C&P#167: endometriosis, sinuses, opioid overdoses, mindfulness & the placebo of bong water
CHS added as WHO diagnostic code + Trump’s ‘double tap’ boat strike
🌟 This week 🌟
Cannabis for endometriosis + protecting your sinuses
Bongs may not be filtering out anything
In bipolar people, cannabis use improved decision-making, but impaired it in the healthy controls
Adult-use cannabis laws linked to less opioid overdose deaths + medical laws to less opioid prescribing
Mindfulness helps inflammation via the ECS?
3 CBD null effects: for knee osteoarthritis, alcohol use disorder & stressed university students
This week’s winner of ‘Best Book Chapter Name’…
(6x) psychedelic & ketamine for depression + mixed data on microdosing
Your soil full of lithium or forever chemicals? Hemp can help!
AI computer vision Internet of Things hemp growing
Preclinical: CBN & THCV for alcohol use disorder + CBD for Alzheimer’s & meth neurotoxicity + CBD for strokes
2x on cannabinoids as antibiotics
So much on the fucking horrors of Prohibition (#LegalizeAllDrugs)
(this week’s numbers: ~8,500 words, ~22 minutes reading time, 161 papers)
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 167th 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!
📌 Editor’s note 📌:
For next year, here’s the list of conferences here in Europe that I’m considering. Let me know if I’m missing any or if there’s any I can’t miss:
Feb 19: CannaEuropa in Paris
Mar 28-29: Athens Cannabis Expo
Apr 13-15: ICBC in Berlin
Apr 17-19: Spannabis in Bilbao
May 26-27: CannaEuropa in London
May 29-31: CannaTrade in Zurich
June 11-14: Mary Jane Berlin
June 25-27: Alcohol & Drug History Society Conference in Paris
Sep 15-17: CB Expo in Dortmund
Sept 25-26: Portugal Medical Cannabis in Lisbon
Also, thanks to Brandon & Nico for buying me 4 coffees last week. I appreciate all the support & the kind words. This work can be a bit lonely, so it’s nice when you hear nice things from nice people about how the research in this newsletter helps.
🤝 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:
https://ncs.cannabisandhealth.org/
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 twice a 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: dirty blues by Julia Lee
🐋 For more from Lex… 🐋 | my Linktree |
‘Anandamide; or, the Cannabinoid’: my cannabis graphic novel series (based on Moby Dick):
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 🎤
Canna-Edu Vids for CV Sciences:
(on YT @CVSciencesInc & on TT @pluscbd)
[no new videos. still catching up from that big research project]
My 📚 Vids:
(@LexPelgerAndHisBooks on TikTok, YouTube & Instagram)
The Canon Project: A Bookish Timeline (a little peak into my weekends)
Taoism, the Huainanzi & early Chinese mysticism (one of the most fascinating books I’ve found in years)
🍃 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)
Ha! A NORML analysis said that there were 4k+ scientific papers published on cannabis last year…
https://norml.org/blog/2025/12/03/analysis-nih-database-now-includes-over-53000-cannabis-related-studies/
But with this newsletter averaging ~150 canna-papers a week, I’m catching more fish with my net than they do with theirs.
But hell, doing a keyword search on PubMed is like bringing a spiderweb to a flounder party.
The World Health Organization added a diagnostic code for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome
https://www.foxnews.com/health/mysterious-marijuana-linked-vomiting-disorder-gets-official-who-code-er-cases-jump
This is excellent news for understanding the prevalence of CHS & gathering data on the demographics.
Do bongs really filter out anything? According to this GC-MS study, I guess not
Qualifying the effectiveness of Cannabis smoke filtration via Bong water using GC-MS and risk assessment of inhaling smoke compounds
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.01.673549v1.article-info
⚕️ Clinical ⚕️
In people with endometriosis, data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry found the initiation of cannabis-based medicinal products was associated with improvements in pain & health-related quality of life
A Longitudinal Assessment of Endometriosis Patients Prescribed Cannabis‐Based Medicinal Products: A Case Series From the UK Medical Cannabis Registry
https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ajo.70078
In people with bipolar disorder, cannabis use was associated with better decision-making than their non-using counterparts, while in the healthy participants, cannabis use was associated with impaired decision-making
Chronic cannabis use in people with bipolar disorder is associated with comparable decision-making and functional outcome to healthy participants
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-025-03718-4
In brain scans of people with alcohol use disorder, CBD lowered their reactivity to negative emotional stimuli in their amygdala (fear processing center of the brain)
CBD attenuates amygdala response to negative emotional stimuli in individuals with alcohol use disorder – a randomized controlled trial
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-025-06860-5
As an addict myself, anything that lowers my reactivity to negative emotions sounds good.
And maybe one day I’ll finally really integrate this Taoist & Buddhist stuff & just see all these emotions as passing clouds...
In Canadian managed alcohol programs that provide alcohol as well as housing support to lower alcohol-related harms, those who took the choice of a pre-rolled cannabis joint consumed less alcohol overall
Evaluating cannabis substitution for alcohol within the context of a canadian managed alcohol program
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925003792
I had no idea that Canada was giving out alcohol to people with alcohol use disorder. God bless them.
#TreatAllDrugsLikeThis
For chronic rhinosinusitis (long-term inflammation of the sinus cavity), cannabis users had a significantly reduced risk of having rhinosinusitis or getting surgery for it
Cannabis Use and Risk of Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Sinus Surgery
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41323660/
In people with knee osteoarthritis, 60 days of 45 mg of CBD in a full-spectrum oil caused as much pain relief as the placebo oil
Effects and Safety of a CBD-rich Cannabis sativa oil in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial – CANOA – Cannabis for Osteoarthritis
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1657065/abstract
In two trials of people with alcohol use disorder, high levels of CBD isolate for two months were well-tolerated but did not reduce drinking more than the placebo
Effects of cannabidiol in alcohol use disorder patients with and without co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder: Tolerability but no evidence for efficacy in two randomized proof-of-concept trials
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41312717/
In stressed university students, placebo oil did as well as a weak CBD oil for lowering stress
Placebo effects in a RCT assessing 30 days of low dose Cannabidiol (CBD) treatment for psychological distress in stressed students at risk for depression
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00366-9
In cancer patients taking the cancer drugs irinotecan & docetaxel, medical cannabis did not interfere with the efficacy
Medicinal cannabis does not influence the clinical pharmacokinetics of irinotecan and docetaxel
https://pure.eur.nl/ws/files/46740203/291.full.pdf
In people with cancer, those with cannabis use disorder had a lower incidence of sepsis (an extreme immune overreaction) as well as lower odds of respiratory failure & all-cause mortality, but higher hospital costs
Paradox of protection: Re-examining cannabis use disorder in sepsis outcomes among cancer patients
https://www.wjgnet.com/2220-3141/full/v14/i4/106085.htm
For opioid overdose deaths, public health data found that adult-use cannabis laws were associated with a decrease of approximately 3.5 deaths per 100k people
Because I Got High? Recreational Marijuana Legalization’s Impact on Opioid Overdose Deaths
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/soej.12797
In people with commercial US health insurance, medical cannabis laws were associated with a significant reduction in opioid prescribing
The Effect of Medical Cannabis Laws on Use of Pain Medications Among Commercially Insured Patients in the United States
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/738998
When states legalize cannabis, use among women goes up more than use among men
Gender Differences in Cannabis Outcomes After Recreational Cannabis Legalization: A United States Repeated Cross-sectional Study, 2008–2017
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-024-01271-7
Closing the weed gender gap! Breaking the Green Smoking Ceiling!
