C&P#162: autism, medication substitution & too-high ferrets
The EU’s first whole-plant cannabis pharmaceutical approaches...
🌟 This week 🌟
Cannabis for kids with autism & the benefits for their families
Medication substitution with cannabis
For CBD absorption, high-fat meals > high-carb meals
Metabolite changes in cannabis users
Inject CBD in your goats! Give CBG to your horses! But keep your ferret away from the edibles!
Reviews: CBD for athletes, wound healing, type 1 diabetes & pain in dogs & cats
Harms: Higher heart failure, suicide risk & sinonasal diseases in cannabis users
Preclinical: CBG for neuropathic pain + CBD for PTSD & seizures + beta-caryophyllene for liver damage
(this week’s numbers: ~7,800 words, ~19 minutes reading time, 157 papers)
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 162nd edition of Cannabinoids & the People, Lex Pelger’s free weekly digest of all the new cannabinoid science, assorted canna-news & coverage of psychedelics, the War on Drugs & harm reduction. Support this work sharing canna-science with a paid subscription here. As always, ask me anything.
#EndDrugWars #LegalizeAllDrugs
📌 Editor’s note 📌:
For my business White Whale Creations, with the kids growing up, I finally have room to take on another contract. For a great cannabinoid company, I’d like to host or write their podcast or newsletter or video series or educational platform about the science, history or medical aspects of cannabis. Any leads or assistance appreciated.
🤝 Sponsor 🤝: The Cannabis & Health Research Initiative
Want to help expand the knowledge of medical cannabis use in the real world & get paid 100 bucks to do so?
Johns Hopkins University, with support from Realm of Caring, is spearheading the groundbreaking National Cannabis Study to evaluate the benefits, risks & overall outcomes of using cannabis for conditions like pain, insomnia, anxiety & more. If you are an adult in the U.S. considering starting cannabis for health reasons, this is your chance to help shape the future of cannabis research — and get compensated for your time ($100!). Join now to share your experience & contribute valuable data that could revolutionize healthcare for many patients nationwide. To learn more & sign up, visit:
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Follow along on Instagram to keep on learning or sign up for the monthly CHRI email (curated by me) to get just the best of clinical research & new reviews each month.
🧰 Free resources 🧰
CVResearch.info: the extensive cannabinoid science archive I maintain for CV Sciences
Canna-edu videos: on YouTube @CVScienceInc & on TikTok @pluscbd (backup account @cannabinoidsandthepeople)
My Free How-To Guides on cannabinoids for different conditions. #AMA
My glossary of cannabinoid terms (& my Neural Ocean metaphor)
And as always, at the bottom is the album of the week: “the premier jazz vocal act of all time”
💖 Ways to support this work 💖
A paid subscription on Substack
Buy Me a Coffee
Venmo: @Lex-Pelger
PayPal: donate here
🐋 For more from Lex… 🐋 | my Linktree |
‘Anandamide; or, the Cannabinoid’: my cannabis graphic novel series (based on Moby Dick):
- ‘SUNset’: Queer canna-history from the AIDS crisis- ‘The CROWN’: the hunt for the chemical structure of CBN, the first fully-solved cannabinoid, as explained through elephants
First 2 seasons of my podcast ‘The Lex Files’ on cannabinoids, psychedelics & spirituality
Work with my company White Whale Creations to produce cannabis content: writing, science archives, social media, newsletters & podcasts: my portfolio
📣 A request to spread the word 📣
This newsletter only spreads by word of mouth,
so please forward to friends & colleagues.
🎥 My work this week 🎤
Interviewed by Coughy Talk about my work in cannabis
https://3wv.com/podcasts/coughy-talk-the-internationally-green-episode-nsfwl/
Canna-Edu Vids for CV Sciences:
(on YT @CVSciencesInc & on TT @pluscbd)
(taking a break from videos because CVSI has me on a big research project)
My 📚 Vids:
(@LexPelgerAndHisBooks on TikTok, YouTube & Instagram)
Poetry Corner: maggy & milly & molly & may by ee cummings, a love song to the ocean
Buddhism Corner: The Victory Sutta (visceral) + a pitch to read the Sutanípāta!
🍃 BEST OF CANNABINOID SCIENCE 🍃
(most of the phytocannabinoid data is here & most of the ECS data is in the ‘Canna-Science Archive’ at the bottom)
⚕️ Clinical ⚕️
For CBD in developmental & epileptic encephalopathies (rare & severe treatment-resistant childhood epilepsies), a meta-analysis of 13 studies found reduced seizure frequency, with 20% having a 50+% reduction
Efficacy and safety of cannabidiol in children with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies: A systematic review
https://www.seizure-journal.com/article/S1059-1311(25)00269-9/abstract
In children with autism & their families, medical cannabis was linked to less parental distress & positive changes in family routines, enhanced well-being & improved parental engagement in meaningful activities & social interactions
Effects of Medical Cannabis Treatment for Autistic Children on Family Accommodation: An Open-Label Mixed-Methods Study
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/10/1373
In people with ADHD, chronic cannabis users self-reported less sluggish cognitive tempo, impulsivity, irritability, and anxiety than non-users & on objective tests, they had worse cognition on 2 cognition tests but better impulse control on 2 tests
A naturalistic examination of the effects of chronic and acute cannabis use on cognition and perceived symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-025-06921-9
For medication substitution, a survey of people in Los Angeles found 60% reported using cannabis to replace medications (sedatives/sleep aids, anxiolytics, opioids & antidepressants)
Cannabis as a substitute for prescription drugs: A cross-sectional study of primary care patients in Los Angeles
https://www.annfammed.org/content/23/Supplement_1/7886.abstract
In Germany, on why people use CBD (as always, the list was sleep, pain, depression & anxiety)
Beyond the hype - who uses cannabidiol for self-medication – and why: a cross-sectional study in Germany
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00341-4
In a case report of myofascial temporomandibular disorder (facial & jaw pain), a 1:1 THC:CBD oil improved pain & sleep quality
Full Spectrum Cannabis Oil for the treatment of chronic pain and sleep dysfunction in myofascial temporomandibular disorder: a case report
https://www.scielo.br/j/bjb/a/bK69ZBYPSB4dJ9yqcFxSzcf
For a young person with Dravet syndrome, low-dose whole-plant extract lessened seizures & after 4 years, led to the discontinuation of all pharmaceuticals
Whole Plant Cannabinoid Nonpharmaceutical Treatment Protocols for a Young Male With Dravet Syndrome
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1556370725000379
In healthy adults, high-fat meals increased CBD absorption compared to high-carb meals
A prior high-fat meal increases plasma cannabidiol concentrations compared to an isoenergetic high-carbohydrate meal in healthy young participants: a randomised crossover study
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/prior-highfat-meal-increases-plasma-cannabidiol-concentrations-compared-to-an-isoenergetic-highcarbohydrate-meal-in-healthy-young-participants-a-randomised-crossover-study/DD17870EB659C5FCBC1C06DEE80EBE3D
For visual function & optical quality, CBD did not alter static & dynamic visual acuity, motion detection, optical quality, stereoacuity or pupil size
Influence of Cannabidiol Use on Visual Function and Optical Quality: A Randomized Controlled Trial
https://tvst.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2810949
In a metabolic analysis of male cannabis users, 92 metabolites had decreased or increased levels compared to nonusers
Metabolic Profile of Male Cannabis Users and Estimation of Candidate Biomarkers
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.5c00274
For postpartum depression & iron deficiency, a workshop on treating with a combination of cannabinoids, Ayurvedic herbs & yoga
Targeting the female endocannabinoid system (FECS): Phytocannabinoid supplementation and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices for postpartum depression and iron deficiency
