Is Cannabis Associated With Pulmonary Disease And COVID-19

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June 25, 2022

Is Cannabis Associated With Pulmonary Disease And COVID-19

The study results found that cannabis can produce lung diseases with increasing years of use, and cause weakening in the immune system, leading to pneumonia.

A new study using data from 500 thousand participants is shedding light on the effects of smoking cannabis on the lungs of users.

In a new study released this week, researchers used data from UK Biobank (UKB) to evaluate the effect of cannabis on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection and to determine whether cannabis lung damage might facilitate COVID-19 infection in formerly regular users.

marijuana pipe — Photo by Sharon McCutcheon via Unsplash

The UKB study was a prospective observational study comprising about 500,000 men and women from across England, Wales and Scotland, between 2006 and 2010. Included in the study were all UKB subjects who had cannabis-use data, COVID-19 test data, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) data.

From March 16 to April 26, 2020, the electronic linkage between UKB records and National Health Service COVID-19 laboratory test results in England was made available.

The study results found that cannabis can produce lung diseases with increasing years of use, and cause weakening in the immune system, leading to pneumonia. In addition, researchers said that heavy use of cannabis can result in airway obstruction and worse COVID-19 outcomes.

“As soon as a tobacco smoker quits, his chances are diminished of getting cancer and other diseases. Our findings imply that cannabis may be similar. Fifteen years after quitting tobacco, the risk of coronary heart disease is close to that of a nonsmoker. Unlike the heart, the lung does not forget the insult from inhaled tobacco or cannabis, even many years later, but after quitting the lung damage may not further increase,” the researchers said.

In 2012, a study stated that occasional and low cumulative marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function. At the time, researchers concluded that cannabis use did not cause loss of air flow rate and lung volume.

However, the latest study concluded that cannabis use might reduce lung inflammation and inhibit viral replication in COVID-19 infections, leading to a better outcome.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Americans Spend Billions Of Dollars On This Useless Purchase

Maria Loreto

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June 24, 2022

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Americans Spend Billions Of Dollars On This Useless Purchase

A new study found that Americans spend $50 billion a year on a product that offers virtually no benefits.

Over the years, vitamins and dietary supplements have proved to be ineffective. Still, this hasn’t prevented hundreds of catchy companies to capitalize on this market. A new study shows that Americans don’t care or don’t know any better, with them spending billions of dollars on these items.

A new report shows that over half of Americans take dietary supplements, contributing to an industry that’s valued at $50 billion a year.

Study: The Most Harmful Drugs Are Legal — Photo by rawpixel.com

The US Preventative Services Task Force published in JAMA Network a report that analyzed 84 different studies on dietary supplements, concluding that there’s no evidence to support the claim that dietary supplements can prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer. They also published an article that expanded on these scientific results.

“Unfortunately, based on the existing evidence, the Task Force cannot recommend for or against the use of most vitamins and minerals and is calling for more research,” said the USPSTF’s interim officer John Wong.

The results make it clear that dietary supplements offer virtually no effects for people who aren’t pregnant and who have no nutritional deficiencies.

The article that accompanied the results argues that the problem with these supplements is that they give people a false sense of security, taking their money while claiming to protect them from diseases when science has made it clear that these effects are not real. These products give people an out for following healthy diets and suggest that a pill can provide the same benefits of eating fruits and veggies and working out regularly.

“The USPSTF concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the use of multivitamin supplements, single supplements, or most paired supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer (I statement),” write the study’s authors.

Researchers concluded their study by relying on some well-worn advice. It’s important for people to eat healthily and to practice a healthy lifestyle, including plenty of physical activity. Dietary supplements are an expense and a distraction from maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Senate Rejects SAFE Act For The Sixth Time

Benzinga Staff Writer

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June 24, 2022

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Senate Rejects SAFE Act For The Sixth Time

“The Senate continues to ignore the public safety risk of forcing cannabis businesses to deal in all cash,” said Ed Perlmutter, (D-CO), who sponsored the legislation.

