WeedLife News Network

While cannabis users produced significantly less power, they did not display as much anaerobic fatigue

Young women who are regular cannabis users, even when active and fit, do not produce as much anaerobic power as those who don’t partake, concludes a new U.S. study.

Published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, investigators from the University of Northern Colorado sought to determine if chronic cannabis use in physically active, female athletes alters health performance.

In essence, anaerobic activity is “a higher-intensity, higher-power version of exercise,” according to HealthLine. During these short bursts of intense effort, “the body can’t process oxygen fast enough to use it as fuel,” the study explains.

The small study compared the performance of 12 healthy, regular cannabis users — who had used the plant an average of six years and consumed an average of 15 days monthly — to that of 12 non-users, participants who had not consumed any cannabis products for at least 12 months.

Members of both groups were aged 19 to 34 and regularly engaged in resistance and aerobic training, per a study press release posted on News Wise.

The latest Ministry of Health data on medicinal cannabis uptake paints a positive picture. This comes despite ongoing criticism on the availability of local products, price, and doctors’ willingness to prescribe.

Yes, challenges around access continue, but New Zealand’s newest industry is making good strides. Let’s not forget Parliament only legislated to enable a local medicinal cannabis industry three and a half years ago. The Medicinal Cannabis Scheme has been in effect for just over two years, or less than a year, if you take into consideration the transition period.

Local companies like Helius Therapeutics established themselves before even knowing the regulatory framework, let alone the manufacturing and product standards. In the end, New Zealand’s scheme oversees some of the highest quality standards in the world which is great for patients, doctors, and our ability to break into key export markets.

However, unlike approved synthetic drugs which are marketed on billboards and on television – often with happy senior citizens on bikes – medicinal cannabis products can’t be promoted due to regulations. This is despite meeting strict manufacturing and quality standards ensuring consistency and confidence that the products are what they say they are.

In the coming years after extensive clinical trials, medicinal cannabis will achieve Medsafe registration. Products, and what health conditions will benefit, can then be publicly promoted. In the meantime, the 1981 Medicines Act prohibits all forms of advertising. While the restriction is logical, it unfortunately means most Kiwis remain unaware that local products are now readily available nationwide.

The good news is New Zealand’s healthcare professionals are increasingly engaged about this new frontier of healthcare. Their curiosity is being partly driven by more and more patient enquiries.

Further testing on pesticides used to cultivate marijuana is one way to ensure all the consumers are safe from harmful chemicals.

As Rhode Island gears up for its recreational sales debut this December, it now requires all of its cannabis pass pesticide testing. This process is common, as nearly all legal states have some form of pesticide testing in place. With cannabis being illegal on a federal level, however, one is left to question exactly how rigorous this testing is.

In fact, since marijuana is not technically a food product or controlled at all by any federal body, one has to wonder exactly what type of pesticides we might be consuming with our recreational, and even medical marijuana. The answer, just like with marijuana policy in general, is that it varies significantly from state to state.

Arizona is a good example of how some states are handling pesticide oversight. The state of Arizona determined that testing for pesticides in marijuana was essential before it is placed on shelves, “but unlike other states, regulators here don’t do their own testing to ensure they are safe,” wrote AZ Central. The state has a third party test its marijuana, which puts full faith in this outside company to provide accurate and reliable information. This is not an uncommon practice since marijuana policy is still enjoying its “Wild West” phase in many newly-legal states.

The fact is, pesticide testing varies significantly from state to state. In a2021 study, “six states imposed the strictest U.S. EPA tolerances (i.e. maximum residue levels) for food commodities on up to 400 pesticidal active ingredients in cannabis, while pesticide testing was optional in three states.” The study found that the action levels of regulated pesticides were very different depending on what jurisdiction it came from. 

The main reason for this inconsistency is due to the fact that the main agency that regulates and monitors pesticide use in the US is currently not at all involved in regulating marijuana pesticides. According to the EPA, they have not registered any pesticides for marijuana. This is because as a federal organization they cannot make policy for a substance that is deemed a Schedule 1 drug. Instead, the responsibility and authority is left to the states that have legalized marijuana.

CBD is a natural way to treat a range of health issues and can have a positive impact on our overall health and wellbeing. It can help with illness and injuries that cause pain and discomfort. It can also help with skin conditions like acne and eczema and can alleviate symptoms we may suffer caused by low mood and bad mental health. There is a product to suit everyone, from CBD softgels to oils, capsules, and gummies. Below, we’ll look at how adding CBD to your daily routine can help you overcome common health issues.