For insomnia, a case report & brief review on the use of cannabis
Green light to sleep: Does cannabis work for insomnia? A case report and brief review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/bookseries/abs/pii/S0079612325001050
In horses, ~3.5 mg/kg of CBD oil caused no change to their heart rate or temperature while showing potential as a painkiller as measured by their threshold tolerance for heat
Oral cannabidiol increases thermal threshold in horses without physiologic adverse effects
https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/ajvr/86/11/ajvr.25.05.0185.xml
📑 Reviews 📑
For mindfulness practice & inflammation, a review of 34 studies found evidence that the effects were at least partially modulated by the endocannabinoid system
A scoping review: Exploring the potential synergistic effects of mindfulness practice on inflammatory biomarkers and endocannabinoid system modulation
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/125480042/7_2_25_944-libre.pdf
For CBD & epilepsy, a review on the metabolism & interactions with other drugs
Pharmacological and Pharmacokinetic Profile of Cannabidiol in Human Epilepsy: A Review of Metabolism, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, and Interactions with Antiseizure Medications
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/12/1668
For CBD in psychiatry, an Indian review of the research
Cannabidiol in Psychiatry: An Evolving Therapeutic Landscape
https://www.ijocp.com/index.php/IJOCP/article/view/191
The most negative review I’ve seen of medical cannabis in quite some time
Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Review
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2842072
This is what happens when you restrict yourself to the “gold standard” double-blind clinical trials. You decide that cannabis only works for the nausea of chemotherapy (a tiny bit) & the weight loss of HIV. Nothing else. You say things like, “evidence from randomized clinical trials does not support the use of cannabis or cannabinoids for most conditions for which it is promoted, such as acute pain and insomnia”. You dismiss all of the surveys of patients in the trenches & case reports from doctors across the world about what they found works for them. It’s a damn shame. Unscientific too.
⚠️ Harms ⚠️
For CBD & potential prescription medication interactions, a survey found that the majority did not know that 1+ medications in their home could interact with CBD, with the most common categories being medications for anxiety, anti-hypertensives & diabetes & the categories most at risk for a severe interaction being immunosuppressants, anticoagulants & anti-epileptics
Patients Using CBD Products May Be Unaware of Potential Interactions With Prescription Medications
https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(25)00903-5/pdf
That being said, despite all these potential interactions, the only drug I ever remember seeing a case report of an actual interaction with, besides epilepsy medications, was warfarin(Coumadin) – and as one doc told me, “Everything fucking interacts with warfarin.”
In a survey of parents with CBD in their home, the same researchers as above seemed concerned that parents in a survey believed a number of true statements about CBD, such as it being non-addictive, not causing high feelings, not being fatal at high doses& being safe for children
Parent Perceptions of Cannabidiol Products May Put Children at Risk for Unintentional Exposure
https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(25)00496-2/fulltext
For cannabis use disorder, a genome-wide association study linked it to low dopamine levels & suggested pro-dopamine regulators (which the lead author has a patent for)
Computational GWAS Meta Meta Analysis Revealing Cross Talk Between Cannabis CNR1 and DRD2 Receptors Optimizing Long-Term Outcomes for Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) By Enhancing Dopamine Homeostasis Promoting High-Quality Cannabis Medicinals
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8140327/v1_covered_768e6c53-5bd5-413d-ad6f-7d91838bbfd9.pdf
For the abuse potential of cannabinoids, a review of 50 papers found it to be comparable to “any other class of widely used & well-regulated pharmaceutical agents”
Questioning assumptions about the abuse potential of medical cannabis and cannabinoids: narrative review and commentary
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41321070/
For bullous lung diseases (a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a review of 19 studies found links to cannabis smoking, especially when combined with tobacco smoking
BULLOUS MARIJUANA LUNG DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(25)04003-6/fulltext
A case report of an immunocompromised person with pulmonary mucormycosis (a fungal lung infection), perhaps from her cannabis use
THE CUNEIFORM CONUNDRUM: FUNGAL COINFECTION WITH APOPHYSOMYCES ELEGANS, RHIZOPUS SCHIPPERAE, AND INVASIVE ASPERGILLUS IN A PATIENT WITH MARIJUANA EXPOSURE
https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(25)01708-8/fulltext
Two case reports of pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity) linked to cannabis use
UNVEILING THE ROLE OF MARIJUANA IN SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX: A CASE SERIES
https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(25)03812-7/fulltext
A fatal case report of smoking the synthetic cannabinoid ADB-BUTINACA/ADB-BINACA because it was mislabeled as the cathinone MDPHP
Deadly confusion of novel psychoactive substances: fatal outcome of ADB-BUTINACA mislabeled as 3’,4’-methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11419-025-00746-z
A case report of a “puff bar “ (synthetic cannabinoids) leading to severe psychotic symptoms & heart rhythm changes
Akut psykose efter anvendelse af puff bars
https://research.regionh.dk/en/publications/akut-psykose-efter-anvendelse-af-puff-bars/
In a mouse model of the male reproductive system, low doses of cannabis were linked to a reduction in sperm count, impairment of the spermatogenic cycle, changes to hormone levels & reduced weight of the testes, seminal vesicle & epididymis
Effect of various doses of Cannabis extract on male reproductive system of FBV/N strain albino mice
http://www.jspb.ru/issues/2025/N4/JSPB_2025_4_153-168.html
🐁 Preclinical 🐁
In a rat model of alcohol use disorder, CBN, THCV & CBD all reduced voluntary alcohol consumption, though CBD caused the weakest effect of the 3
Effect of cannabinol, tetrahydrocannabivarin and cannabidiol on voluntary alcohol consumption
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.12.675769v1.abstract
In a male rat model of Alzheimer’s disease, CBD lowered the neuroinflammation, lessened cognitive deficits & prevented disease onset via the CB1 receptors
Cannabidiol prevents cognitive and social deficits in a male rat model of Alzheimer’s disease through CB1 activation and inflammation modulation
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-025-02213-0
In a mouse model of blood flow loss to the brain, CBG lessened memory deficits, enhanced neuronal plasticity & reduced neuronal loss in the hippocampus (memory center of the brain)
Cannabigerol Attenuates Memory Impairments, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroinflammation Caused by Transient Global Cerebral Ischemia in Mice
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/16/8056
In a mouse model of the neurotoxicity of methamphetamine, CBD mediated autophagy (cellular recycling) & lowered oxidative stress via upregulation of chaperone protein sigma-1 receptor (S1R)
Cannabidiol alleviates methamphetamine-induced autophagy and oxidative stress by suppressing sigma 1 receptor expression
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0898656825006953
In a rat model of obesity, moderate aerobic exercise combined with CBD enhanced systemic antioxidant effects & reduced prostate levels of mTOR (a key regulator of cell proliferation)
The effect of aerobic exercise and supplementation of cannabidiol on mTOR gene expression and prostate oxidative factors in male rats fed a high-fat diet
https://armaghanj.yums.ac.ir/article-1-3877-en.html
In a zebrafish model of autism, CBD reversed the behaviors of hyperlocomotion & aggression, reduced lipid peroxidation (degradation), restored glial function (brain support cells), improved excitatory/inhibitory balance & restored anandamide levels
Comparative Analysis of Cannabidiol and Risperidone on Behavioral and Neurochemical Outcomes, and Neurodevelopment Markers in a Zebrafish Model of Embryonic Exposure to Sodium Valproate
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41293963/
For MRSA as well as staph infections still killable by methicillin, combining CBD with the antibiotic mupirocin caused enhanced antimicrobial effects & decreased metabolic viability & formation of biofilms (the slimy film that bacteria use when joined together to hide from antibiotics & cling to surfaces)
Cannabidiol as a Green Adjuvant for Mupirocin-Based Formulations Against Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus
https://ojs.cuadernoseducacion.com/ojs/index.php/ced/article/view/9218
For 6 different drug-resistant bacteria, cannabis leaf ethanol extract inhibited growth & caused antibacterial activity
RSM-Based Optimization of Dose Response and Antibacterial Potential of Cannabis sativa (L.) Leaves Using Computational Analysis
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/15593258251404067
In a tissue model of chronic kidney disease, the DR8 octapeptide from rapeseed alleviated scarring in the kidney & skeletal muscle tissue via downregulation of the CB1 receptors
DR8 (DHNNPQIR), a rapeseed-derived peptide, mitigates fibrosis and muscle atrophy in chronic kidney disease by targeting CNR1–ERK/ELK-1 signaling
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0196978125001172
One more for our list of old herbal remedies that work via the endocannabinoid system…
In a mouse model of autism, the glycoside naringin (often found in citrus & grapes) restored neurogenesis (birth of new neurons) in the hippocampus (memory center of the brain) via the CB1 receptor
Naringin Alleviates Autistic-Like Behaviors in BTBR Mice Through Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1-Mediated Restoration of Hippocampal Neurogenesis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41315878/
And another!
