiol (CBD) Retailers in North Carolina: A Pilot Study
https://ncmedicaljournal.com/article/137181
For hemp logistics, a thesis analysis of shipping from Nepal to Finland
Hemp Inbound Logistics: A Study of Cost, Time, Transport Modes and Routes From Nepal to Finland
https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/889022
🚓 The War on Drugs 🚓
On countries quiet quitting the War on Drugs
https://americasquarterly.org/article/quiet-quitting-the-war-on-drugs/
On the racist history of international cannabis prohibitions
Transnational Configurations of the Criminalization–Racialization Nexus and the Origins of International Cannabis Prohibitions
https://academic.oup.com/ajcl/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ajcl/avaf002/8140795
A new book on the drug policy revolutions going on in Argentina, Portugal & Uruguay
Drug Policy Revolutions: Trajectories in Argentina, Portugal, and Uruguay
https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/monobook/book/9781529250152/9781529250152.xml
US & the DEA
In Massachusetts, how police departments are spending millions from civil asset forfeiture after a giant cannabis bust
https://talkingjointsmemo.com/police-da-made-millions-from-a-cannabis-bust-heres-how-theyre-spending-it/
In Alabama, state troopers found guilty of distributing cocaine
https://cannabislaw.report/alabama-state-trooper-three-others-convicted-in-federal-drug-conspiracy-case/
In Alaska, a cartel attorney worked with a gang to smuggle drugs from Mexico into Alaska while maintaining his ounce-a-day methamphetamine habit
https://cannabislaw.report/anchorage-cartel-attorney-aided-traffickers-smuggling-drugs-to-alaska-prosecutors-say/
Well, I bet he was a hard worker.
For civil asset forfeitures, an analysis of racial disparities
Guilty Until Proven Innocent: An Analysis of Racial Disparities in Civil Asset Forfeiture Seizures
https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1104&context=policypractice
In Minnesota, a law journal essay on the difficulties of defining cannabis impairment
The Difficulties in Defining Marijuana Impairment in a Post-Legalization Age
https://researchonline.stthomas.edu/esploro/outputs/journalArticle/The-Difficulties-in-Defining-Marijuana-Impairment/991015317233803691
Europe
In Portugal, a gang using a medical cannabis company as cover were busted with 7.3 tons of cannabis
https://businessofcannabis.com/portuguese-police-bust-criminal-gang-operating-as-medical-cannabis-cultivators/
Latin America
Mexican security chief/minister convicted of helping the cartels was ordered to pay $2.4B to Mexico
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-court-orders-supercop-wife-pay-2-4-billion-mexico-cartel-bribes/
In Colombia, an economic analysis of the problems wrought by US drug policy
Armed conflict and unemployment in Colombia: the role of US drug interdiction policy
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00181-025-02750-z
In Colombia, 6 tons of cocaine seized from narco subs & drug stashes
https://www.inkl.com/news/more-than-6-tons-of-cocaine-seized-by-colombian-navy-from-narco-subs-drug-stashes
And an InSight report on what narco subs tell us about global cocaine routes
https://insightcrime.org/news/under-radar-what-hundreds-ofnarco-sub-seizures-tell-us-about-global-cocaine-routes/
In the Dominican Republic, record-high cannabis & synthetic cannabinoid seizures
https://insightcrime.org/news/whats-behind-record-marijuana-seizures-dominican-republic/
In Mexico, an assessment of their struggle against drug-trafficking organizations
Mexico and the War Against Drug Trafficking
https://www.defensa.gob.es/documents/2073105/2564257/Mexico_2025_dieeea36_eng.pdf
Asia & Middle East
In Kuwait, police officers sentenced for smuggling 1M pills
https://cannabislaw.report/kuwait-sentences-police-officers-to-10-years-for-drug-smuggling/
In Indonesia, police destroy a 3-hectare cannabis grow
https://en.antaranews.com/news/354857/indonesian-military-destroys-3-ha-marijuana-field-in-aceh
And seizes a ship with $400M+ of methamphetamine & cocaine
https://cannabislaw.report/indonesia-seizes-ship-carrying-methamphetamine-cocaine-worth-426-million/
In the Philippines, on how police enforce drug laws
Enforcement of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Law: Implications to Supply and Demand Reduction
https://ijmaberjournal.org/index.php/ijmaber/article/view/2558
🛡️ Harm Reduction News 🛡️
In Cork, Ireland, a new supervised injection center may be coming after the success of the first one in Dublin
https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/cork-new-supervised-injection-centre-31682781
In East Baltimore, harm reduction vending machines are working to save lives & the health department wants 10 more of them
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/east-baltimore-vending-machine-life-saving-materials/64855435