https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp
For CBG in horses, on their metabolism of IV & oral administration
Metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and bioavailability of cannabigerol in horses following intravenous and oral administration with micellar and oil formulations
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1688214/abstract
In goats, injections of liposomal synthetic CBD were well tolerated with “remarkable” effects for pain control & well-being
Liposomal-synthetic-cannabidiol: Preliminary translational evidence of efficacy, tolerability and pharmacokinetics following repeated subcutaneous injections in two goats
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1689226/abstract
In a ferret with severe cannabinoid intoxication, treatment with intravenous lipid emulsion helped steady their vitals & they were fine after 4 days
Severe Cannabinoid Intoxication in a Ferret (Mustela putorius furo) Treated with Intravenous Lipid Emulsion
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41085075/
I feel bad for the ferret but I feel lucky that I got to see this case report.
📑 Reviews 📑
For type CBD & Type 1 diabetes (aka autoimmune diabetes), a review found anti-inflammatory & immunomodulatory effects
Anti-inflammatory effects of cannabidiol in the treatment of type 1 diabetes: A mini review
https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-9358/full/v16/i10/110041.htm
In sports, a Brazilian review on CBD for supporting athletic performance
Cannabidiol in Sports: A Brazilian Perspective
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsptsci.5c00580
For endometriosis, a review of the limited data for the use of cannabis
Should cannabis be used in the management of endometriosis?
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17446651.2025.2572339
For wound healing, a review of CBD formulations, delivery routes & effects (great charts!)
Exploring the therapeutic potential of Cannabidiol in soft tissue wound healing: Delivery strategies and anti-inflammatory pathways
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525006744
For women’s health, a new book on medicinal cannabis
Medicinal Cannabis in Women’s Health: An Evidence-Based Clinician’s Guide
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-01737-6
For psychiatric disorders, a review of brain scans of the endocannabinoid system
PET Molecular Imaging of the Endocannabinoid System in Psychiatric Disorders
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12264-025-01515-z
For depression & anxiety, a review on the interplay between endocannabinoids & neuropeptides
Role of interplay between endocannabinoids and neuropeptides in pathogenesis and therapy of depressive and anxiety disorders
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143417925000642
For pain in cats & dogs, this review found CBD to be helpful
Use of Cannabidiol as an Adjuvant in Veterinary Anesthesia and Pain Management in Dogs and Cats
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396445355_Use_of_Cannabidiol_as_an_Adjuvant_in_Veterinary_Anesthesia_and_Pain_Management_in_Dogs_and_Cats
On CBD for epilepsy in dogs, a review of 3 studies found a reduction in seizure frequency
Cannabidiol treatment for refractory idiopathic epilepsy in dogs: A systematic review with risk of bias assessment
https://animalethics.ku.dk/companion-animals/veterinary-ethics/cannabidiol-treatment-for-refractory-idiopathic-epilepsy-in-dogs/
⚠️ Harms ⚠️
For cannabis & the risk of suicidal behavior, a meta-analysis found cannabis use significantly associated with an increased likelihood of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide plans, mortality & self-injury
Cannabis use and risk of suicidal behavior-related outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14659891.2025.2566636
I absolutely believe that while cannabis is protective of mental health in some people, it can also bring out more suicidal behaviors & ideation in those who are experiencing it (myself included). But I also know that, across many different physical & mental health conditions, cannabis use tends to be higher in the people having the hardest time, which skews the data to make cannabis look like a cause instead of a symptom.
For heart health, public health data found medical cannabis patients had a higher risk of heart failure-related events
Risk of Heart Failure-related Events in Patients Exposed to Medical Cannabis: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667036425000342
But conversely, for high blood pressure, public health data found no association between lifetime cannabis use & hypertension
Lifetime Cannabis Use and Incident Hypertension: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study
https://iris.unil.ch/entities/publication/b5a5dbf5-aefa-4f49-9fe7-89ba44d35c2b
For sinonasal diseases, regular cannabis use was associated with higher rates of chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis & chronic rhinitis
The Associative Impact of Recreational Cannabis Use on Sinonasal Diseases
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41064579/
In a person with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, they had the rare triple air leak syndrome from their lungs into three parts of their chest
Triple Air Leak Syndrome in Cannabinoid Hyperemesis: A Diagnostic Challenge Managed Conservatively
https://journals.lww.com/acgcr/fulltext/2025/10000/triple_air_leak_syndrome_in_cannabinoid.23.aspx
🐁 Preclinical 🐁
In a mouse model of PTSD & social isolation, CBD’s neuroprotective effects were enhanced by the antioxidants resveratrol & alpha-lipoic acid
The neuroprotective effect of cannabidiol is enhanced by resveratrol and alpha-lipoic acid in social isolation
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1676421/abstract
In a mouse model of neuropathic pain, CBG reduced pain levels by increasing CB2 receptors in the spinal dorsal horn (where nerves carry pain signals from the body)
Cannabigerol Modulates Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 Expression in the Spinal Dorsal Horn and Attenuates Neuropathic Pain Models
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/10/1508
In a neonatal rat model of seizures, CBD potentiated the effects of the treatment phenobarbital
Cannabidiol potentiates phenobarbital effects in the control of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced epileptic seizures in neonate rats
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1673345/abstract
In a rat model of liver damage, the terpene beta-caryophyllene caused a “remarkable restoration” of biomarkers for inflammation & damage
Prevention of dimethyl hydrazine-induced liver damage by β-caryophyllene in rats
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396448668_Prevention_of_dimethyl_hydrazine-induced_liver_damage_by_b-caryophyllene_in_rats
🆕 Novel Studies 🆕
(my grab bag section for stuff I haven’t quite seen before)
In a rat model of time perception, activating the CB1 receptor slowed locomotion but did not disrupt motor timing
Differential cannabinergic effects on temporal perception and production
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-025-02262-5
📰 US Headlines & Fav Articles 📰
For guns & cannabis, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case + a history of the issue by Marc Hauser by Cannabis Musings
https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/10/court-agrees-to-hear-additional-case-on-gun-rights/
https://cannabismusings.substack.com/p/cannabis-musings-october-21-2025
In Washington, D.C., an appeals court ruled that a medical cannabis patient must stop smoking in their home because of a neighbor’s objections
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/10/17/marijuana-smoke-court-appeal-nuisance/
In all of the debates about legalization, the smell might be one of the most tricky. For many medical patients, smoking or vaping is the fastest way to get their medicine into their system for flare-ups. But many people (including half of my children) find the smell of cannas to be noxious. I do not know how or where to draw that line between access versus intrusion.
