Sep 18 2024

Study: Medical Marijuana Legalization Linked to Lower Health Insurance Premiums

A new study published in the journal Applied Health Economics and Health Policy reveals that companies in states with medical cannabis laws are seeing significant savings in employer-sponsored health insurance premiums.

The research, conducted by Leafwell, highlights the economic benefits of medical cannabis for businesses, potentially offering a new incentive for more states to adopt such laws.

According to the study, companies in states with medical cannabis laws pay 3.4% less in premiums for individual coverage plans compared to states without such laws. This translates to an average savings of $238 per employee annually. For employee-plus-one coverage plans, businesses see a 2.9% reduction in premium costs, saving approximately $348 per employee each year.
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Sep 18 2024

Athletes for Care Endorses Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana in Florida

Athletes for Care, a nonprofit dedicated to the health and well-being of athletes, has endorsed Florida’s recreational marijuana ballot initiative.

Athletes for Care logo.

“Cannabis has a long history in sports to help center athletes and aid them in recovery following both short- and long-term injuries,” said Clint Johnson, Executive Director of Athletes for Care, in a press release. “Our goal is to ensure that individuals of all backgrounds can enjoy access to safe, tested outlets to deal with the effects sports have on their bodies.”

Johnson says “Marijuana is an important tool to do so, and as it becomes more common across the country, it’s only right that Florida passes Amendment 3 and joins the growing list of states who enjoy the same freedom.”
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Sep 18 2024

Study: Year-Long Medical Marijuana Use Shows No Negative Impact on Brain Function

According to a study published recently in JAMA Network Open, there was no significant impact on brain activation in individuals using medical marijuana over the course of a year.

Titled Year-Long Cannabis Use for Medical Symptoms and Brain Activation During Cognitive Processes and conducted by researchers from Universitas Mercatorum, University of Foggia, University of Bari, and The Allergist in Italy, along with researchers from Asnières-sur-Seine in France, the study explores the cognitive effects of long-term medical cannabis use.

The objective of the study was to assess whether one year of cannabis use for conditions like anxiety, depression, pain, or insomnia would influence brain activity during tasks related to working memory, reward, and inhibitory control—cognitive processes known to be affected by cannabis. The study focused on individuals who obtained medical cannabis cards and were monitored for brain activation before and after a year of use.
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Sep 18 2024

Study Finds “Psilocybin May Offer a Potential Avenue for Combating Tobacco Use Disorder”

A new study published in the peer reviewed journal Discover Mental Health highlights the potential of psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, as a treatment option for tobacco use disorder.

Conducted by a team of researchers from Hanze University of Applied Sciences, the University Medical Center Groningen, the University of Groningen, and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, all in the Netherlands, the systematic review explores emerging research in this area.

“Despite considerable efforts, tobacco use disorder persists as a significant public health issue”, notes the study’s abstract. “The effectiveness of current smoking cessation therapies is limited, leading to a growing interest in alternative treatment approaches such as psychedelics.”
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Sep 18 2024

Vermont Recorded Over $12 Million in Legal Marijuana Sales in July, a New Monthly Record

For the first time in state history, legal marijuana sales in Vermont surpassed $12 million in a single month.

According to the Vermont Department of Taxes, licensed dispensaries and retail outlets sold $12.27 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products in July, up from $11.14 million in June.

July’s sales generated $1.72 million in tax revenue.
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Sep 18 2024

U.S. Senate Committee Passes DOOBIE Act to Prevent Denial of Jobs and Security Clearances Over Marijuana Use

Today, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee gave approval to the DOOBIE Act, which would “limit the consideration of marijuana use when making an employment suitability or security clearance determination”.

The DOOBIE Act was filed in July by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment (DOOBIE) Act (Senate Bill 4711), which would “ensure applicants for federal positions or security clearances are not being denied solely on the basis of past recreational and medical marijuana use”, was passed by a vote of 9 to 5.

Under current law, qualified candidates may be denied federal employment or security clearances due to past use of marijuana or cannabis products, despite legalization of these products at the state level throughout the nation. While federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), have issued guidance stating that past marijuana use alone should not disqualify candidates, many potential applicants remain hesitant to pursue federal positions due to a fear of automatic disqualification.
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Sep 17 2024

Missouri Recalls 23,000 Marijuana Products, Bringing Total to Over 150,000 Since August

Missouri cannabis regulators have recalled over 23,000 marijuana products due to improper testing by ClearWater Science, a lab based in Fulton.

(Photo credit: KTTN Radio).

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) stated that the products were not tested in compliance with state standards, making it impossible to confirm if they meet health and safety requirements.

Although no reports of adverse reactions have been received, the DCR advises anyone who experiences possible side effects to seek medical attention. Patients and consumers are urged to stop using the recalled products and either dispose of them or return them to the dispensary where they were purchased.
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Sep 17 2024

Aurora Cannabis Reveals Auto-Flowering Insights, Calling Them a “Gamechanger” for Higher Yields

Aurora Cannabis Inc., a Canadian based global medical cannabis company, is pioneering ground-breaking research in auto-flowering technology.

Auto-flowering is a genetic characteristic that automatically transitions the plant from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage rather than relying on changes in light cycles.

The new research provides foundational insight on flowering mechanism in cannabis, which will support future breeding strategies, and can be leveraged to revolutionize outdoor cannabis cultivation in high-latitude regions, such as Canada, according to a press release sent today.
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Sep 17 2024

DEA Quietly Endorses New Two-Part Test for Drug Rescheduling

The DEA has officially recognized a new two-part test for determining whether a substance has an accepted medical use, which was used to determine whether marijuana should be rescheduled.

This acknowledgment was quietly included in a footnote within a recent notice about the scheduling of two synthetic opioids under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

In past scheduling rulings, the government followed a five-part test to evaluate whether a substance met this definition, considering factors such as its chemical composition, health data, and other relevant information. However, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently adopted a more streamlined two-part test while reviewing the proposed rescheduling of marijuana, concluding that cannabis fits under Schedule III.
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Sep 17 2024

Study: Medical Marijuana Leads to “Rapid and Significant Improvements” in Health-Related Quality of Life

A new study of hundreds of people using medical marijuana reported “rapid and significant improvements” in health-related quality of life over the first three months, according to new research led by Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).

The study, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, followed nearly 400 adults who were new to using medical marijuana to treat any of the more than 20 qualifying conditions in Pennsylvania. Study participants, with an average age of about 46 years old, were most commonly prescribed medical marijuana to treat anxiety disorders or “severe chronic or intractable pain.” From baseline, respondents improved in all areas of health-related quality of life that researchers evaluated, including less pain, more energy, and better emotional, social, and physical functioning.

“Little is known about what happens to individuals who use cannabis products for medicinal purposes in regard to functioning and health,” said lead author Michelle R. Lent, PhD, a professor in PCOM’s School of Professional and Applied Psychology and director of psychosocial research in the PCOM Medical Marijuana Research Program, in a press release. “This study, one of the largest to date, captured how their lives and health status changed after using these products. In the era of precision medicine, understanding which type of patient may benefit from which type of therapy is of high importance.”
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