What is CBD?

CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant to make an all-natural substance, that is often used to boost health and well-being. Although it is produced within the cannabis plant, you won’t experience the common ‘high’ feeling associated with the drug, as this is produced by a separate chemical called THC – there should be no THC present in your CBD products. CBD can be mixed with other natural substances to make an oil to be taken orally, or you may also find it in the form of infused creams and lotions, capsules, gummies and even bath bombs – there is something to suit everyone!

How does it work?

CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid systems within our body. These symptoms are made up of receptors – CBD works with them and changes the way that they react to pain, and in turn, creates an anti-inflammatory effect, which is why CBD is commonly used to treat pain caused by chronic illness and injuries. It can also interact with the production of serotonin in our brain, which is the chemical that causes us to feel happy and can balance production to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and low mood.

Generally, CBD is used to balance various systems in the body, whether you’re experiencing pain, feeling down, or stressed, or something within your body is causing you to feel unlike yourself – taking CBD in one of its many forms can help.

What are the health benefits?

As previously mentioned, CBD products come with a variety of benefits, from relieving pain and discomfort to alleviating physical and mental symptoms of stress and anxiety. Below, we’ll look at these benefits in more detail and how CBD can promote good health.

I think that cannabis products, particularly those with over 10mg of THC, should indeed have warning labels — the same way that we regulate tobacco products. Here’s why.

Over the last few years, high THC cannabis has caught the attention of medical  professionals and parents alike, but not in a good way. There has been an increased incidence of schizophrenia and psychosis cases attributed to consuming high THC cannabis, particularly among the youth.

On the other hand, for recreational users and other types of medical marijuana patients (including those struggling with severe depression, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, and many more), the recent development of extremely potent cannabis — with concentrates sometimes reaching as much as 95% THC — has been nothing but good news. Sure, people say that the choices we have today are definitely not your grandparents’ weed.

Thanks to developments in genetics, we now have a wide array of THC products to choose from, ranging from 0.3% THC all the way up to the high 90s. And these types of products are available in dispensaries around the nation wherever it’s been legalized for adult use, medical use, or both.

Cannabis is safe, but has never been touted as a cure-all

A study funded by Quantified Citizen, co-authored by Paul Stamets, proves that psilocybin treatment can help boost mood and mental health.

A study published in Scientific Reports on June 30 has presented evidence that psilocybin mushrooms have a noticeable effect on the mood and mental health of participants.

The study, called “Psilocybin microdosers demonstrate greater observed improvements in mood and mental health at one month relative to non-microdosing controls,” analyzed 1,133 subjects between November 2019 to May 2021. Baseline assessment was conducted at the beginning of the study, and then again between 22-35 days later.

Researchers analyzed the results of psilocybin microdosing combined with either lion’s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus, or abbreviated as HE) or niacin (vitamin-B3) to identify “small- to medium-sized improvements in mood and mental health that were generally consistent across gender, age and presence of mental health concerns … improvements in psychomotor performance that were specific to older adults.” The study refers to these combinations as “stacking.”

The study abstract notes that combining psilocybin with HE or B3 “did not impact changes in mood and mental health,” however, older participants did experience psychomotor improvements through either just psilocybin, or psilocybin and HE.

The research was written by numerous authors including Paul Stamets, as well as Joseph M. Rootman of University of British Columbia’s Department of Psychology. According to an interview with Forbes, Rootman is certain that the work being conducted now will help lead to more revelations in the future. “This study is an extension of our earlier manuscript published in the same journal, and we have further publications in preparation that are based on this same study,” said Rootman. “Our team has also been working hard to develop the next version of the study which will be used to generate findings related to psychedelic microdosing for years to come.”

With TikTok’s newfound love of pilates, Instagram’s fascination with gut health, and mushroom lattes popping up on the menus of our local coffee shops, it’s clear that “wellness” is going mainstream. But one clear positive exists amongst the health crazes and the diets-in-disguise: more and more people are beginning to understand how our mental and physical wellbeing are intrinsically linked.

Interest in yoga, meditation, and other Eastern approaches to health and wellbeing is at an all-time high. Now, after decades of stigma and misinformation in the West, government authorities, healthcare systems, and the public are starting to accept that cannabis is medicine. And whilst combining cannabis and yoga isn’t just the latest wellness trend, its spiritual significance is clear. The two have harmoniously co-existed for thousands of years – so let’s delve into why.