You have no idea the length of this list of other treatments & modalities that work via the ECS. It’s going to be a complete book in my ongoing Moby Dick canna-graphic novel series.
(perhaps Cetology. Its long list of whales is perfect)
🆕 Novel Studies 🆕
(my grab bag section for stuff I haven’t quite seen before)
For vaping, a YouTube video found the average puff duration to be 3.68 seconds
THC vape use patterns and device features: Observations from user-posted videos
https://f1000research.com/articles/14-1325
The Internet is opening new vistas for science. I, for one, look forward to observational studies about cannabinoid use among gooners (if you don’t know, don’t look it up).
In a mouse model of Traditional Chinese Medicine massage therapy, massaging certain acupoints lowered inflammation & helped with pain via upregulation of CB1 receptor levels in the dorsal root ganglia (spinal cord neurons)
Mechanotransduction Pathways in Massage Therapy: CB1/Piezo2 Receptor Crosstalk Modulates Myocellular Anti-Inflammatory Responses
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.2147/JPR.S548026
📰 US Headlines & Fav Articles 📰
In Hawaii, medical cannabis dispensaries can now sell ingestion products such as dry herb vaporizers, rolling papers & grinders
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/hawaii-officials-finalize-new-medical-marijuana-rules-letting-dispensaries-sell-dry-herb-vapes-papers-and-grinders/
It’s very important to make sure that the laws allow easy access to both the range of medical cannabis products as I get some consolation well as the ancillary products for ingesting them.
In New York, a new bill allows for at-home cultivation & reciprocity for out-of-state medical patients
https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/us-states/new-york/news/15772750/ny-governor-inks-bill-to-expand-medical-cannabis-program
I consider homegrow to be a bedrock freedom that must be baked into every part of legalization. And reciprocity is one more barrier justly removed for the health of patients.
In California, a call for the new top cannabis regulator Clint Kellum to fix the program’s failures, by friend of the newsletter Hirsh Jain
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-top-california-cannabis-regulator-appointed-by-newsom-must-fix-the-programs-failures-op-ed/
A sad NYC canna-story: ‘The ‘Godmother’ of Weed vs. Her Uncle, the DEA Agent’
https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/11/20/godmothers-garden-weed-cannabis-eleni-polinski-dea-raid/
Former CIA Director John Brennan said he smoked a hashish hookah in Egypt
https://cannabislaw.report/article-i-used-to-smoke-hashish-the-director-of-american-intelligence-recounts-his-nights-in-egypt/
🌐 International Updates 🌐
In Canada, cuts to cannabis reimbursements for veterans are projected to save $4.4 billion over the next 4 years & to make life harder for veterans
https://cannabislaw.report/the-rastafari-society-of-kenya-has-returned-to-the-high-court-to-challenge-constitutionality-of-cannabis-prohibition-arguing-current-laws-violate-religious-freedom/
The Italian ban on hemp flowers has been brought to the European Court of Justice
https://www.newsweed.fr/interdiction-fleurs-chanvre-italie-cour-europeenne-justice/
In Kenya, the Rastafari Society of Kenya appeared before the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of Kenya’s prohibition with a religious freedom argument
https://cannabislaw.report/the-rastafari-society-of-kenya-has-returned-to-the-high-court-to-challenge-constitutionality-of-cannabis-prohibition-arguing-current-laws-violate-religious-freedom/
And a lawmaker is calling for legalization
https://k24.digital/celebwatch/salasya-calls-for-controlled-legalisation-of-marijuana-in-kenya
For the Colombian medical cannabis program, a review found that the policy’s implementation created structural barriers that undermined its equity goals
The Colombian Medical Cannabis Paradox: A Scoping Review of Structural Barriers and Health Inequity
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/12/1792
In Brazilian cannabis policy, an analysis of the current fragility of quality control, traceability & pharmacovigilance
Medicinal, Not Alternative: Regulation, Access and Safety in the Therapeutic Use of Cannabis Derivatives in Brazil
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396450758_Medicinal_Not_Alternative_Regulation_Access_and_Safety_in_the_Therapeutic_Use_of_Cannabis_Derivatives_in_Brazil_Medicinal_Nao_Alternativa_Regulamentacao_Acesso_e
In Lesotho, an analysis of the current medical cannabis regulations & lessons to be learned from other countries
Medical Cannabis Regulation in Lesotho: Global Comparison, Local Challenges and Strategic Recommendations
https://publish.kne-publishing.com/index.php/JPPM/article/view/20270
In Malawi, an analysis of cannabis for smallholder farmers
Economic Viability and Market Potential of Cannabis Cultivation in Malawi: An Empirical Analysis of Smallholder Farmer Perspectives
https://hal.science/hal-05386573/
In Latin America, though public opinion support for drug reform laws is generally low, “increases in elite and public support can move each other toward reform”
Who Influences Whom? Elite and Citizen Preferences Regarding Marijuana and Drug Legalisation in Latin America
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394513741_Who_Influences_Whom_Elite_and_Citizen_Preferences_Regarding_Marijuana_and_Drug_Legalisation_in_Latin_America
⚖️ Business, Laws & Education ⚖️
The CannaTech Innovation Award winners announced
https://cannatechtoday.com/2025-cannatech-innovation-award-winners/
A review of cannabis packaging warning labels across the US states with a call for federal standardization by the American Enterprise Institute
Cannabis-Use Warning Shortcomings by State
https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep73113
Another proposal for the ‘sounds lovely’ pile...
