C&P#171: CBD for sleep & cannabis cystic fibrosis & disabilities
Trump’s new drug czar pro-medical cannabis
Cannabinoids & The People,
or; Drugs & Drug Wars
(buy my canna-graphic novels based on Moby Dick & proceeds go to Americans for Safe Access to support medical cannabis patients)
🌟 This week 🌟
CBD for sleep quality
Cannabis for people with cystic fibrosis & people with disabilities
Topical CBD gel for jaw problems
Cannabis smoke = men with fertility problems + children with respiratory problems
Mice with fluorescent CB2 receptors
Safer opioid supply program = less overdoses
Nitrous oxide for your depression
On LSD & Francis Crick (DNA)
(this week’s numbers: ~5,300 words, ~14 minutes reading time, 90 papers)
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 171st edition of Cannabinoids & the People, Lex Pelger’s free weekly digest of all the new cannabinoid science, assorted canna-news as well as coverage of other psychoactives, the War on Drugs & harm reduction. Support this work with a paid subscription or by buying me a coffee.
For producing cannabinoid content, work with my company White Whale Creations: writing, science archives, social media, newsletters & podcasts (especially podcasts).
As always, ask me anything!
📌 Editor’s notes 📌:
Thanks to Theo Tekstra of Fluence for a generous donation to support this newsletter & “cover [quite a few] coffees”.
I’ve had my ‘followed by Pedro Pascal’ moment (that’s the current meme for A-list celebrity interactions). If you don’t know Matt Levine, he’s the Bloomberg columnist widely beloved for explaining the complexities of high finance in a simple manner. I’ve read him religiously for most of a decade & occasionally send him leads to interesting articles. But he never used anything until now.
For the backstory, you must know that while he peppers his column with statements like ‘not investing advice’ & ‘not legal advice!’, he has one piece of advice he stands by strongly: employees should never participate in corporate rap videos. You almost always are setting yourself up for ignominy & public shame.
But I sent him the rap video of Alex Rogers recapping cannabis in 2025, pointing out that 1) it’s a pretty good rap & 2) Alex is the CEO.
And in this column (paywalled, but the subscription is free), Matt Levine covered the video & wrote the first positive things I’ve ever seen him utter about a corporate rap video:
My general rule around here is that you should not be involved in any sort of corporate rap video. A case that I had never considered, though, is: What if you work for a cannabis company? On the one hand, no, corporate rap is bad. On the other hand, I feel like, historically, selling marijuana and rapping are often complementary skills. If you tell me “I sell mortgages and rap,” I will assume you are a bad rapper. If you tell me “I sell marijuana and rap,” I’m gonna give you a chance.
But then, I am old, and when I started listening to rap selling marijuana was illegal. Now you can sell cannabis and be very corporate indeed. So here’s the chief executive officer of a European cannabis conference company rapping. Is he Snoop Dogg? He is not. But amid the corporate jargon you get the phrase “a medley of super heavy nugs.” The video is also great. Everyone is wearing a lanyard.
#TouchedByGreatnessIAmBut touched by efficiency, I am not. Between getting COVID & the birthday of my oldest, Papa Lex is behind on everything. Hopefully next week I’ll get through more of the science.
🤝 Sponsor 🤝: ICBC 2026!
This year’s International Cannabis Business Conference will be on April 13th to 15th with 5k+ people from 80+ countries. I’ve found it to be one of the most helpful gatherings in Europe for making connections as well as the best for having a blast after the show (plus there’s a rap). And to get the very best price on tickets, the early bird special ends on Jan 28th & to that, you can add an extra 25% off with my coupon code: WhiteWhale25
Buy your tickets here:
https://internationalcbc.com/register/
🎥 Lex’s new work 🎤
@CannabinoidsAndThe People vids sponsored by CHRI & the National Cannabis Study:
Canna-Edu Vids for CV Sciences:
(on YT @CVSciencesInc & on TT @pluscbd)
My 📚 Vids:
(@LexPelgerAndHisBooks on TikTok, YouTube & Instagram)
(none this week. check out the back catalog of 1.1k vids (I like books & I like making videos about books for my kids in case I get hit by a bus))
And as always, at the bottom is the album of the week: West Coast jump blues
🧰 Free resources 🧰
CVResearch.info: the cannabinoid science archive I maintain for CV Sciences
My glossary of cannabinoid terms (& containing the legend for my Neural Ocean metaphor with endocannabinoid whales)
Roundup of fav newsletters:
#Canna: Marijuana Moment, Cannabis Law Report, Cultivated, Cannabis Musings (oy vey), Talking Joints Memo, Sticky Bits, Highly Objective, Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association, Policy, Decoded, Dr. Peter Grinspoon, Doctor Approved, Medical Marijuana Memory Blog (by Dame Alice O’Leary Randall)
#DrugWar: InSight Crime, Marshall Project
#HarmReduction: Filter, Drug Data Decoded, International Drug Policy Consortium, National Harm Reduction Coalition, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
#Psychoactives: Psychedelic Alpha, Ecstatic Integration, ICEERS, Substance
💖 Ways to support this work 💖
Venmo: @Lex-Pelger
PayPal: donate here
📣 A request to spread the word 📣
This newsletter only spreads by word of mouth, so please forward to friends & colleagues.
