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Bulletin .

A newsletter about cannabis and cannabinoids as medicine

2021
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    IACM-Bulletin of December 19, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — The use of cannabis is associated with a tendency for the normalisation of certain biomarkers in children with autism

    Investigators of Cannformatics in San Francisco, USA, analysed potential cannabis-responsive biomarkers in saliva of 15 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 9 healthy children. Each child followed a unique regimen determined by their specific response over at least 1 year of treatment, which included THC-dominant cannabis (dosing range 0.05-50 mg per dose) in 40% of children and CBD-dominant cannabis (dosing range 7.5-200 mg per dose) in 60% of children. Samples from the ASD group were collected before treatment start and at time of maximal impact.

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    IACM-Bulletin of December 5, 2021

    🌐 World — Over 180 civil society groups call for greater transparency at the INCB within its cannabis initiative

    One year on from the formal recognition of the potential for cannabis as a medicine by the United Nations 181 NGOs, among them the IACM, call for greater transparency and accountability in the INCB (International Narcotics Control Board) , particularly in relation to its Cannabis Control Initiative. On 2 December 2020 the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) rescheduled cannabis recognising its medical properties for the first time.

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    IACM-Bulletin of November 21, 2021

    🌐 Germany — The future federal government may legalise the use of cannabis for adults

    The working group on health and care, one of the working groups preparing the agreement for the coalition between the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats has agreed on the legalisation of cannabis for adults. The negotiators are said to have stated in a result paper: "We will introduce the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for consumption purposes in licensed shops".

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    IACM-Bulletin of November 7, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis may be helpful in endometriosis

    According a retrospective electronic record-based study with 252 women by investigators of Western Sydney University and the University of Melbourne, Australia, cannabis may be helpful in the treatment of pain and other symptoms in women suffering from endometriosis. Self-rated cannabis efficacy, defined as a function of initial and final symptom ratings, was investigated across the included symptom clusters of cramps, pelvic pain, gastrointestinal pain, nausea, depression, and low libido.

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    IACM-Bulletin of October 24, 2021

    🌐 Luxembourg — The government wants to make the country the first in Europe to legalise the growing of cannabis

    Adults in Luxembourg will be permitted to grow up to four cannabis plants in their homes or gardens under laws that will make it the first country in Europe to legalise production and consumption of the drug. The announcement on 22 October by Luxembourg’s government was said to deliver fundamental changes in the country’s approach to recreational cannabis use and cultivation in light of the failure of prohibition to deter use.

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    IACM-Bulletin of October 10, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — The use of cannabis during adolescence is not associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia according to a twin study

    Investigators of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, USA, wanted to clarify whether the association between cannabis use and psychosis, which has been observed observational studies “reflects a causal effect of cannabis exposure or residual confounding.” They analysed data from two cohorts of twins who completed repeated, prospective measures of cannabis use (N = 1544) and cannabis use disorder symptoms (N = 1458) in adolescence and a dimensional measure of psychosis-proneness in adulthood.

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    IACM-Bulletin of September 26, 2021

    🌐 South Africa — A first patient is officially allowed to use cannabis to ease his pain

    In South Africa, a cannabis prescription was issued for the first time. The 32-year-old Mtetwa is now an activist for medical cannabis after the plant helped him overcome the horror pains he endured after a road accident. The Gauteng man was involved in a motorcycle crash back in 2011 and later needed a safer and more effective way to treat himself. He began to grow his own cannabis before it was permitted in South Africa.

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    IACM-Bulletin of September 12, 2021

    🏷️ IACM — The IACM will be restructured and reorganized

    After national patient groups and medical societies on the topic of cannabis as medicine have been founded in many countries in recent years, the IACM board wants to take these developments into account. The IACM is to be set up as an umbrella organization of national patient groups and medical societies.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 29, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — CBD may be helpful in the treatment of burnout and exhaustion according to an open study

    According to an open study with 120 healthcare professionals suffering from burnout and exhaustion 300 mg of CBD in addition to standard medication improved treatment results. In this investigation by the Department of Neuroscience and Behavior of Ribeirão Preto Medical School at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, participants, who were exhausted due to the high workload during the Covid-19 pandemic either received 150 mg of CBD twice daily plus standard care (61 participants) or standard care (59 participants) alone for 28 days.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 15, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — A combination of THC and palmitoylethanolamide improved symptoms in Tourette’s syndrome according to a pilot study

    In a 12-week uncontrolled trial with 16 adults with Tourette syndrome a combination of THC and PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) reduced symptoms. They received a maximum daily dose of 10 mg THC and a constant 800 mg dose of PEA. The study was conducted at Yale University in New Haven, USA.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 1, 2021

    🏷️ Science — Large-scale genetic analyses confirms the assumption that cannabis was first domesticated in East Asia

    A research team from Switzerland, China, the UK and India investigated its domestication history using whole-genome resequencing of 110 accessions from worldwide origins. They show that cannabis was first domesticated in early Neolithic times in East Asia and that all current hemp and drug cultivars diverged from an ancestral gene pool currently represented by feral plants and landraces in China.

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    IACM-Bulletin of July 18, 2021

    🌐 Germany — Medical cannabis grown by German companies is now available to patients for the first time

    Aphria, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian pharmaceutical and cannabis company Tilray, has become the first of the three licensed German producers to achieve this significant milestone. The medical cannabis crop is the first grown under European Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) standard in Tilray’s 6,000sq m indoor growing facility in Neumünster, about 40 miles from Hamburg.