In Colombia, activists destigmatize drug use & make it safer
https://www.yesmagazine.org/body-politics/2025/05/20/colombia-destigmatize-drug-use
In British Columbia, a man sentenced for trafficking government-supplied opioid pills from the “prescribed alternatives” safer supply program
https://www.todayville.com/calgary/man-jailed-for-trafficking-diverted-safer-supply-drugs-sparking-fresh-debate-over-b-c-drug-policies/
In NYC’s West Village, resistance to a church mission for helping people who use drugs & people experiencing homelessness
https://www.aol.com/news/west-village-residents-blast-church-100109039.html
Harm Reduction Research
For people with substance use disorders being discharged from the hospital, interviews on ways to improve the care transition experience
"They Don't Just Need a Handshake or a Handoff, They Need a Hug": A Qualitative Assessment of the Care Transition Experience of Patients with Substance Use Disorders After Hospital Discharge
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40394438/
For community-based substance use treatment services, on the power of co-production, the sharing of power & decision making between professionals & people with lived experience
Co-production in community-based substance use disorder treatment services: a scoping review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40396722/
In peer recovery supporters, interviews on the importance of medications for opioid use disorder but also the stigma against them
"My Recovery and My Work Are Separate": Perceptions of MOUD Among Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40396927/
A survey of people in a safer supply opioid program on their usage patterns.
Opioid medication doses among safer supply clients: Current safer supply doses and previous OAT experience
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40416078/
On implementing drug-checking services in smaller urban communities
Implementing community drug checking in smaller urban communities: a qualitative study exploring contextual factors to consider
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40389977/
For harm reduction vending machines, a systematic review of 45 papers found them to be a low-barrier method for reducing substance use disorder-related harm
Vending machines for reducing harm associated with substance use and use disorders, and co-occurring conditions: a systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40437578/
On implementing a public health vending machine on tribal reservation lands
Implementing public health vending machines on the reservation lands of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (United States)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40437516/
In Kentucky, interviews on the most effective harm reduction vending machine design
Discreet but accessible: a qualitative study with people who use drugs and service staff about the optimal design of a harm reduction vending machine in rural Kentucky
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40426237/
In West Virginia, naloxone distribution boxes as a low-barrier boost to access
Dispensing hope: leveraging distribution boxes to enhance low-barrier access to naloxone in healthcare settings
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40399907/
A taxonomy of the various peer recovery support services in substance use disorder treatments
Systematizing peer recovery support services for substance use disorder: a taxonomy for measuring recovery milestones
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40421364/
🍄 Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives 🍄
The Psychoactive Research
In people with anorexia, psilocybin helped with their processing of previously dissociated information as well as remission of symptoms
Therapeutic emergence of dissociated traumatic memories during psilocybin treatment for anorexia nervosa
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40420197/
For people with treatment-resistant depression, expanded access to ketamine would result in a net positive society savings of $800M+
Impact analysis of expanded access to ketamine for treatment-resistant depression
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40400347/
For psychedelic therapy, a survey of people with substance use or psychiatric histories on their attitude towards it
Attitudes Toward Psychedelic Treatments by Individuals With Histories of Substance Use or Psychiatric Disorders: A Survey Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40433994/
For people who use methamphetamine, a survey of their past psychedelic experience
Exploring psychedelic experiences among people who regularly use methamphetamine: Findings from an international survey
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40382852/
