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Bulletin .

A newsletter about cannabis and cannabinoids as medicine

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    IACM-Bulletin of 17 March 2024

    Science/Human: Cannabis may be very effective in the treatment of migraine

    In an online survey with 1373 patients from a tertiary headache center 56% reported the use of cannabis-based products in the past 3 years and 33% indicated current use. Investigators of Hartford HealthCare Headache Center of the Ayer Neuroscience Institute in West Hartford, USA, noted that this is the largest study to date to document cannabis product usage patterns and perceived benefits for migraine management in a clinical headache patient sample.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 10 March 2024

    Science/Human: Cannabis may improve quality of life in patients with chronic illnesses

    A survey from Germany with 1030 chronically ill patients showed, that cannabis treatment improved their quality of life regardless of the underlying illness. A standardized questionnaire was presented online nationwide over a 15-week period. Recruitment was supported by pharmacies, prescribing physicians, and patient associations in Germany.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 3 March 2024

    Science/Human: Inhaled cannabis may help against acute migraine according to a placebo-controlled study

    According to a 4-arm placebo-controlled study with 92 participants cannabis reduced migraine pain. Investigators of the University of California in San Diego, USA, treated adults with migraine up to 4 separate migraine attacks, 1 each with vaporized cannabis flowers with 6% THC, with 11% CBD, with 6% THC+11% CBD, and a placebo in a randomized order. The primary endpoint was pain relief and secondary endpoints were pain freedom and most bothersome symptom freedom, all assessed at 2 hours post-vaporization.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 25 February 2024

    IACM: IACM Meeting and Cannabis Talk

    Since the IACM conference in April 2024 cannot take place in Aberdeen, UK, as planned, we want to use this time on April 12 and 13 for an online meeting that interested parties from different time zones can attend from the comfort of their own homes. On both days, the program will last about 4.5 hours, during which we will discuss several topics in different formats, including the endocannabinoid system, effects of cannabis beyond THC and CBD, benefits and risks in psychiatric disorders.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 18 February 2024

    🌐Europe: Citizen initiative for the improvement of access to the medical use of cannabis

    The European Commission agreed to register a multi-national initiative to foster access to the medical use of cannabis and promote research into the therapeutic potential of the plant. That means signature-gathering can get underway. Petitioners will have six months to start the drive, then must gather one million signatures from at least seven member countries within a year to force the European Union to consider the proposal.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 11 February 2024

    Science/Human: CBD reduces brain temperature in the seizure onset zone of patients with epilepsy

    Investigators of the Department of Neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA investigated 25 participants with magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging approximately 12-weeks apart. Eight patients with treatment resistant epilepsy were imaged before receiving Epidiolex, a CBD rich cannabis extract, and after 12 weeks of CBD therapy. Treatment was started at a daily dose of 5 mg/kg, with bi-weekly titration based on response and tolerability. Seventeen healthy controls were also imaged twice.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 4 February 2024

    Science/Human: Cannabis may be helpful in back pain

    According to a survey with 259 patients the medical use of cannabis was helpful in the treatment of back or neck pain. Investigators of the Division of Orthopedic Surgery in Kingston, Canada, and other hospitals from Canada analysed data gathered from patients treated by orthopaedic clinics in Ontario.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 28 January 2024

    Science/Human: CBD may reduce symptoms in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome

    Pure CBD may be helpful in the treatment of about two thirds of children with treatment-resistant epileptic spasms syndrome. Investigators of several hospitals in Argentine conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical records of 28 children aged 6 to 21 months, who received CBD between 2021 and 2023. The cause was structural in 10, Down syndrome in seven, genetic in nine, and unknown in two. Initial CBD dose was 2 mg/kg/day, which was uptitrated to a median dose of 25 mg/kg/day.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 21 January 2024

    Science/Human: Cannabis may be effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder

    According to a retrospective analysis of data from 59 patients with major depressive disorder cannabis may reduce symptom severity, investigators of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Essen, Germany, and other German institutions reported. treatment was conducted via a telemedical platform and patients were followed for 18 weeks.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 14 January 2024

    Science/Human: Cannabis use in schizophrenia may be associated with different effects on aspects of cognition

    investigators of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at Hassan II University in Casablanca, Morocco, compared two groups of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, 50 cannabis users and 49 non-users .