🍃 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 ⚕️
In people with cystic fibrosis, a survey found cannabis use to be common, with the reasons being “stress, insomnia/lack of sleep, and anxiety”
Evaluating the use and perceptions of cannabis and vaping post-cannabis legalisation in people with cystic fibrosis and CFTR-related disorder: survey results from a large Canadian adult cystic fibrosis clinic
https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/12/1/e002715
In people with disabilities using cannabis, a public health survey on their reasons found the most common to be pain, tension, migraines, nausea, muscle spasms, seizures, mental health concerns & sleep disturbances.
Reasons for cannabis use among adults with disabilities: Findings from the 2023–2024 National Survey on Health and Disabilities
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1936657425002080
And on people with disabilities using cannabis, a book chapter with a focus on the need for more trials
Cannabis Use
https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-031-40858-8_574-1
In people with temporomandibular disorders (jaw pain) & bruxism (teeth grinding, typically at night), a topical CBD gel lowered pain
Halloysite-Assisted Delivery of Cannabidiol for the Management of Temporomandibular Pain: A Pilot Study
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/1/145
In people with liver disease using cannabis, public health data found they had lower odds of in-hospital mortality, cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease & liver cancer, but higher odds of heart attack & stroke
Cannabis Use in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Friend or Foe? A Retrospective Analysis
https://journals.lww.com/jcge/abstract/9900/cannabis_use_in_metabolic_dysfunction_associated.574.aspx
In Switzerland’s cannabis access study, despite high cannabis use where 25% of the people met the criteria for cannabis use disorder, the prevalence of depression & anxiety were lower than in the general population
Frequent Non-medical Cannabis Use and Mental Health: A Cross-sectional Analysis Prior to Regulated Access
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-025-01614-y
In people using CBD, on the effects of their genotypes of the liver isozymes CYP3A, CYP2C9 & CYP2C19 (responsible for processing many drugs in the body)
Genotype–Specific Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Cannabidiol in Healthy Volunteers
https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/cts.70455
📑 Reviews 📑
On CBD & sleep quality, this review found it worked as well as melatonin at low doses & at high doses, may enhance restorative sleep stages
The Impact of Cannabidiol (CBD) on Sleep Quality: A Review of Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence
https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/67087
For chronic pain, a review of 25 studies compared THC & CBD ratios & found the most help for neuropathic pain
Cannabis-Based Products for Chronic Pain: An Updated Systematic Review
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/ANNALS-25-03152
In pancreatitis, a review found some evidence for cannabis use linked to improved outcomes & decreased opioid usage
Cannabis use in chronic pancreatitis: A narrative review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1424390325007252
For CBD in skincare products, a review of the data & the regulations
Cannabidiol’s Antioxidant Properties in Skin Care Products and Legislative Regulations
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/22/3521
For metabolic regulation, a review of CBD & the effects of the endocannabinoid system
Biochemical insights into cannabidiol–endocannabinoid system interactions in the regulation of metabolic pathways
https://mjcce.org.mk/index.php/MJCCE/article/view/3278
For tumors, a review on CBD’s many antitumor mechanisms
Unlocking the potential: Cannabidiol (CBD) as a promising anti-tumor agent
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711325013716
For neuropsychiatric disorders, a review of the interplay between endocannabinoids & extracellular vesicles (membrane-bound particles released by cells with molecules for communicating between cells)
Cannabinoids and Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Hypothesis-Driven Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41471306/
⚠️ Harms ⚠️
In men with infertility problems, the cannabis users had greater sperm abnormalities, especially in terms of concentration & motility
Association Between Cannabis Use and Altered Sperm Parameters in Infertile Men
https://ijclinmedcasereports.com/pdf/IJCMCR-RA-01405.pdf
In children with cannabis smoke exposure, they had higher levels of respiratory issues, especially difficulty breathing/wheezing
Prevalence and clinical correlates of cannabis smoke exposure among pediatric patients
https://apha.confex.com/apha/2025/meetingapi.cgi/Paper/576475
In cannabis use disorder, a brain scan study of the alterations to brain reward function after 2 weeks of mindfulness-based interventions
A Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Reduce Altered Brain Reward Function in Cannabis Use Disorder: A Double-Blind, Active and Passive, Randomised Controlled fMRI Trial
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8283090/v1/bc741d59-3820-47d2-a73f-213e08107629.pdf
🐁 Preclinical 🐁
In rats & humans vaping cannabis, they ate more food because “cannabis vapor may override homeostatic appetite regulation by increasing motivation to eat and reducing food reward devaluation to promote energy intake”, though it did not alter appetite-associated hormones
Cannabis produces acute hyperphagia in humans and rodents via increased reward valuation for, and motivation to, acquire food
