Moderna just announced the beginning of the human trials of the Omicron booster. Here’s why that’s potentially great news.
On Wednesday, Moderna announced the start of their new COVID-19 booster trial on humans. This time, the company is working on a booster that’s specifically meant to target the Omicron variant.
While data and health experts assure that the original vaccine and booster provide protection from the new COVID-19 variant, Moderna wants to target Omicron with a fresh booster, one that’s capable of circumventing the challenges that the new variant poses. Research shows that Omicron is more resistant to the vaccine’s antibodies, something that increases as time passes and the effectiveness of boosters and vaccines fade.
Moderna’s omicron vaccine trial is made up of two groups of about 300 people each. One group will be comprised of people who received two doses of the vaccine at least six months ago, and another with those who received two doses plus a booster within the past three months.
Despite the great spread of Omicron, more and more data is shedding light on the fact that it’s much milder than previous variants of the virus, at least on patients who are immunized.
A recent study conducted by the CDC shows that Omicron is less likely to result in deaths and hospitalizations, with even those who were hospitalized having higher odds of recuperating. The study found that those infected with Omicron are 75% less likely to require intensive care and that hospitalized patients require an average of 1.5 days of treatment when compared to patients in the past, who required an average of five days of attention. None of the subjects with Omicron had to go on a ventilator, a striking fact considering the number of people whose data was analyzed.
While this is good news, it’s still important to have a vaccine that can target the new variant, protecting those who are more likely to get ill and narrowing the path of the virus, which would give breathing room to hospitals and healthcare workers.
Omicron’s great spread, while initially terrifying, is now seen by some as the start of the end of the pandemic. The more the virus spreads, the more it immunizes people, eliminating further avenues for the virus to mutate and infect, as it’s been doing over the past two years.
This possibility is encouraging, with the best possible outcome being that the virus reaches its endemic stage and becomes just another virus to keep an eye on, like the flu. Still, it’s impossible to know whether or not this will happen, or if other variants, perhaps ones who are more deadly, will appear.
A new study shows that one simple addition to your routine could prevent thousands of deaths a year.
A new study says that over 110,000 deaths a year could be prevented by doing something really simple: adding 10 minutes of exercise to your day.
More specifically, the study focused on people over 40 and how collective health would benefit from them adding in 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity to their lives.
Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It then looked at the activity levels of over 5,000 participants between the ages of 40-85, while also tracking their death rates. While the number of prevented deaths is an estimate, the study showed that the more people worked out, the better were their odds of living longer.
“We know exercise is good for us. This study provides additional evidence of the benefits at the population level: if all adults in the United States (over age 40) were to exercise just a bit more each day, a large number of deaths could be prevented each year,” study author Pedro Saint-Maurice told CNN.
While most studies focus on showing the bare minimum of workout per day, they tend to be demoralizing for a large group of people, who may not have the time or mentality to work out four days a week. These types of studies provide attainable goals that everyone can include in their everyday routines, improving their quality of life and helping communities live longer and healthier lives.
Ten minutes of exercise is not a big-time commitment; it can be done by setting a timer and going up and down the stairs, going on a walk, or doing body weights at home. New studies and researchers are taking new approaches to fitness, changing the definition of what that means, thus, welcoming more people to a healthier lifestyle that is also convenient long-term.
On Wednesday, Mississippi’s Republican-led legislature finally agreed on a medical cannabis bill to be sent to Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk. After months of negotiations, the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act will establish a system of licensed dispensaries to provide medical cannabis to qualified patients.
The Senate and House passed slightly different versions of a bill last week, with wide margins of bipartisan support. Lawmakers approved a final version of the legislation in conference committee on Wednesday.
“It’s nice to be at a place where everyone’s in agreement,” said House Drug Policy Committee Chairman Lee Yancey (R), reported the Jackson Free Press. “It looks like that we’re finally going to be able to provide relief to those people with debilitating illnesses who suffer so badly.”
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves argued on various occasions that he wanted tight limits on how much cannabis people can purchase because he strongly opposes a recreational marijuana program. As it stands, the bill allows patients to buy up to 3.5 grams of cannabis per day and up to six days a week.
