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Cannabinoids & the People #85: a triple issue & redesign! + cannabinoids for everything, including tampons for menstrual pain

A lot of news at the state & international level

This week…

  • CBD tampons for severe period pain!
  • Women get more high from THC
  • Cannabis for neuropathic pain + THC for the cognitive decline of cancer treatments
  • Cannabis leads to sperm burnout?
  • CBD for postoperative pain
  • Wim Hof breathing to improve your ECS/life!
  • Rats mistake CBD for benzos
  • Vapes vs joints: toxins vs THC
  • Acupuncture works via the CB1 receptor
  • A Shakespeare quote to mock scientism & a Pain Society
  • 3 microbiome papers: the gut microbiome & cancer + cannabis use disorder & the microbiome + ECS regulation of the microbiome
  • Cannabis induced heart attacks in youth
  • Endocannabinoids in the teeth stem cells
  • FABPs: the sports cars of the endocannabinoid world
  • One Dr. Strangelove fluoridation reference
  • Hemp stems to absorb pollution

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the 85th edition of Cannabinoids & the People, Lex Pelger’s free weekly digest of all the new cannabinoid science + assorted news & psychedelic updates.
(This is a triple issue thanks to the winter break. They won’t always be clocking in at 10k words - but the science never stops…)

Announcements

I gave this newsletter a redesign over the winter break. My goal is to make it as useful as possible so please let me know if you have any thoughts for improvements.
First, the big new feature will be ‘The Canna-Science Writeup’: a breakdown of the top 3 cannabinoid science articles of the week sponsored by CV Sciences.
For skimmability, I will break down the ‘Best of Cannabinoid Science’ section at the top into more categories & also add more sub-categories to the full ‘Cannabinoid Science’ digest at the bottom. I also plan to add more explanatory notes for science concepts as well as more quotes from the articles to highlight the most important findings. So overall, this newsletter will be getting longer – not shorter – but I hope that these changes will make it easier to skim for the information that’s most important to you.
On TikTok, I started two new weekly segments: A Canna-Science Digest that covers the 3 articles above as well as EU-Canna News to highlight what’s happening over here.
Also, if you find my work helpful & appreciate the extensive time it takes to go through a few hundred articles per week, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription or making a donation using the links under ‘My work this week’.

For more…

  • Subscribe here: upgrade to a paid subscription to support my work sharing cannabinoid science
  • Book a one-on-one Cannabinoid Education Session with me for a consult about how to use the cannabinoids for your health or that of your loved one
  • Work with my company White Whale Creations to produce content for cannabis & psychedelic companies: writing, science archives, social media content, newsletters & podcasts: My portfolio
  • Buy ‘SUNset’: my Queer cannabis history graphic novel or check out the rest of my graphic novel series about cannabis & the endocannabinoid system based on Moby Dick

Free resources (my Linktree)

I’m proud to promote the CBD-rich hemp extracts of PlusCBD because I know from the inside about their commitment to quality.

They start with agricultural non-GMO hemp grown with no pesticides: only water, soil & sunlight.

Then they use the clean, safe method CO2 extraction to get out all of the terpenes, minor cannabinoids & fatty acids that go into a quality hemp extract.

And finally they test their products at least 3 times internally & once externally by third-party labs before it ever goes out the doors.

The result is an excellent CBD-rich hemp extract product that changes people’s lives.

My work this week:

Canna-Education for CV Sciences
(TikTok:@cvsciences or my YouTube playlist 3-minute Cannabinoid Science):
PSA: Sleep & Melatonin
Canna-Advice for Parkinson's
Neurochemistry of Anxiety & the Endocannabinoids
The Guts & the Endocannabinoids
Acupuncture & Your ECS: Pain & Strokes
Smoking & Flu Infections (plus an immunology joke!)
Cannabis in the Bible?
Is Cannabis a Psychedelic? (the video that should have gone viral but got shadowbanned)
New segments:
Cannabinoid Science Digest #1: Secret Buyers, Lower Back Pain & Veterinarian Use
EU Cannabis News #2 : Czech, Barcelona & Malta
International Canna-News Roundup of 2023
EU Canna-news (first edition!)