For six hours of DMT infusion, a safety & pharmacokinetics study
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of a 6-h N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) Infusion in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cts.70234
For psychedelic drug development, on the potential pathways used by targeting the 5-HT2A receptor
Targeting the 5-HT2A Receptor for Developing Psychedelic Drugs and Beyond
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c01156
🍃 The Plant & its Products 🍃
🌱 Growing & Extracting 🌱
A new reference volume on the cannabis genome & breeding practices
The Cannabis Genome: A New Era in Genetics, Genomics, and Breeding
https://books.google.fr/books?id=_TteEQAAQBAJ
And for resistance to powdery mildew, a genetic analysis of a response in the epidermal cells
Mapping and characterization of a novel powdery mildew resistance locus (PM2) in Cannabis sativa
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40182551/
For hemp seed germination, elevated moisture & temperature reduce germination rates
Impact of Seed Moisture and Temperature on Hemp Seed Germination
https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/agg2.70129
For hemp, higher planting density reduced diameter & branching but increased plant height
Impact of Plant Density on Stem Diameter, Plant Height, and Branching in Hemp
https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/agg2.70126
In indoor grows, 2 hours of far-red light boosted THC yield & saved power
The Effects of Far-Red Light on Medicinal Cannabis
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-99771-6
For photoperiodic flowering mechanisms, a transcriptome analysis of the response to red:far-red light ratios
Transcriptomic Analysis of CDL-Gated Photoperiodic Flowering Mechanisms in Cannabis
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-00430-7
In New Hampshire, a catalog of major hemp insect pests
Hemp Pests in New Hampshire
https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3125&context=extension
On improving micropropagation of Himalayan cannabis with green sulphur nanoparticles
Efficient Micropropagation of Indian Himalayan Cannabis sativa Achieved by Using Green Sulphur Nanoparticles
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11627-025-10543-3
In micropropagation tissue culture, the eradication of hop latent viroid altered many of the activated genes
Differential Gene Expression Analysis of Cannabis sativa Following Hop Latent Viroid Eradication Therapy in Micropropagation Tissue Culture
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11240-025-03057-8
On designing a better hemp cutting machine [Chinese]
Design and experiment of cutting device for industrial hemp cutting and paving machine
http://www.d1ae.com/en/article/pdf/preview/10.19998/j.cnki.2095-1795.202504314.pdf
A thesis on the decortication of industrial hemp
ENGINEERING PROCESSES OF MECHANICAL DECORTICATION FOR INDUSTRIAL HEMP
https://etda.libraries.psu.edu/files/final_submissions/32531
In Kentucky, an analysis of introducing more hemp
Crop Acreage Portfolio Analysis of Introducing More Hemp in Kentucky
https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/agg2.70122
⚙️ Formulating & Analyzing ⚙️
On removing THC with simulated-moving-bed chromatography
Continuous Depletion of Tetrahydrocannabinol From Cannabis Extract Through Simulated Moving Bed Chromatography Using Green Mobile Phase
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40401732/
On creating oleosomes/lipid droplets of CBD for better bioavailability
Controlled in vitro release of CBD from oleosomes via modulation of their membrane density
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/fo/d4fo04171b
On creating water-soluble PEA analogues combined with blockers of glutamate (the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter)
Water-Soluble Analogs of Palmitoylethanolamide and Its Combination with Adamantane- and Phenylcyclohexyl-Containing Glutamate Blockers
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11094-025-03357-5
On simultaneous measurement of terpenoids & phenolic compounds using HPLC-LC-MS
Simultaneous Quantification of Terpenoids and Phenolic Compounds in Cannabis sativa Using HPLC and LC-MS
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391931176_Simultaneous_Quantification_Of_Terpenoids_And_Phenolic_Compounds_In_Cannabis_Sativa_Using_HPLC_And_LC-MS.pdf
Rapid field identification of THC with a novel colorimetric reagent
Development of a Novel Δ9-THC-Specific Color Test Reagent
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-025-00727-2
🍞 Food, Nutrition & Hemp Seeds 🍞
In the EU, regulatory analysis of whether hemp seed oil can be marketed as a food supplement
Can Hemp Seed Oil Single-Ingredient Be Marketed as Food Supplement?