In West Virginia, $34 million has been collected from the medical cannabis program, but the state treasurer won’t release any of it until federal law changes
https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/10/22/34-million-cannabis-fund-unspent/
US weightlifter suspended over THC
https://cannabislaw.report/us-weightlifter-suspended-over-thc/
End these regressive policies.
In Ocean City, MD, the police asked for volunteers to smoke cannabis & participate in a DUI event for officer training. The response was “overwhelming”
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/maryland-police-get-overwhelming-number-of-volunteers-to-smoke-marijuana-and-eat-free-lunch-at-dui-training-for-officers/
The kool Kenya kannabis scene
https://hightimes.com/culture/music/kenya-cannabis-culture-music-art/
In Nigerian artists, interviews on substance use & creativity
Substance Use and the Myth of Musical Inspiration: A Study of Creative Arousal Among Emerging Artists in Nigeria
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396400936_Substance_Use_and_the_Myth_of_Musical_Inspiration_A_Study_of_Creative_Arousal_Among_Emerging_Artists_in_Nigeria
Medical History Corner: On the famous medical illustration known as the Renaissance Wound Man, in the version by Hans von Gersdorff in his ‘Field Book of Wound Medicine’, he included hemp as an ingredient for wound healing as well as treating tumors, growths & warts (all of which have modern supporting evidence)
The Renaissance Wound Man – parallels with today’s understanding of wound repair
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1748681525005923
Beatles History Corner: 1978: When Paul McCartney got busted for cannabis in Japan because the New York grass was too good to flush down the toilet (and his cheeky interview afterwards)
https://guitar.com/news/music-news/paul-mccartney-japanese-drug-bust/
🌐 International Updates 🌐
In the EU, the first whole-plant cannabis medicine appears headed for approval with Vertanical’s VER-01 for chronic back pain
https://businessofcannabis.com/first-multi-compound-cannabis-medicine-set-for-european-approval/
They put 7 years & $250M into its development. It must be strange for them that I can go & get basically the same thing from the nice North African boys down by the river.
In Germany, interviews on the heavy administrative burdens from the new Cannabis Act
Growing pains: A study of administrative burden and regulatory compliance in German Cannabis Cultivation Associations under the Cannabis Act
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925003238
In Zurich, they will extend their legal cannabis dispensary pilot program
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/various/city-of-zurich-wants-to-extend-legal-cannabis-dispensary/90193733
And in Switzerland, interviews with stakeholders on cannabis policy
Negotiating the divide: Science, politics, and institutional boundaries in Swiss cannabis regulation
https://iris.unil.ch/entities/publication/e48da331-63ff-4cb3-9e73-27293b1be8cb
In Brazil, São Paulo will invest ~$3M into a cannabis research center
https://sechat.com.br/en/noticia/sao-paulo-government-invests-rdollar-16-million-in-nucleus-with-cannabis-research
A Rastafari commentary on breaking free from the racist shackles of addiction theory
Cannabis use, Rastafari, and social justice: breaking free from the racist shackles of addiction theory
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16066359.2025.2573331
⚖️ Business, Laws & Education ⚖️
For fatal automobile accidents, more restrictive alcohol & cannabis policies were associated with reduced odds of fatalities involving alcohol or cannabis
Relationships of Changing State Cannabis Policies with Alcohol Policy Effectiveness and Alcohol or Cannabis Involvement in Motor Vehicle Fatalities
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379725006051
In Pennsylvania motor vehicle crashes, medical cannabis legalization led to an increase in crashes involving cannabis-positive drivers
Characteristics of trauma patients involved in motor vehicle collisions before and after legalization of medical marijuana in Pennsylvania
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735675725006692
In Oklahoma dispensaries, on the prevalence of tobacco products
Estimating tobacco product availability prevalence in medical cannabis dispensaries in Oklahoma, USA, 2024
https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2025/10/07/tc-2025-059597.abstract
🚓 The War on Drugs 🚓
‘Venezuela accuses US of waging ‘undeclared war’ in strikes on alleged drug traffickers’
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250919-venezuela-accuses-us-of-waging-undeclared-war
With the ‘Great Narco Pretext’ as a potential excuse for regime change in Venezuela
https://countercurrents.org/2025/10/the-great-narco-pretext-trump-readies-for-regime-change-in-venezuela/
And the CIA now approved to work there as land strikes are being considered
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/10/15/cia-spies-can-be-sent-venezuela-trump-order/
With the 5th deadly sea strike near Venezuela
https://www.newsghana.com.gh/trump-announces-fifth-deadly-strike-on-vessel-near-venezuela/
And the 6th strike was the first one against a submersible & the first with survivors
https://www.westernjournal.com/pentagon-strike-narco-terrorist-submersible-vessel-reportedly-leaves-multiple-survivors/
https://cannabislaw.report/the-guardian-us-military-to-move-survivors-of-strike-on-alleged-drug-boat-in-caribbean-to-nearby-countries/
And the 7th strike was allegedly against Marxist insurgents from Colombia
https://san.com/cc/seventh-u-s-strike-destroys-suspected-drug-boat-kills-three/
And the 8th strike was off the coast of Colombia
https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-strikes-8th-alleged-drug-vessel-eastern-pacific-hegseth-says
With a timeline of the strikes by the NYTimes
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/us/trump-attacks-venezuela-boats.html
And with the UN calling them “extrajudicial executions”
https://idpc.net/news/2025/9/us-war-on-narco-terrorists-violates-the-right-to-life-warn-un-experts-after-deadly-vessel-strike
In the Pacific, the US Operation Pacific Viper has seized 100k+ pounds of cocaine & arrested 86
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/the-u-s-coast-guards-quiet-drug-war-wins-amid-trumps-caribbean-strikes
In the Philippines, Duterte finally charged with crimes against humanity for his blood bath against drug dealers
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg5e1v85lrdo
With half of Filipinos believing that the former president should be held accountable
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329264/accountability-looming-philippines-duterte-survey-shows-growing-demand-justice
In Singapore, they will hang their 12th person this year for non-violent narcotics violations “But It Can’t Execute Its Way to a Drug-Free Society”
https://reason.com/2025/10/21/singapore-keeps-hanging-low-level-drug-couriers-but-it-cant-execute-its-way-to-a-drug-free-society/
https://apnews.com/article/singapore-malaysia-death-penalty-execution-d6e5aab38fc6f54d1911bacf717d2c1c
And those who vape Kpods (containing etomidate) overseas will be punished as though they vaped in Singapore
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/sporeans-prs-who-vape-kpods-overseas-will-be-dealt-with-as-though-they-used-it-here
In the Arabian Sea, the Pakistan Navy seized 350 kg of methamphetamine & 50 kg of cocaine
