Posts

Spiritual Benefit from Cannabis

Like many mind-altering plants, cannabis has been part of spiritual practices for thousands of years. It has deep roots in Hinduism, Islam, Rastafarianism, and indigenous traditions in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. Yet almost no attention has been given to how contemporary adults employ it spiritually. A sample of 1087 participants (mean age = 38.9) completed an online survey assessing their use of cannabis and other substances, as well as spiritual and psychological characteristics.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Cannabis: A Practical Approach for Clinicians

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two-weeks of nightly sublingual cannabinoid extract (ZTL-101) in treating chronic insomnia (symptoms ≥three months).

Cannabis, a Miracle Drug with Polyvalent Therapeutic Utility: Preclinical and Clinical-Based Evidence

Cannabis sativa L. is an annual herbaceous dioecious plant which was first cultivated by agricultural human societies in Asia. Over the period of time, various parts of the plant like leaf, flower, and seed were used for recreational as well as therapeutic purposes. The main chemical components of Cannabis sativa are termed as cannabinoids, among them the key psychoactive constituent is Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (CBD) as active nonpsychotic constituent. Upon doing extensive literature review, it was found that cannabis has been widely studied for a number of disorders. Very recently, a pure CBD formulation, named Epidiolex, got a green flag from both United States Food and Drug Administration and Drug Enforcement Administration for 2 rare types of epilepsies. This laid a milestone in medical cannabis research. This review intends to give a basic and extensive assessment, from past till present, of the ethnological, plant, chemical, pharmacological, and legal aspects of C. sativa.

Cannabis is associated with blood pressure reduction in older adults – A 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring study

Medical cannabis use is increasing rapidly in the past several years, with older adults being the fastest growing group. Nevertheless, the evidence for cardiovascular safety of cannabis use is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cannabis on blood pressure, heart rate, and metabolic parameters in older adults with hypertension.

Ingestion of a THC-Rich Cannabis Oil in People with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Authors Carolina Chaves, MD, Paulo Cesar T Bittencourt, MD, MSc, Andreia Pelegrini, PhD Published in Pain Medicine October 2020 Abstract Objective To determine the benefit of a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-rich cannabis…

A Comprehensive Review of Cannabis in Patients with Cancer: Availability in the USA, General Efficacy, and Safety

Dylan Zylla, MD and colleagues give an overview of cannabis treatments for cancer patients. They provide guidance to clinicians on how to have informed discussions regarding their care.

Oncology Clinicians and the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program: A Survey on Medical Cannabis Practice Patterns, Barriers to Enrollment, and Educational Needs

Authors: Dylan Zylla, Grant Steele , Justin Eklund, Jeanne Mettner, Tom Arneson Published in Cannabis and cannabinoid research October 2018 Abstract Background:Medical cannabis has been available in the State of…

Acute effects of naturalistic THC vs. CBD use on recognition memory: a preliminary study

Authors: Tim Curran , Hélène Devillez , Sophie L. York Williams and L. Cinnamon Bidwell Published in Journal of Cannabis Research  2020 Abstract The ratio of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol…

The practical knowledge, experience and beliefs of US emergency medicine physicians regarding medical Cannabis: A national survey

Author: Kevin M Takakuwa, Frances S Shofer, Raquel M Schears Published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine  January 2020 Introduction Medical cannabis is legal in 33 US states [ 1…

Assessment of the Association of Cannabis on Female Sexual Function With the Female Sexual Function Index

Author: Alex M. Kasman, MD, MS, Hriday P. Bhambhvani, BS, Genester Wilson-King, MD, and Michael L. Eisenberg, MD Published in Science Direct  July 2020 Abstract Introduction: Cannabis use has increased…