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    IACM-Bulletin of 7 January 2024

    IACM: The newsletter will be published weekly in future

    The IACM Bulletin has been published every two weeks since 2000. The number of publications has increased considerably during this time. To ensure that the information in each newsletter remains manageable, we want to increase the frequency of publication. The content will also be adapted. In future, there will be references to interesting review articles. On the other hand, there will be fewer articles on basic research, particularly on studies with few new findings. In this way, the real news will be emphasized. We hope that you find this helpful.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 31 December 2023

    🌐Ukraine: Parliament backs the legalisation of cannabis for medical use, but the bill is blocked by an opposition party

    Ukraine’s Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) parliamentary faction has blocked the signing of a bill legalizing the use of medical cannabis, which was approved by the 248 deputies of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, on 21 December. The bill will remain blocked until mid-January when it may potentially be unblocked by the parliament and signed by the president. "And since the law will come into force only in six months, it will start working around July 2024," Member of Parliament Jaroslav Zalizniak wrote on Telegram.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 17 December 2023

    Science/Human: Cannabis can improve symptoms in refractory cancer-related pain

    According to a cross-sectional study with 252 refractory cancer-related pain patients cannabis was shown to effectively improve symptoms. Investigators of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel, asked participants to fill out a detailed self-report questionnaire. 126 patients were treated with medical cannabis and 105 were not.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 3 December 2023

    IACM: 13th IACM Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine in 2024 to be held online

    The 13th IACM Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine, which was originally scheduled to take place in Aberdeen from 11 to 13 April 2024, will unfortunately have to be held online for various reasons. Further information on the dates and programme will follow in the coming weeks.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 19 November 2023

    🌐USA: Ohio becomes the 24th state to legalise the use of cannabis for adults

    Ohio voters approved a ballot proposal on November 7 legalizing recreational cannabis. This makes Ohio the 24th state in the United States to permit cannabis use for non-medical purposes. While this change brings new freedoms for adults, employers in Ohio are provided broad rights and responsibilities under the new law.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 5 November 2023

    Science/Human: Cannabis may reduce the need for antianxiety medication

    In a longitudinal observational study with 108 adults suffering from anxiety or PTSD as a referring condition did the use of cannabis allow a reduction in other medications. Investigators of Public Health Management Corporation in Philadelphia, USA, asked participants to fill out a survey at baseline and after 3 months.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 22 October 2023

    Science/Human: Cannabis users had better outcomes and mortality due to COVID-19 compared to non-users

    Investigators of the American College of Chest Physicians in Glenview, USA, analysed data of 322,214 patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to hospitals in the United States, of whom 2,603 were cannabis users.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 8 October 2023

    Science/Human: Cannabis use is common among breast cancer patients

    According to a survey by investigators of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, USA, a large proportion of patients with early-stage breast cancer uses cannabis to treat insomnia and pain. Among 2462 patients, who answered the question on cannabis use, 14.8% reported using the drug in the last 30 days and 59.4 percent reported never having used cannabis.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 24 September 2023

    IACM: WeCann and IACM organise Latin America’s largest conference on cannabinoids in medicine in November 2023 in Brazil

    The WeCann Summit 2023 is the main congress for physicians on Endocannabinoid Medicine in Latin America. It is organised in cooperation with the IACM.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 10 September 2023

    Science/Human: Cannabis may be helpful in Parkinson’s disease according to observational study

    In a study with 15 patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease profited from different CBD/THC products by reducing pain and improving sleep. Investigators of the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, USA, compared 8 patients, who were prescribed CBD/THC treatments and 7 who were not prescribed cannabis.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 13 August 2023

    🌐Israel: Major changes of the policy on medical cannabis to ease access

    The Health Ministry says that from December 2023, doctors will be able to prescribe cannabis to patients. The ministry publishes its reforms into the medical cannabis system, saying that it will review the system again after a year. Today, many of the about 120,000 Israelis with licenses to use medical cannabis have been facing rising costs, more bureaucracy, and more difficulties in obtaining their supply.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 30 July 2023

    🌐Albania: Parliament legalised cannabis for medical purposes

    The Parliament voted 69-23 to allow limited and controlled growth of cannabis plants, a move harshly contested by the opposition. It was not clear how the medical cannabis will be regulated. The government believes that allowing limited production of cannabis can boost tax revenue.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 16 July 2023

    🌐Germany: Ministry of Health presents draft law on legalisation of cannabis

    On 5 July, the Federal Ministry of Health presented a draft law on the legalisation of cannabis. According to the bill, the possession of up to 25 grimes of cannabis is to be allowed for persons over 18 years of age and the cultivation of a maximum of three plants for personal use. In addition, cannabis is to be allowed to be cultivated and distributed collectively in cultivation associations, also called cannabis clubs. The clubs and club members must be prepared for strict rules.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 2 July 2023

    🌐Ukraine: President Zelensky supports the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal use

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging his country to legalize medical cannabis to help those suffering from the "trauma of war" with Russia.

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    IACM-Bulletin of 18 June 2023

    Science/Human: Cannabis may be helpful in generalised anxiety disorder

    According a prospective study with 302 patients suffering from generalised anxiety disorder from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry a treatment with cannabis may improve their symptoms. Primary outcomes of the study by investigators of the Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group in London, UK, were changes in generalised anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaires at 1, 3, and 6 months compared to baseline.

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