https://cannabislaw.report/pakistan-navy-seizes-drugs-worth-nearly-1bn-in-the-arabian-sea/
Syria and Iraq join forces to seize 1.2M Captagon pills & 108 kg of hashish
https://cannabislaw.report/syria-and-iraq-join-forces-to-seize-large-drug-shipment-arrest-hashish-smugglers/
Strange headline: ‘Drug user guilty of unlawfully killing dealer’
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3x52vzxv3o
How would he have killed him lawfully? In the UK, not even the state can lawfully kill people since they’re more forward-thinking about banning human rights abuses like the death penalty.
On how the global War on Drugs entrenches neo-colonialism
Neo-colonialism and financing for the war on drugs: a review of current policy and recommendations for countries in the global north
https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-025-01243-7
In Iran, a thesis project on the use of the death penalty for drug offenses despite international condemnation
Understanding the Role of Drug Offenses and the Death Penalty in Iran
https://www.proquest.com/openview/2d4c02ed907dd8f187853d99a94e5d0d/1
In China, on the role of drug purity in death penalty cases
Drug Purity and the Death Sentence in China: Evidence from Guangzhou City
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10610-025-09645-w
On the use of crypto by criminal organizations
The (mis)use of cryptocurrencies by criminal organizations: a systematic literature review
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42521-025-00148-1
An analysis of which street-level drug enforcement tactics are more likely to lead to felony prosecutions
Do police tactics matter? Street-level drug enforcement and the likelihood of felony prosecution
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15614263.2025.2572809
🛡️ Harm Reduction News 🛡️
While US overdose death rates are decreasing nationwide, some regions are seeing increases
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/oct/17/overdose-deaths-data-analysis
A book review on US addiction rehab scams, ‘Rehab: An American Scandal’
https://filtermag.org/american-rehab-scandal/
In Courtenay, BC, Canada, a new supervised drug inhalation site opened
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/drug-inhalation-site-courtenay-9.6947809
Harm Reduction Research
On the influence of drug-user groups like VANDU to shape policy & response
A major stakeholder in the lobbying efforts: the role of people who use drugs in the past and the current opioid crisis
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-24117-w
For naloxone & the new potent synthetic opioids, a review found that naloxone still worked but sometimes higher doses or infusions were required
Behavioural Effects and Naloxone Effectiveness With New Synthetic Opioids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41093771/
With fentanyl test strips, on the need for paired training
Urgent Need for Pairing Training and Education With Fentanyl Test Strip Distribution
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41084349/
For withdrawal management, on a nurse practitioner-led ambulatory model of care for improving access
Improving Options and Access for People With a Substance Use Disorder: A Service Evaluation of a Novel Nurse Practitioner-Led Ambulatory Model of Care for Withdrawal Management
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41084324/
For primary care intervention in opioid use disorder, on the efficacy of the PINPOINT (PaIn aNd oPiOId maNagemenT) intervention
Impact of a Multi-Factorial Primary Care Intervention on Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Overdose Outcomes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41065116/
On rural recovery community centers as hubs of support for substance use disorders
Bridging the gaps: Rural recovery community centers and their role in addressing substance use disorders
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41070922/
For med students, a commentary on the importance of training overdose response & naloxone use
The Naloxone Project: Impact of Opioid Overdose Response Training on Medical Students’ Knowledge and Confidence
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41098285/
In brain scans of people with substance use disorders, a review of 49 studies on structural differences
Substance use disorder and altered hemispheric asymmetries: A systematic review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41075349/
“Structural imaging indicates asymmetric white and grey matter alterations: reduced left-hemispheric white matter integrity and lower grey matter volume in frontal and temporal regions. Functional data show compensatory right-hemispheric activation.”
In people with substance use disorders, on blood analysis of the changes to their transcribed genes
Transcriptomic markers of psychoactive substance addiction in peripheral blood
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41075495/
“Our results revealed a significant number of genes exhibiting differential expression in peripheral blood. The pathway analysis suggested that the metabolic changes associated with regular substance use primarily impact energy catabolism, toxin metabolism, anabolic processes, and cell signaling pathways.”
In Australian people who inject drugs, on the availability of harm reduction materials
Individual-level harm reduction intervention coverage among people in Australia who inject drugs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41072118/
In Rwanda: on harm reduction among people who inject drugs
Harm reduction among people who inject drugs in Rwanda
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41072460/
For chaplains in veteran affairs, on the need for them to learn addiction care
Veteran Affairs chaplains and addiction care: Current training gaps and needs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41069225/
On the Punjab drug crisis & its portrayal in media
Invisible victims and Narcotised discourses: Media, culture, and social inequity in Punjab’s drug crisis
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396559701_Invisible_victims_and_Narcotised_discourses_Media_culture_and_social_inequity_in_Punjab’s_drug_crisis
In Moldovan prisons, on the challenges of methadone program
Resisting methadone: criminal subculture and methadone implementation in Moldovan prisons
https://www.emerald.com/ijoph/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/IJOPH-03-2025-0022/1304397/Resisting-methadone-criminal-subculture-and
🍄 Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives 🍄
The Economist advocates legalizing cocaine to end the corrosiveness of the War on Drugs (this favorite magazine of my father has been surprisingly progressive on its opposition to the evils of prohibition)
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/10/16/brute-force-is-no-match-for-todays-high-tech-drug-runners
And relatedly, the International Drug Policy Consortium just released their white paper on why coca leaf should not be a Schedule I drug
https://idpc.net/publications/2025/09/coca-leaf-critical-review-report
Psymposia released their ‘Psychedelic Syndicate’ report
https://www.psymposia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Psychedelic-Syndicate_PDF_1.pdf
And Jules Evans on the “weird misunderstanding of NGOs”
https://www.ecstaticintegration.org/p/monday-brunch-hamilton-morris-psymposia
Disclosure: I was host of an early Psymposia conference & partnered with them for my book tour.