Cannabis and yoga: the intersection of spirituality

Yoga is the practice of breath work, meditation, and poses called asanas that aim to connect the mind and body through present-moment awareness. Originating in ancient India, yoga is a mental, physical, and spiritual practice that can be traced back over 5,000 years.

Just like yoga, using cannabis can also be linked to spirituality. Although being high isn’t an intrinsically spiritual experience, it can be just that for some people. Many choose to use cannabis to assist spiritual growth and to ponder philosophical subjects, and people have done so for thousands of years. 

Since cannabis can allow the user to access more of their mind and to feel more connected with their body, this seamlessly fuses with the practice of yoga. The combination is far from revolutionary; cannabis and yoga have been intertwined for thousands of years. As Christopher Kilham, author, ethnobotanist, and spiritual expert recalls, “I’ve travelled the Siberian, all along the Silk Road, the Himalayas, different parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South-East Asia. Cannabis has just proliferated. It became part of not all spiritual practices, but many.”  

An excerpt from the Cannabis Health Index

Anxiety is a normal reaction to the subjective experience of stress, such as in “performance anxiety.” It can occur when anticipation of future events is associated in one’s mind with thoughts and feelings not rooted in the present moment. While anxieties can be considered a normal part of life, chronic or constant anxiety can be debilitating to one’s quality of life. In fact, such interference can produce very real physiological changes in the short and long term. It is estimated that almost two out of ten people in the U.S. suffer from anxiety disorder.

Western medicine considers anxiety disorders mood disorders and defines five basic types: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder (social phobias).

Doctors often prescribe pharmaceuticals (e.g., anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants) or psychological intervention to treat anxiety, particularly when underlying physical causes are absent. Adverse effects of pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medication range from mild to fatal. A thorough risk-versus-benefit analysis is advisable before committing to such a regimen.

The science behind cannabis & anxiety

Even though the combination of cannabis use and anxiety has been subject to extensive scientific scrutiny in the pre-clinical and clinical setting, the current state of the science of cannabis-based therapeutics in treatment of anxiety disorders is in its pre-clinical phase, yielding mostly negative, inconclusive, mixed, or contradictory results. This is presumably due to researcher bias and/or concerns about working with THC—its potential for inducing adverse effects when administered in inappropriate dosages or forms, the relatively low but present addiction potential, or its risk to various more vulnerable cohorts such as adolescents, pregnant women, or patients with a vulnerability toward developing psychosis, for example. The same, however, is not true for the use of CBD-based drugs or for the utilization of an essential oil of cannabis, where several clinical trials present us with more practical guidance. Here we review only the currently available randomized clinical trials that have directly examined the effects of modulating components of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the treatment of anxiety.

Double-blind placebo-controlled trials

A team of researchers from Brazil (2004) enlisted 10 healthy volunteers to test the effects of oral administration of a single dose of 400 mg of CBD or placebo during a typical anxiety-inducing neural imaging procedure. Resulting data suggest that CBD has anxiolytic properties. The authors posit that these CBD-induced therapeutic effects were mediated by affecting limbic and paralimbic brain areas.

According to data published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, Canadian and U.S. cannabis consumers predominantly consume cannabis flower over other product formulations.

Flower is indeed still king, and new research proves it. The paper, which researchers say is “one of the most comprehensive assessments of cannabis consumption at the population level in Canada and the U.S. to date,” examines trends in cannabis consumption patterns in Canada and the United States between 2018 and 2020, with authors recognizing the “rapidly diversified” market in both countries since the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis.

Of course, consumption methods may solely come down to what a user prefers, however, as authors note in the abstract, “… mode of administration has important implications for cannabis potency, pharmacokinetic effects, and consumer patterns of use.”

This study looked at the use of different cannabis products in population-based surveys in Canada and the U.S., examining changes over time in the prevalence of use of different cannabis products, along with frequency of use and consumption amongst each product type.

Respondents aged 16 to 65 years were recruited from commercial panels in Canada and the U.S. in states with and without a legal, adult-use cannabis market. Researchers collected data on frequency and consumption amounts for nine types of cannabis products, including dried flower, oils and concentrates, edibles and more. Consumers were also asked about habits around mixing cannabis and tobacco, and researchers collected sociodemographic information to examine any correlates of consumption.

Findings were consistent with previous surveys, ultimately noting that flower still reigns supreme among consumers, regardless of whether those consumers took part in a legal or illegal cannabis marketplace. However, researchers noted the popularity of other formations of cannabis, especially in markets with the option to legally purchase from licensed retailers.

