C&P#182: CBD for seizures & cannabis effects on physical performance & metacognition
German police union doesn’t want cannabis legalization reversed
Cannabinoids & The People, or; Drugs & Drug Wars
🌟 This week 🌟
CBD for seizures
On physical performance in cannabis users
Stigma still prevalent against medical cannabis users
Metacognition effects in cannabis users
For first episode psychosis, synthetic cannabinoid use particularly bad
10% of US workers using cannabis at work or right before it
War on Drugs: in prisons, on the rise of synthetic drugs sprayed onto paper & an outbreak of overdoses
(this week’s numbers: ~6.3k words, ~16 minutes reading time, 98 papers)
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the 182nd 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. If you purchase one of my canna-graphic novels based on Moby Dick, proceeds go to Americans for Safe Access to support medical cannabis patients.
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I just ordered the proof copy of the next 2 chapters of my canna-graphic novels based on Moby Dick. For you handful of fans, get ready!
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🍃 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 children with drug-resistant epilepsies, CBD caused clinically relevant seizure reduction & improved quality of life, especially sleep quality
4CPS-011 Paediatric drug-resistant epilepsies: efficacy, tolerability, and safety of add-on cannabidiol
https://ejhp.bmj.com/content/33/Suppl_1/A55.2
And for treatment-resistant epilepsy, the responders to CBD treatment had increased network integration & network segregation
Global brain network dynamics predict therapeutic responsiveness to cannabidiol treatment for refractory epilepsy
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/132139886/fcaa140-libre.pdf
I’m not strong on brain network dynamics so that last one confused me. But apparently, you can do brain scans to predict how likely CBD is to help someone’s seizures.
For physical performance in adults consuming cannabis, they had higher blood pressure & heart rate as well as impaired balance & endurance
Physical Performance Impairment with Cannabis Consumption in Adults Over 12 Hours
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00472379261433203
For the link between cannabis consumption & problematic Internet use, a survey found both positive & negative effects
Cannabis consumption and problematic internet use: analysis of a free-text response collected through a self-reported online questionnaire
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40359-026-04419-3
“Many reported benefits, such as relaxation, positive emotions, improved mental skills, and pain relief, while others experienced negative impacts, such as increased anxiety, procrastination, social isolation, and impaired cognitive functions. Additionally, these behaviors affected aspects of their daily lives, including finances, sleep, eating habits, and relationships.”
For the effects of psychoactives on metacognition, a meta-analysis found that “cannabinoids generally impaired metacognitive accuracy and calibration”
Experimental and observational evidence on substance use and metacognition among adults: a systematic review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460326000808
In frequent cannabis users, they had no cognitive impairments when tested 12 hours after their last ingestion, though the high-THC potency users had poorer verbal memory & processing speed
Cognitive performance and subjective effects the morning after last use of smoked cannabis by adults who use cannabis frequently: An observational study
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724626000259
For brain volume, a meta-analysis found cannabis users to have smaller amygdala (an emotional processing center)
Associations of cannabis use, tobacco use and co-use with brain volume: A systematic review and meta-analysis
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/add.70361
In people with heart failure, public health data found no difference in mortality between cannabis users & non-users
Association of Cannabis use and Survival in patients with heart failure: A claims-based cohort study of commercially insured adults
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666602226000546
In people with schizophrenia, feeding them arachidonic acid (the building block of the endocannabinoid anandamide, which they tend to be deficient in) improved cognitive performance & helped the balance of lipids (fatty acids) in the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell)
Restoring mitochondrial lipid homeostasis with arachidonic acid supplementation to alleviate cognitive impairment in schizophrenia patients
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123226002687
For CBD use by small animal veterinarians, a survey found a high frequency of use in dogs & cats, with the most common reason being for cancer, chronic pain, behavioral changes, stress & anti-inflammation
Assessment of Cannabidiol Supplements Use in Small Animals Practice in Portugal
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpn.70059
“Additionally, in an open‐answer question, some respondents referred to the use of CBDS for other purposes, namely: cognitive dysfunction, appetite stimulant, feline gingivostomatitis, geriatric animals, senility and wound healing. The most frequent adverse effects were hypersialia/sialorrhea (28%; 44/158) and apathy (25%; 39/158)”.
📑 Reviews 📑
On CBD & the mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell), a lovely review on the effects in different diseases (with a set of charts that will make your heart sing)
The Therapeutic Crossroad Between Mitochondria and Cannabidiol: A Mini-Review
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/15/6/510
In Parkinson’s disease, a review of the cannabinoids from preclinical & clinical data (with a nice chart)
Cannabinoids and cognition in Parkinson’s disease: Insights from animal models and emerging clinical evidence
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306452226001971
For osteoarthritis, this review of 19 studies found the strongest data for CBD
The role of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in managing osteoarthritis symptoms: a scoping review of current evidence and future directions
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10067-026-08038-6
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, a review of 13 studies on the involvement of the endocannabinoid system
The Endocannabinoid System in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Scoping Review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763426001120
“Overall, preclinical findings consistently demonstrated that enhancing ECS activity attenuates compulsive and habitual behaviours, whereas inhibiting ECS activity exacerbates these behaviours. The study that utilized both animal and human samples reported reduced expression of genes encoding ECS enzymes and receptors in OCD.”