The Manhattan Institute on the alternatives to prohibition in regards to the range of products & services beyond just drugs & alcohol
Legalization, Decriminalization, and Other Alternatives to Prohibitions That Create Illegal Markets
https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/legalization-decriminalization-and-other-alternatives-to-prohibitions-that-create-illegal-markets.pdf
In Canadian social media influencers popular with children, an analysis of their posts promoting alcohol, vaping or cannabis marketing (but there was no cannabis or vaping marketing)
#notforkids: alcohol, vaping, and cannabis marketing by social media influencers popular with children and adolescents on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok and policy implications
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13690-025-01799-7
🚓 The War on Drugs 🚓
Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras who ran a sprawling cocaine trafficking conspiracy
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/nyregion/honduras-hernandez-drug-trafficking.html
‘Ex-D.E.A. Agent Charged With Agreeing to Launder Millions for Cartel’
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/nyregion/dea-agent-money-laundering-mexican-cartel.html
As someone who studies the history of the War on Drugs, you get a headline like the above at least once a year. As we learned during the US Prohibition of alcohol, illegality makes for tempting pots of money for law enforcement & politicians to fall into.
Trump & Hegseth’s 22nd boat strike left 4 dead, bringing the total to 87 deaths
https://time.com/7338857/hegseth-confirms-another-boat-strike-controversy-war-crime-debate/
And a bipartisan call for a review of their legality
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/lawmakers-voice-bipartisan-support-for-congressional-reviews-of-trumps-boat-strikes
While the fallout grows over the “double-tap” strike against one vessel as survivors clung to the wreckage
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-venezuela-drug-cartel-boats-hegseth-9.6999283
With their death occurring after 40 minutes adrift at sea, trying to right their boat & signaling their surrender
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2025/12/pete-hegseth-strikes-venezuela-congress/685156/
With the reason for killing survivors given as they could potentially salvage cocaine from the burning wreck
https://reason.com/2025/12/05/the-threat-that-supposedly-justified-killing-2-boat-attack-survivors-was-entirely-speculative/
And Rand Paul posted that before this boat strike campaign, 21% of the boats stopped off Venezuela’s coast possessed no drugs
https://x.com/SenRandPaul/status/1995885169832853966
In Trinidad & Tobacco, the US strikes have led to higher prices for cannabis & cocaine
https://cannabislaw.report/fallout-from-us-airstrikes-higher-prices-for-cannabis-and-cocaine-in-trinidad-tobago/
Just remember that this “measurable impact” on drug prices comes at the cost of dozens of men dead, all of them low-level people just trying to get a small payday of a few hundred dollars.
At Duke, a defense of the US drug strikes in the Caribbean
https://sites.duke.edu/lawfire/2025/11/19/can-international-human-rights-law-ever-justify-destroying-drug-shipments-that-can-kill-or-addict-americans-maybe/
Also whenever anybody talks about the dangers of cocaine, just remember that Bush I suppressed a WHO report that for public health, cocaine was just like alcohol: the majority of people use it on the weekends & suffer only small transient harms.
#LegalizeAllDrugs
This week’s winner of ‘Best Book Chapter Name’…
Drugs Disorder by Design: Why Britain’s War on Drugs Targets the Poor and Protects the Privileged
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-07814-8
For solving the War on Drugs, this inspiring thesis project provided compelling evidence for the efficacy of community coalitions & for the decriminalization of cannabis
Establishing Solutions for the War on Drugs: An Analysis of U.S. Drug Policy
https://www.proquest.com/openview/c4e57ac49b0020c10f7b5fd2ee700b18/1
‘From Cocaine to Criminal Empires: The Diversification of Latin America’s Illicit Markets’
https://www.iiss.org/publications/armed-conflict-survey/2025/armed-conflict-survey-2025/regional-spotlight-americas/
Just like the Mob in the United States was birthed in the gobs of money to be made from illegal booze & then diversified into other rackets, the cartels have taken the exact same path. In both cases, the genie is now out of the bottle. But we could have avoided all of this if drugs were legal. And that would still be helpful.
An intriguing analysis of accounting methods by the cartels
Accounting for the cartel
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045235425000486
‘How Industrial-Scale Crypto Laundering Sustains Mexico’s Synthetic Drug Trade’
https://insightcrime.org/news/us-court-cases-mexico-organized-crime-digital-money/
In a Colombian study of cocaine trafficking, being along a cocaine trafficking route was linked to higher homicide rates
There will be Blood: The Impact of Drug Trafficking on Violence and Economic Well-Being
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381853875_There_will_be_Blood_The_Impact_of_Drug_Trafficking_on_Violence_and_Economic_Well-Being
Yemen is turning into a drug transit hub to the highest bidder
https://cannabislaw.report/article-donkeys-and-drones-how-yemen-is-turning-into-drug-transit-hub-for-highest-bidder/
On using cows to smuggle cocaine
https://metro.co.uk/2025/12/02/cocaine-cows-cartels-use-livestock-smuggle-drugs-europe-25077035/
And the family of Ecuador’s president allegedly used bananas
https://ijb.utoronto.ca/news/cocaine-and-bananas-fruit-shipments-from-ecuador-presidents-family-firm-allegedly-used-to-smuggle-drugs/
For opium in Afghanistan, a review of the changes in Middle Eastern trafficking
Afghanistan’s Opium Economy (2001–2023) and Changing Middle Eastern Trafficking Dynamics: A Short Review
https://viimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ResearchFellowArticls8_24Nov2025.pdf
In Afghanistan, the opium crop fell 20% as the use of synthetic drugs surged
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/6/afghanistans-opium-crop-falls-20-percent-as-synthetic-drugs-surge
In Iran, an Afghani man was hanged on drug charges
https://kabulnow.com/2025/10/iran-hangs-afghan-man-on-drug-charges-amid-rising-use-of-death-penalty-rights-group-says/
In Sri Lanka, over 16k arrested in island-wide anti-drug raids
https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=114685
Though the Public Security Minister said that people with substance use disorders will not be arrested but sent to rehabilitation
https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/Drug-addicts-will-not-be-arrested-and-imprisoned-Minister/108-325203
In Singapore, three men set to be executed for drug crimes despite outcries from civil society groups
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2025/11/25/three-men-set-for-execution-in-singapore-amid-pending-constitutional-challenge/
And Singapore’s new vaping ban already led to 1,900 arrested in 2 months
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/over-1900-caught-for-vaping-offences-from-sept-to-nov-2-167-of-them-had-vapes-containing-etomidate
In Malaysia this year, 55 people have been arrested abroad for being drug mules
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/11/13/55-malaysian-drug-mules-nabbed-abroad-this-year
An Indonesian analysis of using whistleblowers awards for narcotics crimes
The Concept of the Effectiveness of Awarding Whistleblowers as a Preventive Effort for Narcotics Crimes in the Perspective of Economic Analysis of Law
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398000561_The_Concept_of_the_Effectiveness_of_Awarding_Whistleblowers_as_a_Preventive_Effort_for_Narcotics_Crimes_in_the_Perspective_of_Economic_Analysis_of_Law
For 1.2 kg of hash, a man in India got 10 years
https://cannabislaw.report/india-special-judge-ghumarwin-convicts-shimla-resident-in-1-216-kg-hashish-case-awards-10-years-ri/
I post you these to remind you of the lives destroyed around the world by Prohibition.
🛡️ Harm Reduction News 🛡️
OnPoint NYC released their ‘Year 2 Impact Report’ about their overdose prevention centers
https://onpointnyc.org/impact-report/
These heroes are a great place to donate this holiday season.
