Cannabis News and Research

Latest Cannabis News and Research

Legalizing marijuana in Canada will jeopardize health of young people

The federal government's bill C-45 to legalize marijuana in Canada will jeopardize the health of young people and Parliament should vote against it, argues the interim editor-in-chief of CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) in an editorial http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.170555.

29 May 2017

Psychiatrist explains dangerous effects of cocaine addiction

Last year, almost a million in the UK people snorted, dabbed, smoked or injected cocaine, making it the second most popular drug in the country, after cannabis.

29 May 2017

Frequent recreational cannabis use linked to increased risk of gum disease

Columbia University dental researchers have found that frequent recreational use of cannabis--including marijuana, hashish, and hash oil--increases the risk of gum disease.

24 May 2017

Stress management may be promising strategy to treat abdominal pain in IBD patients

When researchers analyzed published studies on how to treat recurrent abdominal pain among patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, stress management appeared to be a promising strategy.

9 May 2017

Gestational exposure to marijuana smoke may have lasting effects on the retina

Scientists have shown for the first time that gestational exposure to marijuana smoke in animals affects the development of the eye and these alterations seem to progress with age.

8 May 2017

Study finds increase in illicit cannabis use and disorders after states passed medical marijuana laws

Illicit cannabis use and cannabis use disorders increased at a greater rate in states that passed medical marijuana laws than in other states, according to new research at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Medical Center.

27 Apr 2017

New study points to cannabis as trigger for schizophrenia

Scientists believe that schizophrenia, a disorder caused by an imbalance in the brain's chemical reactions, is triggered by a genetic interaction with environmental factors. A new Tel Aviv University study published in Human Molecular Genetics now points to cannabis as a trigger for schizophrenia.

26 Apr 2017

Scientists find that increased risk of psychosis from cannabis use is relatively low

The research, published in the journal, Addiction, also showed for the first time that there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that for patients who already have schizophrenia, cannabis makes their symptoms worse.

20 Apr 2017

Cannabidiol shows promise to reduce seizures for people with difficult-to-treat epilepsy

Taking cannabidiol may cut seizures in half for some children and adults with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), a severe form of epilepsy, according to new information released today from a large scale controlled clinical study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 69th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 22 to 28, 2017.

19 Apr 2017

Pharmaceuticals containing cannabinoids may be effective against skin diseases, say researchers

Cannabinoids contain anti-inflammatory properties that could make them useful in the treatment of a wide-range of skin diseases, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

18 Apr 2017

Study may provide insight into how R-LA promotes death of hepatoma cells

A new study that measured metabolite levels over time in starved rat liver cancer cells showed that treatment with a form of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) inhibited glucose uptake and glycolysis, and led to decreased cellular glucose production from non-carbohydrate sources, which may help explain how the naturally occurring R enantiomeric form of LA (R-LA) promotes the death of hepatoma cells.

12 Apr 2017

Hebrew University announces launch of new Center for conducting research on cannabinoids

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has announced the launch of a Multidisciplinary Center on Cannabinoid Research.

5 Apr 2017

Cannabis use may impact treatment in women undergoing addiction therapy, study suggests

A new study suggests that the use of cannabis may impact treatment in women undergoing methadone treatment therapy.

30 Mar 2017

Endocannabinoid system stimulation may be potential approach to treatment of epilepsy, study shows

In a study published in Brain Research, biophysicists from the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and MIPT have shown that drug-induced activation of the endocannabinoid system of the brain leads to reduced or completely suppressed epileptic activity in test animals.

29 Mar 2017

New study identifies early vulnerability brain marker for psychosis

A new study has identified an early vulnerability brain marker for psychosis. A research team led by University of Montreal and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center shows that an exaggerated emotional response from the brain to non-threatening and non-emotional cues predicts the emergence of the first signs of psychotic symptoms in late adolescence.

29 Mar 2017

Early use of marijuana can impact physical and mental health

With new legislation imminent in Canada, marijuana is a hot topic these days. Those who smoke it may be cheering. Those who've never tried it may be thinking, why not? And those looking to make a business out of it are grappling with how to navigate a challenging product.

28 Mar 2017

Depression, alcohol and marijuana use may increase risk of using synthetic cannabinoids later

In the first prospective study of synthetic cannabinoids or SCs - the group of chemicals that mimic the effects of marijuana - researchers have found that symptoms of depression, drinking alcohol, or using marijuana was linked to an increased risk of SC use one year later.

13 Mar 2017

Australian survey reveals cannabis use in people with epilepsy to manage seizures

People with epilepsy resort to cannabis products when antiepileptic drug side-effects are intolerable and epilepsy uncontrolled.

9 Mar 2017

Pittcon 2017: reflections from the floor

Pittcon 2017 commenced with a fascinating talk by world-renowned optogenetics expert Dr. Karl Deisseroth, D.H. Chen Professor of Bioengineering, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University and Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

From Pittcon 9 Mar 2017

Component of cannabis may help alleviate anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders

Cannabidiol, a major component of cannabis or marijuana, appears to have effects on emotion and emotional memory, which could be helpful for treating anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders.

8 Mar 2017