WeedWorthy News Network

(image: Study: In search of preventive strategies: novel high-CBD Cannabis sativa extracts modulate ACE2 expression in COVID-19 gateway tissues. Image Credit: Dmytro Tyshchenko / Shutterstock)

Researchers in Canada have conducted a study suggesting that novel Cannabis sativa extracts may decrease levels of the host cell receptor that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses to gain viral entry to target tissues.

SARS-CoV-2 is the agent responsible for the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that continues to sweep the globe threatening public health and the worldwide economy.

The team – from the University of Lethbridge and Pathway Rx Inc., Lethbridge – developed hundreds of new C. sativa cultivars and tested 23 extracts in artificial 3D human models of the oral, airway and intestinal tissues.

As recently reported in the journal Aging, 13 of the extracts downregulated expression of the SARS-CoV-2 host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

(image: Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.)

A Canadian cannabis Company is rolling out a new take on its growing technology that may help the fight to contain the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 350,000 Canadians and killed more than 11,000. Worldwide, those numbers have surged to 60.6 million cases and more than 1.4 million deaths.

Winnipeg-based Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.(TSX: DN, OTCQX: VRNDF, Forum) has developed and validated new proprietary decontamination equipment, called the “Decontamination Pod”, which can be used to decontaminate medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other equipment.

In a media release detailing this news for investors, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, John Arbuthnot called this technology, also branded as a D-Pod, a likely game changer for governments, hospitals, and care-facilities in the fight against COVID-19, allowing them to decontaminate large amounts of PPE and other equipment, increasing the availability of existing PPE inventories and preventing potential exposures to the virus.

“We are extremely proud of our employees and partners for bringing this technology to this point and look forward to continuing to do our part in providing solutions to this health crisis.”

(image: Image: Wikimedia - CC BY-SA 3.0)

A new study on the long-term effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on roundworms has been published. Here’s why it has some significance.

Canada’s Canopy Growth announced recently announced its medical division, Spectrum Therapeutics, carried out a study focusing on toxicity and lifespan effects of CBD in Caenorhabditis elegans – roundworms. However, unlike some roundworms, C. elegans is a non-hazardous, non-infectious, non-pathogenic, non-parasitic organism according to the University of Minnesota College of Biological Science.

Caenorhabditis elegans is often used in preclinical lifelong drug toxicity studies given an estimated 60–80% of its genes have a human ortholog (evolved from a common ancestral gene).

While cannabidiol is already in wide use around the world, there had been no life-long toxicity studies conducted to date to determine the impact either way or potential for same of long-term exposure to CBD. Given C. elegans short lifespan of 2-3 weeks, this made it a good candidate for such a study.

Earlier this month, MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) (OTCQX: MEDIF) (FSE: MLZ) plunged lower after it reported quarterly earnings that showed a large decline in revenue when compared to the same quarter last year.

We believe the response from the market was an overreaction and will monitor the trend from here. MediPharm represents a differentiated growth opportunity that is executing on a multi-national expansion and we find the valuation to be attractive at current levels.

One of the most exciting aspects of the MediPharm story is related to work that it is doing on the biotech side of the industry. A few weeks ago, the company initiated a clinical trial to research and evaluate the effectiveness of its proprietary cannabis-derived medical products and formulations on the treatment of end-stage renal disease or chronic kidney disease (CKD).

In the coming months, we expect to learn more about the study and MediPharm plans to expand its portfolio of clinical trials in the near future. We believe that the market does not understand the significance of the clinical trial on the treatment of end-stage renal disease or CKD and want to explain the importance of it.

More than two million people worldwide currently have a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In the U.S. alone, an estimated 1 million people live with the neurological disease. Often misunderstood, MS affects the body in myriad ways, starting with the sclerotic nerves. Many who experience the debilitating effects of MS struggle with pain, loss of motion and dramatic lifestyle changes that can affect life-long happiness. 

Individuals with MS also experience muscle stiffness (commonly called spasticity), a condition that the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America calls quite common among those that have the disease.

Per MSAA:

“Spasticity is a common symptom in MS. It is a tightness or stiffness of the muscles – occurring typically in the legs (calf or thigh), groin, and buttocks. Although less common, some individuals may experience spasticity in their back. These are all muscles that help people to stand and balance in an upright position.” 

While muscle stiffness affects an estimated 90% of MS patients, a study of medical marijuana has shed light on how cannabinoids in weed may alleviate spasticity. Given a single marijuana cigarette, the double-blind study found that participants with MS believed their symptoms had improved.