My TikToks (@lexpelgerandhisbooks or on YouTube):
Money as a Scam in 'The Wizard of Oz'
How I Build Statues in My Memory Palace
Aya Aliens & Books on Entities (my first takedown video)
Jeffrey Kripal's works
Entities & Anecdotes
A Space Brothers Alien Hypothesis
BookTok, illustrations & reading:
Esoteric Books from My Friend Eve
'30,000 Years of Art' - the epitome of the art table book
Tania Branigan's 'Red Memory' & the Cultural Revolution
Bernard Krigstein's 'Messages in a Bottle'
Reginald Marsh's New York
Pocket: a reading app
My New Year's Resolution: Read Less
YA books:
My Most Important YA Books
Middle School Books from my Archives
More Young Adult Books (w/ lots of Dahl)

The Canna-Science Writeup: Best 3 papers of the week, sponsored by CV Sciences

In a survey of spinal cord injury patients with neuropathic pain, almost 90% reported that cannabis reduced pain intensity by more than 30% & over 80% reported substituting their pain medications with cannabis
A preliminary study evaluating self-reported effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on neuropathic pain and pain medication use in people with spinal cord injury
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38188193/
Neuropathic pain, or nerve pain, is one of the hardest types of pain to treat. Among spinal cord injury patients, around 60% of them experience neuropathic pain and it's often resistant to the typical pharmacological treatments. This study recruited 227 spinal cord injury patients who participated in an anonymous online survey. They reported an average pain level of “a high moderate to severe level of pain.” Of these patients, 87% reported that cannabis reduced their neuropathic pain intensity by more than 30% and over 90% reported that cannabis helped them to better deal with their neuropathic pain symptoms. 80% also reported that they substituted their pain medications for cannabis, the most common substitutions being for opioids, gabapentinoids, and over-the-counter pain medications. Most of the respondents reported using cannabis products once or twice a day with the average weekly amount being between 2 and 4 grams. The most common consumption methods were edibles, vaping, and smoking. Most patients used THC and more than half also used CBD.
Overall, “participants reported the use of cannabis and cannabinoids decreased their stress (68.4%), anxiety and depression (62.8%), spasticity (62.8%), insomnia (77.6%), and feelings of nausea and vomiting (24.5%) while increasing their relaxation (85.2%), as well as appetite (56.1%) and focus and concentration (33.7%). Negative effects from cannabis and cannabinoids were reported mostly as dry mouth (58.2%), drowsiness (31.6%), and cough (26.0%). In addition, (25.5%) of the participants reported experiencing no negative side effects from cannabis and cannabinoids.”
These rather outstanding findings point to the power of the PlusCBD Reserve products to deliver a targeted dose of THC and CBD. As you can see, these patients weren’t using huge amounts of cannabis and a few Reserve gummies a day would be equivalent to the use levels you see here. If you know anyone dealing with intractable pain where nothing else has worked, consider sharing this study and letting them know that THC and CBD are worth trying. See more of the research on the Pain & Inflammation page of CVResearch.info.

In cancer patients receiving palliative care, 12.5 milligrams of dronabinol (synthetic THC) improved their cognitive function
Impact of Low-Dose Dronabinol Therapy on Cognitive Function in Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care: A Case-Series Intervention Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38098857/
One of the negatives of many cancer treatments is cognitive decline. The treatment kills the cancer cells, but it also does a number on many other organs in the body, including the brain. This was a small study of cancer patients that showed positive results but also the limits of this kind of research. They enrolled 8 patients with advanced cancer as well as severe untreated pain related to their treatment. For just two weeks, they gave them a daily dose of 12.5 milligrams of dronabinol (synthetic THC). One patient dropped out because of dizziness and another because their cancer progressed too rapidly. But for the remaining six, they scored better on the range of neurocognitive tests than they did two weeks before.
However, two weeks is a very short time for causing neural changes and also, dronabinol is often likened by patients to a kick by a horse. Pharmaceutical THC can either come on far too strong or to not work at all. Without the modulating influence of the other cannabinoids and terpenes, it can be hard to hit the sweet spot where the patient is being helped but is not too bothered by psychoactivity or bothersome side effects. As Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the father of the endocannabinoid system, often said, he wished that all cannabis, medical and recreational, had at least 1% of CBD in it to modulate the effects of the THC.
The patients in this study had a regimented titration schedule for their dronabinol. While this is helpful in clinical studies to make the evidence cleaner to evaluate, for patients in the real world, we want them to be able to find the dosage that works best for them even if it varies day by day.
Again, if you know anyone being treated for cancer, it's worth considering encouraging them to take a daily microdose of THC along with a mega dose of CBD. In addition to the cognitive effects seen in this study, this combination also helps with pain, sleep, and gut homeostasis. For more on the power of microdoses of THC, here’s my collection of data on the Ultra-low dose THC page as well as more brain research on the Neuroprotection page at CVResearch.info.
(And if you ever need all the cancer studies, I have a big archive of them in a document that I can send you. But I can’t put it on CVResearch because there’s nothing the FDA dislikes more than the C-word)