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    IACM-Bulletin of July 4, 2021

    🏷️ IACM — IACM Journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research receives first impact factor of 5.764

    Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research announces its first Impact Factor of 5.764. These figures are based on the citations in 2020 to papers published in 2018 and 2019. The impact factor reflects the relative importance of a scientific journal within its field. Journals with higher impact factor values are often deemed to be more important. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research has rapidly become the voice of the global cannabinoid community, and this high first impact factor solidifies the Journal’s position in the market.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 20, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — The use of cannabis is associated with improved quality of life in pain patients according to a survey

    According to self-reported questionnaires with 429 participants suffering from chronic non-cancer pain the medical use of cannabis improved quality of life and resulted in the reduction of other pain medication. Investigators of the Faculty of Biology of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel conducted cross-sectional questionnaire-based study among licensed medical cannabis patients with a diagnosis of chronic non-cancer pain. They were asked to answer questions in one-month intervals for a period of six months.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 6, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis may be effective in reducing behavioural symptoms associated with dementia

    A series of 3 patients suffering from frontotemporal dementia shows that these patients may show reduced anxiety and improved mood following treatment with cannabis. These patients from the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, USA, had disability due to behaviour despite typical pharmacologic management. They were prescribed cannabis for comorbidities (anxiety, insomnia and pain).

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    IACM-Bulletin of May 23, 2021

    🌐 Japan — Government plans to allow cannabis containing medicines

    Japan has very strict drug laws. Cannabis in all its forms is also absolutely forbidden, which is, however, a problem especially for doctors. For this reason, the regulation of drugs is to be relaxed. A few months ago, the Japanese government set up a committee to discuss an adjustment of the cannabis prohibition. In addition to tightening the laws, there was a discussion about whether cannabis should not be allowed as a substance in medicine.

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    IACM-Bulletin of May 9, 2021

    🏷️ IACM — IACM: Two Decades of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines

    In an article for the IACM journal Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research the current chairwoman and the executive director of the IACM give a historical overview of the development of the Association. During the past 20 years until today, it evolved toward the most important scientific society for clinical research in the field of cannabis-based medicines.

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    IACM-Bulletin of April 25, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis use is associated with increased physical activity according to 2 studies

    Two studies from the UK and the US suggest that cannabis use is positively associated with physical activity and exercise. According to research at the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Science of Anglia Ruskin University, UK, with 15,822 participants (mean age: 37.5 years) cannabis use was associated with a moderately higher degree of physical activity. They concluded that “cannabis consumption was associated with higher levels of physical activity and sitting time. When intervening to reduce cannabis consumption in the US populations, it may be appropriate to promote physical activity and ensure physical activity is maintained once cannabis consumption is stopped.”

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    IACM-Bulletin of April 11, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis use reduced the incidence of non-fatal opioid overdoses among patients in a methadone programme

    According to a survey by researchers of the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, patients participating in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) experienced lower rates of nonfatal opioid overdoses if they used cannabis. Investigators selected a convenient sample of individuals enrolled in four MMT clinics in Washington State and southern New England who completed a one-time survey.

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 28, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis may be helpful in pain from unstable angina and coronary artery disease according to a case report

    Investigators from the Center for Primary Care Medicine in Lawrenceville, USA, described the case of a 63-year-old man who presented to a primary care physician for a medical cannabis consult due to unstable angina (UA) not relieved by morphine or cardiac medications. He had failed all first- and second-line polypharmaceutical therapies. The patient first presented 22 years ago after a suspected myocardial infarction. He re-presented in 2010 and underwent stent placement at that time for inoperable triple-vessel coronary artery disease. He developed pain due to unstable angina over the past 6 years.

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 14, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — A high proportion of patients with Parkinson’s disease in the US use cannabis

    In an anonymous survey among people with Parkinson’s disease from 49 US states 24.5% reported cannabis use within the previous 6 months. Investigators of the Parkinson's Foundation in New York, USA, distributed the survey to 7607 people with Parkinson’s disease. 1339 participated (17.6%), and 1064 completed the whole survey and were available for analysis.

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    IACM-Bulletin of February 28, 2021

    🌐 USA — New Jersey legalises adult use of cannabis

    Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill on 22 February making New Jersey the latest US state to legalise cannabis for recreational use, but it is expected to take up to a year before dispensaries begin selling cannabis to the public. The Democratic governor signed a package of three bills after voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November 2020 to legalise adult use of the drug.

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    IACM-Bulletin of February 14, 2021

    🌐 USA — Democrats advance cannabis legalisation in Congress

    Three Senators (Cory Booker, Ron Wyden, and Chuck Schumer) issued a joint statement saying they would work together to advance comprehensive cannabis reform legislation in the current Congress. “The War on Drugs has been a war on people—particularly people of colour. Ending the federal marijuana prohibition is necessary to right the wrongs of this failed war and end decades of harm inflicted on communities of colour across the country. But that alone is not enough,” they said.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 31, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis use reduces high blood pressure in older adults

    In a prospective study with 26 patients with hypertension and a mean age of about 70 years cannabis use resulted in reduced blood pressure of about 5 mmHg. The research was conducted by investigators of the Cannabis Clinical Research Institute and Clinical Research Center of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 17, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis is not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adults

    According to a large retrospective study using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database cannabis use was not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The study was conducted by investigators at Florida International University of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, USA. Patients who completed the questionnaire and answered all questions in relation to cannabis use and the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease in 2017 were a part of this study. Subjects were excluded if they were children or had missing data for cannabis use or cardiovascular disease.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 3, 2021

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis may be helpful in post-traumatic stress disorder

    According to a study with 150 patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cannabis use was associated with reduced symptoms after one year compared to non-users. The study was conducted by investigators of the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA, and published online ahead of print in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. This prospective study assessed PTSD symptoms and functioning in two samples of participants diagnosed with PTSD: (1) those with PTSD using dispensary-obtained cannabis and (2) those with PTSD, who do not use cannabis.

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