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41439716/
In a baby mouse model of loss of blood flow to the heart, CBD lessened the damage, oxidative stress, inflammation & the dysregulated autophagy (cellular recycling) & apoptosis (programmed cellular suicide)
Cannabidiol Protects the Neonatal Mouse Heart from Hyperoxia-Induced Injury
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/1/146
In a mouse model of the rare pediatric neurodegenerative disorder late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN2), CBD delayed or eliminated seizures & extended lifespan
Chronic oral cannabidiol delays or prevents seizures in a mouse model of CLN2 disease
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.17.688949v1.abstract
In a mouse model of neuropathy from chemotherapy, CBG reduced their mechanical sensitivity via the α2A-adrenoceptor
Cannabigerol reverses mechanical allodynia through α2A‐adrenergic modulation of thalamocortical signaling in chemotherapy‐induced neuropathy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41435878/
In a rat model of an incisional wound, CBD lessened their mechanical hypersensitivity & they had changes to the endocannabinoid levels in their spinal cord & amygdala (emotional processing center of the brain)
The Effect of Cannabidiol on Nociceptive Behaviour and the Endocannabinoid System in an Incisional Wound Model
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/19/1/43
In human breast cancer cells, a cannabis extract caused significant cell death & inhibited migration & invasion via oxidative stress
Potential Anticancer Effect of Cannabis sativa L. Dichloromethane Extract Through Oxidative Stress-Related Pathways and the Inhibition of the Migration and Invasiveness of Human Breast Cancer Cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7)
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/1/152
In cells that produce testosterone & androstenedione, both THC & CBD reduced production
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) inhibit androgen biosynthesis in H295R cells
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006291X25018959
In a tissue model of psoriasis, CBN lowered inflammation
Flow-type microwave synthesis of cannabinol from hemp extract and its therapeutic potential for psoriasis
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5829687
In macrophages (immune cells that eat germs & damaged tissue), CBD altered their metabolic flux & interfered with their PI3K/Akt signaling (a signaling pathway regulating the cell cycle)
Cannabidiol perturbs macrophage polarization by interfering with the metabolic flux and PI3K/Akt pathway
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-33360-5_reference.pdf
In a bacterial model of gingivitis in a biofilm (a slimy group of microorganisms gathered for protection), CBD reduced total bacterial count & inhibited the known periodontal pathogens
Evaluation of the antimicrobial effect of cannabidiol (CBD) in a multispecies subgingival biofilm
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/20002297.2025.2603706
In a rat model of systemic inflammation, the terpene myrcene lowered fever & reduced inflammation markers
Myrcene suppressed fever by downregulating systemic TNF-a levels in acute LPS-induced systemic inflammation in rats
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Clelia-Hiruma-Lima/publication/399002588_Myrcene_suppressed_fever_by_downregulating_systemic_TNF-a_levels_in_acute_LPS-induced_systemic_inflammation_in_rats/links/694b221c06a9ab54f849c1dd/Myrcene-suppressed-fever-by-downregulating-systemic-TNF-a-levels-in-acute-LPS-induced-systemic-inflammation-in-rats.pdf
🆕 Novel Studies 🆕
(a grab bag section for cool & new stuff)
On the evolution of the enzymes for cannabinoid synthesis
Resurrected Ancestral Cannabis Enzymes Unveil the Origin and Functional Evolution of Cannabinoid Synthases
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/pbi.70475
📰 US Headlines & Fav Articles 📰
For the changes from cannabis rescheduling, the other big effect besides tax breaks will be easing advertising restrictions, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-marijuana-rescheduling-would-ease-restrictions-on-advertising-by-the-industry-congressional-researchers-say/
And the DEA stated that cannabis rescheduling is still on hold despite the presidential executive order
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-says-marijuana-rescheduling-appeal-process-remains-pending-despite-trumps-executive-order/
The Senate approved Sara Carter Bailey as Trump’s new drugs czar & she’s supportive of medical cannabis
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senate-approves-trumps-white-house-drug-czar-pick-who-supports-medical-marijuana-as-rescheduling-looms/
A teen used an AI for drug advice & it goaded him into higher usage before he died of an overdose
https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/calif-teen-chatgpt-drug-advice-fatal-overdose-21266718.php
On Francis Crick (of DNA structure discovery fame) saying LSD was the reason for his switch from genetics to neuroscience, according to Dr. David Nutt
Farewell to Jim Watson (and Francis Crick). A reflection on their contributions to psychiatry and brain science
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02698811251406838
🌐 International Updates 🌐
In the UK, the police published their first official guidance on medical cannabis patients (just a short 8 years after its legalization)
https://cannabishealthnews.co.uk/2026/01/07/uk-policing-body-publishes-first-official-guidance-on-medical-cannabis/
In Thailand, 7k+ cannabis shops closed after new tightened rules take effect