A profile of Erowid, the most important drug website on the internet (and one of the best places you can donate your hard-earned funds)
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251020-the-1990s-drug-website-that-changed-the-world
In South Africa, despite the illegality of psychedelics, shamans & self-appointed healers are offering psychedelic services
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce329z0qv91o
In Canada, psychedelic turf wars over mushroom shops
https://doubleblindmag.com/the-psychedelic-turf-wars-have-officially-begun/
For ibogaine, on a measurement scale called the Ibogaine Experience Scale
The Ibogaine Experience Scale (IES): Development and psychometric properties of a multidimensional measure of ibogaine’s subjective effects
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41082525/
🍃 The Plant & its Products 🍃
On the history of hemp in the Levant
A tale of two agricultural revolutions: crop introductions in the long 1st millennium CE southern Levant
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00334-025-01060-9
In early modern Venice, on the processing of hemp by women
Exploring women’s work in early modern rural Italy: Insights from the Republic of Venice
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/B25285E85EAB1944745354409F6419F2/S0956793325100125a.pdf
🌱 Growing & Extracting 🌱
Seed health & germination capacity in different hemp cultivars
Evaluation of seed health and germination capacity of selected hemp varieties
https://herbapolonica.pl/article/552891/en
In a semi-arid climate, even with no irrigation, cannabis can produce some flowers & cannabinoid yield
Floral hemp biomass and cannabinoid yield response to moisture stress under irrigation in a semi‐arid climate
https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/agg2.70224
High humidity levels lowered cannabinoid levels & delayed flowering
Elevated relative humidity significantly decreases cannabinoid concentrations while delaying flowering development in Cannabis sativa L
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1678142/abstract
To boost antioxidant compounds, on co-inoculation during the vegetative stage
Boosting antioxidant compounds in Cannabis sativa L. By co-inoculation to the hydroponic system in vegetative stage
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03650340.2025.2569507
For hemp Septoria leaf spot, on using fungicides as a treatment
Evaluation of Fungicides to Manage Hemp Septoria Leaf Spot in Geneva, NY, 2025
https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PHP-09-25-0219-PDMR
For hop-latent viroids, it appears that cannabis aphids did not transfer it from infected to non-infected plants
Acquisition of hop latent viroid from viroid-infected cannabis plants by rice root aphids and cannabis aphids
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00705-025-06422-2
For terpenes, a technical paper on their retention from freeze-dried trichomes to rosin products
Terpenes in Cannabis: Terpene Retention from Freeze-Dried Trichomes to Live and Decarboxylated Rosin Products
https://geslabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Terpenes-in-Cannabis-Review-on-terpene-retention-from-starting-material-to-finished-product.pdf
A book chapter on hemp breeding strategies
Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Breeding
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-00403-1_11
In tetraploid cultivars (four copies of their chromosomes), they were more likely to produce female-biased seeds (drawing on work from the ‘40s)
Female-biased Inheritance in Tetraploid Hemp
https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/jashs/150/5/article-p271.xml
For the Y chromosome of cannabis, a genetic analysis of its divergence in seed hemp
Haplotype-resolved genome assembly of seed hemp (Cannabis sativa) revealed molecular divergence of Y chromosome evolution
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392396414_Haplotype-resolved_genome_assembly_of_seed_hemp_Cannabis_sativa_revealed_molecular_divergence_of_Y_chromosome_evolution
In seed hemp, a genetic analysis of pathways related to cannabinoid biosynthesis
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of Genes Related to Cannabinoid Biosynthesis Pathways in Seed Hemp
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12042-025-09444-x
On the characteristics of Moroccan cannabis pollen
Pollen characteristics and their implications for the conservation of Moroccan Cannabis cultivar
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42535-025-01505-6
⚙️ Analyzing & Formulating ⚙️
On fingerprinting cannabinoids with electrospray positive ion mode ionization
Establishment of tandem mass spectrometric fingerprint of the most common phytocannabinoids in electrospray positive ion mode ionization
https://harvest.usask.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/f32e8aa5-54fa-4637-9d19-09b8f0495003/content
For spectrographic analysis, on the optical properties of hemp oil
Optical properties and chemical composition of hemp oil
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396426409_Optical_properties_and_chemical_composition_of_hemp_oil#:~:text=Of%20the%20polyunsaturated%20fatty%20acids,and%20a%20weak%20red%20hue
In CBD products, a review of chromatographic methods for quality control
Application of chromatographic methods for quality control of cannabinoid impurities in products containing Cannabidiol
https://pharmacia.pensoft.net/article/170419/
On electrochemical sensors for CBD & THC using molecular-imprinted platinum–iridium surfaces
Selective electrochemical detection of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at molecular-imprinted mesoporous Pt-Ir surfaces
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956566325009807
For CBD encapsulation, a review of polymeric hydrogels
Cannabidiol Encapsulation in Polymeric Hydrogels and Its Controlled Release: A Review
https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/10/815
A CBD nanoemulsion for enhanced bioaccessibility & anti-inflammatory effects
Cannabidiol Loaded Nanoemulsion with Improved Bioaccessibility and Anti-Inflammatory Activity
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.5c04608
On producing water-soluble cannabinoid derivatives
Vízoldható kannabinoid származékok előállítása és vizsgálata: Synthesis and investigation of water-soluble cannabinoids
https://ojs.emt.ro/chem/article/view/2135
🍞 Food, Nutrition & Hemp Seeds 🍞
On hemp seeds as a probiotic energy milk drink
Industrial Cannabis sativa (Hemp) seeds used as Probiotic Energy Milk Drink-An Update
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396429015_Industrial_Cannabis_sativa_Hemp_seeds_used_as_Probiotic_Energy_Milk_Drink-An_Update
In rumen fermentation (chewing cud), THC & CBD reduced production of methane (with livestock being a large global source of methane)
Harnessing bioactive compounds from Cannabis sativa residue to improve rumen fermentation and reduce methane production: in silico, in vitro, and in situ nylon bag studies
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12917-025-04985-5
In cattle, feeding them hemp improved antioxidant enzymes, stress biomarkers & rumination (cud chewing)
Effect of Industrial Hemp Supplementation on Rumination Behaviour, Plasma Antioxidant Enzymes and Stress Biomarkers in Angus Cattle
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41056471/
In female sheep, powdered hemp seeds did not alter their hormones
Effect of Different Levels of Dietary Hemp Seed Powder on the Profiles of Reproductive Hormones of Awassi Ewes
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396443391_Effect_of_Different_Levels_of_Dietary_Hemp_Seed_Powder_on_the_Profiles_of_Reproductive_Hormones_of_Awassi_Ewes
