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Warsaw, Poland: The use of herbal cannabis is associated with marked improvements in a patient with treatment-resistant stuttering, according to a case report published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

A team of investigators affiliated with the Medical University of Warsaw (Poland) and with Hannover Medical School (Germany) presented the case of a 20-year-old male patient with refractory stuttering. Following the daily administration of vaporized plant cannabis, the patient exhibited sustained improvements in speech fluency and also reported benefits to his overall quality of life. The patient did not report any adverse side effects from cannabis over the one-year observational period.

Authors reported: “[T]his is the first case report of a patient suffering from impairing and treatment-resistant stuttering, who markedly improved after treatment with medicinal cannabis. Based on patient’s self-report and reports of family and friends, as well as several established assessments, use of cannabis resulted not only in an improvement of stuttering but also remission of (social) anxiety, and reduced depression and stress, as well as improved sleep, attention, concentration, self-confidence, social life, and overall quality of life without any side effect. Importantly, treatment effects did not decrease over time.”

They concluded, “Medicinal cannabis could be effective in treatment of refractory stuttering, but these preliminary data have to be confirmed in controlled studies.”

While this is the first case report specific to the efficacy of cannabis in the case of a patient with a stuttering disorder, several prior studies have documented the ability of THC to improve symptoms in patients with Tourette Syndrome.

Article wirrten by: Javier Hasse

Israel is a leader in cannabis, be it research and or in the emerging marketplace.

Numerous research breakthroughs have occurred in Israel. One of the most notable cannabis researchers is Dr. Rafael Mechoulam, who along with his team first identified THC and other active compounds in cannabis decades ago.

Today, Israel continues furthering its research legacy while building its legal marketplace.

The cannabis business is recently legalised in 20 states of the U.S., and as this business shifts from the black market into the mainstream, it has encountered unparalleled development.

Like every other business, the journey in the legal cannabis business can be fun, invigorating, and yet somewhat overpowering. Thus, following a couple of tips to make the initial steps can help to make a solid establishment and set up a successful business.

The legalization of medical and recreational and marijuana in specific states has provided cannabis business opportunities in the market for bold entrepreneurs and visionaries.

 A campaign pushing to legalize marijuana in Ohio will have to collect a new batch of petition signatures after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rejected the first batch the group submitted, citing issues with how the petition summarized the group’s proposed law change.

Conducted by research firm Fact.MR, the study highlights the potential growth of the cannabis beverage category.

Worldwide revenues for cannabis-infused drinks reached US$250 million by the end of 2020.

Over the next decade, the market value is predicted to expand to 24 times that, climbing by 38% CAGR from 2021-2031 to approach US$6bn. CBD-based drinks are anticipated to make up three out of every five sales during that period.

“Beginner cannabis users who want a discreet, accessible, and regulated amount of cannabis are driving increased demand for CBD-infused cannabis drinks,” explained a Fact.MR senior research analyst.

Meanwhile, non-alcoholic cannabis-infused beverages are expected to comprise 50% of consumption.

It’s been a long road, but the Olympic torch finally landed in Japan on 23 July. The latest edition of the Games has been so mired in difficulty that many feared it might not go ahead, with COVID-19 causing seemingly insurmountable logistical issues. It’s also seen its fair share of controversies, with the conversation around cannabis chief among them.

The 2020 Games in Tokyo is effectively the first in which professional athletes have been allowed to use cannabis-based products while preparing for the competition. CBD use among professional athletes has been allowed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2018, and it’s becoming increasingly popular.

In this article, I’ll explore the growing role that cannabis-based substances can play in sports, the main regulatory barriers in the way of development, and the exciting opportunities that may arise as cannabis in sport becomes normalised.

The athletic case for CBD

In the run up to this year’s Games, a growing procession of athletes have endorsed the use of CBD-based products. Although some of these endorsements are facilitated by sponsorship deals between athletes and CBD manufacturers, it’s without a doubt that stars across different disciplines are taking advantage of cannabinoids.

The list of advocates includes a number of top-tier athletes: from world record-holding sprinter Micheale Frater and golf star Catriona Matthew, to the NFL’s Rob Gronkowski and Eugene Monroe, heptathlete Chari Hawkins and former boxer Mike Tyson.

The creators of South Park have signed a new deal with ViacomCBS bosses, worth almost US$1 billion, to expand their cartoon world.