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/policy/40060795
In Germany after legalization, a survey on demographics of support found that 10% of people had grown cannabis at home
Public attitudes and lifetime home cannabis cultivation – a survey after legalization in Germany
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925004177
In South Africa’s Limpopo province, an analysis of the challenges for cannabis entrepreneurs
Exposition of the Challenges Faced by Entrepreneurs in Commercialising Cannabis in Limpopo Province
https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.31920/2634-3649/2025/sin1a4
🚓 The War on Drugs 🚓
In Malaysia’s new drug war at the border, an analysis of its effects on local businesses & people
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-thailand-drug-smuggling-border-kelantan-sungai-golok-5644581
And a crackdown led to the arrest of 77 civil servants, including police, for involvement in drug trafficking
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/24/kedah-drug-crackdown-nabs-77-civil-servants-including-police-personnel/203057
In Sri Lanka, 500 police disciplined or dismissed over drug charges
https://www.themorning.lk/articles/mUmvpues3883uXi5g9sZ
In Iran, an Afghan prisoner executed on drug charges
https://kabulnow.com/2025/12/iran-executes-afghan-prisoner-on-drug-charges-rights-group-reports/
And in Indonesia, a man sentenced to death for smuggling methamphetamine from Malaysia
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2025/12/21/riau-court-sentences-drug-courier-to-death-for-smuggling-meth-from-malaysia
In Afghanistan, 19k hectares of hashish & poppy fields destroyed in 2025
https://cannabislaw.report/xinhua-over-19000-hectares-of-poppy-hashish-fields-destroyed-in-afghanistan-in-2025/
In Azerbaijan, 27 kg of hashish found in a cargo of watermelons
https://cannabislaw.report/large-batch-of-hashish-found-hidden-in-watermelon-cargo-transiting-azerbaijan/
In Qatar, a young person from Scotland was caught with a suitcase of cannabis after “gangsters threatened his family”
https://cannabislaw.report/scots-teen-drug-mule-arrested-in-qatar-with-suitcase-of-cannabis-after-gangsters-threaten-his-family/
For cartel members, a model found that incarceration prevented less than 10% of cartel offenses & rehabilitation could be more effective in lowering cartel crimes
Why Locking Up Cartel Members Does not Work
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2512.17973
⚖️ Business, Laws & Education ⚖️
In US cannabis consumers, their preferred method of THC labeling was standard THC units instead of THC concentration or total THC content
Exploring THC labelling preferences to communicate the strength of cannabis products: Insights from U.S. consumers
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095539592500372X
On cannabis advertising in the United States, a review of marketing tactics & effects
A Narrative Review of Research on Cannabis Advertising in the United States
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40429-025-00703-1
In Ontario, an analysis of newspaper coverage of cannabis legalization policy
Contested framing of cannabis legalization policy in Ontario: A thematic content analysis of newspaper coverage
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/30497841251404969
🛡️ Harm Reduction News 🛡️
In British Columbia’s safe supply program, new rules require that people taking prescription opioids must now take them under the supervision of a pharmacist
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-safe-supply-rules-take-effect-9.7031792
In Canada, physicians concerned with the closure of 2 Alberta supervised consumption sites & plans to close one in Calgary
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/two-alberta-supervised-consumption-sites-shut-down-in-2025-with-plans-to-close-calgarys-in-the-new-year
Why isn’t the effective program known as crisis intervention training more widely utilized for overdose prevention?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/28/crisis-intervention-training-overdose-death-decline
On the efficacy of naloxone boxes
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-safe-supply-rules-take-effect-9.7031792
For substance use disorders in the Americas, public health data on mortality & disease burden over the last 20 years
The rising burden of drug use disorders in the Americas, 2000-2021
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41450793/
Harm Reduction Research
In an Ontario safer opioid supply program, the participants had a reduced risk of overdose
Reduced risk of overdose among clients of a safer opioid supply program in Southwestern Ontario: A pre-post observational cohort study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925004207
On the synthetic opioids in England, on 5 critical areas for helping in the current crisis
Tackling synthetic opioid misuse: an impending crisis
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-advances/article/abs/tackling-synthetic-opioid-misuse-an-impending-crisis/253CD0D4F8C238C44DC2AA9A427AB412
“It highlights five areas critical to addressing the synthetic opioid crisis: improved access to medication for synthetic opioid addiction; increased naloxone availability and referral to addictions services following opioid overdose; strengthening prevention efforts targeting risk factors such as illicit drug markets and emerging trends in drug use; optimising pain management to reduce the use of prescription opioids and minimise the risk of associated synthetic opioid addiction; raising awareness among healthcare providers, patients and the general public about the dangers of synthetic opioids, including their potency, addictive nature and potential for overdose.”