Reeves has not yet said whether or not he will sign the bill, veto it or let it become law without his signature.
“We’re veto-proof on both sides,” said Republican Sen. Kevin Blackwell who worked with Yancey in leading negotiations.
A wide margin of Mississippi voters approved a medical marijuana initiative in November 2020, but the state Supreme Court invalidated it six months later by ruling the state’s initiative process was outdated and the measure was not placed properly on the ballot.
NORML State Policies Manager Jax James responded to the news. “This news is arguably bittersweet for Mississippi’s patients. While these steps forward are a welcome development, they are also long overdue. The overwhelming majority of voters decided in favor of this policy change over a year ago, and for the past 14 months the will of the people has been denied as a result of the actions of the state Supreme Court and the Governor.”
Once enacted into law, Mississippi will become the 37th state to regulate the possession and distribution of medical cannabis.
Raising cattle on land that can be used to grow recreational marijuana is becoming more and more difficult to justify.
The life of a farmer in modern America has grown to be a difficult way to make a living. In addition to the hardships involved in agriculture, the lives of chicken and other livestock farmers continues to be scrutinized for its cruelty towards animals and negative impacts on the environment and public health.
At the same time that farming in America has become more difficult in many regards, it has become a goldmine for some livestock farmers who have switched to growing cannabis in states that have legalized marijuana. With the continued growth of recreational cannabis one must wonder if cannabis may just have the momentum to shift the trajectory of American farming from mammals to marijuana.
One fact is certain: cannabis is a real cash crop, and it keeps on growing. In fact, some strategists predict that cannabis taxes alone may generate $12 billion for U.S. states by 2030, according to Fortune. While other businesses tanked, marijuana sales grew.
Marijuana growing licenses are highly competitive in states where it is legal to grow, and some of the best growing land in these states is becoming coveted similarly to that of a wine region. Some of this land has become so costly that farmers have stopped raising animals in these lands altogether. The profits from livestock on this land can be a fraction of the earning potential of marijuana’s.
One Oregon livestock producer, Angela Boudro, told Reuters about the nearly impossible feat it is to compete with cannabis. “We had looked at purchasing a piece of ground, and the price that the hemp growers were willing to pay was phenomenally higher than we could ever pay with livestock,” she said.
Livestock producers still exist in all states with legalized weed, but the decision to raise cattle on land that can be used to grow recreational marijuana is becoming more and more difficult to justify.
Some animal rights organizations noticed this shift in profitability going from livestock to plants. Some such organizations have already created ways to assist and encourage farmers into this “vegetarian” and profitable business transition. One of these organizations is the Transformation Project, launched by Mercy for Animals (MFA). The transformation project’smission is “to help farmers transition their industrial animal-agriculture operations to plant-focused farms raising crops for human consumption.”
“We decided to create a platform where we would have this conversation about our current factory farm system and how to get the people who want out involved in the plant-based space, whether it’s hemp or even solar and wind energy,” MFA President Leah Garcéstold Civil Eats.
Organizations like these can be instrumental for farmers looking to make the switch. The influence and investors provided by groups like the Transformation Project can make the switch from chicken and livestock to cannabis and other farming possible for small-time farmers. This change, after all, comes with a significant initial investment.
This investment in cannabis, however, has shown great payoff for some former-livestock farmers already.
“I’ve got 1,500 acres of normal row crops and 400 head of cattle,” J.F. Foster, a livestock farmer who has begun the switch to cannabis,told Farm Journal. “If it was possible I’d turn my entire operation over to some type of cannabis production today. Every acre. Today.”
At the current growth rates, the cannabis industry will support over 400,000 jobs this year, so it is best to fill these positions with competent individuals who have been appropriately trained.
Thousands of students across the United States of America are looking to study cannabis-related programs in top universities across the country. To some, graduating with a degree in cannabis may seem strange, but the truth is that cannabis job openings are opening up faster than ever. Recently, it was reported that cannabis jobs would increase by 161% in the U.S. by 2029.