For aging, a review on the interplay between the endocannabinoid system & reactive nitrogen species (key cellular signal pathway)
Radical Revelations: The Interplay of Nitrosative Stress, the Endocannabinoid System, and Treatment of Age-Related Disorders
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/6/2813
⚠️ Harms ⚠️
In people with first episode psychosis, the users of synthetic cannabinoids had higher positive psychotic symptoms, aberrant salience (attributing significance to neutral stimuli) & difficulty feeling emotions compared to natural cannabis users & non-users, while dissociative symptoms were more prominent in any users of cannabinoids & with the synthetic cannabinoid users showing minimal improvement over time
Alexithymia and psychopathological dimensions in First-Episode Psychosis: Comparative patterns in natural cannabis versus synthetic cannabinoid users
https://realmofcaring.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Alexithymia-and-psychopathological-dimensions-in-First-Episode-Psychosis-Comparative-patterns-in-natural-cannabis-versus-synthetic-cannabinoid-users.pdf
For people with cannabis use disorder, a review of the very limited studies of treatment drugs found the only short-term benefits found to be from varenicline
Pharmacological Smoking Cessation Interventions in People with Cannabis, Opioid, or Stimulant Use Disorders: A Systematic Review
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-9141564/v1
In people who had a total abdominal hysterectomy, those with cannabis use disorder (who also tended to be from more marginalized groups & more frequently insured by Medicaid) had longer hospitalization & higher total charges
Comprehensive analysis of cannabis use and dependence in the setting of total abdominal hysterectomy
https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9058918/v1/a43c0e74-7df5-4606-a5d8-6ff4f4f4fb9c.pdf
In people who had breast surgery, a review of 10 studies found cannabis use associated with increased risk of complications, especially bruising, wound healing & infection risk
Cannabis use and outcomes in breast surgery
https://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/2026/03000/cannabis_use_and_outcomes_in_breast_surgery.54.aspx
In human blood platelets (involved in clotting & important for transfusions in bleeding disorders), cannabis extracts caused impaired platelet aggregation (clotting)
Pilot study on cannabis-induced alterations in platelet function: implications for transfusion medicine
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09537104.2026.2644368
🐁 Preclinical 🐁
In rats given either THC or CBD, they had significant reductions in their levels of BDNF (a key brain growth factor)
Patterns of BDNF Dysregulation Following Cannabinoid Supplementation in Male Wistar Rats
https://hal.science/hal-05555266/
In a mouse model of an increased risk for schizophrenia, CBD did not alter their responses to cocaine but did reduce cocaine reward in the healthy animals
Cannabidiol (CBD) does not reduce cocaine reward or self-administration in a mouse model of schizophrenia genetic susceptibility
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584626000722
In a mouse model of navigation & memory, deleting CB1 receptors from the hippocampus (a memory center of the brain) caused emotional changes as well as deficits in memory & synaptic plasticity in both sexes, while in males only, deleting the CB1 receptors on all neurons caused deficits in spatial navigation
Neuroglial CB1 receptors modulate hippocampal processes in a sex-dependent manner
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13293-026-00886-w
🆕 Novel Studies 🆕
(a grab bag section for cool & new stuff)
For medical advice from budtenders, a survey found “budtender guidance significantly diverged from clinician consensus”
Dispensary Budtender Guidance Versus Clinician Consensus: A Comparative Study of Medical Cannabis Advice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149291826000470
“Clinicians recommended MC for chronic pain, advised against use during pregnancy, and recommended cautious low–Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol regimens for posttraumatic stress disorder. In contrast, many budtenders suggested higher Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol dosages or endorsed MC use in pregnancy.” For budtenders, higher cannabis knowledge & less illicit market experience predicted closer alignment with clinician guidance.