Adolescents are over three times more vulnerable to developing a cannabis addiction than adults, but may not be at increased risk of other mental health problems related to the drug, finds a new study led by UCL and King’s College London researchers.

The study, published today in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that adolescents who used cannabis were no more likely to have higher levels of subclinical depression or anxiety than adults who use cannabis, nor were they more vulnerable than adult users to the associations with psychotic-like symptoms.

These findings build on a separate study by the same team, published recently in Psychopharmacology that found adolescents were not more vulnerable to associations between chronic cannabis use and cognitive impairment.

Lead author Dr Will Lawn (UCL Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London) said:

“There is a lot of concern about how the developing teenage brain might be more vulnerable to the long-term effects of cannabis, but we did not find evidence to support this general claim.

“Cannabis addiction is a real issue that teenagers should be aware of, as they appear to be much more vulnerable to it than adults.

Cannabis use does not seem to be associated with more respiratory-related emergency department visits compared non-users of the drug

Cannabis use is not associated with more respiratory-related visits to an emergency department in comparison to those who do not use the drug although it is associated with a greater proportion of overall emergency department visits. This was the main conclusion of a propensity-matched study by a group of researchers from Ontario, Canada.

Cannabis (or marijuana) is the most commonly used addictive drug after tobacco and alcohol. The use of cannabis is associated with respiratory problems such as chronic bronchitis symptoms and large airway inflammation and in fact, heavy use may lead to airflow obstruction. Despite this evidence of adverse respiratory effects, a 2018 systematic review concluded that there was low-strength evidence that smoking cannabis was associated with cough, sputum production, and wheezing and that there was insufficient evidence of an association between use of the drug and obstructive lung disease. Nevertheless, one study has suggested that daily cannabis smoking, even in the absence of tobacco, is associated with an elevated risk of health care use for various health problems.

With some uncertainty over the respiratory effects of cannabis, in the present study, the Canadian team wanted to examine the magnitude of the association between the use of cannabis and adverse respiratory-related emergency department visits. They conducted a retrospective analysis linking health survey and health administrative data for residents of Ontario. Individuals who self-reported any use of cannabis (the exposed group) within the past year were matched 1:3 (to increase the sample size) with control individuals, which were those who self-reported no use of the drug. The primary outcome for the study was a respiratory-related emergency department visit or hospitalisation which included both upper and lower respiratory tract infections, respiratory failure, asthma or COPD as the reason for presentation at the hospital. As a secondary outcome, the team assessed all-cause emergency department visits.

Cannabis use and respiratory-related hospital visits

A total of 35,114 individuals were included in the analysis, of whom, 6,425 with a mean age of 32.2 years (38.8% female) were self-reported cannabis users. Overall, 42.5% of those using the drug did so less than once a month with a much smaller proportion (10.5%) reporting daily use.

Did you know how much testing goes into your cannabis to provide safe consumption?

When regulators check to make sure legal cannabis is safe and up to par, what standards is that cannabis supposed to be meeting?

When cannabis of any form is legalized, it also becomes subject to regulation. The product must be run through several tests to ensure it’s safe for consumption before it’s allowed to hit shelves. But what exactly would make cannabis unsafe? What are the regulators testing for? It turns out that answer varies depending on which state you’re in. Most, however, require testing for a few key things: potency, pesticides, heavy metals, and contaminants.

Cannabinoid content

Every single marijuana product you purchase will tell you how much of a ride you’re in for when you ingest the substance. If it’s marijuana flower, the plant’s THC content will be expressed as a percentage on the front of the packaging. If you have an edible, the THC will be expressed as a weight or volume. The same is true of other cannabinoids like CBD, CBG, Delta-8, Delta-10 and so on. That regulation is similar to alcoholic beverages expressing their alcohol content on the packaging.

The goal there is to help guide consumers, so they know how much of the product to ingest. Edibles will often have suggested serving sizes written onto the packaging. That detail is extremely important, since products can vary widely in their potency. 

Pesticides

Testing for pesticides is common practice for marijuana regulators. That’s with good reason, too. In Maine, people fell ill after ingesting medical marijuana that, when tested, came up positive for multiple different types of pesticides, along with solvents, rubbing alcohol, mold, and bacteria. 

Using cannabis can have a big impact on your physical and mental health—for better, and sometimes for worse. That’s why it’s important to consult a healthcare provider before experimenting.

Here at GreenState, cannabis clinician Dr. Leigh Vinocur is here to answer your questions on healthy living with cannabis.