For harm reduction in Rhode Island, a surveillance system found a decrease in harm reduction practices in 2024, such as always using fentanyl test strips & always using substances in the presence of others
Trends from the Rhode Island Harm Reduction Surveillance System: 2021-2024
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41428843/
In mothers who use opioids, an ethnographic study on the best harm reduction approaches
Social justice with harm reduction approaches for mothers who use opioids: an international comparative ethnographic study with community engaged methods
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-025-01309-6
For overdose prevention, interviews with clients from syringe service programs about the best solutions
“Because we’re the experts”: centering the expertise of people who use drugs to identify and propose solutions for overdose prevention
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-025-01368-9
For the opioid crisis in the US, an analysis of the effects of major federal policies
Resolving the Opioid Crisis in the United States: A Time-series Analysis on the Efficacy of Major Federal Policies
https://hbemdata.org/index.php/ojs/article/view/64
🍄 Psychoactives, Psychedelics & Plant Medicines 🍄
On the opioid crisis in Appalachia by Barbara Kingsolver, author of ‘Demon Copperhead’
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/22/opinion/west-virginia-appalachia-opioids-children.html
‘Will a spate of law-suits reduce harm from nitrous oxide?’
https://www.ecstaticintegration.org/p/will-a-spate-of-law-suits-reduce
The Psychoactive Research
In psilocybin mushrooms, the ability to produce psilocybin evolved 4 different times via a process of gene duplication & rearrangement
Evolution and horizontal transfer of the psilocybin biosynthetic gene cluster drive the diversification of magic mushrooms
https://mycosphere.org/pdf/MYCOSPHERE_16_1_28.pdf
On using a traditional Maori healing practices approach for psychedelic-assisted therapy
Development of an Indigenous Rongoa Maori Approach to Healing with Psilocybin-Containing Mushrooms
https://tuwairua.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Development-of-an-Indigenous-Rongoa-Maori-Approach-to-Healing-with-Psilocybin-Containing-Mushrooms.pdf
For treating depression with nitrous oxide, a meta-analysis of 7 trials found rapid antidepressant effects
Nitrous oxide for the treatment of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(25)00467-0/fulltext
In PTSD, a review of 42 studies on the effects of ketamine, MDMA, ayahuasca, DMT, LSD, ibogaine & psilocybin
A Systematic Review of the efficacy, safety, and Tolerability of Psychedelics in the Treatment of post-traumatic Stress Disorder
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40501-025-00373-w
Psychedelics & MDMA
In clergy taking psilocybin, they had increases to psychological well-being “including positive changes in religious attitudes and behavior as well as their vocation as a religious leader”
Effects of Psilocybin on Religious and Spiritual Attitudes and Behaviors in Clergy from Various Major World Religions
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/psymed.2023.0044
In people with major depressive disorder, MDMA in 2 dosing sessions reduced depression severity
MDMA-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder: A seven-month follow-up proof of principle trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395625007320
In people with adverse childhood experiences attending ceremonial psychedelic events, they had improvements in their mental health afterwards
Ceremonial Psychedelic Experiences and Changes in Mental Health Outcomes in Those with Adverse Childhood Experiences
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/28314425251392251
For adults with autism, a survey found psychedelics associated with mental health improvements
Knowledge, perceptions, and use of psychedelics for mental health among autistic adults: An online survey
https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000514
In people with anxiety & depression from cancer, on the help from psilocybin in a secular ritual-based group facilitation model
Group Retreat Psilocybin Therapy for People with Metastatic Cancer with Anxiety and Depression: A Rite of Passage Facilitation Model for a Phase 1/2 Study
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/28314425251404460
In people with treatment-resistant depression who had psilocybin therapy, their cognitive performance improved 2 weeks after their session
Cognitive outcomes following psilocybin-assisted therapy in treatment-resistant depression: A post-hoc analysis of a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584625003197
On psilocybin for chronic pain, a review of the evidence
Psilocybin and Chronic Pain: A New Perspective for Future Pain Therapists?