An intriguing example of “old-fashioned” electron microscopy helping to resolve a conundrum about the location of CB1 receptors during the current craze for immunofluorescent methods
Accomplishments of “Old-Fashioned” Electron Microscopy in the Period of Dominance of Immunofluorescent Methods
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/6/2803#:~:text=2.-,Interpretation%20of%20Anti,-%2DCannabinoid%20Type%201
📰 US Headlines & Fav Articles
Oddly, for the new CBD program by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the total container THC limit will be set to 3 mg (~7x higher than the 0.4 mg of THC per container limit set last year in Trump’s spending bill)
https://cannabiswire.com/newsletters/scoop-medicare-cbd-pilot-will-allow-some-thc-in-products/
And reportedly, up to $500 of hemp-derived products will be covered each year
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-detail-plan-to-cover-up-to-500-in-hemp-cbd-and-thc-products-for-medicare-patients-under-program-launching-next-week/
The Department of Homeland Security created a list of the “worst of the worst” of deported immigrants & for 77 of them, their only crime was cannabis possession
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/trump-admins-worst-of-the-worst-deportation-list-includes-nearly-100-immigrants-accused-of-marijuana-possession-alone/
I don’t know if the Army is being cheeky, but starting on 4/20, recruits will no longer need a waiver if they have only one conviction for cannabis or drug paraphernalia possession
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-army-rule-allows-recruits-with-a-marijuana-conviction-to-enlist-without-needing-a-waiver-starting-on-4-20/
The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America is urging Congress to stop their scheduled ban of hemp THC beverages & regulate them instead
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/alcohol-industry-group-launches-push-to-regulate-hemp-thc-drinks-instead-of-banning-them/
For discrimination in organ transplants against medical cannabis patients, Americans for Safe Access published a new report: “Stigma with a Body Count”
https://www.safeaccessnow.org/report_organ_transplant_discrimination#gsc.tab=0
Relatedly, for stigma against medical cannabis users, a review of 45 studies found little change over time, across jurisdictions & between regulatory regimes
The persistence of stigma and other challenges experienced by medical cannabis users: A thematic synthesis of qualitative studies
https://karger.com/mca/article-pdf/doi/10.1159/000551584/4519200/000551584.pdf
For your international cannabis events, the 10-year-old son of cannabis businessmen Arnaud Dumas de Rauly coded a project to sort all of the world cannabis events by type, region & date
https://cannabislaw.report/ten-year-old-codes-fantastic-new-site-detailing-cannabis-conferences-around-the-world/
This is a very cool project to see from this young man. I hope to someday submit the ‘People of the Cannabinoids’ conference to it.
The WNBA reportedly going to end cannabis testing for players
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/wnba-offers-to-end-marijuana-testing-for-womens-basketball-players-as-part-of-reported-deal-with-union/
On Epstein, an informant apparently told the DEA that he was also running a club drug trafficking network
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-03-06/epstein-investigated-in-dea-probe-for-ketamine-money-laundering
In Wisconsin, the governor signed a bill allowing police to administer roadside saliva drug tests, despite the fact that there is no clear link between saliva THC levels & impairment & that levels vary wildly in different people
https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2026/03/19/evers-signs-roadside-drug-test-law-amid-rising-impaired-crashes/
In South Carolina, the DEA is being sued for the unlawful seizure of millions of dollars of inventory from hemp shops
https://cannabislaw.report/news-report-south-carolina-similar-to-hitting-an-ant-with-a-sledgehammer-says-lawyer-low-country-law-firm-sues-dea-over-hemp-shop-raids/
On Project MKULTRA (the CIA mind control drug experiments), an interview with the author of a new book with a focus on interviews of the victims
https://themicrodose.substack.com/p/project-mind-control-5-questions
I’m a bit in love with this former UK member of Parliament. After being caught with a nice mix of drugs (uppers, GBL, weed), he testified in court that he got involved in the chemsex scene as research on the first-hand use of drugs & their harms & now he believes that all drugs should be legal
https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/heat/uk/news/former-surrey-mp-fined-for-possession-of-chemsex-drugs
🌐 International Updates 🌐
Ha. At the UN drug meeting, delegates walked through cannabis smoke by the entrance & the European Times used a ridiculous AI-generated image to illustrate the story
https://cannabislaw.report/media-report-12-march-cannabis-smoke-at-un-drugs-summit-sparks-outrage-in-vienna/
In Japan, CBN will be banned starting June 1, except for limited medical purposes
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/19/japan/society/cbn-ban/
In Germany, new numbers show it to now be the largest medical cannabis market it outside of North America, but the flood of products has driven down the prices & increased the competition
https://businessofcannabis.com/is-the-german-cannabis-boom-slowing-down-or-simply-normalising/
And relatedly, the German police union does not want cannabis legalization reversed
https://cannabislaw.report/germany-police-union-warns-against-reversal-of-cannabis-legalization/
Their position is more nuanced. The current model of partial legalization relies on a network of cannabis cultivation associations & home grows to supply all of the country’s cannabis needs, but clearly, that will not be sufficient to supply everyone & therefore, the current structure favors illicit trafficking. The police are in favor of a state-controlled market with certified outlets & regulated logistics.
