Study Finds Medicinal Cannabis May Not Impair Driving Skills in Regular Users
Recent research published in the Journal of Safety Research shows that regular use of prescribed cannabis in medical cannabis patients does not significantly impair driving ability after use.
Australian researchers tested 38 medical cannabis users to determine the impact of vaporized cannabis on their driving abilities. Volunteers completed video-based hazard perception and risk-taking behavior simulations prior to and after consuming their prescribed cannabis.
“After vaporizing one dose of their prescribed cannabis flower, participants exhibited no significant changes in performance on any of the video-based tasks compared to baseline,” the researchers explained.
Contrary to expectations, objective performance remained unchanged, but the subjects believed their ability had declined. After cannabis consumption, they rated their hazard perception and traffic conflict anticipation ability as significantly lower than baseline.
The study’s lead author, Carla Schiemer, added that tolerance was likely to have been a key factor in the findings. Participants had a mean of 23 years of cannabis use history and typically consumed their drug five times a day.
“Frequent and persistent use of cannabis has been shown to lead to a reduction of the common neurocognitive effects, mitigating negative effects associated with THC,” the article states.
The researchers also hypothesized that symptom relief provided by cannabis would counteract any impairment, particularly in patients who are taking it for conditions like chronic pain or anxiety.
The research was limited because there was no placebo control and 70% of the subjects were positive for THC at baseline.
Source: ScienceDirect
Switzerland: Europe’s First Fully Legal Adult-Use Cannabis Market?
Switzerland may be the first European country to fully legalize adult-use cannabis by 2026. While some European nations have decriminalized or launched pilot programs, Switzerland’s new legislation aims at full legalization of cultivation, sale, and use.
A bill that has been endorsed by Switzerland’s Social Security and Health Committee would allow citizens to grow, purchase, and use cannabis legally.
The bill is founded on existing pilot schemes, in which regulated cannabis sales were tested in Basel, Zurich, and Geneva. There will be tight controls, including age limits, taxation, and quality control.
If Switzerland legalizes cannabis, it will open the door for other European countries to follow suit. With Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain also considering similar measures, Switzerland’s policy shift could lead the way to legalization on the continent.
Industry experts believe that this move has the capacity to create a successful legal industry, attracting businesses, investors, and tourists, like Canada and certain U.S. states. The impact of full legalization could change Europe’s cannabis industry for generations.
Source: CannabisHealthNews
THCV: The Weight Loss Cannabinoid?
Unlike THC, which is well documented to increase appetite (“munchies”), Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) was found to reduce appetite and enhance metabolic activity.
A recent clinical trial attempted weight loss and metabolic health with THCV-infused oral strips, and the outcome was remarkable.
Those patients who were administered greater doses of THCV than others lost significant amounts of weight in 90 days.
Waist and abdominal fat decreased, reducing the risk of obesity. Cholesterol and blood pressure levels were improved, reflecting cardiovascular advantages. Unlike traditional weight loss drugs, THCV did not cause severe side effects.
THCV also modulates the endocannabinoid system in a different way than THC, to control appetite and energy balance. It is active at the CB1 receptors, which are linked with metabolism, and reduces appetite and enhances fat oxidation.
With the worldwide obesity epidemic on the rise, THCV can potentially be a metabolic health and weight loss revolution.
More research, however, must be done before it can be made commercially available. THCV-rich products, based on this study, can soon be marketed as a natural weight loss drug alternative.
Source: NCBI
Unlocking the Potential of Medical Cannabis for Older Adults
With the aging population of the world, scientists are investigating alternative medications for prevalent age-related diseases.
One new multi-center study investigated the impact of medical cannabis on individuals aged 50 and above and identified considerable advantages. The study tracked 299 participants, the majority being women, with a mean age of 66.7 years, all of whom were consuming medical cannabis for different conditions, mostly chronic pain and arthritis.
By six months of cannabis use, the participants had reduced pain significantly, with most reducing or stopping opioids. They had also had improved sleep quality, which is essential to overall health, and improved quality of life, with fewer activity restrictions.
Surprisingly, nearly half of the patients decreased the use of other prescription medications, primarily opioids, benzodiazepines, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
No serious side effects were observed in the research, and so cannabis is a safe and effective method for elderly individuals who wish to be relieved of chronic pain.
This research contributes to mounting evidence that cannabis has a vital role in geriatric medicine as a natural remedy for pain, insomnia, and overall health conditions without the combative side effects of traditional medications.
More, though, needs to occur in the long term and through more precise regulations before cannabis is fully integrated into mainstream medicine.
Source: UCF.edu
Study Shows Cannabidiol’s Potential for Anti-Aging Skincare Products
A recent paper in Pharmaceuticals journal has presented positive evidence for cannabidiol (CBD) as a safe and effective substance to be included in cosmetics.
Researchers at Thailand’s Prince of Songkla University found that CBD at low concentrations not only was safe on skin cells but also showed exceptional anti-aging and wound healing activity.
The research group investigated the effect of CBD on human skin cells, keratinocytes and fibroblasts, employing short-term and long-term exposure experiments.
The results indicated that CBD exhibited high antioxidant activity through inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hydrogen peroxide-treated cells, thus safeguarding them against oxidative stress that causes skin aging.
Additionally, CBD reduced the percentage of senescent (aging) cells and accelerated wound healing by enhancing the rate of closure of artificially induced wounds in cell cultures. The compound also had a positive influence on gene expression that is involved in skin regeneration.
“Our study confirms that CBD possesses many potential attributes that can be utilized to formulate topical cosmetic products,” explained lead author Dr. Pasarat Khongkow.
The authors noted that the therapeutic action of CBD appears to be mediated by a number of mechanisms, including interaction with the skin’s endocannabinoid system and direct cellular action.
Source: MDPI