Harm Reduction Research
In people who regularly attend services at Vancouver’s supervised consumption site, the most important factors were accessible location, on-site health & support services, the diversity of harm reduction provisions & the atmosphere
Characterizing ‘Atmosphere’: exploring determinants of regular service attendance amongst integrated supervised consumption site clients in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41318577/
For integrating office-based harm reduction services, a cost analysis found it to be quite affordable
Micro-costing Analysis of Harm Reduction Services in Office-Based Addiction Treatment
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871625004430
In Ontario, interviews on the lessons from the challenges of their safer opioid supply program
A sea of need: provider accounts of strategies used to manage admission demands to safer opioid supply programs in Ontario
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-025-01344-3
For Canadian safe opioid supply programs, a scoping review of 95 articles
A scoping review and concept analysis to inform Canada’s safe(r) opioid supply research agenda
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41289797/
For safer smoking supply programs, a survey of lessons from US harm reduction organizations
Promises and pitfalls of safer smoking supply distribution in the United States: a thematic analysis of open-ended survey questions from harm reduction organizations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41272606/
For harm reduction vending machines in rural locations, on the preferences of people who use drugs
Preferences for harm reduction vending machine design among rural people who use drugs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41322680/
For pharmacist-led collaborative care for opioid use disorder, lessons from an Australian pilot study
A multisite pilot type 2 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial of a community pharmacist-led model of collaborative care for Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence: outcomes of the EPIC-MATOD trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41271463/
In New York City naloxone use, a longitudinal study found positive impacts from syringe service program engagement & the use of harm reduction best practices
Syringe Service Program Utilization, Behavioral, and Experiential Factors Associated with Greater Naloxone Protection in a Longitudinal Cohort of People Who Use Illicit Opioids in New York City
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41282236/
For people in Appalachia who use drugs, interviews found that their overdose prevention behavior included drug checking, safer use practices & community-based safety planning
Overdose prevention behaviors among people who inject drugs in rural Appalachia: a qualitative study
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687637.2025.2595257
For a digital harm reduction support tool, a survey of people who use drugs found enthusiastic support
“That would be such a game changer”: A qualitative study of the acceptability and feasibility of a digital harm reduction support tool among people who use drugs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41282181/
🍄 Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives 🍄
Australian insurer offering coverage for psilocybin-assisted therapy
https://www.talkingdrugs.org/whos-paying-australia-leads-in-psychedelic-insurance/
The Psychoactive Research
In people with psychiatric diagnoses, a meta-analysis of 9 studies found psilocybin reduced suicidal ideation
Effect of psilocybin therapy on suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths in people with psychiatric diagnoses: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20451253251372449
For psilocybin in major depressive disorder, this 5-year study found that the reductions in depression were sustained in two-thirds of the participants with additional benefits for anxiety & functional impairments as well as interviews revealing lasting positive changes in mindset, emotional health, empathy, self-acceptance & relationships
Five-year outcomes of psilocybin-assisted therapy for Major Depressive Disorder
https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/9/4/article-p320.xml
For autism & LSD, this thesis project looked at the research of the early 1960s
“With Face Uplifted and Bright Eyes”: LSD, Autism, and the
Science of Emotional Connection in Postwar America
https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/00c0b7ec-fa9c-4081-9b6c-48345dfde564/content
For major depressive disorder, this first trial of microdosed LSD found pronounced long-lasting reductions in depression severity
LSD microdosing in major depressive disorder: results from an open-label trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390825004708
For people who microdosed LSD for six weeks, an analysis of the effects
Participant Experiences of Microdosed Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in a 6-Week Randomised Controlled Trial
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00221678251382624
For psychedelic microdosing, a meta-analysis of 14 studies found no cognitive effects except for a significant decrease in cognitive control
Effects of psychedelic microdosing on cognitive functions: A systematic review and meta-analysis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763425004944
For adolescents with treatment-refractory depression, two case reports of ketamine infusions causing a rapid & complete remission of depressive symptoms that lasted for 6 months to a year
Beyond Crisis, Prolonged Effectiveness of Ketamine in Adolescents with Treatment-Refractory Depression
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10445463251400081
In people with phantom limb pain after an amputation, ketamine helped to reduce pain severity
Perioperative ketamine for preventing phantom limb pain after amputation in patients with limb ischemia: A pilot study
https://tapchinghiencuuyhoc.vn/index.php/tcncyh/article/view/3742
For complex regional pain syndrome, a 5-day regimen of ketamine infusion was associated with the best outcome for pain control with minimal side effects (7 days was too many side effects & 3 days not enough efficacy)
Assessment of Three Regimens of Ketamine Infusion in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Prospective Comparative Study
https://www.painphysicianjournal.com/current/pdf?article=ODA3OQ%3D%3D
For acute pain in emergency situations, a meta-analysis found ketamine with comparable efficacy to morphine, though ketamine had an increased risk of nausea, dizziness& emergence phenomenon (the technical term for coming back from a deep fucking K-hole)
The effect of low-dose ketamine compared to morphine on the severity of acute pain in emergency situations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13049-025-01500-5
For psilocybin in major depressive disorder, a review of brain scans found that the neural changes were associated with improved depression outcomes
Temporal dynamics in neuroimaging as correlates of therapeutic response to psilocybin in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and critical appraisal
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016503272501777X
For psilocybin in depression, a review of clinical evidence
Therapeutic Use of Psilocybin in Depression: a Systematic Review of Clinical Evidence
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/acta-neuropsychiatrica/article/exploring-the-effects-of-psilocybin-on-depression-and-the-mediating-role-of-the-5ht2a-receptor-a-systematic-review/CD0A955440948F95D00A7D969AF13656
For treatment-resistant depression, this review found both psilocybin & ketamine to have rapid antidepressant effects & acceptable safety profiles
Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Safety of Psilocybin and Ketamine versus Conventional Treatments or Placebo in Adults with Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Systematic Review
https://ajprui.com/index.php/ajpr/article/view/565
For ketamine’s ability to induce apoptosis (programmed cellular suicide) in the hippocampus (memory center of the brain), a review of the mechanisms involving the glial cells, oxidative damage & dysfunction of the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell)
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Chronic High-Dose Ketamine-Induced Apoptosis in the Hippocampus: A Narrative Review
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11064-025-04619-0
For ketamine, public health data on its trends in poisonings, pharmaceutical diversion & seizures
Trends in nonmedical ketamine use, poisonings, related deaths, pharmaceutical diversions, and law enforcement seizures: results from annual population-based repeated cross-sectional studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41323548/
In people who regularly use kava or kratom, an assessment of their potential for a substance use disorder
Clinically characterizing adults who use kava or kratom: Substance use disorder assessment challenges for increasingly popular botanical products
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41322679/
For kratom beverages, an analysis of their packaging & serving sizes
Kratom Beverages Online: Marketing Narratives, Content, Dosing, and Potential Risks
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2025.2592879
For canine anxiety & 1cp-LSD (a legal LSD prodrug), the drug reduced their anxiety, especially in separation-related behaviors, though this was modulated by how cool the owner was
Preliminary Findings on Low-Dose 1cp-LSD for Canine Anxiety: Exploring the Role of Owner Neuroticism and Psychopathology
https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/9/872
🍃 The Plant & its Products 🍃
🌱 Growing & Extracting 🌱
For the genetic history of cannabis, this thesis established a genetic system for studying cannabis domestication using a range of tools
Establishing a Genetic System for Studying Cannabis Domestication
https://www.proquest.com/openview/ad60d1e5907a52413bc16b11fae22a93/1
For the water usage of hemp, this review found that it ranged from ~200 to 700 mm throughout the growing season
An assessment of the water use of hemp: a scoping review and bibliometric analysis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00370-z
“Variations in water use were primarily due to factors such as climatic regime, meteorological conditions, irrigation and agricultural management practices. Furthermore, several studies demonstrated that hemp’s deep rooting system and its unique ability to regulate stomatal conductance and photosynthesis enable it to withstand water stress, increasing its resilience to drought.”