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00003-025-01563-7
For feeding spent hemp biomass to cows, they had small but detectable levels of cannabinoids in their tissues & milk which became undetectable in the milk after 12 days & in the fat after 30 days
Cannabinoid Distribution and Clearance in Feeding Spent Hemp Biomass to Dairy Cows and Potential Exposure to Δ9-THC via Milk
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c02827
In steer fed hemp leaves, they had small but measurable levels of CBD & THC in their tissues
Cannabinoid Transference and Retention in Tissues of Beef Steers Fed Hemp Leaves
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19440049.2025.2506106
In cattle, how different varieties of hemp have different ruminal disappearance patterns (how fast they disappear from the rumen (first stomach))
Influences of Industrial Hemp Variety and Botanical Part on Measures of In Situ Ruminal Nutrient Disappearance
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/103/Supplement_1/334/8138840
On hemp extracts as energy supplements for suckling pigs & optimization of the extraction process
Optimization of phytocannabinoid extraction from hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) with decarboxylation-based crude palm kernel oil and its potential as an energy supplement product for suckling piglets
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391885771_Optimization_of_phytocannabinoid_extraction_from_hemp_Cannabis_sativa_L_with_decarboxylation-based_crude_palm_kernel_oil_and_its_potential_as_an_energy_supplement_product_for_suckling_piglets
On optimizing hemp peptide extraction
Optimization of Hemp Defatted Protease Hydrolysis Process and the Hypoglycemic Activity of Its Peptides
https://jabonline.in/abstract.php?article_id=874&sts=2
On hydrolysates from hemp seeds as an alternative protein source
Hydrolysates from Hemp Seeds as Alternative Source of Protein
http://conf.biotech.kpi.ua/article/view/329871
For hemp seed, the best extraction techniques for increased yield as well as antioxidant & antimicrobial activities
Comparison of Microwave, Ultrasound, and Ultrasound-Microwave Assisted Extraction on Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activities and Antimicrobial Properties of Hemp Seed and Wheat Bran Extracts
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212429225010946
For hemp seed cakes, a thesis project on nutritional characteristics & optimizing the extraction process
Comparison of compositional characteristics of protein extracted from spent hemp seed cakes by one-step defatting with organic solvents followed by isoelectric solubilization precipitation using strong and weak acids
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12849/
🏗️ Industrial Uses & Fiber 🏗️
In sewage sludge, using hemp for phytoremediation
Phytoremediation Potential of Industrial Hemp Grown in Sewage Sludge: Growth Performance and Environmental Impact
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221334372501869X
In hemp grown on soil polluted with heavy metals, geotextile microplastics increased heavy metal intake for better phytoremediation
Effect of Plastics on Heavy Metal Accumulation by Industrial Hemp Plants Cultivated in Polluted Mediterranean Soils
https://www.mdpi.com/2037-0164/16/2/53
For soil stabilization on the addition of hemp fibers
Influence of Hemp Fiber on the Mechanical Characteristics and Freeze-Thaw Durability of LKD-Nano Silica-Stabilized Kaolin Soil
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259012302501388X
A thesis on replacing OSB board with hemp industrial panels
Sustainable Hemp Industrial Panels and Its Industrial Possibilities for the Replacement of Oriented Strand Board
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6081&context=theses
On an eco-friendly method for the degumming of hemp fibers
Green Degumming of Hemp Fibers Using Ternary Deep Eutectic Solvents
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c02405
On impregnating biodegradable thermoplastic yarn with hemp
Hemp/PLA impregnated yarn produced by pultrusion
https://mrforum.com/wp-content/uploads/open_access/9781644903599/233.pdf
On improving biodegradable polymers with torrefied hemp fiber
Torrefied Hemp Fiber as a Sustainable Reinforcement for Biodegradable PHA Composites: Enhancing Interfacial Compatibility and Environmental Stability
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359836825005542
In polymers, on hemp hurd as a sustainable filler & how it changes mechanical properties
Impact of Structural Differences Between PCL and PBS on the Performance of PLA/PCL/CAB and PLA/PBS/CAB Blends With Hemp Hurd
https://4spepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pen.27262
On the mechanical performance of hemp concrete
Mechanical Performances of Hemp Concrete Specimens in an Interlaboratory Comparison
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1617/s11527-025-02615-y
🌿 THE CANNA-SCIENCE ARCHIVE 🌿
For CBD's pharmacokinetics (how it moves through the body), a review of measurement tools as well as the interaction with THC
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Cannabidiol: Parameter Identification and Available Tools
https://policycommons.net/artifacts/19774096/etat-des_connaissances/20674626/
🏥 Public Health & Effects of Legalization 🏥
In Canada, adult-use legalization was associated with reductions in cannabis-related hospitalizations for those below the minimum legal age of purchase & increases for individuals above the minimum legal age