In a review of all the patients on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, they had improvements in self-reported anxiety, sleep quality & higher quality of life
An observational study of clinical outcome measures in patients treated with cannabis-based medicinal products on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38057993/
And in the subset of patients with ADHD, they also reported improvements in anxiety, sleep quality & quality of life
UK Medical Cannabis Registry: An analysis of clinical outcomes of medicinal cannabis therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38058251/
I very much appreciate the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. It collects the public health data of medical cannabis patients across the UK and every couple weeks, a new study comes out about some aspect of cannabis and human health. In this study, they followed patients with 12 months of cannabis use and they found “an associated improvement in self-reported anxiety, sleep quality, and HRQoL [health-related quality of life]”. The most common indications for their treatments were chronic pain, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and anxiety. The patients using opioids saw a reduction in their use over the 12 months of the study and only ~20% reported adverse events. Most of these were moderate or mild, including fatigue, sleepiness, dry mouth, and headache. Also, “there was one reported episode of psychosis (0.07%) and two (0.15%) incidences of euphoria [?!].” Growing up Anabaptist, I understand the risks of euphoria, but sometimes your health must come first.
And released on the same day from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, the related study on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Of the 68 patients, cannabis treatment for ADHD caused improvements in anxiety, sleep quality, and general quality of life. Of the 13 patients taking other medications, five of them stopped taking their lisdexamfetamine, methylphenidate, or dexamfetamine. Eleven of the patients reported adverse events with the most common being insomnia, concentration impairment, sleepiness, and dry mouth – but “no incidences of life‐threatening or disabling adverse events were reported”.

An alarming secret buyer survey of 40 CBD products finds only three of them contain CBD levels within 10% of their label claim
Cure-All cannabidiol? The cannabidiol content of commercial products
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667031323001161
If that's not a reason to buy from CV Sciences, I don't know what is. They always pass these tests with flying colors because they not only have third party testing for every batch but also extensive internal controls for testing products throughout the production process. There's a reason they are the very best sellers in the US (according to SPINS market data). They make solid products that work.

An editorial on historical inequities in cannabis research & moving towards equity & inclusion
Effects of historical inequity and institutional power on cannabis research: Moving toward equity and inclusion
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38089600/
“Specifically, recommendations focus on equity-focused legislation and policy, supporting the entry and retention of scientists of color into the field, engaging in more ethical research practices, and practicing intentionally inclusive recruitment of participants will help to move the field of cannabis research forward.”

Clinical

In Dutch veterans, a positive study on using cannabis for chronic PTSD
Medical Cannabis for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Dutch Veterans: A Health Care Evaluation
https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/4503
And a case report of a young teen self-medicating with cannabis for PTSD
Case Report: Cannabis for Treatment of PTSD
https://unisciencepub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Case-Report-Cannabis-for-Treatment-of-PTSD.pdf

CBD tampons significantly reduced pain in dysmenorrhea (severe & frequent menstrual cramps)
Efficacy and usability of a cannabidiol-infused tampon for the relief of primary dysmenorrhea
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949838423000452

On the gender differences in the psychoactive effects of oral THC, women experienced a more subjective intoxicating effect from 10 milligrams of THC
Sex Differences in the Acute Effects of Oral THC: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Human Laboratory Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38077095/
“Some evidence suggests a faster progression to addiction in women, known as the "telescoping effect."”

In young sedentary males, eight weeks of exercise plus hemp seeds increased their testosterone levels & improved body composition
Effects of eight-week regular high-intensity interval training and hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed on total testosterone level among sedentary young males: double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38085421/

A small clinical study on using the Wim Hoff method to increase CB1 receptor binding & improve stress resistance, mood, anxiety & interoceptive function (perception of sensations from within your body)
The impact of a focused behavioral intervention on brain cannabinoid signaling and interoceptive function: Implications for mood and anxiety
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294983412300034X

A potential culprit for the allergies people develop against cannabis: the thaumatin-like protein (TLP)
Exploring the thaumatin-like protein (TLP) as a candidate cannabis allergen in North-Western Europe
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37984436/

Public Health Data

A German survey found that about one in nine people were using CBD products, mostly for pain & stress relief
Usage and health perception of cannabidiol-containing products among the population in Germany: a descriptive study conducted in 2020 and 2021
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37996800/

An analysis of public health data finds that people with chronic health conditions are more likely to use cannabis, especially those with arthritis, cancer, HIV, COPD & depression
Associations between adult cannabis use and chronic health conditions in a nationally representative sample of the United States
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14659891.2023.2288838