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/13/4/277
In the mouse visual cortex, ibogaine induced neural plasticity
Ibogaine induces juvenile-like plasticity and modulates functional and structural regulators of plasticity in the adult mouse visual cortex
https://europepmc.org/article/ppr/ppr1135742
Ketamine
For treatment-resistant depression & ketamine, a review of patient perspectives
Patients’ Voices on Ketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Narrative Review of Qualitative Perspectives
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/1/150
In cancer patients with pain & depression, a review of the evidence for ketamine & esketamine
The Emerging Role of Ketamine and Esketamine in the Concurrent Management of Pain and Depression in Cancer Patients: Evidence and Implications for Practice
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15360288.2025.2607541
In rat drug interaction tests, ketamine did not produce opioid or cannabis-like subjective effects
Effects of ketamine enantiomers on morphine and THC subjective effects in rats
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/02698811251406839
🍃 The Plant & its Products 🍃
🌱 Growing & Extracting 🌱
On trichome development, a review on the effects of biotic & abiotic influences
Using Chemical Ecology as a Guide for Development and Differentiation of Clinically Relevant Phytochemical Profiles in Cannabis Trichome
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/25785125251391985
For water shortage & waterlogging, an analysis of the effects on cannabis growth, yield & physiology
Impact of varying water stress periods (water shortage vs. waterlogging) on Cannabis sativa growth, leaf physiology, and CBD content
https://www.notulaebotanicae.ro/index.php/nbha/article/view/14864
In hemp cultivars, analyzing the thiols that give rise to different smells
First Quantitation of Key Odor-Active Thiols in Flowers of Different Hemp Cultivars Using HPLC-MS/MS
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c14203
On breaking down hemp biomass with the fungus Verticillium nonalfalfae
Secretome symphony: CAZymes of xylem-invading fungus Verticillium nonalfalfae orchestrate hemp biomass degradation
https://academic.oup.com/jambio/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jambio/lxaf310/8402821
In Wisconsin, first report of head blight caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum
First Report of Fusarium graminearum Causing Head Blight on Hemp (Cannabis sativa) in Wisconsin
https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS-10-25-2036-PDN
⚙️ Analyzing & Formulating ⚙️
On CBD in simulated gastric fluid, on the effects of surfactants on CBD stability
Influence of Surfactants on the Stability of Cannabidiol, Formulated as a Water-Soluble Product, in Simulated Gastric Fluid
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41443840/
On delivering CBD in a self-emulsifying system
Development and Characterization of Cannabidiol Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/1/21
On improving CBD bioavailability with solubilizing systems
Comparative Study on Cannabidiol-Loaded Solubilizing Systems for Improvement of Oral Bioavailability: Liposome and Cyclodextrin-Based Formulations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41454837/
🏗️ Industrial Uses & Fiber 🏗️
On using hemp to clean up heavy metals in a river (Russian)
The possibility of using rapeseed, hemp and sorghum for phytoremediation of silted sediment contaminated with heavy metals with the use of various agents to increase the bioavailability of metals
https://nardus.mpn.gov.rs/bitstream/handle/123456789/23617/Disertacija_17493.pdf
On creating battery electrodes from hemp biowaste
Eco-integrated electrode–electrolyte system from hemp biowaste fabricating dual N,S-doped activated carbon and pyroligneous acid electrolyte for high-performance supercapacitors
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0961953425013133
On making sustainable floor coverings from hemp oil
Valorization of Hemp Oil Based Sustainable Floor Covering
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/5115/
On making natural rubber composites with hemp & pineapple leaf fiber
Effect of Silane-Treated Pineapple Leaf Fibre and Hemp Fibre on Green Natural Rubber Composites: Interface and Mechanics
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/1/47
On creating biocomposites reinforced with hemp fibers & various concentrations of activated carbon nanoparticles
Mechanical, Electrical, and Thermal Performance of Hemp Fiber-Reinforced Elium Biocomposites Modified with Activated Carbon Nanoparticles: Experiment and Simulation
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/1/66
🌿 THE CANNA-SCIENCE ARCHIVE 🌿
🏥 Public Health, Legalization Effects & Bioassays 🏥
For people using medical cannabis, a review of 40 studies on administration methods, dosing strategies & barriers
Patient experiences and perspectives regarding medicinal cannabis: a qualitative scoping review
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/jcim-2025-0233/html
In the Netherlands, interviews with people prescribed medical cannabis but use non-prescribed cannabis because of barriers to access
Barriers to accessing prescribed medical cannabis: qualitative insights from people using non-prescribed cannabis for medicinal purposes in the Netherlands
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-025-01369-8
“Key challenges included the perceived high cost of prescribed cannabis, the limited availability of prescribing physicians, restrictive medical guidelines, and a lack of accurate and accessible information. Additional barriers were the perceived poor fit between services and patient needs, particularly in terms of cannabis product variety and effectiveness, as well as persistent stigma surrounding cannabis use. While most participants expressed a preference for prescribed cannabis in principle—valuing its safety, quality, and legitimacy—these perceived barriers prevented or dissuaded them from access through the formal healthcare system.”