Minimum Legal Age of Nonmedical Cannabis Purchase Laws and Cannabis-Related Hospitalizations in Canada, 2015-2022
https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308090
In Indigenous communities, a review of studies on the prevalence, risk factors & correlations with health consequences
Experiences, Impacts, and Perspectives of Recreational Cannabis Use Among Indigenous Communities: A Scoping Review
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-18034-001
In a survey of Lebanese health care professionals, only a quarter would consider medical cannabis
Health Care Providers' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Medicinal Cannabis: The Case of Lebanon
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40163842/
In pharmacy students, a medical cannabis course increased their confidence in counseling & discussing the effects of medical cannabis
Contribution of Medical Cannabis Course in Enhancing Ability of Pharmacy Students for Counseling Patients Using Cannabis
https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/research_day/research_day_GA_2025/researchGA2025/14/
For Canadian nursing students, a survey found significant knowledge gaps around cannabis regulations & dosing practices
Canadian nursing students and education in medical and recreational cannabis: a preliminary evidence
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40152286/
In Washington, the cannabis consumer patterns & the profile analysis of adverse events
Cannabis Consumer Patterns, Adverse Events, and Cannabis Risk Beliefs: A Latent Profile Analysis in WA State
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871625001814
🧒 Adolescents & Young Adults 🧒
In young adult cannabis users, the endocannabinoids anandamide & 2-AG may be biomarkers for cognitive impairments & memory effects, with gendered effects
Young Adult Cannabis Use and Circulating Endocannabinoid Concentrations on Cognitive Performance
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/adolescent-medicine/articles/10.3389/fradm.2025.1538448/abstract
In adolescents being bullied, they had higher levels of cannabis use
Comparing Association Between Traditional-/Cyber-Bullying Perpetration and Marijuana Use Among Young People
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359178925000278
In Black college students, a survey found false-safety behaviors (“behaviors geared toward decreasing anxiety short-term but that maintain anxiety in the long-term”) & this may be linked to cannabis misuse
Anxiety and Cannabis-Related Behaviors Among Black/African American Undergraduates: The Role of False Safety Behaviors
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2506133
In adolescents, a mindset of stress-enhancing was a protective factor against depression & cannabis use
Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Influences of Stress Mindset on Adolescent Depressive Symptoms
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10615806.2025.2507094
For adolescents, on the effects of opportunity on deterrence from cannabis use
The Effects of Opportunity and Deterrence on Adolescent Marijuana Use During a Period of Changing Legal Status
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00220426251345344
In young adults, on a brief web-based intervention & text messages to reduce cannabis & alcohol use
Designing an Online and Text-Messaging Intervention to Enhance Protective Behavioral Strategy Utilization at the Daily Level Among Young Adults Engaged in Alcohol and Cannabis Use
https://www.jsad.com/doi/abs/10.15288/jsad.24-00434
In youth with cannabis use disorder, how addictive behavior is explained by the 5 Stages of Change & the efficacy of a text-message motivational interviewing-informed treatment
Young Adults Advancing Through the Stages of Change: A Mediational Analysis of Cannabis Use Disorder Treatment
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2505767
For Swedish adolescents, on the reliability of the screening tools DUDIT & ASSIST-Y
Psychometric Properties and Diagnostic Accuracy of the DUDIT and ASSIST-Y for Cannabis Use in Adolescents
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09581596.2025.2506827
In young adults, on how their perceptions of delta-8 THC & delta-9 THC were linked to use of delta-8 THC
Associations between cannabis risk perceptions and Delta-8 THC use among young adults
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40171156/
🧠 The Brain & Neurological Disorders 🧠
In a tissue model of neurodegeneration, the terpene beta-caryophyllene restored cell viability
β-Caryophyllene Mitigates Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity and Apoptosis in SH-SY5Y Cells via GSK-3β/NRF2/HO-1 Axis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00210-025-04281-x
💭 Mental Health, Addiction & Cannabis Use Disorder 💭
In cannabis use disorder, a review of the last 16 years found that treatment utilization decreased & gave varied reasons for not receiving treatment
An Analysis of 16-Year Trends in Cannabis Use Disorder Treatment: Predictors, Barriers, and Utilization Patterns
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2505773
“Consistent predictors include receiving past-year mental health treatment and community supervision involvement… Prior arrest was not significant in 2003 but was associated with 2-3 times higher odds of receiving CUD treatment in later years.”