In the nightclub/festival scene, people are taking more synthetic cannabinoids than they realize
Trends and correlates of discordant reporting of drug use among nightclub/festival attendees, 2019-2022
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37988115/

Ingestion Methods

A quite practical study finds that vaping cannabis delivered less toxins than smoking joints, but also somewhat less THC
Toxicological assessment of aerosols emitted by cannabis inhalation methods: Does cannabis vaping using Electronic NonNicotine Delivery Systems (ENNDS) and vaporizers reduce exposure to toxicants compared to cannabis smoking?
https://www.grea.ch/sites/default/files/230910_final_report_review-external_version_upload.pdf

In cannabis with elemental impurities, it seems like vaping it does not transfer them into you
Analysis of elemental impurities in cannabis following vaporization
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666831923001017

Harms

For more harms, see the “Adolescents & Young Adults’ section below. Every week, there’s at least a few studies on that topic.

A case report of a person on Prozac developing serotonin syndrome after taking cannabis oil
Serotonin syndrome and cannabis: A case report
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38058145/

Contrary to some other studies, this analysis of public health data found that cannabis legalization contributed to worsening mortality in the US opioid crisis in all races, but especially among Black people
United States marijuana legalization and opioid mortality epidemic during 2010-2020 and pandemic implications
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35469600/

In young adults, a case report & literature review of cannabis induced heart attacks
Marijuana-induced ST-elevation myocardial infarction in adolescents and young adults: A case report and comprehensive review of literature
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38040213/

A public health data analysis found a relationship between both cannabis addiction & opium addiction for increasing the risk of strokes
The relationship between opium and marijuana addiction and ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-023-05405-3

In humans, the use of cannabis associated with an increased risk of periodontitis (gum disease)
Is drug use associated with the presence of periodontitis and oral lesions? A meta-analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38014773/

For a young person with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, successfully treating them with dronabinol (a synthetic THC) after a bad reaction to haloperidol
Cannabinoid-Associated Hyperemesis Syndrome Treated With Dronabinol: Killing a Poison With the Poison
https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/case_report/pdf/194977/20231229-4278-1624dhd.pdf

Animals

A survey of Argentinian cannabis veterinarians they found pain, seizures & behavior disorders to be the most common treatments for dogs & for cats, conditions treated included pain, behavior, an autoimmune disease, skin diseases, gingivostomatitis & as a palliative for cancer
Cannabis and pathologies in dogs and cats: first survey of phytocannabinoid use in veterinary medicine in Argentina
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38031164/

A survey of Thai veterinarians on the use of CBD for dogs with osteoarthritis found that while many were in favor, they had concerns about quality, adverse events & dosing
Thai veterinarians' perceptions of cannabidiol products for dogs with osteoarthritis: a qualitative interview study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38162477/
“Many suggested CBD should be under veterinarians' supervision at first, but this can be relaxing once safety and efficacy are established. CBD products should be chewable tablets, oils, or gelatin capsules with flavors like beef, liver, pork, fish, or seafood.”

In dogs, the long-term use of CBD did not appear to affect their eye health or tear production
Long-term effect of oral cannabidiol administration to healthy adult dogs on tear production, intraocular pressure, and tear concentrations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38032014/

Reviews

For lower back pain, a review of 12 studies suggests the utility of cannabis
Medical Cannabis and Its Efficacy/Effectiveness for the Treatment of Low-Back Pain: a Systematic Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38041708/

A review of the effects of cannabis smoke on the respiratory system
Effects of cannabis smoking on the respiratory system: A state-of-the-art review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38056532/

For skin diseases, a review on the promises of cannabinoid receptors for the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, acne, pruritus, hair disorders & skin cancer
Cannabinoids and Their Receptors in Skin Diseases
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38003712/

For neurological diseases, a review of using cannabis
Therapeutic use of medical Cannabis in neurological diseases: a clinical update
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38015317/

For osteoporosis, a review of targeting the endocannabinoid system for treatment
Effect of endocannabinoid system on senile osteoporosis
https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/gim/resource/fr/wpr-993429

For gum diseases, a review of using the cannabinoids
Cannabinoids in Periodontology: Where Are We Now?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38136721/

In a review of using plants like cannabis against the parasitic worms helminths
The Potential of Plant Secondary Metabolites as Drugs or Leads Against Helminths
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-9605-4_24

A review of how activating the CB2 receptor lowers morphine tolerance
The effect of cannabinoid type 2 receptor agonist on morphine tolerance
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38145173/