THE biggest Australian commercial shipment of locally-grown and good manufacturing practice-manufactured medicinal cannabis oils has been exported into the lucrative German market by WA-based Little Green Pharma (LGP).

The shipment was made to CC Pharma, a leading German importer and distributor of pharmaceuticals and included an initial 2400 units of LGP-branded medicinal cannabis oils valued at more than $600,000.

The shipment was anticipated to clear customs in Germany during the course of this week, following which LGP expects the shipment to be batch-tested and released for sale to the German market.

Delivery of the shipment will complete an extensive 22-month process of negotiation, quality inspection and audit and procurement of German and Australian narcotic licences and permits - reflecting the high regulatory barriers to the export of medicinal cannabis products to the European Union.

LGP managing director Fleta Solomon said supplying CC Pharma was a significant achievement.

Tasmanian Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff has strongly criticised the State Government’s medical cannabis Controlled Access Scheme.

Introduced in 2017, the Scheme only enables medical specialists the ability to prescribe products to patients in circumstances where conventional treatments have failed. It’s a seven-step process:

.. but added to that, all usual Commonwealth exemptions, authorisations or approvals are also required.

It’s a very clunky program and its negative impact is evidenced by the number of authorisations. Under recent questioning from the Greens in Budget Estimates, it was revealed of 39 applications made by specialists on behalf of their patients, only 17 were accepted by the Health Department. The failure rate aside, the number of applications wouldn’t reflect demand – patients would be put off even embarking on the process.

“The exasperatingly low figure divulged today is yet more evidence of the Liberals’ ideological opposition to medicinal cannabis,” said Ms. Woodruff. “It follows a Senate Committee singling out Tasmania as the only state that has refused to join the national scheme for access.”

Malawi is ready to start commercial production and processing of cannabis for medicinal and industrial use, the southern African country’s new Cannabis Regulatory Authority said on Tuesday.

Malawi’s parliament passed a bill in February that makes it legal to cultivate and process cannabis for medicines and hemp fibre used in industry, but stops short of decriminalising recreational use.

A growing number of countries around the world are either legalising or relaxing laws on cannabis as attitudes towards the drug change. They include several in southern Africa, including Zambia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

The board chair of Malawi’s regulator, Boniface Kadzamira, said his board had received more than 100 applications for licensing which were under review.

The agriculture ministry on Friday announced the license fees, which will range from $100 to $10,000 a year for the cultivation, selling, storage, distribution of either class of industrial and medicinal hemp.

Marijuana makes you dumb. At least according to the tired trope surrounding its use. Back in the day, stoners were considered slackers and anyone who smoked weed was on a one-way ticket to Loserville.

Today, many of those stigmas have fallen away. But some still linger in the popular consciousness, like the perception that every hit on a joint results in a lower IQ. But does smoking marijuana actually make you stupid?

Not really, according to a review published in the journal Neuropsychology. Canadian researchers Scot Purdon and Daniel Krzyzanowski aimed to better understand what long-term cognitive effects cannabis could have on users. They analyzed 23 previous studies to determine if marijuana abstinence had any impact on verbal learning and memory abilities.

Based on available literature, they wrote, whatever impairment marijuana use inflicted upon memory and verbal learning “appear to resolve between 7 and 28 days of sustained abstinence.” However, they added, “years of regular use were inversely related to longer periods of abstinence and verbal learning performance, undermining a confident inference that abstinence alone has direct benefits to verbal learning and memory.”

This isn’t the first research conducted by Purdon that focuses on marijuana and memory. In 2018, Purdon conducted a study that found marijuana hinders verbal learning — the ability to read and retain information — for up to 24 hours after usage. Within one to three days, that impairment is reduced by half.

Whether you’re a long-distance runner, a trekking enthusiast, or a gymnast, fitness is a crucial part of every human being. With the ongoing pandemic and closure of gyms, online workout sessions are the new normal. A person’s fitness goal can be anything from losing fat to gaining muscle to improving joint flexibility and endurance. Sticking to a fitness regimen is the hardest thing that can keep you lingered from achieving your fitness goal. This is why many fitness freaks look for natural supplements that can promote energy and alleviate pain to keep you motivated and consistent towards the fitness goal.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a component derived from the cannabis plant. It is non-psychoactive, meaning; it won’t give you a euphoria. This article will look into the seven unique ways CBD can help reach your fitness goal.