In mainlining (a high-stress cannabis training technique for restructuring plant architecture), a review of current knowledge & effects
The curious origins of a high-stress training technique mainlining: its molecular, biochemical, and agronomic perspectives for the cultivation of Cannabis sativa
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00339-y
For the powdery mildew fungus Golovinomyces ambrosiae, on screening cannabis germplasms for resistance
Screening diverse Cannabis sativa germplasm for resistance to Golovinomyces ambrosiae
https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-07-25-1591-RE
In Brazil, first report of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica infecting cannabis
First report of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica infecting Cannabis sativa in Brazil
https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS-08-25-1802-PDN
For the pathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas cannabis, an Australian comparative analysis of its genetics & evolution
Comparative genomics of ‘Xanthomonas cannabis’ reveals an emerging, diverse pathogen
https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001588
For extracting & measuring minor phytocannabinoids, a review of new methods
Advances in Extraction and Quantification of Minor Phytocannabinoids
https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pca.70040
On fiber degumming using a mix of visible-light photocatalysis & enzymatic hydrolysis
Integrated TiO2/CQDs photocatalytic and enzymatic pretreatment of hemp fibers under mild conditions for sustainable processing
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0961953425011523
In the Southern African cannabis sector, this review characterized several cannabis landraces
Diversity of key cannabinoids, seed nutritional compounds and their quantification methods in the upcoming Southern African cannabis sector
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44372-025-00438-3
AI computer vision Internet of Things hemp growing in greenhouses
Automated IoT-Based Monitoring of Industrial Hemp in Greenhouses Using Open-Source Systems and Computer Vision
https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/9/272
The future is here-ish!
⚙️ Analyzing & Formulating ⚙️
On 3D printing a device for measuring THC & THCA levels
Fully integrated 3D printed device for the Voltammetric determination of Δ9-THC and Δ9-THCA in Cannabis plants and extracts
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026265X25037804
On porous starch as a carrier for full-spectrum CBD oil
Porous starch as an effective carrier for sustained release and bioactivity protection of cannabidiol full spectrum oil
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665927125002928
For cannabinoid profile variations in products, a thesis project on the influences of the extraction & formulation protocols
Understanding cannabinoid profile variation: from cannabis extraction to final medicinal product
https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/170937/2/749688.pdf
A thesis project on profiling cannabinoids & fentanyl-related substances with a GC-MS
Chemical Profiling of Fentanyl-Related Substances (FRS) and Cannabinoids by Gas Chromatography-Infrared Spectroscopy (GC-IR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) Methods
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6864&context=etd
🍞 Food, Nutrition & Hemp Seeds 🍞
For Chinese hemp seed varieties, an analysis of the nutritional profiles & bioactive compounds
Exploring nutritional profiles, bioactive compounds, and functional potential of Chinese hempseed (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926669025019077
🏗️ Industrial Uses & Fiber 🏗️
On extracting nanovesicles from cannabis roots for immunotherapy & vaccine delivery
Dual-Function Plant-Derived Nanovesicles From Regenerated Cannabis sativa Roots for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Delivery
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41316982/
For the cleaning of lithium from the soil with cannabis, a hydroponic grow analyzed the effects on the plant
Lithium (Li) Accumulation and Toxicity Assessment in Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Plants by Biometric, Physiological and Ionomic Analyses Under Hydroponics
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398298862_Lithium_Li_Accumulation_and_Toxicity_Assessment_in_Hemp_Cannabis_sativa_L_Plants_by_Biometric_Physiological_and_Ionomic_Analyses_Under_Hydroponics
For cleaning the soil of forever chemicals, cannabis uptakes both PFOA & PFOS
PFOA and PFOS accumulation induces genotoxic damage and proteomic alterations in Cannabis sativa shoots
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389425036064
For a green lubricant in metal forming applications, evaluating hemp seed oil as a high-performance sustainable alternative
Performance evaluation of hemp seed oil based green lubricant in incremental sheet forming of aluminum alloy AA6061-T6
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1526612525009260
A characterization of biodiesel derived from cannabis oil
Synthesis and Physico-Chemical Characterization of Biodiesel Derived from Agricultural Waste a Mixture of New and Expired Cannabis Oil
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396483221_Synthesis_and_Physico-Chemical_Characterization_of_Biodiesel_Derived_from_Agricultural_Waste_a_Mixture_of_New_and_Expired_Cannabis_Oil
On turning cannabis waste into an energy source
Energy Use of Hepm Production Waste
https://www.proquest.com/openview/6ba625ee4a6137d5737caf9c45a218ec/1
On extracting lignin nanoparticles from hemp straw bark using a 1-pot method
Lignin nanoparticles with high interfacial activity and pickering emulsion stability prepared from hemp stem bark via a ‘one-pot’ method
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383586625048208
On dye removal from water using hemp & a magnetic cellulose biocomposite
Production of a reusable multifunctional magnetic cellulose-based biocomposite from hemp biomass and its application in dye removal from aqueous solutions
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141813025099647
On the wear behavior of hemp-bamboo fiber composites
Hybrid experimental and machine learning approach for optimizing abrasive wear of microcrystalline cellulose modified hemp/bamboo fiber composites
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-26396-0
For use in cement-bonded boards, on how the hydrothermal pre-treatment of hemp hurds enhanced their compatibility
The influence of hydrothermal Pre-treatment of Hemp Hurds on the Compatibility and Performance of Cement-Bonded Boards with GU, White, and CSA Cements
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352710225030037
🌿 THE CANNA-SCIENCE ARCHIVE 🌿
🏥 Public Health, Legalization Effects & Bioassays 🏥
For people in a medical cannabis program using cannabis from outside the program, a survey found that their reasons included product cost, assurance of an adequate supply & barriers to obtaining medical cannabis
Understanding motives for illicit medicinal cannabis use: an exploratory analysis in a medical cannabis program
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00284-w
In Germany after partial legalization, there was a small non-significant increase in cannabis use prevalence
Cannabis Consumption Before and After Partial Legalization in Germany: Early Trends, Consumption Patterns, and Motives
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40959988/
For blunt smoking in the US, prevalence rose 20% from 2015 to 2022
Trends in blunt smoking among adults in the United States, 2015–2022
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460325002680
On the behavioral economic demand among people who want medicinal or recreational cannabis
Behavioural Economic Demand for Medicinal and Recreational Cannabis Among People Who Use Over-The-Counter CBD Products, THC Only and CBD + THC
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41309065/
In the country of Georgia, only half of primary care physicians acknowledged legitimate medical applications of cannabis
Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge and Counseling on Cannabis Use in the Country of Georgia: Results of a Mixed-Method Exploratory Study
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/21501319251394522
For delta-8 THC, on Snapchat AI as an information source
Snapchat Artificial Intelligence as an Information Source on Delta-8 THC
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X%2825%2900287-3/fulltext
“While the AI did not block results related to delta-8, it did block results pertaining to “weed” and “THC.”… Snapchat AI is a plausible information source about delta-8 THC among youth. No citations were provided to support claims made by the AI, which portrayed delta-8 THC use favorably, as having benefits and low risks from use.”