One of the most lucrative in television history, the new US$900 million ($1.1 billion) deal will last over six years and include the series and a second South Park movie, according to Bloomberg.

There are also tie-ins to ViacomCBS’ new streaming service, Paramount+.

Insiders claim creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been working on a South Park film for some time, and it is expected to be released on the streaming platform before the end of the year.

It will serve as the follow-up to the pair’s 1999 movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.

New Mexico’s anticipation of a deficit is not paranoia; it is a safe prediction given the precedent set by other states.

When New Mexico started legalizing cannabis, the marijuana community in the state was ecstatic because it marked a new dawn for them. When it finally attained legalized status, the excitement was through the roof, but today it seems like something is threatening that joyful feeling in the state.

The trouble with availability

New Mexico faces a looming crisis and may have trouble with marijuana availability. Experts in the state are saying that recreational marijuana products may run out in the first week when sales begin.

Have you tried Delta 8?

It’s found in Louisville hemp shops. Your fave Instagram influencer is pushing it on their profile. Your friend offered you a hit off his vape last time you saw him.

It’s a “legal weed.” You don’t really understand what it is or how you’re able to use it in a state as anti-pot as Kentucky. But sure, you’ll try it. 

The answers behind what it is and its legality are more complicated than it may seem based on Delta 8’s ubiquitousness. 

But, let’s start with the basic facts. 

There are major risks associated with the consumption of large amounts of cannabis by young children. Unlike in adults, the risks to children include coma and even death if the child is so profoundly sedated that they cannot protect their airway. Other effects include tachycardia, nausea and vomiting, and respiratory depression severe enough to require ventilation. Cannabis ingestion in children is an immediate medical emergency. The risks were recently highlighted in a segment from CBS News.

The legalization of recreational marijuana in a number of states has been linked to an increase in the overall use of cannabis products, which includes a substantial increase in the consumption of edible cannabis. The more widespread availability of edibles poses new risks of accidental exposure, especially in children. Edibles are commonly made as gummies, cookies, brownies, and other sweets that can be attractive to children, and the doses in an individual gummy, etc., in many cases exceed the average dose for an adult.

Reports from poison control centers document a substantial increase in the number of reports related to cannabis in recent years, and reports from edibles are substantially overrepresented: despite accounting for only 11.1% of cannabis sales, 48% of reports involving children under 10 were from the consumption of edibles.

There is evidence that links the increased rate of unintentional pediatric exposure to cannabis to the changing legal status of the drug. From 2005 to 2011, the rates of pediatric exposure rose 30.3% in legal states, whereas there was no change in non-legal states. Therefore, the expectation is that unintentional pediatric exposure will be a worsening problem as more regions of the country decriminalize cannabis and expand access to the drug.

A Cannabis Antidote Could Be The Solution

Anebulo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ANEB) is investing in a solution to this worsening problem. The company’s lead drug ANEB-001 is an antidote to cannabis intoxication that could quickly reverse the effects of a THC and other cannabinoids in a child. ANEB-001 binds to the receptor in the brain responsible for the effects of cannabinoids (the CB1 receptor) and prevents it from being engaged by THC. This is similar in principle to how Narcan (naloxone) can be used to reverse an opioid overdose.

There are now two separate efforts to legalize marijuana in Ohio.

On Friday, two Democratic lawmakers in the Ohio House introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. House Bill 382 would allow Ohioans to purchase and use marijuana and cultivate up to 12 plants.

The bill hasn’t been assigned to a committee yet. The measure’s main authors are state Reps. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, and Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland. The bill already has 10 co-sponsors, all Democrats.

The measure would levy a 10% excise tax on marijuana sales, with money going to public schools along with road and bridge construction. In addition, up to $20 million would be used for clinical trials to see if marijuana can be used to treat veterans and prevent veteran suicides, according to a news release issued by Weinstein and Upchurch.

Also last week, an initiative petition, “An Act to Regulate and Control Adult Use Cannabis,” and the signatures of 1,000 Ohio voters backing it was submitted to the attorney general’s office.

When Philip Morris International (PMI) CEO Jacek Olczak told The Mail on Sunday that the UK government should treat cigarettes like petrol cars and ban them in 10 years, many wondered why the world’s biggest tobacco company would self-sabotage itself with such a draconian statement.

Hemp is a cannabis sativa plant that contains only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive ingredient typically associated with marijuana.