1. CBD ban boost energy

Exercising makes you feel strong and resilient. However, after a while, the repeating movements make your muscles feel weak and tired. This is called muscle fatigue, which reduces the muscle’s capability to perform over time. The most common symptoms of muscle fatigue are soreness, muscle cramps, and localized pain. CBD can be beneficial in relieving muscle fatigue and boosting energy. According to a 2017 report, CBD can influence mood-related neurochemical chemicals in the brain. It can help to fight a lack of stamina and increase strength. Purchase CBD vape juice that works from a trusted brand to ensure a higher CBD concentration and less THC.

2. CBD may promote healthy sleep

Adequate rest by sleeping is crucial for the healthy functioning of the body. Most people don’t realize that getting sufficient sleep can boost their fitness efforts. According to reports, when researchers put a group of fitness enthusiasts on a sleep schedule, they started losing weight from fat. It showed that people on a sleep-deprived diet lost less fat than their well-rested counterparts.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is an excellent plant component for healthy sleep. According to research, people who took CBD showed improvement in REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Pain is also a cause of disturbed sleep. Fitness enthusiasts often feel muscle soreness and pain in their joints due to their strenuous workouts. According to a 2018 review, consuming CBD can soothe pain, thus improving sleep. People who are deprived of sleep can take CBD vape juice for insomnia related issues which is an effective and trusted way to help you sleep better.

A study by a team of researchers in France has found that 17% of patients with rheumatologic diseases consume cannabis. A report on the study, “Cannabis use assessment and its impact on pain in rheumatologic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” was posted online this month prior to its publication in the journal Rheumatology.

To conduct the study, researchers in Clermont-Ferrand, France, performed a systematic review of scientific literature published through June 2020 on the use of cannabis to treat rheumatologic diseases. Rheumatologic diseases include conditions such as fibromyalgia (FM), lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The studies reviewed covered a total of 10,873 patients, including 2,900 who said that they consumed cannabis. The incidence of cannabis use was then calculated by meta-proportion.

“Nearly 20% of patients suffering from rheumatologic diseases actively consume cannabis, with an improvement in pain,” the authors of the study concluded. 

Patients Often Self-Medicate With Cannabis

The researchers noted in their rationale for the study that despite the use of classic analgesics and other medications including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to treat rheumatologic conditions, many patients continue to experience pain and often turn to non-prescribed pharmacological alternatives such as cannabis for self-therapeutic use. However, the medicinal use of cannabis has not yet been thoroughly investigated.

If you’re new to the world of medical marijuana, you may be finding it hard to know where to start. Between smoking, taking edibles, whether you are looking for more of an upper or relaxation stimulant, in this article we’ll help you to make better sense of the products available and aid you in choosing what is best for your requirements. If you live in any of the 33 states in which this substance is legal in a healthcare context, such as Pennsylvania, getting a medical marijuana card is extremely easy. All you need to do is take a few minutes to enter some details, and you won’t be billed until your application is approved.

The Uses of Medical Marijuana

There are many reasons why people explore medical marijuana as a means of improving their health and wellbeing. The substance is believed to have numerous beneficial properties, including the treatment of muscular and joint pain, swelling, cramps and spasms. It is also widely used as a relaxation aid, with many professionals prescribing it as part of a treatment plan for depression, anxiety, stress or insomnia. In addition, marijuana is thought to effectively tackle the symptoms of numerous chronic health conditions including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and issues affecting the spinal cord. It is also used in the treatment of IBS and Crohn’s Disease, epilepsy and arthritis. Many people who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS or who are undergoing treatment for cancer also report that medical marijuana helps them to fight the associated nausea.

The Perfect Product for You

Your ideal cannabis-derived product should be determined by the purpose you wish for it. For example, if you want to treat muscle aches, pains or tightness, you may find that a balm or topical cream is best. This can be applied directly to the affected area. If you wish to use MMJ to aid in relaxation and stress relief, you may prefer incense or essential oils that can be inhaled as a scent. In order to tackle more complex or intense conditions, marijuana can be smoked, taken as a capsule or oil or even eaten or imbibed as a drink. You can decide what is best depending on your preferences and lifestyle.