In elderly survivors of cancer, their rates of cannabis use disorder doubled from 2016 to 2020
Prevalence of Cannabis Use Disorder Among Hospitalized Elderly Cancer Survivors: Nationwide Trends and Disparities (2016-2020)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40154278/
For cannabis use disorder, a genome-wide association study found several variants in European, Mexican & Native American ancestries
Convergent Pathways Identified for Cannabis Use Disorder Across Diverse Ancestry Populations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40166572/
On the cannabis gateway to other drugs hypothesis, the roots of the narrative & a call for evidence-based screening practices
Policy, Perception, and Pharmacology: Reevaluating THC Screening and the Marijuana Gateway Hypothesis in the Medical Community
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391874346_Policy_Perception_and_Pharmacology_Reevaluating_THC_Screening_and_the_Marijuana_Gateway_Hypothesis_in_the_Medical_Community
In a sample of twins, recent cannabis use for sleep was associated with more problems from cannabis use, higher cannabis frequency, worse sleep quality & more frequent use of alcohol & medication for sleep
Mental Health, Substance Use, and Related Factors Associated With Recent Use of Cannabis for Sleep: A Co-Twin Control Study
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15402002.2025.2508770
In Chilean adult cannabis users, they had greater emotional dysregulation, with impulsivity higher in those who started to use before the age of 18
Cannabis Use, Emotional Dysregulation, and Impulsivity: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178215/
In delta-8 THC users, they had a higher likelihood of reporting sleep difficulties
Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol Use and Its Association with Sleep Difficulties: Insights from Herbal Heart Study
https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/48/Supplement_1/A537/8135389
In Arizona from 2016 to 2022, the levels of cannabis-related psychosis remained stable
Associations Between Cannabis-Related Hospital Visits and Psychotic Disorder-Related Hospital Visits in Arizona from 2016-2022
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037687162500170X
In a mouse model of transitioning from defensive behavior to fear responses, on the involvement of the endocannabinoid 2-AG
Endocannabinoid Modulation of Defensive State Transitions to Innate and Learned Threat
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-025-06812-z
🧬 Reproduction & Hormones 🧬
In neonatal intensive care units, a survey of their cannabis screenings & the effects on maternal breast milk feeding policies
Toxicology Screening for Marijuana and Impact on Breast Milk Feeding Policies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/bfm.2025.0064
In public health data on female infertility, an analysis found an association with former users of cannabis but not current users
Association of Cannabis Use With Female Infertility Based on NHANES
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01443615.2025.2502663
In people with early-onset pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), on the disturbances to their endocannabinoid levels
The Placental Endocannabinoid System in Healthy and Hypertensive Pregnancies
https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/fulltext/2025/05001/the_placental_endocannabinoid_system_in_healthy.706.aspx
For pregnant people during COVID, on the changes to their cannabis use
Changes in Prenatal Cannabis Use and Perceptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724625000319
In mouse ovaries, cannabinoids modulate the release of eggs & physiology of the ovaries with the CB2 receptors being particularly significant
The Role of Cannabinoid Agonists and Antagonists on Folliculogenesis and Evolutionary Events in the Mouse Ovary
https://ijbms.mums.ac.ir/article_26077.html
🦠 The Immune System & Microbial 🦠
For SARS-CoV-2, inhibition with a combination of CBD & components from green tea
Multi-Level Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Invasion by Cannabidiol and Epigallocatechin Gallate
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0042682225001928
For cannabis leaf extract, on the antimicrobial & antioxidant capacities
Phytochemical Screening and Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Cannabis sativa Leaves Extract
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392015584_Phytochemical_screening_and_evaluation_of_Antimicrobial_and_Antioxidant_activity_of_Cannabis_sativa_leaves_extract
For the fungus Candida albicans, a thesis project on the synergy of zinc & CBD
The Effect of Combination Therapy with Zinc and Cannabidiol on the Pathogenic Fungus Candida albicans
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/2506/
🦴 Pain, Musculoskeletal, Inflammation & Surgeries 🦴
In cancer patients with neuropathic pain, a thesis project review of the efficacy of cannabis [Lithuanian]