A review of THC & the first dopamine receptor (often known as the receptor of addiction)
Tetrahydrocannabinol and Dopamine D1 Receptor
https://chemrxiv.org/engage/api-gateway/chemrxiv/assets/orp/resource/item/6576858a29a13c4d472643e5/original/tetrahydrocannabinol-and-dopamine-d1-receptor.pdf
For more, see my dopamine & ECS article on ProjectCBD: In Defense of Dopamine: An Endocannabinoid Story

Preclinical

In mice, cannabis smoked suppressed their antiviral immune response to influenza A (here’s my TikTok explaining this paper)
Cannabis smoke suppresses antiviral immune responses to influenza A in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38020563/
And an editorial with a flashy title
Weed, sex and influenza
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38020565/

While the immune system is always complicated, in general cannabis is an immunosuppressant. This can make it excellent for helping with autoimmune disorders but it probably doesn't help you to be hitting the pipe hard as a viral infection comes on. Not that that ever stops me...

In rats trained to discriminate benzodiazepines (ie: Valium, Xanax), high levels of CBD made them think they were getting benzos
Discriminative-stimulus effects of cannabidiol oil in Sprague-Dawley rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38085665/

In a rat model of anxiety, nano-CBD lessened their anxiety & panic-like behaviors
A cannabidiol (CBD) oral lipid-based nanoemulsion induces anxiolytic- and panicolytic-like effects and increases delta-FosB immunoreactivity in serotonergic cells of the dorsal raphe lateral wings
https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3705796/v1/34161510-e177-48e8-93c9-b7718b339137.pdf?c=1701827660

In postoperative rats, CBD lowered their pain & thermal sensitivity (though it didn’t work well in females in the proestrus phase of their cycle)
Antinociceptive action of cannabidiol on thermal sensitivity and post-operative pain in male and female rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38048909/
“The effectiveness of a 10-fold lower dose of CBD during the late diestrus stage in females suggests that ovarian hormones can influence the action of CBD.”

In a mouse model of heart attacks, CBD promoted more cardiac muscle cells & heart regeneration
Cannabidiol represses miR-143 to promote cardiomyocyte proliferation and heart regeneration after myocardial infarction
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38052413/

In mice mast cells (which store histamine), CBD lowered anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction)
Cannabidiol Inhibits IgE-Mediated Mast Cell Degranulation and Anaphylaxis in Mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38059783/

In a rat model of sleep, oral CBD extended their sleep but caused worse cumulative memory consolidation
CBD lengthens sleep but shortens ripples and leads to intact simple but worse cumulative memory
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38026151/

In a rat model of Parkinson's disease, CBD & CBG - whether given separately or together - decreased L-DOPA medication’s dyskinesia (involuntary erratic movements caused by high dopamine levels)
CANNABIDIOL AND CANNABIGEROL LIMIT L-DOPA-INDUCED DYSKINESIA WHEN GIVEN SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION TO HEMIPARKINSONIAN RATS
https://www.ibroneuroreports.org/article/S2667-2421(23)00737-6/fulltext

In a mouse model of catalepsy (frozenness) from the antipsychotic drug haloperidol, the combination of CBD & CBG helped at their lowest doses, though high doses of CBG seem to block CBD efficacy via a serotonin receptor
COULD THE COMBINATION OF TWO NON-PSYCHOTROPIC CANNABINOIDS COUNTERACT HALOPERIDOL CATALEPSY? EFFECTIVENESS OF CANNABIDIOL ASSOCIATED WITH CANNABIGEROL
https://www.ibroneuroreports.org/article/S2667-2421(23)01515-4/fulltext

In a mouse model of sickle cell anemia, the endocannabinoid PEA improved their gait via the lowering of chronic pain via improvements in the cerebellum (a brain center of movement)
Palmitoylethanolamide Modulates Gait By Targeting Purkinje Cells in the Brain of Sickle Mice
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006497123090912

In a rat model of hyperinsulinemia (high levels of insulin in the blood, related to type 2 diabetes), chronic THC regulated the appetite hormones & promoted regeneration in the gastric tissues
Chronic administration of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol protects hyperinsulinemic gastric tissue in rats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38032085/

In a mouse model of Alzheimer's, two of the pinene terpenes caused neuroprotection via lowering the amyloid plaques
Characterizing cannabis-prevalent terpenes for neuroprotection reveal a role for α and β-pinenes in mitigating amyloid β-evoked neurotoxicity and aggregation in vitro
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38070653/
And cannabis terpenes may be causing their painkilling effects via ion channels in the neurons
Terpenes in Cannabis sativa Inhibit Capsaicin Responses in Rat DRG Neurons via Na+/K+ ATPase Activation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38003528/