CBD is one of the active components of cannabis that is most useful in the treatment of certain health issues. Its oil and capsule form chiefly contain the same type of solution. However, a capsule is swallowed once a day with water, while oil is applied as droplets under the tongue. It also takes longer to feel the effects of a CBD capsule than an oil. Edibles and tea have similar effects, which are often quite intense and long-lasting, but tea is reported to be a little quicker acting. Cannabis contains a range of vitamins and antioxidants, so this is a great way to supplement a healthy diet. Finally, CBD is widely available in vape-form, which is perfect if you already use an e-cigarette, as it can be very easy to adopt into your existing routine.

Photo by Grav via Unsplash

In some studies, THC appears to ease inflammation inside and outside the body, therefore decreasing the threat of acne.

While it is true that the cannabinoids in cannabis can have some effect on the skin and can treat itching and even skin diseases like psoriasis, marijuana’s impact on the skin adds a level of complexity to the debate. 

California

California is the largest and most populous state where marijuana has been legalized for recreational use, and it is the state with the longest-lived medical marijuana program. Both recreational and medicinal dispensaries have generated several billions of dollars in sales, despite fighting a booming black market. Because taxes for recreational weed are exorbitant and driving many adult recreational users away, entrepreneurs in this state should seriously consider starting with a medicinal shop, which is subject to lower fees and taxes. Even better, there are many counties and municipalities that have banned recreational marijuana businesses but permit medical marijuana use, so entrepreneurs in this space have greater access to less saturated markets.

Arizona

Arizona is poised to pass recreational marijuana regulations, which means the state is on the verge of a major uptick in cannabis interest. Already, marijuana use has been on the rise in the state, with medical marijuana sales growing significantly in every year since 2016. Greater acceptance of all cannabis use throughout the state will undoubtedly drive patients toward medicinal marijuana, especially within the next few years. Both recreational and medicinal dispensary licenses are available to entrepreneurs interested in capitalizing on a market yet to see serious competition.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma boasts one of the more fascinating medical marijuana programs in the country. Unlike other states, where patients must suffer from one (or more) qualifying health conditions, Oklahoma allows patients to work with their doctors to determine whether marijuana might be a viable solution to their health concern. As a result, it is much easier to get medical marijuana in Oklahoma — which means the medical marijuana industry in the state is booming. Though the market is smaller than in states like California and Oregon, Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry is booming, and there aren’t nearly enough dispensaries to keep up with demand.

Alaska

Though sparsely populated, remarkably rural and quite conservative in its politics, Alaska has enjoyed a long and generally positive relationship with the good green herb. Technically, the state was the first to legalize recreational marijuana — way back in 1975 — but a few complications thwarted recreational sales until 2014. Currently, the medical and recreational marijuana industries in Alaska are earning hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and considering that marijuana tourism in the state is also popular, there is plenty of promise for entrepreneurs in this area. However, it might be worth noting that while dispensaries do good business, growers in Alaska are in particularly high demand. Starting a grow op and running a partnered shop might be a lucrative model to ensure enough supply of medicinal-quality goods.

Oregon

Though Oregon wasn’t the first state to pass any marijuana legalization, it has quickly become the nation’s posterchild of how marijuana regulation can go incredibly right. Oregon’s marijuana industry is perhaps the booming-est, generating record-breaking incomes for almost every month in 2020. Not only is the state’s dominant culture incredibly weed-friendly, but Oregon borders three states with remarkably strict marijuana laws and attracts millions of marijuana tourists every year. What’s more, Oregon weed growers are currently producing more bud than current dispensaries can manage, so there is plenty of space for entrepreneurs to hang their shingle and thrive. Plus, fees and taxes are much lower for Oregon cannabis business owners than they are in other states. If you can’t get ahold of a license, you should be able to find a licensed business for sale.

Chronic back pain is a major issue around the globe.

In fact, lower back pain is the leading cause of disability on the planet.

The condition affects people from all backgrounds and socio-economic statuses, although low and middle-income populations have seen a greater uptick in diagnosis compared to upper-income global populations in recent years.

Back pain can come in many forms and levels of severity, from a nagging pain that makes routine life actions tougher, all the way up to complete debilitation.

Medical marijuana patients in New Mexico may soon be able to purchase a larger amount of cannabis. 

That was the recommendation offered up on Monday by a panel that included doctors and other health care professionals in the state. According to the Associated Press, the advisory board voted “in favor of nearly doubling the limit to 15 ounces over 90 days,” a move that supporters say would bring New Mexico in line with neighboring states Arizona and Colorado. In addition, the AP reported that the panel “recommended expanding the list of qualifying conditions to include anxiety, attention deficit disorders, Tourette’s, and some substance abuse disorders.”