In the Turkish animal breeders of Van Province, there was limited awareness of hemp as a feed
Awareness of animal breeders in van province about industrial hemp
https://avesis.yyu.edu.tr/publication/details/a4269cc5-ad73-45b5-be28-9d3719a0bbe9/awareness-of-animal-breeders-in-van-province-about-industrial-hemp
On creating fatty acids like PEA, OEA, SEA & LEA from microbial lipids extracted from Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosus (a yeast)
Spinning Green: Lipase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Bioactive Fatty Acid Amides from Renewable Lipid Feedstocks in a Rotating Bed Reactor
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c07654
🏗️ Industrial Uses & Fiber 🏗️
For automotive plastic, on the benefits of hemp fibers
Elucidating the impact of fiber source on polypropylene/hemp composite performance for the automotive industry
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2025/ma/d5ma00798d
On using hemp root to absorb a chemotherapeutic agent from water
EFFECTIVE REMOVAL OF CYTOTOXIC CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS USING NOVEL ADSORBENT (HEMP ROOT)
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ayseguel-Tuerk-Baydir/publication/396335924_EFFECTIVE_REMOVAL_OF_CYTOTOXIC_CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE_FROM_AQUEOUS_SOLUTIONS_USING_NOVEL_ADSORBENT_HEMP_ROOT/links/68e75cbaffdca73694b66007/EFFECTIVE-REMOVAL-OF-CYTOTOXIC-CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE-FROM-AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS-USING-NOVEL-ADSORBENT-HEMP-ROOT.pdf
On 3D-printing with hemp & kenaf fibers
Biodegradation and Characterization of 3-D Printed PLA-Based Polymer Composites Reinforced With Cellulose Based Hemp/Kenaf Fibers and Coconut/Walnut Fillers
https://4spepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pc.70524
For 3D printing with UV-curable resins, on using hemp seed oil
A green route to UV-curable resins: acrylation and application of hemp seed oil in 3D printing
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014305725006299
On using hemp stalks to synthesize nanostructures for CO2 capture
Magnesium oxide-modified nanographene hybrid nanostructures engineered by green synthesis method using hemp stalk bio-extract for CO2 capture
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468023025021285
On using hemp leaf to synthesize titanium dioxide nanoparticles
Environmentally friendly synthesis and biological activity assessment of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) leaf extract
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294982282500841X
In hybrid hemp composites, on the influence of water absorption on strength
Influence of Water Absorption on the Interlaminar Shear Strength and Fracture Toughness of Hybrid Hemp–Banana Fiber Reinforced Composites
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15440478.2025.2570084
In fashion, a practical comparison of hemp, jute & linen
NATURAL FIBERS AND SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TEXTILE TEST WITH HEMP, JUTE AND LINEN
https://periodicos.newsciencepubl.com/editoraimpacto/article/view/8809
For grouting of historical brick masonry, on improving strength with hemp fiber rope reinforcement
Compression behavior of historical brick masonry with mortar joint spalling strengthened with composite grouting and natural hemp fiber rope reinforcement
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7484599/v1
🌿 THE CANNA-SCIENCE ARCHIVE 🌿
A book chapter on the pharmacological profile of the phytocannabinoids
The Pharmacological Profile of Plant-Derived Cannabinoids In Vitro
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/7854_2025_605
🏥 Public Health, Legalization Effects & Bioassays 🏥
In medical cannabis patients in the Bronx, a survey found they still reported barriers to purchasing medical cannabis despite it causing symptom relief & them having a medical card
Barriers to accessing medical cannabis persist in certified patients despite its perceived symptom relief: a brief survey study
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7448134/v1
In Toronto, on overdose risks after cannabis legalization & during the pandemic
Neighbourhood risk factors and spatiotemporal trends for overdoses following cannabis legalization and pandemic restrictions in Toronto, Canada
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829225001479
In social work, a commentary calling for equity-based cannabis policies
Reframing Cannabis in Social Work and Public Health: From Prohibition to Equity
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19371918.2025.2573380
In Malta doctors & pharmacists, a survey on their perspectives on medical cannabis
Doctors’ and pharmacists’ perspectives on the clinical use of medicinal Cannabis: a cross-sectional study
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-025-01317-6
Results from a clinical scale for measuring cannabis use: Cannabis Quantity and Frequency Scale
Cannabis use measurement: Identifying the optimal metric for broad research applications
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41070711/
In US adults, on the rates of cigarette & cannabis co-use since 2015
Cigarette and cannabis use and co-use among U.S. adults: An examination of prevalence and trends during 2015–2023
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460325002904
The co-use of alcohol & cannabis linked to more alcohol-related problems
Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use is associated with daily consequences reflective of alcohol use disorder symptoms
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871625003771
A urine test for many drugs using a LC-MS/MS
Simultaneous analysis of stimulants, opioids, gabapentin, xylazine, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, and novel stimulants/hallucinogens in human urine
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021967325008052
For analyzing N-acylethanolamines (NAEs like PEA or OEA) in biological fluids, on assaying with Time-Controlled Online Solid Phase Extraction
Time-controlled online SPE: strategic approach for N-acylethanolamines quantification in complex matrices
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021967325007939
🧒 Adolescents & Young Adults 🧒
In suicide among US young people, liberalized cannabis laws were associated with increased suicide rates in Hispanic & Asian/Pacific Islander youth
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Suicide Mortality among 12-25 Year Olds Following Medical and Recreational Cannabis Legalization in the United States
https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00609-9/abstract
In young adults during a cannabis intervention trial, on the varied effects on their sleep
Dynamic associations between cannabis use and sleep in adolescents and young adults during a cannabis intervention trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41065259/
In California high schoolers after legalization, local cannabis policy altered their cannabis use levels
Local Cannabis Policy and Cannabis Use by California High School Students Before and After Statewide Retail Legalization
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(25)00417-3/pdf
For underage youth in Canada, their use decreased across legalization
Using decision trees to examine risk profiles for cannabis use among large samples of underage youth before and after cannabis legalization in Canada
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853225000501
In young adults with depressive symptoms, greater symptoms predict the greater odds of using cannabis & heavier use
Depressive Symptoms and Substance Use: Longitudinal Examination of Alcohol and Cannabis Coping Mechanisms in Young Adults