Relatedly, a spokesperson of a German hemp association was fined for giving away 117 cannabis cuttings, with the court deeming them not to be propagation material but full cannabis plants
https://cannabislaw.report/germany-court-ruling-in-halle-higher-fine-in-trial-over-cannabis-cuttings-german-hemp-association-had-intended-to-distribute-free-of-charge-as-part-of-campaign/
And the owner of a cannabis accessory shop got a 6-month suspended prison sentence for offering cuttings of cannabis plants for sale
https://cannabislaw.report/germany-court-ruling-in-bavaria-suspended-prison-sentence-for-grow-shop-owner-over-sale-of-cuttings-in-coconut-peat-mixture/
In Germany 6 months after legalization, a small survey found no increased cannabis consumption
Change and Antecedents of Cannabis Consumption After the Legalization of Recreational Cannabis in Germany
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00472379261430434
In South Africa, a parliamentary committee is preparing a cannabis omnibus bill for the middle of mid-2027
https://www.cannabiz-africa.com/blog/parliament-and-cannabis-back-to-the-drawing-board-but-this-time-theres-clarity-collaboration-and-commitment
In Uruguay, a survey found cannabis clubs (vs home grows or pharmacies) to be the most common legal source of cannabis but were associated with higher use & increase risk of cannabis use disorder, while those who relied on illicit sources reported greater psychological stress & the use of high-potency cannabis
Patterns of Cannabis Use and Socio-Cognitive Factors of People who Use Cannabis across Cannabis Sources in Uruguay
https://www.scilit.com/publications/522ff28d1eba64fafe93b5158aba96b6
⚖️ Business, Laws & Education ⚖️
For cannabis use & intoxication at work, a survey found that 10% of workers reported using cannabis at work or less than 2 hours before work & of those, 40% reported feeling high at work “often” or “every time”, with the cannabis users having a higher chance of a work-related injury
Self-Reported Cannabis Use and Intoxication at Work: Prevalence Across Industries and Occupations and Association With Workplace Injuries in the United States (US)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41840876/
“The prevalence of workplace consumption was greatest among those working in the “Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting” (24.9%), “Construction” (14.4%), and “Accommodation and food services” (12.6%) industries.”
For cannabis policy, on the potential regulatory models & how the right one may not exist yet
The right schedule for marijuana (among other drugs) does not yet exist
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.aec5633
For residential property values in Oklahoma (the state with more medical cannabis dispensaries than any other), “one broad finding is that residents prefer not to live in immediate proximity to a dispensary but prefer access to dispensaries moderately distanced from their home”
Exploring the quantitative impact of medical marijuana dispensaries on residential sale prices in Oklahoma
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00181-026-02894-6
🚓 The War on Drugs 🚓
In prisons, a chilling investigation into the rise of paper laced with synthetic drugs & the large number of overdoses
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/world/deadly-drugs-paper.html
“In the summer of 2024, Mr. Wilks’s team found a single sheet with 10 different concoctions sprayed onto it — a mix of opioids, depressants, cannabinoids and stimulants all jumbled together on the same page, like a Rosetta Stone of synthetic drugs.”
The DEA placed the benzodiazepine bromazolam into Schedule I
https://filtermag.org/dea-temporary-scheduling-bromazolam/
Before Duterte’s Drug War in the Philippines, 2 of his predecessors ran anti-drug campaigns & foreshadowed his horrors to come
Antecedents to Rodrigo Duterte’s Drug War: The Anti-Drug Campaigns of Joseph Estrada (2000) and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2003)
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/seas/advpub/0/advpub_26007/_pdf
On drug transit states, on how drug corridors erode sovereignty by criminal infiltration, but also strengthen state centrality by securitization
Drug Routes as Strategic Corridors: The Geopolitics of Transit States
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402325335_Drug_Routes_as_Strategic_Corridors_The_Geopolitics_of_Transit_States
In Honduras, an analysis of narcotrafficking & the effects on the licit & illicit economies
Narcotrafficking Across a Nation: The Juxtaposition of NGOs Work and Illicit Activities Embedding into the Licit Economy in Rural Honduras
https://jied.lse.ac.uk/articles/10.31389/jied.301
On the cocaine pipeline from Latin America to Europe
https://insightcrime.org/news/italian-broker-evolution-global-drug-trade/
In Nigeria, on their War on Drugs & their low conversion rate of arrests into convictions
Beyond Arrests and Seizures: Sustaining Nigeria’s War Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking Through Legislative Action
https://ir.nilds.gov.ng/handle/123456789/3471
For adult-use cannabis supply & distribution channels, interviews of French consumers, dealers & police found trust to be a crucial element
Means of Recreational Cannabis Supply and Distribution Channels: Perceptions of Consumers, Consumers/Sellers, and Law Enforcement—A Grounded Theory Approach
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10826084.2026.2644545
In the Canary Islands, a high-speed chase led to a man arrested with 230 kg of hashish
https://cannabislaw.report/tenerife-driver-crashes-into-police-car-before-being-caught-with-230kg-of-hashish/
🛡️ Harm Reduction News 🛡️
In Canada, Alberta to close two supervised consumption sites
https://drugdatadecoded.ca/breaking-alberta-government-to-announce-calgary-and-lethbridge-supervised-consumption-site-closures/
Harm Reduction Research
For Canadian supervised consumption sites, a survey of people who use drugs & healthcare providers found that overall, they thought positively of client access & safety but had mixed attitudes towards community benefits & healthcare resource utilization
Perceived impacts of Supervised Consumption Sites (SCS) on key service aspects and settings: Reports from Canadian National Questionnaire on Overdose Monitoring (CNQOM)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095539592600068X
In Canadian First Nations peoples, the initiation of safer opioid supply programs increased 5x between 2019 & 2023
Safer opioid supply initiation among First Nations Peoples in Ontario, Canada, 2019 to 2023