By Nina Zdinjak

Marijuana banking legislation will not be included in the final version of the United States Innovation and Competition Act (a/k/a The America COMPETES Act), bipartisan congressional members concluded, Punchbowl News first reported on Thursday.

Even though the U.S. House of Representatives formally attached the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act as an amendment to large-scale legislation dealing with innovation and manufacturing in February, the Senate’s final version of the legislation did not include that provision.

marijuana money — Photo by Yarygin/Getty Images

Many industry experts believed that SAFE Banking Act, which aims to protect financial institutions that wish to provide their services to state-legal marijuana businesses, had a better chance of passing the Senate than the MORE Act, which would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances list and allow states to legalize its production and sale free from federal interference. The Senate, however turned the measure down for the sixth time.

Previously, the House advanced the cannabis banking measure some six times, either as an amendment or as a stand-alone piece of legislation. The last time the legislation advanced to the Senate as a stand-alone measure was in April 2021 in a 321-101 vote.

The House approved the language of the SAFE Banking Act for the first time as a standalone cannabis policy reform bill in 2019, only to get two more approvals as part of pandemic relief packages. The bill was rejected by the Senate.

Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) who sponsored the legislation commented on the latest exclusion of the amendment. “The Senate continues to ignore the public safety risk of forcing cannabis businesses to deal in all cash,” he told Marijuana Moment. “In the wake of the Senate’s inaction, people continue to be killed, businesses continue to be robbed, and employees and business owners in the cannabis industry continue to be excluded from the financial system.”

How Cannabis Banking Bill Fares In Senate Will Dictate Future Of National Marijuana Reform — Photo by krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images

Perlmutter added, “I will continue to push for SAFE Banking to be included in COMPETES, other legislative vehicles, or for the Senate to finally take up the standalone version of the bill which has been sitting in the Senate for three and a half years.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Teens Are Getting Sick From High THC Marijuana Products

Maria Loreto

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June 24, 2022

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A new article claims higher levels of THC are affecting the health of teens.

Marijuana products can have THC levels of up to 100%. This is a relatively new development, with marijuana growers and handlers learning how to cultivate stronger products in recent years.

According to The New York Times, these high levels of THC are affecting teens, increasing their odds of dependency and even resulting in conditions like cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.

Teen Marijuana Use Drops Dramatically In This State — Photo by Tim Mossholder via Unsplash

The article interviews several experts, teens and their parents and paints a picture of some of the marijuana products that are in circulation today, claiming that these are stronger than in years past and that they can affect consumers in adverse ways.

Elysse, one of the teenagers interviewed, shared that marijuana made her feel euphoric and happy. The oils and waxes she purchased had THC levels of up to 90%, which she consumed several times a day. After a few months of regular use, her positive highs morphed into sad and anxiety-inducing experiences, including one instance where she vomited more than 20 times within the span of two hours. She was diagnosed with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a rare side effect of cannabis.

While there’s a lot we don’t know about marijuana, it’s clear that the drug has great medicinal capabilities. In terms of its side effects, they’re not wholly understood but cannabis has been linked with conditions like cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, cannabis addiction, mental health conditions, and more. These issues are more concerning in the case of teens, with the overuse of the drug affecting their brains in ways that may impact them for the rest of their lives.

More and more states are legalizing cannabis, but since the drug remains illegal on a federal level every state moves at its own pace. Currently, recreational marijuana is legal in 19 states, Washington DC and Guam. Only Vermont and Connecticut have caps on THC concentrations.

Still, banning the amount of THC in cannabis products may not be the answer. Marijuana supporters are interested in keeping the drug away from teens and claim the best way to do this is to implement legal marijuana markets, replacing the black market for an industry that is regularly tested and operates under certain rules and regulations.

What A National Medical Marijuana Registry Could Mean For Those On The List

Medical Marijuana

Tom Gaffey

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June 24, 2022

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What A National Medical Marijuana Registry Could Mean For Those On The List

This large registry can provide information about how well medical marijuana works for all sorts of conditions, and also track trends and usage.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has applied to create a national database of medical marijuana users in order to understand more about marijuana and how it is used to treat medical conditions in America. This would be the most broad registry of its kind, and could help generate significant new data on the subject.

