Marijuana Use Doesn’t Lead to Deficits Associated With Schizophrenia, Finds Study

Contrary to arguments oft-used by opponents of marijuana and marijuana law reform, “cannabis use does not significantly compound the gray matter deficits associated with schizophrenia”.

This is according to a study published by the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, and conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee.

The study’s abstract starts by stating that; “Substance use may confound the study of brain structure in schizophrenia. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine whether differences in regional gray matter volumes exist between schizophrenia patients with and without clinically significant cannabis and/or alcohol use histories compared to 88 healthy control subjects.”

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Study: Cannabis May Help Control Hospital and Community-Acquired MRSA

The “leaf extracts of cannabis sativa” has “potential for the control of both hospital- and community-acquired MRSA”, according  to a new study being published by the Journal of Integrative Medicine, and epublished ahead of print by the U.S. National Institute of Health.

“This study examined the antimicrobial activity of Cannabis sativa, Thuja orientalis and Psidium guajava against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)”, states the study’s abstract.

For the study, “In vitro antimicrobial activities of the ethanolic extracts of C. sativa, T. orientalis and P. guajava were tested against MRSA”, and the “presence of bioactive molecules in these three leaves was evaluated using biochemical assays and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC).”

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10 Most Important Cannabis Studies Release in 2018 So Far

Even though it’s far from over, 2018 has been a stellar year for cannabis research. Here’s a look at the most important studies released so far.

Hundreds of cannabis-related studies have been released this year. A huge amount of these studies came to the conclusion that cannabis is beneficial in a wide-range of medical ailments, with others showing that its prohibition is detrimental to individuals and society as a whole. As difficult as it was to do so, we’ve narrowed these studies down to the 10 most important, with a few honorable mentions.

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In June, Oregon Garnered $8.5 Million in Taxes from Legal Marijuana Sales

According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, the state made over $8.5 million in taxes from legal marijuana sales in June.

The $8,560,616 million in taxes came from the sale of roughly $45 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products (such as edibles and oils). The taxes garnered is slightly less than the $9 million made last month, but isn’t far off from the single-month record of $9.3 million made in January.

Of the $8.5 million in marijuana taxes Oregon made in June, $7.41 million came from the state’s 17% tax on marijuana sales. The remaining $1.49 million came from local taxes (which vary, but legally can’t be above 3%).

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Study: CBD Increases Comfort in Dogs with Osteoarthritis

The most recent issue of the journal Frontiers presents findings of the first pharmacokinetic study and clinical trial on the use of cannabinoids to treat dogs with osteoarthritis and multi-joint pain.

The objective of this double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to “determine basic oral pharmacokinetics, and assess safety and analgesic efficacy of a cannabidiol (CBD) based oil in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA).”

In conducting their study, researchers found that “canine brief pain inventory and Hudson activity scores showed a significant decrease in pain and increase in activity with CBD oil.” Veterinary assessment “showed decreased pain during CBD treatment”, while “No side effects were reported by owners”.

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Study: Marijuana Use Not Associated With Increased Risk of Dating Abuse

Same day marijuana use isn’t associated with an elevated risk of dating abuse, according to a new study published in the journal Violence Against Women, and published online by the National Institute of Health.

“The purpose of this study was to investigate same-day alcohol or marijuana use and dating abuse (DA) perpetration in a sample of 60 noncollege-attending young adults”, states the study’s abstract.

Participants reported daily data over a three month period. It was found that “DA perpetration was more likely on days when participants also reported alcohol use, but analyses of the temporal order indicated that alcohol use was not a proximal predictor of DA.” Same day marijuana use “was not associated with elevated risk of DA perpetration.”

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There Was $129 Million in Marijuana and Marijuana Products Sold in Colorado in June

Those in Colorado purchased over $129 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products in June, a roughly 5% increase from the month prior.

In total there was $129,523,030 in marijuana and marijuana products purchased legally in Colorado in June, according to new data released by the state’s Department of Revenue. This is a slight increase from the amount sold in May ($122 million) and April ($124), but falls short of the record-setting $135 million sold in March.

Of the $129 million in marijuana sold in June, around $27 million came from the sale of medical marijuana, with the remainder from the sale of recreational marijuana. These sales helped Colorado garner around $20 million in tax revenue for the month of June.

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Study: Cannabis Terpenes have “Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anticonvulsive, Antidepressant, Anxiolytic, Anticancer, Antitumor, Neuroprotective, Anti-Mutagenic, Anti-Allergic, Antibiotic and Anti-Diabetic Attributes”

A new study has found that cannabis terpenes have attributes that are “anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anticonvulsive, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anticancer, antitumor, neuroprotective, anti-mutagenic, anti-allergic, antibiotic and anti-diabetic”.

The study was published by the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. It’s abstract starts by stating that “Cannabaceae plants Cannabis sativa L. and Humulus lupulus L. are rich in terpenes – both are typically comprised of terpenes as up to 3-5% of the dry-mass of the female inflorescence.” Some terpenes “are relatively well known for their potential in biomedicine and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, while others are yet to be studied in detail.”

With that in mind, “The current, comprehensive review presents terpenes found in cannabis and hops.” They found that “Terpenes’ medicinal properties are supported by numerous in vitro, animal and clinical trials and show anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anticonvulsive, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anticancer, antitumor, neuroprotective, anti-mutagenic, anti-allergic, antibiotic and anti-diabetic attributes, among others.”

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Study: Cannabis Can Help Treat Schizophrenia, Offering “a Fresh Start and Newfound Hope”

According to a new study published by the open access journal Medicines, and published online by the National Institute of Health, cannabis “can be used as a treatment for schizophrenia… offering a fresh start and newfound hope”.

According to the study’s abstract, “Approximately 0.5% of the population is diagnosed with some form of schizophrenia, under the prevailing view that the pathology is best treated using pharmaceutical medications that act on monoamine receptors.” For the study, researchers reviewed “evidence on the impact of environmental forces, particularly the effect of autoimmune activity, in the expression of schizophrenic profiles and the role of Cannabis therapy for regulating immunological functioning.”

“A review of the literature shows that phytocannabinoid consumption may be a safe and effective treatment option for schizophrenia as a primary or adjunctive therapy”, states the study. “Emerging research suggests that Cannabis can be used as a treatment for schizophrenia within a broader etiological perspective that focuses on environmental, autoimmune, and neuroinflammatory causes of the disorder, offering a fresh start and newfound hope for those suffering from this debilitating and poorly understood disease.”

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It’s Official: North Dakota Marijuana Legalization Initiative Placed on November Ballot

An initiative to legalize marijuana in North Dakota has officially qualified for the November general election ballot.

According to the North Dakota secretary of state’s office, Legalize ND submitted more than the 13,500 valid signatures required to place their marijuana legalization initiative on the November 6 ballot.

The proposal, if passed, would give North Dakota one of the least restrictive legalization laws in the country. It would allow those 21 and older to possess, cultivate and distribute marijuana for recreational purposes. The initiative would legalize all forms of marijuana, including oils and hash,

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