In medical cannabis patients, a survey found that the cannabinoids they used the most were CBD, THC, delta-8 THC & THCA
Minor Cannabinoid Use Among Medical Cannabis Patients
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02791072.2025.2607725
In Israeli emergency departments, only modest increases were found in cannabis-positive urine screens compared to the greatly increased number of cannabis prescriptions
Trends in urine screening positive for cannabis of emergency department admissions in Israel 2016–2024
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-025-00379-4
A Malaysian analysis of medical cannabis with a good history section
Legalising Marijuana for Medical Purposes: Is It as Bad as Society Thinks?
http://irep.iium.edu.my/125586/1/AJRESS%20Vol%207-2-22%20Legalising%20Marijuana%20for%20Medical%20Purposes%20%281%29.pdf
🧒 Adolescents & Young Adults 🧒
For adolescents using cannabis, public health data found a dose-dependent association of frequency with adverse academic & emotional functioning
Cannabis Use Among US Adolescents
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/157/1/e2024070509/205921/Cannabis-Use-Among-US-Adolescents
🧠 The Brain & Neurological Disorders 🧠
In a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, the combination of a low dose of THC & Celecoxib (a selective COX-2 inhibitor) improved spatial learning, mitigated neuroinflammation & downregulated gene expression linked to Alzheimer’s
A Combination of Low-Dose Δ9-THC and Celecoxib as a Therapeutic Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41452714/
💭 Mental Health, Addiction & Cannabis Use Disorder 💭
In people with first episode psychosis, interviews about optimizing communication around cannabis use
Talking About Cannabis: Perspectives of First Episode Psychosis Care Participants and Parents
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15504263.2025.2606020
In Chinese children with ADHD, they had lower blood levels of oleoylethanolamide (the endocannabinoid of satiation) & palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), higher levels of 2-AG & unchanged anandamide levels compared to the general population
Distinct Serum Endocannabinoid Profiles in Treatment-Naïve Han Chinese Children with ADHD: A Case–Control Pilot Study
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1715342/abstract
In a mouse model of chronic stress, they had higher levels of the endocannabinoid 2-AG in a number of brain regions
Endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol levels in the anterior cingulate cortex, caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, and piriform cortex were upregulated by chronic restraint stress
https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1910588048768018560
In an adolescent mouse model of alcohol abstinence, omega-3 fatty acids help to restore the balance between synaptic excitation & inhibition but did not alter CB1 receptor distribution or density
Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on CB1 cannabinoid receptor localization in the CA1 region of the hippocampus following alcohol withdrawal in adolescent male mice
https://www.adicciones.es/index.php/adicciones/article/view/2408
🧬 Reproduction & Hormones 🧬
In placental tissue, THC was absorbed via the transporters P-gp & BCRP
Elucidating the role of ABC transporters in the placental efflux of (−)- Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) using a cocktail of ABC transport inhibitors
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0143400425007726
In a rat model of combining cannabis with the steroid stanzolol, exercise protected the testicles from some of the damage
Exercise ameliorates stanozolol and cannabis co-abuse testicular damage in rats evidenced by biochemical and histological regulation of SIRT1 and STS
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-31785-6_reference.pdf
🦠 The Immune System & Microbial 🦠
On creating 7 novel cannabinoids for use against the bacteria S. Aureus & MRSA
Extract engineering of Cannabis sativa yields novel antibacterial cannabinoids targeting Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045206825013288
🦴 Pain, Musculoskeletal & Surgeries 🦴
In youth prescribed opioids after surgery, their fears of opioids resulted in many using cannabis for pain & anxiety management
Young Adults’ Use of Prescription Opioids and Cannabis Postoperatively: A Qualitative Study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1524904225003340