With everything going on in the world, this development is not a surprise. The cannabis industry is one of the mature industries growing quickly. From 2019 till this moment, the sector has increased by 47%. It is also looking to be an economic driver in many emerging markets around the world today. In 2020, the total annual sales were about $18 billion. The U.S. cannabis industry is worth over $60 billion now and is projected to be worth at least $100 billion by 2030.
Photo by Alexis Brown via Unsplash
Looking at the available stats on the industry right now, cannabis could be the new gold in a few years, so why not get on top of it and get an education in cannabis before then?
The Legality of Cannabis Degrees
The absence of federal legislation for cannabis substances has cast doubt on the legitimacy of these programs. Not to mention the lack of federal accreditation agencies for cannabis degrees. The ANSI National Accreditation Board’s Cannabis Testing Lab Accreditation Program has accredited laboratories across the country to investigate important cannabinoid and terpene properties. Relevant tests on pesticides, microbial contaminants, heavy metals, and residual solvents can also be performed by these labs.
Cannabis degrees are not limited to only research; the space has prepared students for opportunities in engineering, math, technology, chemistry, and engineering. The industry still has a lot of expansion to do. Students passionate about the plants need to be equipped with knowledge of lucrative business opportunities in the industry, as well as how they can focus on medical cannabis innovations.
This means that colleges have rules and regulations guiding the degrees. As soon as federal legislation is quickly passed, proper accreditation agencies will be established and funded.
Cannabis In Major American Schools
Colleges and universities in America now offer three to four years of cannabis education. Some cannabis companies are offering employees scholarships to study cannabis studies at any of the major schools in the country. At the forefront of this movement are Veriheal and Steadfast Labs. They have offered annual scholarships worth $1,200 to employees interested in pursuing a cannabis-related degree.
Not all of these accredited universities offer full degrees in cannabis. Some offer part-time and full-time classes, while others only provide a few lessons. This presents students to pick preferable courses that suit their interests and visions. Here is a list of accredited institutions investing money and time in equipping students with cannabis education. The following are undergraduate degrees, whereas places like Thomas Jefferson University offer post-graduate degrees in cannabis as well.
Lake Superior State University (LSSU)
LSSU started offering cannabis studies in 2019. The degree focuses on cannabis chemistry. Recently, they added another degree in the cannabis business. Other courses offered in the university’s Cannabis Center of Excellence include cannabis law and policy, a survey of cannabis business, and cannabis economics.
University of Denver (UoD)
UoD focuses on cannabis law courses.
The Sturm College of Law offers classes on cannabis policies and regulations. A current course teaches us about the challenges faced when representing offenders with cannabis-related charges. The course features the frequently changing rules and regulations in legal states.
Northern Michigan University (NMU)
The program offered by NMU focuses on experimental horticultural practices and advanced analytical chemistry in cannabis. There’s also an additional option that focuses on the entrepreneurial track for students.
The degree, which debuted in 2017, takes four years to complete.
The school’s news director, Kristi Evans, announced that NMU now offers degrees in multidisciplinary indoor agriculture to students interested in medicinal plants or agricultural food production.
Western Illinois University (WIU)
WIU offers two cannabis-related courses. The first is a cannabis production minor focusing on plant physiology and horticulture practices. Classes like crop biotechnology are taught to the students.
The other course is a cannabis culture minor. It focuses on the various ways the prohibition of cannabis has negatively impacted the lives of colored residents in the country. Students take classes on popular cannabis cultures and contemporary moral problems.
Photo by Ryan Jacobson via Unsplash
Stockton University, New Jersey
Stockton University is one of the few schools that offer online cannabis certification courses. The curriculum is composed of six courses. These courses are an introduction to business, cannabis cultivation, and research in medical and recreational cannabis.
The school also offers students a minor in cannabis studies. Registered students take courses relating to medical marijuana and cannabis laws.
Ohio State University (OSU)
OSU offers a seminar on marijuana law. The school’s Moritz College of Law also offers a course on marijuana laws and policies.
The students are taught about business-first approaches to legalizing the cannabis industry. The lectures also emphasized existing marijuana laws and policies. Cannabiz: Exploring the “legalized” cannabis industry from a corporate transactional standpoint is a popular course.