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11121-025-01846-3
In college students, a survey on their cannabis use based on impulsivity & behavioral emotion regulation
Simultaneous Use of Alcohol and Marijuana Among College Students: The Role of Expectancies, Impulsivity and Behavioral Emotion Regulation
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2568938
For youth entering residential care, public health data on their hazardous use of cannabis & alcohol
Secular Trends in Hazardous Alcohol and Cannabis Use from 2015 to 2024 in Diverse Subgroups of Youth Entering Residential Care
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2565434
In young adults, on the role of affect on their willingness to co-use alcohol & cannabis
Examining the Role of Affect in Young Adult’s Willingness to Engage in Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Use
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2564194
In college students co-using alcohol & cannabis, on the association between passion, coping motives & substance use outcomes
Multivariate associations between passion, coping motives, and substance use outcomes in college students engaging in simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1533256X.2025.2571512
For college students who co-use cannabis & alcohol, on their coping & social motivations
Psychological Need Satisfaction and Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Use: A Moderated Mediation Model of Expectancies and Motives
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2565421
In gender-diverse youth, on their use of cannabis & other psychoactives
Gender Diversity, Substance Cognitions, and Alcohol, Nicotine/Tobacco, and Cannabis Use Among Youth
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/23258292251385564
🧠 The Brain & Neurological Disorders 🧠
In the relationship between adverse childhood experiences & subjective cognitive decline, on the effects on later cannabis use
Adverse childhood experiences, marijuana use and subjective cognitive decline by race/ethnicity and sexual orientation
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44400-025-00037-9
In a mouse model of ALS, activating the CB2 receptors in areas outside the brain such as skeletal muscle & immune cells caused therapeutic effects
Relevance of a peripheral site of action outside the brain-blood barrier for the beneficial effects of CB2 receptor activation in experimental ALS in male mice
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12964-025-02418-2
In a mouse model of nerve injury, blocking the CB1 receptor lessened injury via inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome
[Antagonist of cannabinoid receptor 1 improves nerve injury caused by chronic intermittent hypoxia by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in mice]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41073309/
💭 Mental Health, Addiction & Cannabis Use Disorder 💭
For substance use & mental disorders, an analysis of the global burden
Global, regional, and national burden of mental disorders and substance use disorders in older adults from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis and future trend prediction study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41069953/
In stress tests in humans, the endocannabinoid concentrations of saliva were independent of those in the blood, but the saliva 2-AG was associated with subjective stress ratings
Stress Responsivity of Endocannabinoids and Related Biomolecules in Plasma and Saliva
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/25785125251387514
In people with psychosis, cannabis legalization was linked to a large increase in use
Cannabis Use Among Individuals With Psychosis After State-Level Commercial Cannabis Legalization
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2840020
In Medicaid enrollees with depression, anxiety, or insomnia, they had increased prevalence of cannabis use disorder, but lower levels among those with chronic pain
Cannabis use disorder risks among Medicaid enrollees with comorbid psychiatric illnesses: 2012–2021
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871625003680
In reproductive-age women in Pennsylvania, a survey on their cannabis & PTSD symptoms
Cannabis use and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among females of reproductive age in Pennsylvania
https://www.annfammed.org/content/23/Supplement_1/8051.abstract
In Japan during COVID, a wastewater analysis found THC levels to be low & CBD levels to be high
Using wastewater analysis to estimate the prevalence of THC and CBD use in a population of Japan during and after the Covid-19 pandemic (2020–2023)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073825003317
In Black adults, an app to reduce cannabis use disorder
Mobile intervention to address cannabis use disorder among black adults: A proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796725002116
In a mouse model of anxiety & learning, the CB receptors altered effects via the nucleus accumbens (a reward center & regulator of feeding, stress & motivation) & dopamine in the ventral tegmental area (a midbrain region of reward, reinforcement & motivational learning)
Cannabinoid CB1 receptor in dopaminergic circuit from ventral tegmental area to nucleus accumbens links trait anxiety with reward learning
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-025-03644-5
For anxiety & sterol carrier protein 2 (a lipid transporter), this thesis project found that it was bound by CBD & CBG as well as the AMT inhibitors OMDM-2 & VDM11
The characterization of the interaction between cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and anandamide membrane transporter (AMT) inhibitors and the lipid trafficking protein, sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP-2): potential to modulate the endocannabinoid system (ECS)
https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/96021
🧬 Reproduction & Hormones 🧬
Unsurprisingly, in women using cannabis before conception, they had higher rates of using cannabis in early pregnancy
Association of preconception cannabis use frequency with cannabis use during early pregnancy
https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-025-08190-y
For pregnant people & healthcare providers, a survey found mistrust limited the open discussions of cannabis
Mistrust Limits Possibilities for Patient-Provider Discussions Regarding Cannabis Use During Pregnancy
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049386725001148
For pregnant people experiencing intimate partner violence, interviews on the coercive use of cannabis & nicotine products
Cannabis and Nicotine Substance Use Coercion During the Perinatal Period
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/26884844251387024
In a mouse model of male fertility, the synthetic cannabinoid AB-FUBINACA decreased sperm viability & caused oxidative stress in the testicles
Synthetic Cannabinoid AB-FUBINACA Negatively Impacted the Male Fertility and Induced Testicular Toxicity
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-025-00739-y
In adenomyotic tissue lesions (endometrial grown into the uterus), they contained CB1, CB2 & GPR18 receptors, making these receptors a potential target
Expression of cannabinoid receptors CB1, CB2 and GPR18 in adenomyotic lesions
https://flore.unifi.it/bitstream/2158/1436940/1/eCB%20receptors%20in%20adenomyosis.pdf
🦴 Pain, Musculoskeletal, Inflammation & Surgeries 🦴
In people having lumbar decompression surgery, cannabis use was associated with higher 90-day readmission rates
Substance-specific complications after lumbar decompression: distinguishing the effects of tobacco nontobacco nicotine and cannabis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1529943025006382