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395926000952
In US harm reduction, a state-level analysis found that the factors most influencing adoption of harm reduction strategies were “decreases in conservative citizen ideology, increases in the severity of the overdose crisis, and increases in states’ economic resources”
Laboratories of Harm Reduction and Treatment: Determinants of States’ Policy Adoptions to Address the Opioid Epidemic
https://read.dukeupress.edu/jhppl/article/doi/10.1215/03616878-12513804/408536/Laboratories-of-Harm-Reduction-and-Treatment
On harm reduction vending machines, a statement from the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction supported their broader use
In Support of Harm Reduction Supply Distribution Via Vending Machines: Position Statement of AMERSA, Inc.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/29767342261421746
For overdose response hotlines & apps, a commentary on the limited data so far & the priorities for moving forward
Policy recommendations for overdose response hotlines and applications as a harm reduction tool: A commentary
https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269/s41997-026-01180-3
In Viennese people using a drug checking service, a survey found that they said it promoted safer use behavior as well as risk awareness & management
Perceived harm reduction impact of a drug checking service in Vienna: A qualitative study among current and prospective service users
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395926000897
In New York City people who use methamphetamine, an analysis of a health department harm reduction program
The reach, effectiveness, implementation, and maintenance of a New York City harm reduction program enrolling priority populations who use meth, 2017–2022
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871626001158
🍄 Psychoactives, Psychedelics & Plant Medicines 🍄
For the Santo Daime church in Brazil, more allegations of sexual abuse against top leadership
https://www.ecstaticintegration.org/p/more-allegations-of-abuse-in-santo
For a US lawsuit against an ayahuasca church, a federal judge said the federal government must cover their legal fees of over $2M
https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/2455950
A new book on the legendary con of Carlos Castaneda: ‘American Trickster: The Hidden Lives of Carlos Castaneda’ (hattip to Alexander Zaitchik)
https://orbooks.com/catalog/american-trickster/
For cacao, a history of Indigenous use & the potential for interpersonal effects
Potential Interpersonal Applications of Cacao: A Review and Call for Further Research
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402964077_Potential_Interpersonal_Applications_of_Cacao_A_Review_and_Call_for_Further_Research
Psychedelics & MDMA
For psychedelics versus antidepressants for depression, a meta-analysis found no significant difference
Psychedelic Therapy vs Antidepressants for the Treatment of Depression Under Equal Unblinding Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2846479
When using psilocybin to treat depression, therapeutic alliance was only weakly correlated with clinical benefit
The role of therapeutic alliance in psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression: A post hoc path analysis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032726005136
For the effects of psilocybin on brain functional connectivity, a review of 20 fMRI studies
Psilocybin effects on brain functional connectivity: a systematic review of fMRI studies
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44192-026-00384-w
Ketamine
In people given IV ketamine, the levels of glutamate (the brain’s most common excitatory neurotransmitter) in their nucleus accumbens (a reward center & regulator of feeding, stress & motivation) were associated with anxious ego dissolution & reductions in vigilance
Ketamine-induced changes in accumbal glutamate and their association with altered states of consciousness
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361923026001280
In monkeys, on the brain wave effects of ketamine & links to antidepressant activity
Comparative EEG analysis of the effects of ketamine enantiomers and metabolites in rhesus macaques
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/jn.00203.2025
In a mouse model of depression, the antidepressant effects of ketamine were prolonged by blocking the kappa-opioid receptor
Kappa-Opioid Receptor Antagonism Prolongs the Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine in Adult Mice with Depression-like Behavior Induced by Adolescent Chronic Unpredictable Stress
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/6/2815
🍃 The Plant & its Products 🍃
🌱 Growing 🌱
For scalable cannabis micropropagation, development of a protocol & workflow
Toward scalable micropropagation of Cannabis sativa (chemotype III): Protocol optimization and preliminary evaluation of cannabinoid stability
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926669026004279
For hemp cultivars grown in Missouri, on their variability in yield & lifecycle
Performance of industrial hemp cultivars across U.S. Midwestern environments: evidence from multi-location trials in Missouri
https://www.proquest.com/openview/721779c0cd2a7d91f056bda810dc6a68/1
In a water irrigation study in the Mediterranean, on the best strategies for watering hemp
Integrating Hydraulic Properties into Irrigation Management of Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L., ‘Felina 32’) Under Mediterranean Conditions
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/16/6/649
For infection by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum, an analysis of effects across different cannabis genotypes
Evidence for a wide host range of Fusarium oxysporum isolates originating from Cannabis sativa L. (cannabis) plants and responses of cannabis genotypes to pathogen infection
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/07060661.2026.2632742
For fungus & pests on cannabis plants, on the efficacy of a fennel oil nanoemulsion & yeast lysate as well as increased cannabinoid levels from microbial inoculants
Natural elicitors and beneficial microbes as sustainable tools for disease management and phytocannabinoid enhancement in Cannabis sativa
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092666902600453X
For the root bacteria of hemp, how it is shaped by cultivar type & spider mite levels
Cultivar Identity and Spider Mite Herbivory Shape Rhizosphere Bacteria in Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/16/6/651
For hemp grain, on using near-infrared spectroscopy to predict protein levels for help in breeding