A Comprehensive Review of the Efficacy and Safety of Medical Cannabis in Alleviating Neuropathic Pain Among Cancer Patients
https://portalcris.lsmuni.lt/server/api/core/bitstreams/9f282fa3-9668-46d0-a32b-03a38953f307/content
In a tissue model of pain, a CBGA/terpene nanoformulation lowered pain via the TRPV1 channels
Effects of Combined CBGA and Cannabis-Derived Terpene Nanoformulations on TRPV1 Activation: Implications for Enhanced Pain Management
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378517325006039
For chronic pain, a thesis project on a dual inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase & FAAH enzyme (which breaks down anandamide)
Developing Dual Inhibitors of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase for the Treatment of Chronic Pain
https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/4j03d8389
🍽️ The Guts & the Microbiome 🍽️
In the Turkish region of Marmara, on the genetic polymorphisms of the CB1 receptor linked to obesity
The Possible Link Between Endocannabinoid System Gene Polymorphisms and Overweight/Obesity Susceptibility in Individuals Living in the Marmara Region
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/tjb-2024-0244/html
In a mouse model of periodontitis (gum disease), the absence of a CB2 receptor exacerbated gingival inflammation & bone loss, suggesting it as a target
The Activation of CB2 Enhances Bone Remodeling in Periodontitis
https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-025-06101-3
In human intestinal tissue, on how hemp peptides cross the membrane
Transepithelial Transport of Hemp Protein-Derived Bioactive Peptide Trp–Tyr–Thr (WYT) in Human Caco-2 Cell Monolayers
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10989-025-10732-z
❤️ The Heart ❤️
In a small study of cardiovascular risks, cannabis users showed higher levels of biomarkers for cardiovascular disease
Exploring the Relationship Between Marijuana Smoking and Cardiovascular Health: An Analysis of Serum Lipids and Cardiac Enzymes in a Nigerian Population
https://journals.lww.com/accd/abstract/9900/exploring_the_relationship_between_marijuana.26.aspx
In a tissue model of cardiac hypertrophy (thickened heart muscles), the cannabis stilbene Cannabistilbene I reduced cell surface area & hypertrophic markers
Effect of Cannabistilbene I in Attenuating Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy: Insights into Cytochrome P450s and Arachidonic Acid Metabolites Modulation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39324890/
⚗️ The Liver, Drug Interactions & Cannabinoid Metabolism ⚗️
For cannabinoid-hydrate drug interactions, a review of the effects on the cytochrome P450s (liver metabolizers of drugs)
Cannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System in the Regulation of Cytochrome P450 Metabolic Activity—A Review
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1599012/abstract
For cannabis-drug interactions, a poster on the potential with pregnane X receptor (PXR), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) & the cytochrome P450 isozymes
Herb-Drug Interaction Potential of Cannabis
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/ored_showcase/2025/posters/39/
💊 Synthetic Cannabinoids & Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids 💊
On the pharmacokinetics of HHC & its detectability in urine & saliva
Inhalation and oral administration of HHC products – Quantification of (9R)-, (9S)-Hexahydrocannabinol and metabolites in plasma and detectability in on-site drug tests for urine and oral fluid
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40168830/
For portable synthetic cannabinoid detectors, a review of the methods & techniques
Portable Analytical Methods for Detecting Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists: A Critical Review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993625001797
On a new class of “tail-less” synthetic cannabinoid intermediates found in recipes from underground Swiss laboratories
Tail-Less Precursors in Synthetic Cannabinoid Production: Investigating a Clandestine Laboratory, Seized Samples, and CB1 Activity
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-025-04086-0
“Controlled recreations of the synthesis of ADB-BUTINACA (also known as ADB-BINACA or ADMB-BUTINACA) and MDMB-4en-PINACA based on a recipe recovered from the Swiss production site were undertaken. The recreations yielded oils or waxy products with chromatographic purities ranging from 39.3 to 93.4% with the precursors (ADB-INACA or MDMB-INACA) remaining in all products. Mixtures of a precursor (e.g., MDMB-INACA, ADB-INACA, AB-INACA, MDMB-ICA, ADB-IATA, MDMB-5’Me-INACA) with corresponding final SCRA(s) (e.g., MDMB-4en-PINACA, 4F-MDMB-BUTINACA, MDMB-BUTINACA, MDMB-FUBINACA, ADB-BUTINACA, ADB-4en-PINACA, AB-CHMINACA, 4F-MDMB-BUTICA, ADB-FUBIATA) were found in 28 forensic casework samples in the US received between February 2023 and February 2024 and 87 samples seized from the Scottish prisons between February 2023 and July 2024.”