In a rat model of stroke, electroacupuncture seems to help via the CB1 receptor’s inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome
Mechanism underlying reduction of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by electroacupuncture preconditioning in rats: relationship between cannabinoid type 1 receptor and NLRP3 inflammasome
https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/portal/resource/pt/wpr-994171
And electroacupuncture also helped in a mouse model of inflammatory pain via the CB1 receptor
Electroacupuncture attenuates inflammatory pain via peripheral cannabinoid receptor type 1 signaling pathway in mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38060514/

In mice, using a drug that inhibits the fatty acid binding protein-5 (FABP5 – a transporter of endocannabinoids) lowered their anxiety & depression like behaviors & caused a proliferation of markers of adult neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells)
INHIBITION OF FATTY ACID BINDING PROTEIN-5 ALLEVIATES STRESS-INDUCED ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION-LIKE BEHAVIOURS THROUGH KEY SIGNALING PATHWAYS AND PROLIFERATION MARKERS OF ADULT NEUROGENESIS
https://artelobio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Taygun-Uzuneser_SFN-2023.pdf
And another FABP5 study in both humans & rats where its levels were higher in those with osteoarthritis, suggesting inhibitors as a treatment
Fatty acid binding protein 5 inhibition attenuates pronociceptive cytokine/chemokine expression and suppresses osteoarthritis pain: A comparative human and rat study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38035977/
And a thesis project on FABP1’s role in fat tissue signaling
The Role of Liver Fatty Acid-Binding Protein (LFABP; FABP1) in Adipose Tissues Cellularity and Function: Implications of Interorgan Signaling
https://www.proquest.com/openview/52402fb5809ca5003e7a401874dc37bc/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
In our Neural Ocean metaphor, FABP5 is anandamide’s sports car that the White Whale uses to race around the neurons.

The painkilling effects of the elephant apple (a plant in Brazilian traditional medicine) seems to be mediated by the opioid & endocannabinoid systems
Antinociceptive Effect of Dillenia indica (Linn.) Mediated by Opioid and Cannabinoid Systems: Pharmacological and Chemical Studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38092696/
And for Parkinson's disease, the treatment effects of the drugs xanthine or hypoxanthine may be mediated by the endocannabinoid system via GABA
Xanthine or hypoxanthine or both may play therapeutical effect in Parkinson's disease through the endocannabinoid system
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030698772300227X
Chalk up two more medicines that seem to work via the endocannabinoid system.

An evergreen note on reading restricted papers:
First stop for seeing if there’s a free version of a paper, use the Google Scholar Chrome extension (Mac version), Google Scholar itself or try ResearchGate.
Three other helpful browser extensions are: Unpaywall, Open Access Button & PaperPanda
For the infamous backdoor, use Sci-Hub – the pirated papers repository (Chrome extension here). This works better for older paper than the stuff that just came out.
Finally, email the author. They’re almost always happy to oblige because, thanks to the predatory academic publishing system, they don’t make a dollar off of their papers.

the Headlines & Fav Articles

For your best daily cannabis news source: Marijuana Moment

A roundup of new state cannabis laws that came into effect Jan 1
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-marijuana-laws-take-effect-in-multiple-states-affecting-workers-regulators-product-labeling-and-more/
I believe the silliest new law to be Colorado’s “use by” date requirement. Packages must now have a label saying they are best used within 9 months of packaging.
When you have 4500 year old tombs filled with grass that’s still smokeable, a nine month limit that might cause people to throw away old cannabis seems like bureaucratic overreach.
But hats off to California & Washington for their cannabis related workplace protections.

Military members convicted for cannabis crimes are excluded from Biden’s pardons
https://cannabislaw.report/media-report-service-members-convicted-of-cannabis-crimes-by-military-again-excluded-from-biden-pardons/
And a military editorial on cannabis use during & after war
The hazy role of cannabis in military and Veteran life before and after the fog of war
https://jmvfh.utpjournals.press/doi/full/10.3138/jmvfh.9.5.ed02

California shuts down the majority of its cannabis testing labs in a move to stop widespread labeling scams by implementing stricter requirements
https://www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/california-shut-testing-majority-pot-labs-18587629.php

A Johns Hopkins study will follow 10,000 medical cannabis patients for a year
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/johns-hopkins-researchers-to-follow-nationally-representative-cohort-of-10000-marijuana-patients-in-federally-funded-study/