In people with pain, they used cannabis to manage it but next-day responsibilities were associated with significant reductions in use
Clinical pain intensity is associated with greater cannabis demand among people who regularly use cannabis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41450707/
In people having hip surgery, the cannabis users had higher postoperative pain scores
EP37 Pre-operative Cannabis Use is Associated with Higher Perioperative Pain Scores in Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12720559/
❤️ The Heart & Blood ❤
In a rat model of heart injury, activating the CB2 receptor modulated autophagy (cellular recycling) for cardioprotection
Cardioprotective response of remote ischemic preconditioning: Revealing possible role of cannabinoid type 2 receptor and AMPK-mediated autophagy in rats
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/399048756_Cardioprotective_response_of_remote_ischemic_preconditioning_Revealing_possible_role_of_cannabinoid_type_2_receptor_and_AMPK-mediated_autophagy_in_rats
In rat heart tissue, activating the CB2 receptor caused antioxidative effects & enhanced both contractility & relaxation
Modulation of cardiac contractility and redox balance via cannabinoid type II receptor activation in healthy rats
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00424-025-03143-y
🍽️ The Guts, Nutrition & the Microbiome 🍽️
For exercise, diet & the endocannabinoid system, a review of 38 studies found that polyphenols can boost endocannabinoid signaling & lower inflammatory markers
A Scoping Review: Exploring the Synergistic Effects of Exercise and Polyphenol-Rich Diets on Inflammation and the Endocannabinoid System - An Exercise Physiology Perspective
https://ideas.repec.org/a/bjf/journl/v10y2025i11p1187-1192.html
For managing diabetes & the healing of diabetic foot ulcers, on the use of cannabis
Implications of Cannabis Use on Diabetes and Diabetic Ulcers: It’s important to understand its use in wound healing.
https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A15%3A18864495/detailv2?sid=ebsco%3Aplink%3Ascholar&id=ebsco%3Agcd%3A189922236&crl=c&link_origin=scholar.google.com
In a computer model of diabetes & obesity, exercise enriched retrograde endocannabinoid signaling as well as glutamate & oxytocin
The Potential Effects of Exercise Training on Cortical Glutamatergic Synapse, Retrograde Endocannabinoid Signaling, and the Oxytocin Signaling Pathway in the Diabetic–Obesity Cortex: An In Silico Study
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/1/266
🩸 The Liver, Drug Interactions & Cannabinoid Metabolism 🩸
In the liver of rats, hemp seed oil caused no significant changes
Morphometric analysis of the liver microcirculatory vessels in white rats after six weeks of experimental administration of hemp seed oil
https://vpbim.com.ua/knowledgebase/morphometric-analysis-of-the-liver-microcirculatory-vessels-in-white-rats-after-six-weeks-of-experimental-administration-of-hemp-seed-oil/
🔬 Biochemical Discoveries & Research Tools 🔬
On creating a mouse with fluorescent CB2 receptors for visualizing their location
Neuronal versus Glial CB2 Receptors: Insights from a Novel CB2-KO-eGFP Reporter Mouse Line
https://europepmc.org/article/ppr/ppr1136024
Thanks.
- lex
PS: For today’s West Coast jump blues, the piano & voice of Floyd Dixon on his ‘Complete Aladdin Recordings’. Calling himself Mr. Magnificent, Dixon was born on the Texas/Louisiana border & grew up listening to the blues before his family moved to LA when he was a young teen. Dixon taught himself piano & by the age of 20, scored his first hit with the 1948 single ‘Dallas Blues’. Taking the gospel & Delta blues of his youth, he transmogrified it into the jump blues that foreshadowed the coming rock & roll. He began recording with Alladin in 1950 when he was 30 years old & the studio flooded the US with his recordings. He continued touring & recording through the early ‘60s but fell out of favor as the modern R&B & rock & roll emerged. He retired to a quiet life in Texas. But a European compilation of his work in 1975 led to a resurgence across the pond & he toured the Continent, later being commissioned to write “Olympic Blues” for the 1984 Olympic Games as well as the ultimate honor, a loving cover of his ‘Hey Bartender’ by the Blues Brother.
This newsletter is the backbone of my work & I hope it brings you a measure of value. If so, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription & support my sharing All of the new cannabinoid science each week.