On the toxicity of the synthetic cannabinoid HU-210
Toxicity Assessment of the Novel Psychoactive Substance HU-210 Using In Silico Methods
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378427425000992
In zebrafish embryos, the synthetic cannabinoid ADB-FUBINACA caused developmental, neural & cardio- toxicity
ADB-FUBINACA-induced developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and cardiotoxicity in embryonic zebrafish
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40180266/
On the metabolites from a synthetic cannabinoid series of amino acid-derived 4-pentenyl SCRAs & the OXIZID 4-pentenyl SCRA BZO-4en-POXIZID
Structure–Metabolism Relationships of 4-Pentenyl Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists Using Human Hepatocytes
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-025-04080-6
On detecting MDMB-4en-PINACA & its metabolites in human urine
Detection of Metabolites of the New Synthetic Cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA in Human Urine by Liquid and Gas Chromato-Mass Spectrometry Methods
https://journals.rcsi.science/0044-4502/article/view/290514
Halogenated indazole synthetic cannabinoids show high CB1 potency
In vitro CB1 Receptor Activity of Halogenated Indazole Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-025-04082-4
On differentiating synthetic cannabinoids from the carboxamide series using AI & surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)
Differentiation and Identification of CA Series Synthetic Cannabinoids Based on SERS Technology Coupled with Support Vector Machine
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925400525008007
🔬 Biochemical Discoveries & Detection Tools 🔬
A molecular simulation of how THC interacts with the CB1 receptor (nice chart)
How THC Works: Explaining Ligand Affinity for, and Partial Agonism of, Cannabinoid Receptor 1
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225009678
On creating nanoparticles of the endocannabinoid 2-AG
Preparation and Characterization of Nanoparticles for the Controlled Release of the Endocannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40397276/
On new activators of the CB2 receptors from halogenated naphthyridinone-carborane hybrids
Development of Carborane-Based Halogenated Naphthyridinone-Analoga as Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Ligands
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40393925/
On imaging the cannabinoid receptors with these fluorinated cannabinoid scaffolds & PET scans
Synthesis of Fluorinated Cannabinoid Derivatives Toward PET Radiotracers for Imaging the Cannabinoid Receptor
https://harvest.usask.ca/items/1d0fe660-0009-4888-b22f-7a337814338d
Thanks.
- lex
PS: For today’s legends of Ethiopian jazz, ‘Gétatchèw Mékuria and His Saxophone’. Beginning his musical studies with traditional instruments like the washint flute, the krar & the masenqo, by the age of 13 in 1949, he was playing with the Municipality Band in Addis Ababa. By the mid-‘50s, Getatchew was playing with the house band at the legendary Addis' Haile Selassie I Theatre. Always maintaining his commitment to traditional music, he was one of the first to record a shellela, vocal music sung by warriors of the Amhara people before going into battle. He would sometimes appear on stage in an animal skin tunic & lion’s mane headdress & his album of shellela music ‘Ethiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax’ led to international recognition. He began playing with the Dutch avant-garde/punk band the Ex as well as other artists around the world. Even into his older years, he continued to play local shows in Addis Abba until his death at the age of 81.
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