Near infrared spectroscopy predicts crude protein concentration in hemp grain
https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/agg2.70328
For trichome biology, a genetic analysis of cannabis, tomatoes & hops (the only other plant in the family Cannabaceae)
Insights into glandular trichome biology from analysis of organ-specific gene expression programmes in cannabis, hop and tomato
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12999219/
⚙️ Extracting, Analyzing & Formulating ⚙️
On distinguishing THC-rich cannabis from CBD-rich hemp, on using a dimer (joined unit) of CBDH+ & CBD to distinguish them via a direct analysis in real time–high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) method
Investigating the Protonated Cannabinoid Dimer Detected in the Forensic Analysis of Cannabis by DART-MS: A Combined Mass Spectrometry and Computational Study
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jasms.5c00433
For quantifying cannabinoid levels, on a HPLC-DAD method
HPLC-DAD METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION FOR THE QUANTIFICATION OF CBD, CBDA, Δ9-THC AND Δ9-THCA IN CANNABIS-BASED PRODUCTS
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0379073826001179
In oils, on identifying THC analogs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) & liquid chromatography-photodiode array-mass spectrometry (LC-PDA-MS)
Identification of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Analogs, Including Methyl Ether Derivatives of THC and Hexahydrocannabiphorol, THC Methyl Carbonate and Its Synthetic by-Product, in Commercially Available Oil Products
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41850764/
For the forensic analysis of drugs, a novel chemometric protocol integrating near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy developed by the Catalan police
A Novel Chemometric Local Approach for Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Cocaine, MDMA, and THC-Related Products: Method Application within the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan Regional Police)
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c07967
For CBD stability & solubility, a comparison of MCT oil versus a powder-based hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) encapsulation
Matrix-dependent degradation kinetics and impurity fingerprinting of cannabidiol (CBD) in polymeric and lipid preservation systems
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0731708526001329
🍞 Food & Nutrition 🍞
For hemp seeds, a review of their nutritional benefits
Hemp Seeds: Exploring Their Potential in Promoting Human Health
https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A14%3A38397054/detailv2
For hemp seeds, on the effect of their density on their yield of oil & protein
Physical and Chemical Properties of Density-Graded Industrial Hemp Seeds, Extracted Oil, and Protein in Defatted Meal
https://aocs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aocs.70079
For hemp seed hull powder, an analysis of its components & positive gut health effects from eating it
Hemp seed hull powder: A sustainable source of bioavailable micronutrients and phytochemicals with inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212429226004633
In laying hens, feeding them hemp flower extract did not adversely affect production performance or egg quality & modestly enhanced albumen & yolk proportions
Effects of Hemp Inflorescences Ethanol Extraction Byproduct on Production Performance, Egg Characteristics, Economic Return and Fecal Nitrogen in Laying Hens
https://www.ijvets.com/pdf-files/25-327.pdf
🏗️ Industrial Uses & Fiber 🏗️
For hemp grown on heavy metal-contaminated soil, the flowers grew the usual amounts of CBD & THC & exhibited the lowest accumulation of heavy metals
Hemp flowers cultivated on a soil contaminated with cadmium, lead and zinc exhibit valorization potential
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15226514.2026.2643786
For cannabis that removed heavy metal from the soil, on the potential of transforming it into usable biochar
Cannabis sativa L. Phytoremediation of Heavy Metal Soil Contamination, Followed by Biomass Valorization
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/18/6/2926
For making biodiesel from hemp oil, a review of the extraction & process optimization
Biodiesel Production From Industrial Hemp Oil: Advances in Extraction, Transesterification, and Process Optimization
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12155-026-10989-2
For pulping hemp into paper, a comparison of the soda & nitrate-alkaline methods
Comparative Evaluation of Soda and Nitrate-Alkaline Pulping of Hemp, Flax, and Sisal Post-harvest Biomass
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41860439/
For packaging made from hemp, on the effects of stalk maturity on composition & performance
Optimization of industrial hemp production: Influence of stalk maturity on composition, structure, and processing for sustainable packaging
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926669026004486
For concrete cylinders for construction, on the effects of adding a hemp fiber-reinforced polymer with halloysite nanotube (HNT)
Sustainable Approach for the Confinement of Concrete Cylinders Using Fiber-Reinforced Polymers With Bio-Based Hemp and Halloysite Nano Tubes
https://4spepublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pc.71028
For hemp-based composites for building, on the effects of different binding materials
Mechanical, Thermal and Fire Behaviour of Hemp-Based Composites with Different Binders for Sustainable Building Applications
https://commons.yildiz.edu.tr/cgi/viewcontent.cgi
🌿 THE CANNA-SCIENCE ARCHIVE 🌿
🏥 Public Health & Bioassays 🏥
In Australia, the cannabis users mostly reported dual-use of medical & recreational use, with the most common reasons for medical use to be anxiety, pain, PTSD & depression
Self-reported reasons for medical and nonmedical cannabis use in Australia: A cross-sectional analysis of the International Cannabis Policy Study 2023
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871626001055
In Canadian data, the THC mental health warning label on products was remembered by its intended audience, but did not change their behavior
Chasing the High: Cannabis Mental Health Warning Label Recall is Associated with Greater, Not Lesser, High-Risk Use in a National Canadian Sample
https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/znrhe_v1
“Daily users who recalled the THC mental health warning reported greater harm and higher-risk use patterns than those who did not.”