As it currently stands, New Mexico’s medical marijuana law includes nearly 30 qualifying conditions, and eligible patients are able to purchase eight ounces of cannabis over the course of a 90-day period. Qualifying conditions include Alzheimer’s disease, autism, cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and severe chronic pain.

Unlike those aforementioned neighboring states, however, New Mexico has not yet joined the ranks to legalize recreational pot use. Colorado, along with the state of Washington, voted to end pot prohibition back in 2012, while voters in Arizona did the same in this month’s election. That isn’t to say there is a lack of political and public support in New Mexico, however.

Changes in Marijuana in New Mexico

Last year, the state’s Democratic governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill decriminalizing up to a half an ounce of marijuana, a move that changed the penalties to a mere $50 fine as opposed to actual jail time. In January, Grisham signaled that she was ready to go even further, unveiling a proposal to legalize recreational pot use. The reform, she said, would be an economic boon for the state.

Veteran suicides are on the rise in 2020, likely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Job loss, grief, anxiety over sickness and financial struggles, family tension, childcare demands, social isolation, and lack of healthy coping mechanisms – all run-of-the-mill stressors in the COVID-19 era – can be triggering for those struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one of the most predominant causes of veteran suicides, and could trigger PTSD symptoms even for those who usually would not experience them.

We can’t know what the total numbers in 2020 will be, but the Department of Defense predicts a 3.6% increase in overall military suicides, compared to roughly 6,000 last year. United States Army officials told the Associated Press their branch has already seen a roughly 20 percent increase in suicides this year.

But many surviving soldiers are prioritizing their mental health in these trying times, and for some of them, their medication of choice is less than conventional. A growing number of veterans are using medical marijuana to treat PTSD every year, claiming it helps them alleviate anxiety and repress traumatic memories when other treatments for the disease fail.

And now that medical marijuana is legal in two more states and, with the passing of the Veterans Equal Access Act earlier this year, VA doctors are allowed to prescribe medical cannabis in states where it is legal, some say we may see weed become a more widely accepted treatment for PTSD in the future.

But can cannabis really mitigate the life-threatening symptoms of PTSD? And if so, how?

Those using cannabis to treat PTSD say it helps to relieve the intensity of traumatic flashbacks and nightmares. But until recently, there was little research on the biological mechanisms behind this effect.

Even without Congressional assistance, the president has the authority to initiate the process of getting marijuana rescheduled by the Controlled Substances Act. 

While it is still kind of hard to see through the funk of the 2020 election, rest assured it is over for Donald Trump. As of January 2021, President-elect Joe Biden will take his shot at making America great again.

It will be during his first 100 days, a period that typically sets the tone for the presidency, that America will get to see precisely what kind of leader it is dealing with. Some citizens hope to see action that will help rebuild an economy crushed by the dreaded COVID-19, others want an effective vaccine, and a good deal of the population just wants medical marijuana.

Although more than half the nation has laws on the books that allow people to use marijuana for medicinal use, the federal government isn’t as progressive. Cannabis remains a Schedule I dangerous drug within the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which basically means that it is highly addictive and doesn’t possess any healing properties. But science disagrees. There is a growing body of evidence showing that marijuana can help patients treat a variety of health conditions ranging from insomnia to more life threatening illnesses. And as for all of that business about being “highly addictive,” even Uncle Sam admits that it is only about as habit forming as caffeine. 

Still, it would take an act of Congress to reschedule cannabis. Well, that or a highly motivated president. 

More Utah doctors will be able to recommend medical cannabis to qualifying patients, under a new bill being proposed.

The forthcoming legislation will allow physicians to recommend cannabis for up to 15 patients without having to go through hours of specialized training through the state. But if a doctor does, they can help up to 275 patients.

"We want to make the barrier to entry on the part of providers, prescribers, lower," said Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, who is co-sponsoring the bill with Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers.

As FOX 13 reported in an investigation last year, qualifying patients still struggle across Utah to find doctors willing to recommend medical cannabis. Some don't want to go through so much paperwork and licensing for a handful of patients, while others are uneasy about recommending cannabis.

"This bottleneck that we have here, it is forcing patients to go outside and try to doctor shop which was never the intention," said Desiree Hennessy, the head of the Utah Patients Coalition, which sponsored Proposition 2 that legalized medical marijuana in Utah.