The market for industrial hemp, which can be used to make a wide variety of products, was estimated to be US$5 billion in 2019 and is forecast to grow to US$36 billion by 2026.

More hemp being turned into more products means more hemp waste, which is the stalk after the leaves, flower and seeds have been removed.

The 2021 Tokyo games is the first Olympics in which athletes are permitted to use CBD, a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis plants.

This year, some of the greatest athletes in the world, including Megan Rapinoe (women’s soccer) and Devon Allen (men’s track and field) have trained using CBD products to boost their athletic performance, thanks to a change in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) policies that removed CBD from the prohibited substances list.

The use of marijuana (AKA all products containing the psychoactive compound THC) is still prohibited.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) pulled CBD from its prohibited substances list in 2017. That change did not go into effect until January 1, 2018, though, and there was no time for athletes to incorporate CBD use into training before the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Very little research has been conducted on CBD, but users generally report feeling more relaxed after using this cannabis compound, without experiencing the psychoactive effects or “high” that THC induces.

The cannabis industry has gone from budding to booming in the past few years. Recreational cannabis sales are legal in 18 states to date (and Washington, D.C.) and in 2020, Americans spent over $18 billion on legal weed – a 71% increase from the year prior.

Despite making permanent such pandemic-era innovations as “beer to go,” Florida lawmakers haven't acted to codify a recently expired policy allowing medical marijuana patients to renew their certifications virtually.

With the state's nearly 600,000 patients now required to visit a doctor in-person for recertification, pressure is mounting for the legislature to act during its 2022 regular session.

The policy allowing telemedicine to be used for medical marijuana patient recertification was promulgated by an executive order signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at the start of the pandemic. The order expired June 26, nearly two months after the end of this year's regular legislative session.

Measures to expand telemedicine were considered, but making the medical marijuana telemedicine policy permanent wasn't in the offing.

"We've grown accustomed to this virtual world that we live in, and a lot of these things make things easier," said Taylor Biehl of the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida, a lobby group pushing for easier access to the drug.

From high quality oils and tinctures, to delicious edibles and soothing topicals, it seems there’s something for everyone when it comes to Cannabidiol (or “CBD” for short).

Don’t get us wrong, having various CBD products to choose from is amazing. It gives people the chance to enjoy and experience the medicinal properties of CBD in a way that’s best for them.

But honestly, do you find yourself a bit overwhelmed by the crazy amount of CBD products floating around the internet and in CBD dispensaries?

If you answered yes, then we may have a solution for you… CBD hemp flower!

Benefits of CBD hemp flower

For many people, consuming CBD has become a key part of maintaining the overall health and wellness.

CNBC reports that governmental behavior is being noticed in the judicial branch. The focus is upon comments of Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court. Over the years, he has been derided by the press, largely for not asking questions during oral arguments. But, appointed in 1991, Justice Thomas is the senior member of this court, and he brings an interesting perspective to things. His writing was most recently here in Near Unanimity, Untethered (June 2021), an advocacy for standards and principles to guide the law. His special concurrence described in Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore (March 2020) regarding federal preemption is also worthy of note.

The recent CNBC article focuses upon Thomas' comments regarding Gonzales v. Raich, 545 US 1 (2005). There, the Court concluded that federal law regarding marijuana could be enforced despite contrary state laws. One might expect the case to be heavy with Supremacy Clause discussion, but it is all about interstate commerce. The Court's decision in Wickard v. Fillburn plays predominantly in the analysis. Wickard is the foundation of the Court's conclusions regarding modern interpretation of the Interstate Commerce Clause, and has its share of critics. It is foundational to the Court's conclusion that your government can compel you to purchase products or services you do not desire. See NFIB v. Sebelius, 567 U.S. 519 (2012).

CNBC's analysis of the comments regarding Raich are presented in parallel with a recent decision by the Court not to hear a case regarding tax deductions claimed by marijuana businesses in Colorado. The discussion regards whether Justice Thomas' perspectives might signal coming change in the court's perspective on marijuana. Justice Thomas was seen as critical of the inconsistent state laws regarding the production, possession, and sale of pot. He suggested that

Note that this suggests interstate commerce as did Wickard and Raich. Justice Thomas was critical of the federal law regarding marijuana. Included is the clear and definitive "marihuana is illegal" that comes from its listing in Schedule I by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Inclusion on that list, by definition, means that a substance (pot) is a "drug() with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. " Thus, the very term "Medical Marijuana" may be an oxymoron. (2015).