🧒 Adolescents & Young Adults 🧒
For brain scans of adolescent cannabis use & psychotic experiences, this thesis project found no significant group differences or cannabis/psychosis interactions
ADOLESCENT CANNABIS USE, PSYCHOTIC-LIKE EXPERIENCES, AND THEIR IMPACT ON BRAIN WHITE MATTER IN A SAMPLE OF DEVELOPING ADOLESCENTS
https://dalspace.library.dal.ca/items/2a1c6606-0444-4362-a991-a4e3e0af10a5
For the motivations for cannabis use in young adults, the thesis project looked at the risk factors of anxiety sensitivity & sensation seeking that lead to coping motives & altered perception motives
Motivations for Cannabis Use in Emerging Adulthood
https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/74cd850e-5c4f-4d15-b5de-9548dd593b60/content
In young adults simultaneously using alcohol & cannabis with a romantic partner, they were more likely to use more, to get more intoxicated & to have sex
Simultaneous Alcohol and Cannabis Use with a Romantic Partner Present: Daily Associations with Drinking, Intoxication, and Consequences among Young Adults
https://www.jsad.com/doi/abs/10.15288/jsad.24-00392
For psychosis in youth, this thesis project using public health data found higher rates of reported psychotic disorders linked to cannabis dependence
Determining The Relationship of Psychosis to Cannabis Use in Youth: An Exploratory Analysis Using SAMHSA National Data
https://www.proquest.com/openview/30459883945dea7567ae37fec682c0ea/1
In US youth, the most likely daily users were older adolescents or those in marginalized social positions of race, poverty or sexuality
Regular cannabis use and promotive attitudes among diverse adolescents in the United States: The role of age and intersecting social positions
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871625003047
In a longitudinal study of Canadian youth & mental health, those with more externalizing symptoms & less internalizing symptoms were more likely to start using cannabis
Understanding Bidirectional Relations Between Adolescent Cannabis Use and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms: A Longitudinal Study of Canadian Youth
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/29973368.2025.2543706
For young adults who co-use alcohol & cannabis, negative consequences from doing it once predicted a higher likelihood of using cannabis next time but a lower chance of using alcohol
Breaking the cycle: Consequences from simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use predict subsequent simultaneous use and drinks consumed at the next simultaneous use event
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41313247/
Among US young adults, public health data on their nicotine & cannabis vaping found severe psychological distress increased their odds of vaping behaviors
Nicotine and cannabis vaping among U.S. Emerging young adults: Findings from 2022 and 2023 National Survey on drug use and health
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460325003466
For youth cannabis-impaired driving, the High Alert app reduced risky behaviors
Using intervention mapping to evaluate ‘High-Alert,’ a brief smartphone intervention to reduce youth cannabis-impaired driving
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0329383
In Arab American college students, lower alcohol & cannabis use was linked to ethnic identity & religiosity
Ethnic identity and religiosity are related to lower alcohol use and cannabis use in Arab American college students
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00952990.2025.2571148
For university students with ADHD, this thesis project used the Acquired Preparedness Model to find the relationship between negative urgency & cannabis use outcomes
Relations Among ADHD, Negative Urgency, and Cannabis Use Outcomes: A Test of the Acquired Preparedness Model
https://www.proquest.com/openview/55b435ecb36e7d2f474f983cf69d238d/1
🧠 The Brain & Neurological Disorders 🧠
For Sativex (1:1 CBD:THC spray), 8 patients at a hospital had improvements in their pain perception & spasticity
Experience in the use of Sativex®: Retrospective Analysis in a Tertiary Hospital
https://www.sedolor.es/wp-content/uploads/cfdb7_uploads/1757275731ff39041171-archivo-autor-Sativex_Experience_English.pdf
For multiple sclerosis & Parkinson’s disease, a survey found benefits of cannabis for emotional variability, cognitive function, fatigue & weight
An Examination of the Application of Cannabis in Therapeutic Use for Parkinson’s syndrome
https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=10360529
In older adults using cannabis, they had similar scores on neuropsychological tests as non-users
Cannabis use and cognition in older adults: Preliminary performance-based neuropsychological test results and directions for future research
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-neuropsychological-society/article/cannabis-use-and-cognition-in-older-adults-preliminary-performancebased-neuropsychological-test-results-and-directions-for-future-research/39E496F17435AF7299311B4762F87310
In people who have tobacco or cannabis metabolites in their urine, they have lower availability levels of the dopamine D2 receptor in their striatum (brain region that integrates motor, cognitive & reward information)
Lower striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability in individuals who test positive for quantitated urine metabolites of tobacco and/or marijuana smoke
https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaf249/8346050
In a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, activating the CB1 receptor reduced oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers, activation of the glial support cells & phosphorylation of tau as well as increasing cerebral glucose metabolism & neuronal preservation, while blocking the CB1 receptor did the opposite of all of that, with mechanisms probably via the microglia (guardian immune cells of the brain)
CB1 receptor activation and inhibition differentially modulate cognitive deficits and neuropathology in 3xTg-AD mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332225010121
In a mouse model of GRIN1-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (a developmental disorder of glutamate, the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter), this thesis project found that inhibiting their MAGL enzyme (which breaks down 2-AG) helped with symptoms
Mouse Models of GRIN1-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Initial Investigations of Endocannabinoid Modulating Treatments
https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/16052091-6b9d-43e5-a4a0-9940c66ca7e7
In a tissue model of Parkinson’s disease, cannabis extracts caused antioxidant effects
Cannabis sativa extracts reduce inclusion formation in a cell model of alpha-synuclein aggregation
https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/308883
For Alzheimer’s disease, on developing a nanoemulsion with CBD & piracetam
Development of sustained release injectable phospholipid-based phase transition gel matrixed with Piracetam and cannabidiol loaded nanoemulsion for amelioration of Alzheimer’s therapy
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13346-025-02017-1
💭 Mental Health, Addiction & Cannabis Use Disorder 💭
In Iranian psychiatrists, interviews supported the demedicalization of cannabis use disorder for reducing social stigma & improving social acceptance
Psychiatrists’ opinions about non-medicalization of cannabis use disorder in Iran
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44192-025-00326-y
For people with cannabis use disorder, this thesis project of Canadian health data found they were more likely to have mood & personality disorders
Polysubstance Use Disorders in Individuals with Cannabis Use Disorder: Results from a Nationally Representative Sample (NESARC)
https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/67feae5e-2d16-4eda-9523-892208fdd1ed/content
In adults with physiological distress, public health data showed that they had a higher use of edibles
Exploring the association between psychological distress and cannabis edible use among u.s. adults: a descriptive epidemiologic study
https://lapinjournals.com/index.php/ijpbs/article/view/111
In women with PTSD, those with higher depressive & anxious symptoms had lower hair levels of anandamide, while higher PTSD symptoms & more traumatic experiences were associated with higher hair anandamide levels
Endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamine concentrations in hair of female patients with posttraumatic stress disorder – associations with clinical symptoms and outcomes following multimodal trauma-focused inpatient treatment