It is only natural, however, that a medical marijuana patient may see this new registry and feel a bit uneasy. Sure, many states with medical marijuana programs have their own registry, but there has never been a registry pool with such a variety of potential uses in existence like the one NIDA plans to create. This begs the question: If you currently use medical marijuana, what does this mean for your future?

This database could cover a broad range of medical cannabis users, but individuals have no need to worry about their medical privacy in this matter. For one, this database involves an application process and is voluntary. According to NIDA’s request for application (RFA), it “seeks applications to develop and maintain a medicinal cannabis use registry to assess the medical conditions reported as reasons for using medicinal cannabis, how and what products are being used, and the associated medical outcomes.”

Further, medical marijuana records are protected by HIPAA, which federally protects medical patient’s right to privacy. Since medical marijuana is not federally legal, there is sometimes concern that HIPAA regulations may not apply to medical marijuana. According to The Compliance Group,“HIPAA does in fact apply to the medical marijuana industry.”

While there are no reasons to worry about privacy with this proposed database, there may be a cause for concern in regards to how one can acquire and maintain a medical marijuana card in the future. One of the objectives of this national registry is to understand how and why people gain access to medical marijuana as a nation.

According to Benzinga, “With this move, NIDA intends to address the issue of heterogeneity of conditions for which patients can request a medical cannabis card, considering that rules vary from state to state.” This research could potentially streamline access to medical marijuana, or it may also suggest making it more specific regulations in regards to obtaining a medical marijuana card — only time will tell.

There are, however, several potential benefits to a database of this kind.. For example, NIDA points out the need for significantly more data and research on medical marijuana in order to know more about its potential benefits for major health issues like opioid addiction.

According to the RFA, “some studies indicated that chronic prescription opioid use decreases after cannabis use, while others show no changes in opioid medication use.” We have previously reported on physicians’ need for further information to understand how marijuana impacts certain things like opioid addiction. While clinical trials remain difficult due to the federal prohibition on marijuana, a database of this scope could provide valuable insight into the medical benefits of cannabis in regards to pain and addiction.

medical marijuana research — Photo by Esther Kelleter / EyeEm/Getty Images

This large registry can provide information about how well medical marijuana works for all sorts of conditions, and also track trends and usage. While targeted clinical studies may provide better results, this is certainly an effective approach in the meantime while the Federal Government continues to take its time deciding the fate of cannabis on a national level.

The goal, it seems, is to unite the data that is available across the majority of states where medical marijuana is widely used. It’s as if the information is all there, only it’s compartmentalized in individual states, and not providing its maximum effectiveness. Or as NIDA wrote, “As many patients are already using cannabis products for medicinal applications, it is important to identify the evidence that exists and as it evolves, and to harmonize and coordinate this information to maximize the potential benefits to patients while minimizing harmful effects,” NIDA

Why Did North Carolina House Republicans Decide Not To Legalize Medical Cannabis?

Benzinga Staff Writer

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June 24, 2022

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Why Did North Carolina House Republicans Decide Not To Legalize Medical Cannabis?

The legislation from Sen. Bill Rabon (R) cleared the State Senate earlier this month in a strongly bipartisan vote.

By Joana Scopel

North Carolina House Republicans decided yesterday (June 23) to not legalize medical cannabis, something that had already been passed by the State Senate, reported Axios. According to confidential sources, Republicans voted following an internal caucus vote.

What Happened: House Speaker Tim Moore (R) was a key lawmaker who dismissed the idea of enacting medical cannabis legalization this year. “I feel very confident that Republicans will have a supermajority next year. When I say next year, I mean six months from now. We can deal with this then,” he said.

marijuana legalization — Photo by Olena Ruban/Getty Images

In addition, the North Carolina Compassionate Care Act was approved by the State Senate as a measure that would have allowed cannabis with higher levels of THC to treat cancer, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, HIV, AIDS and Crohn’s Disease.