Editor’s Note: The answer to this question is meant to supplement, not replace, advice, diagnoses, and treatment from a healthcare provider.  Always consult a medical professional when using cannabis for medicinal purposes, and do not disregard the advice of your healthcare provider because of anything you may read in this article. 

Q: Will medical marijuana help my autistic child, or hurt them? I thought about trying cannabis with my autistic son, but I read articles about it being harmful for the developing brain.

A: Autism is often one of the top medical conditions that push parents to seek medical cannabis. Many of the older studies talking about the dangers of marijuana in the developing brain that were funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and were somewhat biased toward harm. Those studies did not look at children that had medical problems. Instead, most of those studies looked at healthy adolescents that were using high doses of cannabis only for the purpose of getting high.

Some of those studies that showed negative outcomes related to cognitive functions and risk of psychiatric problems later in life also questioned if there perhaps there might have been some pre-existing conditions in some of those children. Many recommended further long-term studies.

If you live in a state where weed is legal and you’re ready to take quitting smoking seriously, it might be a good idea to have some fast-acting edibles handy for when the urge to smoke strikes.

Nicotine is widely known to be one of the most addictive substances on the planet, and it is certainly the most addictive legal drug in America. According to the CDC, tobacco causes about one in every five deaths in America. While there have been some positive results from anti-smoking campaigns that have helped reduce the number of new smokers in recent years, nothing close to a cure for nicotine addiction exists today. 

There are all sorts of products on the market that try to help those addicted to nicotine move away from tobacco, including patches, gums, lozenges, pills and everything in between. In recent years, some have even started to turn to cannabis in the form of CBD gummies and even THC. But can these cannabis derived edibles really help you quit smoking?

Recent studies have shown CBD has been effective in helping with cigarette withdrawals, and decreasing one’s desire to smoke. One study, by University College London, found that using CBD helped reduce nicotine desire almost instantly. “The study found that after a single dose of CBD treatment, heavy daily smokers find smoking-related cues less visually attention-grabbing,” UCL said. 

CBD and its connection to smoking cessation has spawned many brands to market their gummies to those trying to quit. When it comes to THC, however, there has been far less research done in general. Further, with marijuana still illegal and untrusted on a federal level, it is much easier to promote CBD, which has been widely accepted as having very few negative side effects. But when you take a look at some of the benefits of medical marijuana and reference the main side effects of nicotine withdrawal, you can start to see the reason some are turning to marijuana to help quit smoking.

According to the National Cancer Institute, some of the most common nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, insomnia, anxiety, depression and others. Any one of these symptoms can be difficult to overcome on your own, but combine them all at once and one can be left feeling debilitated. Coincidently, some of the benefits of marijuana include alleviating depression and anxiety.

 Can4Med LLC announced today that it is expecting its first shipment of medical grade cannabis for purposes of distribution in Poland. Can4Med will distribute the products to an extensive network of pharmacy partners throughout the country.

"This significant milestone marks a major step forward in providing pharmacies and patients with regular access to cannabis for medical purposes. Can4Med is actively growing its supply contracts to provide approved products to the Polish market," said Can4Med CEO Arek Piotrowicz.

Polish legislation allows physicians to prescribe medical cannabis products to patients who can then access it through registered pharmacies. On some specific occasions, products can be covered under public health insurance.

Poland is one of Europe's largest medical cannabis markets by patient count and is forecast to grow significantly given its large population and growing market demand.

Four government researchers spoke with The New York Times about their respective studies involving MDMA and psilocybin as a treatment for military veterans.

According to The New York Times, the last time that Veterans Affairs (VA) explored psychedelics as a medical treatment was in 1963. This was around the same time that the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. Army was testing LSD as a way to “mind-control” enemies. Many decades later, these four researchers are bridging the gap between veteran mental health and psychedelic-assisted therapy. These studies are being conducted by VA clinicians, and the results could lead the way to more studies in the future.

Dr. Shannon Remick, is conducting a study with 10 veterans in a VA clinic in Loma Linda, California. She became one of the first doctors since the 1960s to be allowed to use psychedelics as a treatment in that clinic, which is overseeing the progress of combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Each volunteer will experience three sessions using MDMA as a way to explore their condition, and begin each session with calming activities (such as breathing exercises or poem readings). Sessions are led by the patient, but assisted through the process with the help of a therapist who mainly listens, rather than directs.

“We are alongside and with the patient as they are exploring a kind of excavation site,” Dr. Remick said.