After spinal fusion surgery, cannabis users had higher opioid consumption & surgical site infection rate
Cannabis use influences the immediate postoperative recovery of patients undergoing elective 1 or 2 level lumbar spine fusion
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1529943025004000
For people undergoing surgery with anesthesia, the cannabis users required more anesthetic as well as post-operative opioids
Effect of patient marijuana use on perioperative opioid requirements
https://wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/jom/article/view/3918
For cannabis & opioids, public health data on their use & co-use
Co-use of Opioids and Cannabis Versus Single-Substance Use: A National Analysis of U.S. Adults
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1623420/abstract
In older people using cannabis or opioids, cannabis use was associated with more pain interference & depression symptoms over time while opioid use was associated with more pain intensity & interference
Pain, Depression, and Functional Outcomes Among Older Adults Who Use Cannabis or Opioid Analgesics for Chronic Pain Conditions
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07317115.2025.2574325
🍽️ The Guts, Metabolism & the Microbiome 🍽️
In tissue from people with gestational diabetes, they had higher levels of Wilms tumor 1 associated protein (WTAP) pseudogene 1 (WTAPP1) (a regulatory protein) which promoted levels of the CB1 receptor
Epigenetic regulation by WTAPP1 promotes trophoblast dysfunction in gestational diabetes via CNR1/NF-κB activation
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40001-025-03217-8
🦠 The Immune System & Microbial 🦠
In brain cell reservoirs of HIV, activating the CB2 receptor had different effects in different types of immune cells
Differential Effects of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Agonists on HIV Replication and Inflammatory Activation in Monocyte-Derived Macrophages and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Microglia
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11481-025-10254-x
❤️ The Heart & Blood ❤️
In a rat model of diabetes-induced heart failure, activating the cannabinoid receptors with a new unnamed agonist improved heart failure & reduced inflammation
Novel Cannabinoid Agonist for Treatment of Diabetes-induced Heart Failure
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/res.137.suppl_1.Fri003
In a tissue model of endothelial dysfunction (a key contributor to heart disease), THC & CBD increase permeability, CBD reduced wound healing speed, THC & HHC increased tube formation & CBN caused no effects
Differential Effects of Natural and Synthetic Cannabinoids on Endothelial Barrier Integrity and Function: Insights from iPSC-Derived Endothelial Cells
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/res.137.suppl_1.Wed151
In a rat model of pulmonary hypertension, inhibition of fatty acid-binding proteins FABP4 & FABP5 (endocannabinoid transporters) improved inflammation & heart & lung health
Combined Inhibition of FABP4/5 Ameliorates Pulmonary Hypertension by Reducing Pulmonary Vascular and Right Ventricular Fibrosis
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1165/rcmb.2024-0352OC
In zebrafish blood stem cells, both activating & blocking the CB2 receptor caused decreased proliferation
Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CNR2) Agonist AM1241 Fails to Expand Adult Danio rerio (Zebrafish) Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells In Vitro
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396286662_Cannabinoid_Receptor_2_CNR2_Agonist_AM1241_Fails_to_Expand_Adult_Danio_rerio_Zebrafish_Hematopoietic_Stem_and_Progenitor_Cells_HSPCs_In_Vitro
💨 The Lungs 💨
For asthma, the co-use of cannabis & methamphetamine was associated with more severe asthma exacerbations
Joint Association of Methamphetamine and Cannabis Use as Risk Factors for Asthma Exacerbations Requiring Hospitalization: A Retrospective Analysis
https://www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S2213-2198(25)00957-2/abstract
🖐️ The Skin & Topicals 🖐️
CBD hydrogel patches from silk fibronin
Optimized Silk Fibroin Hydrogel Patches for Controlled Transdermal Cannabidiol Delivery: Formulation and In Vivo Safety Assessment
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pol.20250558
💊 Synthetic Cannabinoids & Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids 💊
A thesis project on the CB1 activity of synthetic cannabinoid metabolites
Pharmacology and Toxicity of New Psychoactive Substances: In vitro metabolism and receptor activation
https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf
In delta-8 THC products, a computer analysis of the toxicity of the structurally related impurities
In-silico ADME Toxicity Analysis of Impurities in Commercially Marketed Δ8-THC Products for Potential Bio-medical Applications
https://jmrh.chitkara.edu.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/JMRH001_Alivelu-3.pdf
🔬 Biochemical Discoveries & Research Tools 🔬
Modeling the molecular dynamics of cannabinoid binding
Cannabis Compounds: Docking and Dynamics Study
https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A3%3A37193779/detailv2
On the lysophospholipid receptors modulated by endocannabinoids
Lysophospholipid (LPA) receptors
https://www.guidetopharmacology.org/GRAC/FamilyDisplayForward
On using a tricyclic scaffold to create CB1 blockers restricted to the body
Mechanistic Study on the Peripheral Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Blockers Based on the Tricyclic Scaffolds
https://academic.oup.com/jb/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/jb/mvaf058/8286410
On using sulfonyl urea scaffolds for CB1 blockers restricted to the body
Leveraging Peripheral CB1 Antagonism in 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydropyridazine-Based Amidine Substituted Sulfonyl Analogs for Treating Metabolic Disorders
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c01158
For creating neocannabinoids, a thesis project on using photoredox catalysis
Photoredox catalyzed cycloadditions of carbonyl ylides and synthesis of neocannabinoids
https://open.bu.edu/items/e166eda5-b479-4133-a5f0-182cb12ac749
Thanks.
- lex
PS: For today’s vocalese jazz trio, ‘Everybody’s Boppin’’ by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Using their voices to make bop harmonies & scat solos, the combo of Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks & Annie Ross are sometimes called the premier jazz vocal act of all time. In the 50s, their apartment jam sessions led to their first LP ‘Sing a Song of Basie‘ where they multi-tracked their own voices to create a choir for recreating the solos of the great Count Basie (it’s a fascinating listen that was later put in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Basey himself like it well enough that he did a ‘Sing Along with Basie’ album with them). For their next two albums, they put the modern bop into the jazz classics, cementing their place among jazzheads. ‘The Swingers’ they focused on their own voices & especially with the powerhouse Annie Ross & her agile alto, they put the modern bop into the classics of the early ’40. For their last album ‘High Flying’, they won the 1962 Grammy for Best Performance by a Vocal Group. But then Annie Ross left for personal reasons (5 hard-pushing years on the road as well as a heroin habit from growing up in jazz) & the group never found their groove afterwards with replacements. The death of Dave Lambert in a roadside accident two years later ended a chance of reunion.
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