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration refused to include cannabis in a proposed rule on impaired driving technology for vehicles because "current knowledge about the effects of cannabis on driving is insufficient to allow specification of a simple measure of driving impairment outside of controlled conditions"
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/01/05/2023-27665/advanced-impaired-driving-prevention-technology

This study made headlines: for NCAA recruiting, cannabis legalization helped basketball program recruiting but hurt football program recruiting
The Effects of Marijuana Legalization on NCAA Men's Basketball Recruiting
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15270025231217975
And colleges in legal states see a boost in applications by high-achieving students
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/colleges-in-states-that-legalize-marijuana-see-spike-in-applications-from-higher-achieving-students-study-finds/

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) removed cannabis from its banned substances
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/ufc-formally-removes-marijuana-from-banned-substances-list-for-professional-fighters/

Myths in early 20th century El Paso about where the cannabis was coming from
https://isaaccampos.substack.com/p/47-when-myths-make-history-move
As always, Isaac’s book on this subject, ‘Home Grown’, is excellent.

International

A roundup of the biggest international cannabis stories (my summary on TikTok)
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-legalization-advancements-in-several-countries-were-among-the-biggest-international-cannabis-news-stories-of-2023/

· Germany inches closer to legalization with final votes on the proposal due early this year

· Malta finally issued its first licenses for cannabis associations almost 3 years after the legalization law passed

· Colombia’s legislature voted to halt their legalization bill, requiring a restart of the two-year process

· Ukraine’s medical cannabis bill advanced, but has been delayed by spam amendments & a legislative block

· Luxembourg legalized cannabis possession & cultivation

· Switzerland launched a pilot program of regulated cannabis sales from pharmacies

· And the Netherlands finally sold their first legal cannabis in a trial program in two cities

Thailand to ban recreational cannabis after their 2022 decriminalization bill led to a boom of cannabis shops for tourists
https://www.forbes.com/sites/dariosabaghi/2024/01/08/thailands-new-government-to-ban-cannabis-for-recreational-use

In the Czech Republic, the government unveiled a new cannabis plan that legalizes possession, social clubs & homegrows, but not a full legalized market
https://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/pirati-norma-upravuje-konopne-kluby-a-samopestovani-ne-regulaci-trhu/2463948

In Canada, despite full federal legalization, Canada’s businesses still have trouble getting bank accounts
https://nationalpost.com/cannabis/cannabis-advocates-say-banks-still-refuse-their-business-fuelling-the-illicit-market-and-hurting-the-industry

In Barcelona, the City Council wants to close all the cannabis social clubs
https://www.eldiario.es/catalunya/ayuntamiento-barcelona-estrecha-cerco-clubes-cannabis-busca-manera-cerrarlos_1_10801834.html

In Uruguay, interviews & policy documents on the effects of international law on their cannabis industry
'We never thought this would be considered drug trafficking': International finance rules, policy space and Uruguay's regulation of recreational cannabis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37970837/
In 2013, Uruguay became the first country to regulate legal production, distribution & sale of cannabis.

In a survey of Swiss psychiatrists, most are in favor of cannabis legalization & its potential for treating some mental disorders
Attitudes of Swiss psychiatrists towards cannabis regulation and medical use in psychiatry: a cross-sectional study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38057933/

In Chile, the past failures & future prospects of cannabis reform
Where there is smoke, there is fire? Making sense of the past failure and future prospects of cannabis reform in Chile
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/lamp.12318

In Ghana, a study on the implications of cannabis cultivation legalization
Implications of legalisation of cannabis cultivation in Ghana: a critical review
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/DHS-06-2023-0023/full/html

On small scale cannabis cultivation in South Africa
Investigating Small-scale Farmers and Barriers to Entry in Cannabis Cultivation in South Africa
https://unisapressjournals.co.za/index.php/Politeia/article/view/15002

The Laws, The War on Drugs & the End of Prohibition

The Supreme Court refused to hear a case of an immigrant from El Salvador who won’t become a naturalized citizen because she worked with a state-legal cannabis business
https://www.law360.com/cannabis/articles/1782487

The DEA is greatly increasing the production quotas for various psychoactives, especially THC
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-calls-for-even-more-thc-psilocybin-and-dmt-to-be-produced-for-research-in-2024/
But why these dinosaurs deserve any say in how much cannabis, psilocybin, or DMT is produced for medical research purposes is beyond me.

A DEA agent on how Mexican cartels control growing operations & state-legal dispensaries
https://www.vladtv.com/article/302747/hector-berrellez-cartels-sell-weed-in-us-dispensaries-kill-owner-if-they
As the Prohibition of alcohol taught us, once huge illicit profits lead to a supercharged illegal entity like the Mob, that criminal enterprise will not disappear when their bread & butter becomes illegal. They will shift into other industries. The Mexican cartels are even now starting to muscle into the avocado & lime business.