The legislation from Sen. Bill Rabon (R) cleared the State Senate earlier this month in a strongly bipartisan vote.

“This bill is going to, in my opinion, help a lot of people at the end of their life at a time that they need some compassion,” said Rabon, who co-sponsored it. “We have looked at other states, the good and the bad (…) And we have, if not perfected, we have done a better job than anyone so far.”

However, the bill would not decriminalize recreational weed.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Delta-8: What You Need To Know To Get Started

Lisa Porter

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June 23, 2022

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Delta-8: What You Need To Know To Get Started

There’s a perfect product and an optimal dose for everyone, and knowing your end goal will help you figure out where to start.

Have you ever found yourself standing in front of a wall of delta-8 at the vape shop with no idea where to start? You are not alone! Dosing THC can be tricky, even for savvy cannabis consumers. And because delta-8 is new to the cannabis marketplace, it’s hard to get a straight answer about how much to take.

While some of the guidelines for dosing are the same as for weed or CBD, it doesn’t mean your ideal delta-8 dose will be the same, according to Robert Como, founder Hi On Nature, which manufactures high-end delta-8 products “The compositions of different forms of THC are unique, he says, “and so are the goals, the body chemistry, and the tolerance levels of the people who use them.”

smoking marijuana joint — Photo by Jose Luque / EyeEm/Getty Images

Begin with the end in mind

Start in the same place you would with any cannabis product, which is knowing what you want to accomplish with delta-8. Your goals might include:

Treating pain, anxiety, or nausea without any high
A light high that provides clarity and energy during the day
Casual recreational use with less risk of developing paranoia
Serious recreational use with an intense high

“Part of delta-8’s appeal is that it has such a broad range of uses,” says Como. “There’s a perfect product and an optimal dose for everyone, and knowing your end goal will help you figure out where to start.”

Choose the right starting dose

Like other forms of THC, your response to delta-8 is dependent on your tolerance, which is determined by your body chemistry, weight, and age. “If you’re a regular cannabis user, you probably have some idea where to begin,” Como advises, “but if you’ve never used delta-8 before, we recommend starting at a lower dose and building from there.”

At Hi On Nature, doses range from 10 mg Cub Scouts gummies up to their flagship product, 2500 mg Space Rings. “We produce a full spectrum of doses and a variety of delivery methods that makes it easy to work your way up to get the effect you’re looking for,” says Como.

For those who are inexperienced with cannabis or have only used CBD in the past, he recommends starting with 10 milligrams or less.

What to know before you try Delta-8

Delta-8 can have a delayed onset compared to other forms of THC. “The first time you try delta-8, give it ample time to take effect before considering adding more,” Como advises. With gummies, the effect can be delayed up to 4 hours, although 1-2 hours is more typical. Other delivery methods such as vapes or tinctures can take effect more quickly.

Como recommends following the guidelines on the product packaging closely until you are familiar with your individual response to delta-8. For more information about delta-8 or to explore the full product range offered by Hi On Nature, visit their website.

Study Shows Inhaled Cannabis May Help Chronic Pain Patients

Benzinga Staff Writer

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June 23, 2022

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Study Shows Inhaled Cannabis May Help Chronic Pain Patients

Although some patients reported mild side effects at the beginning of the study, the use of the inhaler over a period of several months was associated with reduced pain scores and improvements in patients’ quality of life.

By Joana Scopel

A study conducted by Israeli researchers in Haifa showed the short-term effectiveness and safety of micro doses of medical cannabis administered via a metered-dose inhaler (the Syqe Inhaler) in chronic pain patients, according to data published in the journal Pain Reports.

“The administration of aerosolized cannabis through an inhaler may reduce long-term pain in patients with neuropathy and other chronic conditions,” researchers said. The daily stable dose investigators used for their patients was 1.5 mg of aerosolized delta-9-THC.