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-025-03476-3
In people with substance use disorder but not childhood maltreatment, the endocannabinoid 2-AG may be a marker of substance use disorder pathology
Individual and additive effects of childhood maltreatment and substance use disorder histories on baseline and stress-induced changes in peripheral stress biomarkers
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-025-06953-1
In people with alcohol use disorder, this thesis project found no relationship between symptom levels & the levels of FAAH enzyme (which breaks down anandamide) in their amygdala (processing center of emotional responses, especially fear & aggression)
A Multimodal Neuroimaging Study of Alcohol Use Disorder: Functional Connectivity, Endocannabinoid Metabolism and Clinical Outcomes during Abstinence
https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/fd1c8a1b-9962-4e78-8f51-fed349c1781b/content
In a rat model of alcohol use disorder, the impulsivity of the adolescents seems to be correlated to the levels of CB1 receptors in the cerebellum (brain region of muscle control)
Age‐Dependent Differences in Cerebellar CB1 Receptor Expression and Its Association With Impulsivity and Alcohol Intake in Rats
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/adb.70107
In a mouse model of chronic social defeat stress, deletion of various parts of the endocannabinoid system changed their anxiety levels via their cortex levels of glutamate (the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter)
Characterization of cell-type specific knockout of different elements of the endocannabinoid system in cortical glutamatergic neurons in the context of stress-induced behavioral phenotype
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00368-7
In a rat model of anxiety & depression, a crystal of CBD & tetramethylpyrazine reduced stress & depressive-like behaviors with superior bioavailability than either compound alone
A novel cannabidiol:tetramethylpyrazine cocrystal (CBD:TMP, ART12.11) improves the efficacy and bioavailability of cannabidiol in reducing stress-induced depressive and anxiety symptoms
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584625002325
🧬 Reproduction & Hormones 🧬
For postpartum depression, an analysis of the relationship to cannabis & opioid usage
Chapter 9: Association Between the use of Cannabis Opioid and Postpartum Depression Outcomes in Relation to its Pharmacokinetics and Impact on Nutritional Health
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sreejita-Chatterjee-2/publication/398062859_Association_Between_the_use_of_Cannabis_Opioid_and_Postpartum_Depression_Outcomes_in_Relation_to_its_Pharmacokinetics_and_Impact_on_Nutritional_Health/links/692913e8f4878b75fc7a1889/Association-Between-the-use-of-Cannabis-Opioid-and-Postpartum-Depression-Outcomes-in-Relation-to-its-Pharmacokinetics-and-Impact-on-Nutritional-Health.pdf
Among pregnant women in Arkansas, an analysis of their medical cannabis purchases found the average doses to exceed the therapeutic range established by the FDA
From Card to Cradle: Examining Medical Cannabis Purchasing Among Pregnant Women in Arkansas
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2589933325002551
In the lesions of endometriosis, they contained the endocannabinoid-related receptors of CB1, CB2, GPR18 & TRPV1 while the endocannabinoids anandamide & 2-AG modulated inflammation via sphingolipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)
S1P3 Receptor Mediates the Proinflammatory Effect of the Endocannabinoid 2-Arachidonoylglycerol in Endometriotic Epithelial Cells
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41294926/
In frog embryos, this thesis project found CBD lowered the developmental toxicity of caffeine
Investigating the Effects of CBD and Caffeine Interaction on Embryonic Development in Xenopus laevis
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1091
🦴 Pain, Musculoskeletal, Inflammation & Surgeries 🦴
In people who had knee surgery, those with sleep problems before the operation had higher levels of postoperative pain scores, more opioid usage, lower recovery quality scores, & higher levels of the CB1 receptor & the brain growth factor BDNF
Association between BDNF/CB1R expression and postoperative pain and recovery in patients with preoperative sleep disorders
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12871-025-03479-z
🍽️ The Guts, Metabolism & the Microbiome 🍽️
In people with anorexia, an epigenetic analysis found higher methylation (blocking) of CB1 receptor production & less methylation of the FAAH enzyme (which breaks down anandamide) resulting in increased endocannabinoid degradation, with compensatory responses in the miRNA (regulators of genetic expression)
Coordinated epigenetic dysregulation of CNR1 and FAAH genes drives endocannabinoid system dysfunction in anorexia nervosa
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40337-025-01472-y
For oral bacteria, an analysis of those that are resistant to cannabinoids & those that are sensitive to them
Identification of cannabinoid-sensitive and -resistant oral bacteria
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1709243/abstract
In the evolutionary battlefield that is my mouth, I’m hoping that only an army of cannabinoid-resistant microbes stand alone & undaunted on the field.
In a mouse model of periodontitis (gum inflammation), those with no CB2 receptors had worse bone resorption & inflammation severity, potentially via dysregulation of the macrophage immune cells
Cannabinoid receptor 2 affect the inflammatory response in periodontitis by regulating macrophage M1/M2 polarization
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12903-025-07176-8
🎗️ Cancer & Chemotherapy 🎗️
For tobacco smokers scheduled for lung cancer screenings, 19% co-used cannabis & they had a greater likelihood of depression symptoms
Prevalence of Cannabis Use Among People Who Smoke Cigarettes and Are Scheduled for Lung Cancer Screening
https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00560-5/pdf
💊 Synthetic Cannabinoids & Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids 💊
In zebrafish embryos, the synthetic cannabinoid CUMYL-4CN-BINACA caused neurotoxic & reprotoxic effects
Developmental toxicity and gene expression alterations induced by the synthetic cannabinoid CUMYL-4CN-BINACA in zebrafish embryos
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691525004806
In zebrafish embryos, on the effects of the synthetic cannabinoids ADB-INACA & CHO-4’Me-5’Br-FUBOXPYRA
Evaluation of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists Toxicity in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) through Self-Administration and Fishbook Assays
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7919031/v1/841b775b-5350-45ca-9c77-c85210fc322c.pdf
🔬 Biochemical Discoveries & Research Tools 🔬
A new class of CB1 drugs based on quinazoline-2, 4(1H, 3H)-dione derivatives
Quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione derivatives as new class of CB1 Agonists: A pharmacophore-based virtual screening workflow and Lead discovery
https://f1000research.com/articles/14-1322
For cannabinoid receptors, a review of their structure & dynamic mechanisms
Structural and dynamic mechanisms of cannabinoid receptors
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295225008330
Thanks.
- lex
PS: For this week’s dirty blues, the album ‘Party Time’ by Julia Lee & her Boyfriends. Born into a Missouri family of musicians, Lee was playing piano by the age of 10 & learning from ragtime pianists like Charlie Watts & Scrap Harris. For the first 15 years of her career, she worked with her brother George & her first breakout hits were the 1929 recordings “He’s Tall Dark and Handsome“ & “Won’t You Come Over to My House“. The name of her band was said to be coined by music producer Dave Dexter Jr because of the succession of men in Lee’s life that won her heart but then took her money. During the Great Depression, because of her dislike of touring after a serious car crash in 1930, she became the resident performer at Milton’s Tap Room in Kansas City until 1950. With her signature risqué songs of double entendres, Lee’s popularity rose across the 1940s & culminated with singing “King Size Papa” at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner before President Truman (the president I imagine least likely to enjoy a bawdy song). She passed away of a heart attack in her sleep at just the age of 56.
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