University of California
It would have been a huge oversight to exclude this institution from the list, as it is one of the hottest locations for cannabis production and sales. The course offered focuses on medicinal cannabis and chronic pain. The course is only offered in the Davis section of the university.
Colorado State University, Pueblo
In 2016, the Institute of Cannabis Research was established in the Pueblo division of Colorado State University. It is the first multi-disciplinary cannabis research center in the United States, and it offers degrees in cannabis biology and chemistry. A minor course is also offered in cannabis studies.
Bottom Line
Universities have a vital role in preparing thousands for careers in the cannabis industry. There is an urgent need to train students to deal with legal, financial, marketing, product development, medical care, and technology issues relating to the cannabis industry.
At the current growth rates, the cannabis industry will support over 400,000 jobs this year, so it is best to fill these positions with competent individuals who have been appropriately trained.
New research found trends in people suffering from long COVID-19, which could help researchers develop a test to predict who’s at higher risk for the condition.
While COVID-19 is terrifying in and of itself, long COVID-19 is an even more concerning condition. Poorly misunderstood, long COVID-19 affects people and produces different symptoms that can last from weeks to months, from having trouble breathing to not being able to smell or taste food.
New research suggests that there’s a way of knowing which people will get long COVID-19, which, if corroborated by other studies, could then help researchers develop a test for it, letting them know as soon as possible who is at risk for developing this condition.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research shows that people who develop long COVID-19 are likely to have lower levels of certain antibodies in their blood after their coronavirus infections.
The research began in 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, and followed patients through their COVID-19 infections. It continued to keep track of them for six months and then for a year when long COVID-19 became a known concern for health practitioners and patients alike. Researchers compared their patients and were able to spot trends, including the immune system’s reaction to the virus.
Dr. Onur Boyman, the lead author of the study, spoke with NBC News and explained the reactions that people with long COVID-19 displayed. According to the data, these people showed decreased levels of two immunoglobulins: IgM and IgG3. This decrease, paired with an underlying condition or the fact that the patient was over a certain age, made it 75% effective in predicting long COVID-19.
“These individuals might have a disadvantage from the start,” said Boyman. “And then due to their asthmatic background, they might also react slightly differently to viruses, which then leads to a misguided immune response.”
Long COVID-19 is a cluster of symptoms that affect people, most likely those who suffered from a strong COVID-19 infection. Due to organ damage, inflammation in the lungs or the heart, people might develop symptoms like a fast heart rate, breathing problems, cognitive issues, and severe fatigue, for weeks or months to come. For now, the most effective way of avoiding long COVID-19 is to be vaccinated and boosted.
Researchers in Philadelphia concluded that medical cannabis reduces opioid prescription for patients with chronic OA pain and improves pain and quality of life.
Osteoarthritis (OA) can result in significant pain, often requiring pain management with opioids, which can be addictive. According to a study performed by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Philadelphia, medical cannabis has the potential to be an alternative to opioids for chronic pain conditions.
The study acknowledges the current opioid crisis in the U.S., including “opioid-related deaths nearly quadrupling between 1999 and 2015 and 37.8% of adults using opioids in 2015.”
Photo by Christina Victoria Craft via Unsplash
According to the report, opioids have shown statistically significant “but small improvements in treating chronic pain at the cost of dose-dependent risks of substance abuse disorders, addiction, overdose, and death.”
The researchers, nevertheless, noted that opioid use for OA increased from 13.4% to 17% between 2007 to 2014, despite increased awareness of their adverse effects.
“Population studies show that Medical Cannabis legalization has been associated with reduced mortality due to opioid overdose, reduced opioid-related hospitalizations, and decreased opioid prescription. However, there is so far insufficient evidence to show that Medical Cannabis can be an effective replacement for opioids.”
The study, titled “Medical Cannabis Use Reduces Opioid Prescriptions in Patients With Osteoarthritis”, investigated whether medical cannabis used in the management of OA-related chronic pain can at least reduce opioid use.
Researchers examined 40 patients with chronic OA pain, who were certified to use medical cannabis. Average morphine milligram equivalents per day of opioid prescriptions filled within the six months prior to medical cannabis certification was compared to that of the six months after. Researchers monitored the pain and Global Health scores at baseline, three, and six months post cannabis certification.
