Cannabis News and Research

Latest Cannabis News and Research

Adults who use marijuana more likely to develop alcohol use disorder

Adults who use marijuana are five times more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD) --alcohol abuse or dependence-- compared with adults who do not use the drug. And adults who already have an alcohol use disorder and use marijuana are more likely to see the problem persist.

18 Feb 2016

AKT1 gene moderates mind-altering effects of smoking cannabis in young people

Researchers at the University of Exeter and UCL (University College London) have identified a gene which can be used to predict how susceptible a young person is to the mind-altering effects of smoking cannabis. The finding could help identify otherwise healthy users who are most at risk of developing psychosis.

17 Feb 2016

GWAS can help pinpoint genetic variants that predict lifestyle risks for diseases

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) scan the entire genome in order to pinpoint genetic variants associated with a particular disease. The technique is employed to identify biological pathways - the series of actions and changes that have occurred in cells and genetic material - that can be linked to the causation of a disease.

15 Feb 2016

Starting marijuana at younger age may hinder brain development

The age at which an adolescent begins using marijuana may affect typical brain development, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas. In a paper recently published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, scientists describe how marijuana use, and the age at which use is initiated, may adversely alter brain structures that underlie higher order thinking.

11 Feb 2016

Medical marijuana offers hope for kids with uncontrolled seizures

Desperate for relief, parents are taking unusual steps to help children plagued with seizures. The relief, however, comes in a most unlikely form: marijuana.

9 Feb 2016

Frequent traumatic experiences throughout infancy increase risk of psychosis during adulthood

A research carried out with participation of the University of Granada proves that suffering repeated traumatic experiences throughout infancy and adolescence multiplies by 7 the risk of suffering psychosis during adulthood.

1 Feb 2016

Topiramate drug curbs marijuana use among young smokers, but with serious side effects

Combining the drug topiramate with psychological counseling curbed marijuana use among young smokers significantly more than did counseling alone, according to newly published results of a small randomized, controlled trial at Brown University. The results come with a caveat, however: many study volunteers couldn't tolerate the medicine's side effects.

18 Jan 2016

Sage Analytics establishes distribution network in South America

Sage Analytics, the developers of portable, laboratory-quality cannabis potency measurement systems, announced it established a distribution network in South America, anchored by Senses Biotech in Uruguay.

11 Jan 2016

Early promise for cannabis extract treatment in epilepsy

A preliminary, open-label study suggests that cannabidiol may be a useful adjunctive treatment in adults and children with intractable epilepsy.

7 Jan 2016

Purified cannabinoid reduces seizures in children and young adults with treatment-resistant epilepsy

Children and young adults with severe forms of epilepsy that does not respond to standard antiepileptic drugs have fewer seizures when treated with purified cannabinoid, according to a multi-center study led by researchers from UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco.

6 Jan 2016

Recreational drug and alcohol use can increase risk of poisoning-related hospital admissions

Poisonings from recreational drug and alcohol use account for 9 percent of all poisoning-related hospital admissions, says a new University of Sydney study revealing that males and people under 30 are at greatest risk.

17 Dec 2015

Report shows relationship between sensation seeking, reward sensitivity and cannabis use

Sensation seeking is a personality trait that describes a person's tendency to seek out novel and exciting experiences, and a high level of sensation seeking has been implicated as a risk factor for addiction.

11 Dec 2015

CannaScore selected for prestigious Cannabist Award in the category of Technology

CannaScore, the developers of the world's first real-time regulatory compliance and auditing software for the marijuana industry, announced that its has been nominated for a prestigious Cannabist Award in the category of "Technology."

10 Dec 2015

CAMH survey finds risky drinking behaviour among Ontario students

Alcohol remains the most popular drug of choice for Ontario students in grades 7 through 12, with 29 percent of 12th graders engaging in hazardous drinking, according to the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

10 Dec 2015

New study reveals effect of cannabis potency on brain structure

Smoking high potency 'skunk-like' cannabis can damage a crucial part of the brain responsible for communication between the two brain hemispheres, according to a new study by scientists from King's College London and Sapienza University of Rome.

27 Nov 2015

For people with epilepsy, the mental health treatments are not clearly understood

Mental health issues such as depression or anxiety are often neglected or misunderstood in people who also have co-morbidity with epilepsy.

18 Nov 2015

Women need different treatment from men with addiction, says McMaster University-led study

Painkillers prescribed by doctors are the starting point for an opioid addiction for more than half of female methadone clinic patients, and they need different treatment from men with addiction, says a study led by McMaster University researchers.

10 Nov 2015

New review finds scant scientific evidence supporting use of cannabinoids in rheumatic diseases

Although there are anecdotal reports indicating that cannabinoids, especially marijuana (or herbal cannabis), may be of therapeutic benefit for some patients with rheumatic complaints, a new review published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology, finds scant scientific evidence supporting any use of cannabinoids in rheumatic diseases. Furthermore, not a single controlled study has examined herbal cannabis in the rheumatology patient population.

10 Nov 2015

MSU professor finds surprising results about drug use behaviors

Conducting an economic analysis of drug use is a particularly difficult endeavor, but for Michigan State University professor and economist Siddharth Chandra, it just meant taking a look at the history books.

6 Nov 2015

United Cannabis files utility and PCT patent applications related to unique specifications of cannabinoids

United Cannabis Corporation today announced that it moved its provisional patent application to the next phase by filing a utility patent application related to the unique combinations of pharmaceutically active cannabinoids used to treat disorders of the nervous system, immune system and cancer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

3 Nov 2015