Cannabis News and Research

Latest Cannabis News and Research

MGH researchers identify risk factors for drug overdose in youth with substance use disorders

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has identified factors that may increase the risk of drug overdose in adolescents and young adults. In their report published online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the researchers describe finding that more than a quarter of those seeking treatment at Addiction Recovery Management Service, an MGH-based outpatient substance-use-disorder treatment program for youth ages 14 to 26, had a history of at least one overdose.

24 Apr 2018

Studies show hemp's potential for treating ovarian cancer

Results from some of the first studies to examine hemp's ability to fight cancer show that it might one day be useful as plant-based treatment for ovarian cancer. Hemp is part of the same cannabis family as marijuana but doesn't have any psychoactive properties or cause addiction.

24 Apr 2018

Prenatal marijuana use linked to increased chance of low birth weights

With marijuana use during pregnancy on the rise, a new study led by the Colorado School of Public Health shows that prenatal cannabis use was associated with a 50 percent increased likelihood of low birth weight, setting the stage for serious future health problems including infection and time spent in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

23 Apr 2018

Study provides guidance on using cannabis for treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression

In a first-of-a-kind study, Washington State University scientists examined how peoples' self-reported levels of stress, anxiety and depression were affected by smoking different strains and quantities of cannabis at home.

20 Apr 2018

FDA approves marijuana based medication for epilepsy treatment

An advisory panel from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended the approval of a novel epilepsy drug that is made up of ingredients from marijuana. The agency normally follows the recommendations of the advisory panels regarding approvals and rejections of applications of new drugs. The recommendation statement came yesterday (19th April 2018).

19 Apr 2018

Health Canada grants cannabis cultivation license to High Park Farms

High Park Farms, an affiliate of High Park Company ("High Park"), announced today that it has received a federal license from Health Canada to cultivate cannabis under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR).

19 Apr 2018

Frequent cannabis use by young people linked to small reductions in cognitive function

Frequent cannabis use by adolescents and young adults was associated with small reductions in cognitive function that appeared to diminish with abstinence over time.

18 Apr 2018

People who use medical marijuana have higher rates of prescription drug use, study finds

Can medical marijuana help to fight the opioid epidemic? Many believe that it can. But a new study finds that people who use medical marijuana actually have higher rates of medical and non-medical prescription drug use--including pain relievers.

18 Apr 2018

AASM position statement: Medical cannabis not be used for treatment of sleep apnea

Medical cannabis and synthetic marijuana extracts should not be used for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, according to a position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

16 Apr 2018

Cannabis use linked to increased initiation of cigarette smoking among non-smokers

While cigarette smoking has long been on the decline, marijuana use is on the rise and, disproportionately, marijuana users also smoke cigarettes. A new study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the City University of New York reports that cannabis use was associated with an increased initiation of cigarette smoking among non-cigarette smokers.

27 Mar 2018

Non-psychoactive cannabis ingredient could reduce risk of relapse among recovering addicts

A preclinical study in rats has shown that there might be value in using a non-psychoactive and non-addictive ingredient of the Cannabis sativa plant to reduce the risk of relapse among recovering drug and alcohol addicts.

23 Mar 2018

Pittcon 2018 ends in Orlando with $23 million economic impact

Pittcon 2018, the 69th Conference and Exposition for Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, ended on March 1, in Orlando, Florida with an economic impact to the city estimated at $23 million. This global event brought together approximately 11,415 conferees and exhibitor personnel (official numbers to be released at the end of March).

From Pittcon 23 Mar 2018

Are there risks from secondhand marijuana smoke? Early science says yes.

The inspiration arrived in a haze at a Paul McCartney concert a few years ago in San Francisco. “People in front of me started lighting up and then other people started lighting up,” said Matthew Springer, a biologist and professor in the division of cardiology at the University of California-San Francisco. “And for a few naive split seconds I was thinking to myself, ‘Hey, they can’t smoke in AT&T Park! I’m sure that’s not allowed.’ And then I realized that it was all marijuana.”

21 Mar 2018

Special issue aims to bring medical cannabis into mainstream medicine

Medicinal cannabis is safe and effective in pain relief, and researchers are calling for the treatment to be properly established in our modern medical arsenal.

15 Mar 2018

New study shows connection between coffee and cannabis

It's well known that a morning cup of joe jolts you awake. But scientists have discovered coffee affects your metabolism in dozens of other ways, including your metabolism of steroids and the neurotransmitters typically linked to cannabis, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine.

15 Mar 2018

Heavy smoking linked to higher risk of psychoses

Smoking at least ten cigarettes a day is linked to a higher risk of psychoses compared to non-smoking young people. The risk is also raised if the smoking starts before the age of 13. This has been shown in a study led by Academy Research Fellow, Professor Jouko Miettunen. The results were recently published in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica.

12 Mar 2018

Cannabis use triggers schizophrenia and other psychiatric issues

Schizophrenia and other psychiatric issues may be triggered by marijuana use, according to a research analysis in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

12 Feb 2018

Cannabis Quality and Contamination Testing

Dr. Bob Clifford has published and presented over 125 papers in the fields of food, pharmaceutical, environmental, energy, geology, material science, photonics, and cannabis. However, his true love is in food. After graduating with his Ph.D., he left his job with the FDA for Shimadzu where he has worked for the last 26 years.

From Pittcon 5 Feb 2018

As marijuana laws relax, doctors say pregnant women shouldn’t partake

Two-year-old Maverick Hawkins sits on a red, plastic car in his grandmother’s living room in the picturesque town of Nevada City, Calif., in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. His playpal Delilah Smith, a fellow 2-year-old, snacks on hummus and cashews and delights over the sounds of her Princess Peppa Pig stuffie.

31 Jan 2018

CMSC's educational conference provides up-to-date information on multiple sclerosis

The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), the leading member-driven North American organization dedicated to improving and advancing the standards of healthcare and clinical research for those living with MS, announces that registration is open for its 32nd Annual Meeting.

25 Jan 2018