They found that the average morphine milligram equivalents prescribed per day decreased from 18.2 to 9.8 (n=40, p<0.05). Likewise, the percentage of patients who dropped to 0 was 37.5%. Pain scores “decreased significantly at three and six months, and Global Physical Health score increased significantly by three months,” stated the report.
Medical cannabis “reduces opioid prescription for patients with chronic OA pain and improves pain and quality of life,” concluded the researchers.
A new study suggests eating this fruit can help you protect and preserve your vision as you grow older.
According to a recently published study, goji berries, known for providing good a dose of healthy anti-oxidants, could help protect our vision. In fact, they could help prevent macular degeneration, a condition that is the leading cause of vision loss as people get older.
The study gathered a group of participants and split them into groups, with one eating dried goji berries five times a week for three months, while the other consumed an eye supplement for that same duration. Researchers analyzed all participants’ eyes before and after the study, finding benefits in the group that consumed goji berries.
According to the study’s lead author, Xiang Li, Ph.D, these positive results are likely due to two elements present in the goji berries: lutein and zeaxanthin. These elements are usually featured in foods like egg yolks, zucchini, orange bell peppers, spinach, and more.
“These two compounds are like sunscreen for your eyes,” she said. “The higher the amount is in your retina, the more protection you have. That’s important for early-stage AMD, but it’s also helpful even for those with healthy eyes because it filters out harmful blue light and provides antioxidant protection.”
She also explains that dried goji berries are very effective since they pack a lot of nutrients in this form, with the body quickly absorbing them.
Our vision is the type of thing that we can easily take for granted, yet something that, like everything else organic, deteriorates with the passage of time. Eating a diet with plenty of veggies, fruits and nuts, and shielding your eyes from UV rays, will all help in preserving your eyesight.
“Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy and Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort,” said Amazon.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) announced its support on Tuesday for a Republican-backed congressional bill that would decriminalize cannabis at the federal level and let states decide how and whether to ban or regulate it.
Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) State Reform Act, released in November, would remove cannabis as a Federal Schedule I substance and introduce a new 3% federal tax on that substance. It was the first bill issued from the Republicans and it created quite a stir at the time.
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Now, Amazon, which already supported cannabis legalization, has expressed support for the GOP bill.
We’re pleased to endorse @RepNancyMace‘s States Reform Act. Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy and Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort. https://t.co/g04Dn5KZq5
In a tweet on Tuesday, Amazon’s public policy department said, “We’re pleased to endorse @RepNancyMace’s States Reform Act. Like so many in this country, we believe it’s time to reform the nation’s cannabis policy and Amazon is committed to helping lead the effort.”
Mace said Amazon was likely motivated to approve her bill because legal issues with marijuana could make hiring difficult.
“They see it from a worker’s point of view,” Mace said, according to Forbes. “The ban at the federal level actually affects their workforce.”
The congresswoman’s got that right.
In September, Amazon asked its delivery partners to openly advertise that they don’t screen applicants for marijuana use in an effort to address the shortage of the company’s delivery drivers, noting that cannabis screening reduces prospective applicants by up to 30%.
Photo by Mark Makela / Getty Images
Prior to that, in June, Amazon stopped testing for workplace cannabis use for most of its on-site positions, apart from those regulated by the Department of Transportation.
American As Apple Pie
Cannabis connects us all, says Mace. And she’s got that right too.
“There are three things that really connect people. Animals, Britney Spears and cannabis. These are the three things I’ve found that touch the hearts of Americans and make people like apple pies for dinner.”
There are CBN supplements already on the market which have been designed to help consumers fall asleep or relax quicker, with an onset time of an hour or less.
Melatonin is one of the most widely used supplements worldwide. It’s an over-the-counter supplement that adults rely on to help treat insomnia.
Melatonin is natural, because it’s a hormone that the body already produces when we are exposed to darkness. It assists in regulating the circadian rhythm to ensure that we are getting proper sleep, and it is effective even at small doses to help you get some shut-eye.