“Ultimately, it’s not for us to point and say, ‘Hey, look at that,’ because what I’m seeing may not be the same from their angle.”

Dr. Rachel Yehuda actually delayed her retirement to dedicate herself to psychedelic-assisted therapy. She sought out permission to help PTSD sufferers with MDMA, and began the study earlier this year in January. Her study is examining the effects of MDMA on PTSD patients, specifically to determine whether two or three sessions are more beneficial overall.

Contrary to popular belief, Cannabis does not just help people get high. The plant has a long history of medical use, dating back to ancient China. Today, Cannabis is increasingly being used as a therapy for various conditions, ranging from chronic pain to anxiety and depression. Here are seven “surprising” benefits of using Cannabis as a therapy.

1. Relieve chronic pain

Cannabis has been used to relieve pain for centuries. It was one of the first medical benefits of CBD oil, but only recently have scientists begun to understand how it works. Cannabinoids, the active ingredients in Cannabis, bind to receptors in the nervous system to modulate pain signals. That can help reduce chronic and acute pain, making it an effective treatment for various conditions.

Modern science has confirmed that Cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic pain. That is especially true for those who have fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. In addition, Cannabis may also be helpful for those who experience pain due to cancer or nerve damage. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Cannabis make it an ideal treatment for chronic pain. Cannabis is non-addictive and has few side effects, making it a safe and attractive option for those seeking relief from pain.

2. Improve sleep quality

Cannabis has been used as a sleep aid for centuries. The plant was known as “Indian hay” in the early 1800s and was used to treat insomnia. Today, Cannabis is increasingly used to treat sleep disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Cannabis has long been used as a natural sleep aid, and recent research has confirmed its efficacy. One study found that those who used Cannabis before bed slept an average of 45 minutes longer than those who did not and reported feeling more rested in the morning. Cannabis can also help reduce anxiety and pain, two common causes of insomnia. For those struggling with sleep issues, using Cannabis may be a helpful way to improve sleep quality. The calming effects of Cannabis can help to promote relaxation and ease the mind into a restful state. If you’re looking to “buy weed online” be sure to do your research and purchase from a reputable source. By doing so, you can maximize the therapeutic benefits of this versatile plant.

3. Improve mental health

Mental health is often viewed as a taboo subject, but it is something that should be open and discussed more freely. Cannabis has long been used as a treatment for anxiety and depression. It can effectively treat mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Recent studies have shown that CBD, a compound found in Cannabis, can effectively treat both conditions. CBD works by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates mood and emotion.

With dozens of states passing some form of cannabis legislation in the past decade, more people than ever are using marijuana for either medical or recreational purposes. According to recent research, regular cannabis use has a minimal effect on a user’s physical health. The study adds to the growing body of research on how marijuana affects pulmonary, cardiovascular and other biological functions. Since federal law has made it virtually impossible for researchers to study cannabis for the past few decades, most of the research on the effects of regular cannabis use is quite new. This recent study, whose findings were reported in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal, sought to investigate the effect of regular (once a week) cannabis use on physical health. The results indicated that the plant didn’t have detrimental effects. The research involved data from roughly 300 pairs of twins which was sourced from the University of Colorado Boulder’s “Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan Behavioural Development and Cognitive Aging” study. This is an ongoing study of cognitive aging in twins from infancy to adulthood to determine how different influences in childhood and adulthood affect cognitive functioning. The researchers specifically tracked factors that influence declines, maintenance or boosts in cognitive abilities. Jessica Megan Ross, the study’s lead researcher, and her team looked at how these factors affected dizygotic twins, who share 50% of their genes, and monozygotic twins, who share 100% of their genes. They also drew data from a larger study that has been assessing twins and siblings on a yearly basis from birth into early adulthood.

After analyzing the data, the researchers  found that the increased use of marijuana during adolescence wasn’t necessarily associated with reduced physical activity or exercise in adulthood. Furthermore, they found that increased use of cannabis as an adult isn’t necessarily associated with regular appetite loss either.

Comparing data between siblings showed that the frequent use of cannabis as a teen was associated with less exercise in adulthood.

However, the comparison of the pairs of monozygotic twins revealed that regular cannabis use in adulthood was associated with a lower resting heart rate, suggesting shared family factors could be responsible for the association between adolescent cannabis use and infrequent exercise in adulthood.

The researchers concluded that there was a minimal connection between using cannabis once a week and negative physical health outcomes for adults aged 25 to 35. They also noted that this didn’t apply to adolescents and adults who used cannabis more than once a week.

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.

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.