The FDA Objects To The Sale And Marketing Of Nasal, Ophthalmic, Inhalable CBD Products — Photo by Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images

Although some patients reported mild side effects (such as dizziness and sleepiness) at the beginning of the study, the use of the inhaler over a period of several months was associated with reduced pain scores and improvements in patients’ quality of life.

“Medical cannabis treatment with the Syqe Inhaler demonstrated overall long-term pain reduction[s], quality of life improvement[s], and opioid-sparing effect[s] in a cohort of patients with chronic pain, using just a fraction of the amount of MC [medical cannabis] compared with other modes of delivery by inhalation. These outcomes were accompanied by a lower rate of AEs [adverse events] and almost no AE reports during a long-term steady-state follow-up. Additional follow-up in a larger population is warranted to corroborate our findings,” the study reads.

In addition, another recent study found that some orally ingested cannabis products can provide short-term relief from chronic pain. The study notes that high ratios of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) also may reduce significant pain in patients.

A study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrated that medical cannabis program enrollment jumped over four times between 2016 and 2020, reaching nearly three million patients in 2020.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Life Sentence For Weed Possession? Mississippi Supreme Court Says ‘Yes’ If You’ve Got Priors

Benzinga Staff Writer

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June 23, 2022

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Life Sentence For Weed Possession? Mississippi Supreme Court Says ‘Yes’ If You’ve Got Priors

By Nina Zdinjak

Can one be sentenced to life in prison for cannabis possession? Under certain circumstances, it can happen.

Last week, the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld a life sentence for cannabis possession under the state’s violent habitual offender law, reported The Epoch Times.

The ruling comes at the time when some 37 states have legalized medical marijuana and 19 have recreational cannabis programs. When Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed legislation into law, it became the 37th state to legalize MMJ. “There is no doubt that there are individuals in our state who could do significantly better if they had access to medically prescribed doses of cannabis,” the governor said at the time after 74% of Mississippi voters approved the program.

Why then was Allen Russel sentenced to life in prison for marijuana possession?

Hattiesburg Police Department officers had searched Russell’s home and found five bags of cannabis amounting to 79.5 grams, Russell was accused on one count of possessing more than 30 grams but less than 250 grams of cannabis and for being a violent habitual offender under Mississippi Code Section 99-19-83. He was convicted on the possession charge.

State prosecutors showed evidence of his previous felony convictions — two for burglary and one for possession of a firearm while being a convicted felon.

Russell was not cooperative with police, and “chemical gas had to be deployed to obtain Russell’s surrender,” the chief justice said.

Chief Justice Michael Randolph explained that the search warrant came when Russell was investigated as a murder suspect when a medical paper with Russell’s name was discovered at the scene of the crime.

Russell tried to argue that the life sentence without the possibility of parole was a violation of the eighth amendment that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. He also argued that his constitutional right no to be subjected to ex post facto law was violated, as his actions were being punished retroactively.

The Court of Appeals voted 5-5 on his appeal in 2019 and upheld the sentence. Then, on June 16, the Supreme Court of Mississippi voted 6-3 to uphold the sentence under the habitual offender provisions of the Mississippi Code.

marijuana arrest — Photo by Gleti/Getty Images

“Because the trial judge followed the law to the letter, we affirm,” the majority opinion written by Justice Robert P. Chamberlin stated. “The trial judge did not have sentencing discretion in this case.”

Chief Justice Randolph wrote, “Russell has received a harsh punishment not because he possessed a small amount of marijuana, but because he has repeatedly refused to abide by the laws enacted to protect all the citizens of our state.”

Is Everything So Black & White?

On the other hand, Justice Josiah Coleman, along with two other judges, stated that Russell had not been treated fairly by the courts in this case. Coleman highlighted that “burglary was not considered a per se crime of violence until” state law made it so in 2014. This means that when Russell pled guilty to two counts of burglary in 2004, burglary was treated as a crime of violence only if actual violence happened during burglary, reported the outlet.