For social determinants of health, frequent stress was associated with higher use of cannabis, alcohol & tobacco, while a recent medical check was associated lower odds of using those substances
Examining the relationship between social determinants of health with daily tobacco use, binge-drinking, and daily cannabis use
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0343677
In healthcare students at a Colombian university, attitudes towards medical cannabis were predominantly favorable & supportive of legalization, but most had low self-perceived knowledge & lacked awareness of legal regulations
Knowledge and attitudes toward medical cannabis among medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy students at a Colombian university: a cross-sectional study with multivariate analysis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42238-026-00423-x
🧒 Adolescents & Young Adults 🧒
For emotional regulation in young people, a review of 4 studies found cannabis use associated with greater emotional regulation difficulties
Emotion Regulation and Cannabis Use in Young People: A systematic Review
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/adolescent-medicine/articles/10.3389/fradm.2026.1766637/abstract
In college students, the heavier cannabis users were less likely to share their (hypothetical) cannabis than lighter users
Increasing cannabis use is associated with increased social discount rates and decreased self-reported social use in college students
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2027-46524-001
In adolescents with affective instability (intense & fluctuating emotions), they had a higher risk of developing psychosis, with cannabis mediating this risk
Affective Instability and Regular Cannabis Use During Adolescence and Subsequent Risk for Psychosis in Early Adulthood: A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402693926_Affective_Instability_and_Regular_Cannabis_Use_During_Adolescence_and_Subsequent_Risk_for_Psychosis_in_Early_Adulthood_A_Longitudinal_Birth_Cohort_Study
In an adolescent rat model of cannabinoid exposure, females had an earlier development of inhibitory interneurons in their prefrontal cortex than males, but in males, this persisted into adulthood, with adults having less disinhibition in their prefrontal cortex
Adolescent cannabinoid exposure delays development of prefrontal cortex perineuronal nets and inhibitory interneurons
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452226002204
In the highest areas of your brain, one of the most important functions is inhibiting (calming) neural signaling. Too much signaling can lead to things like schizophrenia. In these adolescent mice, exposure to strong cannabinoids led to later problems in the proper inhibition of brain signals in their prefrontal cortex. And as you often see, the males had greater problems from adolescent cannabinoid exposure.
🧠 The Brain & Neurological Disorders 🧠
In a mouse model of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder (a severe neurodevelopmental disorder), enhancing their levels of the endocannabinoid 2-AG by inhibition of the MAGL enzyme (which breaks down 2-AG) reduced some behaviors, modestly improved memory & activated neuroprotective pathways, but did not produce broad behavioral recovery
Endocannabinoid Enhancement via MAGL Inhibition in CDKL5 Deficiency: Selective Cellular Benefits and Domain-Specific Functional Effects in Adult Cdkl5 KO Mice
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/6/2773
💭 Mental Health, Addiction & Cannabis Use Disorder 💭
In people with anxiety, their negative affect decreased when using cannabis & this was moderated by vigorous physical activity
Physical Activity Level Moderates Cannabis-Associated Reductions in Negative Affect in Anxious Individuals
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014929182600041X
In people co-using tobacco & cannabis, sequential co-use was associated with greater consumption of both substances
Examining in the moment patterns of tobacco and cannabis co-use prior to a tobacco quit attempt
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460326000882
In this case report of someone with alcohol & cannabis use disorder, relationally organized motivation (in this case, taking care of his widowed mother) caused a reduction in drinking & cannabis use
Relationally anchored motivation in alcohol and cannabis use disorder: a clinical case analysis
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14659891.2026.2647912
In a mouse model of addiction, a synthetic cannabinoid caused increased levels in the hippocampus (a memory center of the brain) of tryptophan, kynurenine & kynurenic acid (which downregulated levels of the CB1 receptor)
The role of the kynurenine pathway in conditioned place aversion induced by synthetic cannabinoid CP-55940
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12993-026-00327-z
🦴 Pain, Musculoskeletal, Inflammation & Surgeries 🦴
For PEA in skeletal muscle repair from downhill running, this thesis project found that PEA was associated with an early reduction in muscle pain perception, but not muscle function
A Translational Investigation into Palmitoylethanolamide in Skeletal Muscle Repair
https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28221/
For hemp flower & leaf extracts, an analysis of their antioxidant activities
Antioxidant Capacity of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Leaves and Inflorescences
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/16/6/2957
🍽️ The Guts, Nutrition & the Microbiome 🍽️
In metabolic measurements of healthy adults, activating the cannabinoid receptors did not alter insulin secretion but did modulate insulin sensitivity as well as the levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide
Acute metabolic effects of cannabinoid receptor modulators during sequential hyperglycemic, euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps in healthy individuals
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/ajpendo.00391.2025
🖐️ The Skin & Topicals 🖐️
In a skin tissue model of UV radiation exposure, CBG protected from oxidative changes & lipid breakdown
Cannabigerol Reduces Lipid Peroxidation Influencing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Signaling Pathways in Melanocytes Exposed to UVA Radiation
https://www.imrpress.com/journal/FBL/31/3/10.31083/FBL47793
🎗️ Cancer & Chemotherapy 🎗️
For CBD against metastasis (the spreading of tumor cells), this review covered the signaling pathways
Cannabidiol (CBD) as an Anti-Metastatic Agent: Evidence-Based Summary of CBD Effects on Metastatic Steps
https://accesson.kr/skmj/assets/pdf/58279/journal-13-1-45.pdf
In triple-negative breast cancer cells, CBC had the greatest anticancer effects & synergized with the terpene beta-caryophyllene
Synergistic Anticancer Activity of Cannabinoids and Terpenes Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Resistance
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/6/2730
In pancreatic cancer cells, CBG caused apoptosis (programmed cellular suicide) & ferroptosis (a newly discovered type of cell death mediated by iron) via stress to the endoplasmic reticulum (protein processing center)
Cannabigerol Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Apoptosis and Ferroptosis via the IRE1α-XBP1 Axis in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089158492600242X
In glioblastoma cells (the most aggressive brain cancer), activating the CB1 receptor induced pathways of ferroptosis (a newly discovered type of cell death mediated by iron) via increased oxidative stress
The iron fist of nature: Cannabinoid derivatives alter iron homeostasis and activate ferroptotic pathways in glioblastoma cells
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022356526005185
🔬 Biochemical Discoveries & Research Tools 🔬
For the minor cannabinoid cannabioxepane, on a novel synthesis method
Improved Total Synthesis of Cannabioxepane, a Minor Phytocannabinoid from Cannabis sativa L
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.orglett.6c00468
On developing a CB2 receptor toggle switch based on the synthetic cannabinoid HU-308
Single-position ligand modifications tune CB2R activity by targeting the toggle switch
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2026/sc/d6sc00062b
Thanks.
- lex
PS: For this week’s pioneer of blues guitar, Memphis Minnie & her 1929 album ‘Queen Of The Blues’. Born in Mississippi (probably - though she claimed New Orleans), Lizzie Douglas was the oldest of 13 children. At 8 years old, she received her first guitar as a Christmas present & by the age of 11, she was playing that & the banjo at parties. At the age of 13, she ran away from home to live on Beale Street, playing on street corners & returning to her family’s farm whenever she ran out of money. In 1916, the Ringling Brothers Circus picked her up & she toured with them for 4 years. When she returned to Beale Street, she found a thriving blue scene where she made her living by playing guitar & doing sex work. In 1929, she was performing with her 2nd husband Kansas Joe McCoy when a talent scout from Columbia found them playing for quarters on a street corner & took them to New York City to record, where they were given the names Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie. Her first hit was the song “Bumble Bee”. She recorded with Kansas Joe for the next few years until their divorce in 1935.
As she struck out on her own, she combined that Mississippi Delta mixture of dance rhythms, melodic phrasing & storytelling, helping to shape the style of blues. On stage, she was assertive & confident, establishing herself as a role model for the generations of bad ass female blues artists to come (according to the blues musician Johnny Shines, “Any men fool with her she’d go for them right away. She didn’t take no foolishness off them. Guitar, pocket knife, pistol, anything she get her hand on she’d use it”). And she was well respected by her male peers. In a cutting contest (music battle) with Big Bill Broozny, he remembered her beating him with her songs & winning the prize of a bottle of whiskey & a bottle of gin, later saying she could “pick a guitar and sing as good as any man I’ve ever heard”. By 1941, she had started playing electric guitar & was recording for blues labels around Chicago. She recorded over 200 songs through the early 1950s before musical taste began to change & her health began to decline. When Social Security couldn’t cover her bills, people sent in donations. When she passed away in 1973 at the age of 76, Bonnie Raitt paid for her headstone, the inscription reading, “The hundreds of sides Minnie recorded are the perfect material to teach us about the blues. For the blues are at once general, and particular, speaking for millions, but in a highly singular, individual voice. Listening to Minnie’s songs, we hear her fantasies, her dreams, her desires, but we will hear them as if they were our own”.
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.
Really appreciate the way this edition brings together emerging science and real‑world context around CBD and seizures alongside other aspects of cannabis use. The section on CBD helping reduce seizures in drug‑resistant epilepsy highlights an area where research and patient experience have both pointed toward meaningful benefits — and it’s great to see that reflected in a science‑forward way rather than hype.