Photo by Weiquan Lin/Getty Images
There are also many benefits to taking melatonin. Aside from it being accessible and affordable, this popular sleep aid also has antioxidant properties, can help reduce the production of cortisol — the stress hormone, regulate blood pressure, and improve the immune system.
However, many people have found relief from using cannabis. There are numerous cannabinoids within the cannabis plant that offer the same benefits as melatonin, some even more. Enter CBN.
Meet CBN – Cannabinol
CBN is one of the newer cannabinoid compounds from cannabis, though lesser known compared to its other cousins, CBD, CBG, and of course, THC. However, it’s been getting some attention recently because of its ability to induce sleep and relax. This is possible because it’s created when Delta 9 THC is degraded, which can be done in the lab.
CBN also forms naturally when THC is exposed to light and heat, that’s because it naturally oxidizes in these situations. That’s why if you have left your weed out for a long time, or exposed to air, it might not get you as high as you wanted though it can make you sleepy – because the THC has already turned into CBN.
Once we consume CBN, it binds to the CB1 receptor though not as tightly as THC would. For this reason, CBN is often referred to as the THC but without the high.
While CBD does relax, it’s not as powerful as taking CBN. There are CBN supplements already in the market which have been designed to help consumers fall asleep or relax quicker, with an onset time of an hour or less. There are numerous anecdotal reports of CBN helping people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer, though there are very few studies that document its ability to do that. But that hasn’t stopped people from trying and buying CBN supplements.
Pain Relief
Aside from sleep, CBN is promising on other fronts, such as pain relief. There was a 2019 animal study revealing that the consumption of both CBN and CBD were effective in reducing myofascial pain among the rat subjects; they also found that using both cannabinoids together was more effective than using any of them alone. This can be explained because of the widely studied entourage effect of cannabinoids, where the presence of other cannabinoids has been proven to enhance the therapeutic effects of the other.
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Inflammation
There’s also some studies showing that CBN has some anti-inflammatory properties. In the study, researchers discovered that it was effective in reducing the pain caused by arthritis, which is caused by inflammation within the joints.
Skin and Bone Health
Some studies suggest that CBN has the potential to help create new bone cells by activating stems cells and promoting the growth of new bones. It can also help minimize bone loss while helping to treat fractures. Furthermore, CBN has been found to be helpful in decreasing the overgrowth of skin cells when applied topically, and may help treat psoriasis.
Antibacterial
Consuming CBN has been shown to be effective in fighting bacteria, even for bacteria that resists conventional antibiotic medications such as MRSA.
Anti-Cancer
Most research of using CBN to fight cancer is still in its early phases, but what scientists have found so far is that CBN may be promising in for its ability to slow the spread of cancer cells. In addition, it was one of many cannabinoids that was found to be successful in reducing the growth of tumors for lung cancer.
CBD Vs. CBN: What’s The Difference?
While cannabidiol (CBD) is largely more popular compared to CBN, they do have unique properties that can be beneficial to many people. They occur in varying quantities within the cannabis plant, and also respond to the endocannabinoid system in different ways.
There are a few key differences between the two star cannabinoids that are helpful for first-time users to know more about them. For one, there is more evidence that CBD can be beneficial for anxiety compared to CBN. Another is that, while thy are both effective for sleep, CBN has been shown to be more powerful in inducing shut-eye.
Photo by Aleksandr_Kravtsov/Getty Images
What To Know Before Taking CBN
CBN is widely available usually in oil form, and it has such a loyal following especially among people who struggle to get some shut-eye. Since it has no known side effects, just like other cannabinoids, you can go ahead to experiment and see if it does indeed do a better job than melatonin.
Keep in mind that, just like other cannabis products, you should start small and go slow until you are confident of the expected effects you take when you consume CBN. On top of that, don’t take it unless your physician has cleared you to mix it, if you are already taking pharmaceutical drugs.
While taking cannabinoids alone don’t have any side effects, there could be several unwanted effects if you combine them with pharmaceutical drugs. It can also unexpectedly weaken the effects of medicines, render medications useless in your body, or amplify them, so it is never recommended to mix cannabinoids with pharmaceutical drugs.