“We do not know whether Russell’s burglaries involved actual violence, but the fact that he was allowed the opportunity by the sentencing court to participate in the Regimented Inmate Discipline Program tends to indicate they did not,” said Coleman, who concluded he would have remanded the case to a trial hearing to review the Eighth Amendment issue and resentencing.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Juul E-Cigarettes To Be Removed From US Shelves — Here’s Why

Maria Loreto

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June 22, 2022

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Juul E-Cigarettes To Be Removed From US Shelves — Here’s Why

A report claims the FDA denied approval of Juul products, suggesting that these will soon be taken off the market.

The FDA is taking Juul e-cigarettes off the market. The news was published by The Wall Street Journal, which claims the decision could come as early as today.

This decision follows a lot of criticism of e-cigarettes, particularly when it comes to teen and young adult use — some of the product’s biggest consumers. In 2019, the company stopped the sale of several flavors in the US. A year later, it applied for FDA approval to continue selling its products in the country.

The FDA reviewed the company’s application factoring in the argument that e-cigs can help smokers quit cigarettes and whether or not the benefits of smoking outweighed the damages of consuming Juul e-cigs regularly.

Will The Federal Ban On Flavored E-Cigarette Pods Serve Its Purpose? — Photo by Scott Olson/Staff/Getty Images

“This clearly comes as a surprise to the market … we would expect that Juul would appeal the decision, and remain on the market through that process, which would likely take a year or more,” analyst Vivien Azer told Reuters.

Reuters claims the FDA declined to comment on the report.

In 2019, Juul faced many controversies, including the firing of the VP of global finances, Siddharth Breja, who raised claims after the company sent out a shipment of contaminated Juul pods to the market. Breja relayed a conversation he had with Kevin Burns, the CEO of the company. “Half our customers are drunk and vaping like mo-fos, who the f*** is going to notice the quality of our pods?” said Burns.

Burns stepped down from the company that year and claimed that the accusations were lies. “I never said this, or anything remotely close to this, period. As CEO, I had the company make huge investments in product quality and the facts will show this claim is absolutely false and pure fiction,” he said.

From the get-go, e-cigarettes have marketed themselves as an alternate solution to cigarettes, one that is less harmful to people’s lungs. While this is true, e-cigarettes are still bad for people’s health, especially when consumed on a daily basis or if the consumers are young.

The Fresh ToastThe most trusted name in cannabis

Is Cannabis Associated With Pulmonary Disease And COVID-19

The study results found that cannabis can produce lung diseases with increasing years of use, and cause weakening in the immune system, leading to pneumonia.

Americans Spend Billions Of Dollars On This Useless Purchase

A new study found that Americans spend $50 billion a year on a product that offers virtually no benefits.

Senate Rejects SAFE Act For The Sixth Time

“The Senate continues to ignore the public safety risk of forcing cannabis businesses to deal in all cash,” said Ed Perlmutter, (D-CO), who sponsored the legislation.

Teens Are Getting Sick From High THC Marijuana Products

A new article claims higher levels of THC are affecting the health of teens.

What A National Medical Marijuana Registry Could Mean For Those On The List

This large registry can provide information about how well medical marijuana works for all sorts of conditions, and also track trends and usage.

Why Did North Carolina House Republicans Decide Not To Legalize Medical Cannabis?

The legislation from Sen. Bill Rabon (R) cleared the State Senate earlier this month in a strongly bipartisan vote.

Delta-8: What You Need To Know To Get Started

There’s a perfect product and an optimal dose for everyone, and knowing your end goal will help you figure out where to start.

Begin with the end in mind

Choose the right starting dose

What to know before you try Delta-8

Study Shows Inhaled Cannabis May Help Chronic Pain Patients

Although some patients reported mild side effects at the beginning of the study, the use of the inhaler over a period of several months was associated with reduced pain scores and improvements in patients’ quality of life.

Life Sentence For Weed Possession? Mississippi Supreme Court Says ‘Yes’ If You’ve Got Priors

Is Everything So Black & White?

Juul E-Cigarettes To Be Removed From US Shelves — Here’s Why

A report claims the FDA denied approval of Juul products, suggesting that these will soon be taken off the market.

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