Out of Washington state, policy ideas for regulating high potency cannabis
Identifying policy options to regulate high potency cannabis: A multiple stakeholder concept mapping study in Washington State, USA
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38043404/
“Notably, stakeholders from community and professional groups supported environmental policy changes such as such as taxation, increasing minimum age for high concentration cannabis products, and advertising prohibition. Meanwhile, cannabis advocates (mostly industry actors) opposed taxation per THC content, proposed lowering taxes, and supported policies with low population impact such as educating parents, teachers, and youth.”

In Seoul drug cases, cannabis is the most frequently requested test
Comprehensive evaluation of drug cases in Seoul and its metropolitan areas – 2022
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37989071/
And in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, cannabis made-up half of all drug seizures
Observational study on seizures of marijuana, cocaine and crack in a city in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376367190_Observational_study_on_seizures_of_marijuana_cocaine_and_crack_in_a_city_in_the_metropolitan_region_of_Belo_Horizonte

A review of the challenges of the forensic analysis of drugs for legal evidence (including a great chart of the 100 most mentioned drugs)
Trends and challenges in the use of drugs as forensic evidence
https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/114009381/WIREs_Forensic_Science_-_2023_-_Norman_-_Trends_and_challenges_in_the_use_of_drugs_as_forensic_evidence_A_scientometric.pdf

On the public health implications of increased cannabis access potentially leading to more or less tobacco usage
Legalization of access to cannabis: a growing agenda for tobacco control research in the USA
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38026445/

On how legalization will lead to more indoor THC exposure
The legalization of cannabis may result in increased indoor exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37976847/

Using drones to detect illegal cannabis plantations (<cough> narcs)
Segmentation of drone-captured images for illegal cannabis plantation detection
https://pubs.aip.org/aip/acp/article-abstract/2941/1/030005/2929242/Segmentation-of-drone-captured-images-for-illegal?redirectedFrom=fulltext

A thesis project on how police officers, without any good tools for measuring cannabis impairment, must translate California's new cannabis driving policies into practical rules on the ground
A Contribution to the Understanding of the Social Construction of Law in Marijuana DUI Cases
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7d8618z2

On false negatives in cannabinoid urine drug tests
False-Negative Confirmatory Testing in Patients With Cannabinoid-Positive Urine Drug Screens
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38010707/

Psychedelics, Plant Medicines & Other Psychoactives

The American Medical Association now has codes for psychedelic therapy
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-american-medical-association-psychedelic-therapy-codes-take-effect-as-fda-weighs-prescription-mdma-application/

The Psychoactive Research

[This isn’t a deep dive into the science of psychedelics & other psychoactives like I do for the cannabinoids. If your organization would be interested in a breakdown of all the new psychedelic science, reach out to me]

A survey of people with Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder
Association of Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder with Trait Neuroticism and Mental Health Symptoms
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2023.2287081
“Individuals with Type II HPPD were more likely to report mental health symptoms including anxiety, obsessional thoughts, paranoia, hypochondria and panic attacks. We also found that individuals with Type II HPPD were more likely to report the use of 25I-NBOMe, dextromethorphan, nitrous oxide and benzodiazepines.”

Interviews with spiritual health practitioners
Spiritual health practitioners' contributions to psychedelic assisted therapy: A qualitative analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38166057/

In veterans with traumatic brain injuries, a combination of magnesium & ibogaine improve their TBI symptoms as well as PTSD, anxiety & functioning
Magnesium-ibogaine therapy in veterans with traumatic brain injuries
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38182784/

A trial of MDMA for PTSD with positive results
Effects of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD on self-experience
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38198456/

For psilocybin, the neural mechanisms behind its cognitive & emotional effects
Neural Mechanisms of Resting-State Networks and the Amygdala underlying the Cognitive and Emotional Effects of Psilocybin
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38185235/

IV ketamine more effective for short term antidepressant effects than intranasal esketamine
The rapid antidepressant effectiveness of repeated dose of intravenous ketamine and intranasal esketamine: A post-hoc analysis of pooled real-world data
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38145840/

On testing the efficacy of an “ayahuasca tablet”
Potential therapeutic effects of an ayahuasca-inspired N,N-DMT and harmine formulation: a controlled trial in healthy subjects
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1302559/full

A safety study of inhaled DMT
Safety and tolerability of inhaled N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (BMND01 candidate): A phase I clinical trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38141403/