Cannabis News and Research

Latest Cannabis News and Research

Adolescent behavior expert suggests early screening to assess teenagers at vaping risk

During a checkup, physicians and nurses often ask about drinking habits, safe sex practice or cigarette use. Vaping is rarely mentioned.

9 May 2016

Study shows cannabinoid type 2 receptor plays vital role in signal processing of the brain

The cannabinoid type 2 receptor - also called "CB2 receptor" - is a special membrane protein. Its function is to receive chemical signals that control cellular activity. "Until now, this receptor was considered part of the immune system without function in nerve cells.

3 May 2016

Black raspberry intake can lower key measure of arterial stiffness in patients with metabolic syndrome

A new study shows that black raspberry extract can significantly lower a key measure of arterial stiffness-an indicator of cardiovascular disease. Black raspberry intake was also associated with increased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which help repair and regenerate damaged arteries, according to the study published in Journal of Medicinal Food, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Medicinal Food website until May 28, 2016.

29 Apr 2016

U of M to present session on Canine and Human Epilepsy at iCOMOS

As part of the International Conference on One Medicine One Science taking place April 24-27, the University of Minnesota will present a session on Canine and Human Epilepsy on April 27.

22 Apr 2016

Heavy marijuana use may lead to lower dopamine release in the brain

In a recent study, researchers found evidence of a compromised dopamine system in heavy users of marijuana. Lower dopamine release was found in the striatum - a region of the brain that is involved in working memory, impulsive behavior, and attention. Previous studies have shown that addiction to other drugs of abuse, such as cocaine and heroin, have similar effects on dopamine release, but such evidence for cannabis was missing until now.

16 Apr 2016

Lancet experts call for evidence-based approach to drug policy

Fifty years of drug policies aimed at restricting and criminalizing drug use and minor possession have had serious detrimental effects on the health, wellbeing and human rights of drug users and the wider public, according to a major new report by The Lancet and Johns Hopkins University in the US

25 Mar 2016

Immediate treatment can benefit cannabis users who experience withdrawal symptoms

Heavy users of cannabis who experience withdrawal symptoms such as nervousness and cravings when they quit are likely to use again sooner than their peers, a new study finds.

24 Mar 2016

Out-of-towners using marijuana in Colorado end up in emergency room

Out-of-towners using marijuana in Colorado -- which has legally allowed sales of the drug in retail dispensaries since 2014 -- are ending up in the emergency room at an increasing rate, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

26 Feb 2016

Adults who use marijuana more likely to develop alcohol use disorder

Adults who use marijuana are five times more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD) --alcohol abuse or dependence-- compared with adults who do not use the drug. And adults who already have an alcohol use disorder and use marijuana are more likely to see the problem persist.

18 Feb 2016

AKT1 gene moderates mind-altering effects of smoking cannabis in young people

Researchers at the University of Exeter and UCL (University College London) have identified a gene which can be used to predict how susceptible a young person is to the mind-altering effects of smoking cannabis. The finding could help identify otherwise healthy users who are most at risk of developing psychosis.

17 Feb 2016

GWAS can help pinpoint genetic variants that predict lifestyle risks for diseases

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) scan the entire genome in order to pinpoint genetic variants associated with a particular disease. The technique is employed to identify biological pathways - the series of actions and changes that have occurred in cells and genetic material - that can be linked to the causation of a disease.

15 Feb 2016

Starting marijuana at younger age may hinder brain development

The age at which an adolescent begins using marijuana may affect typical brain development, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas. In a paper recently published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, scientists describe how marijuana use, and the age at which use is initiated, may adversely alter brain structures that underlie higher order thinking.

11 Feb 2016

Medical marijuana offers hope for kids with uncontrolled seizures

Desperate for relief, parents are taking unusual steps to help children plagued with seizures. The relief, however, comes in a most unlikely form: marijuana.

9 Feb 2016

Frequent traumatic experiences throughout infancy increase risk of psychosis during adulthood

A research carried out with participation of the University of Granada proves that suffering repeated traumatic experiences throughout infancy and adolescence multiplies by 7 the risk of suffering psychosis during adulthood.

1 Feb 2016

Topiramate drug curbs marijuana use among young smokers, but with serious side effects

Combining the drug topiramate with psychological counseling curbed marijuana use among young smokers significantly more than did counseling alone, according to newly published results of a small randomized, controlled trial at Brown University. The results come with a caveat, however: many study volunteers couldn't tolerate the medicine's side effects.

18 Jan 2016

Sage Analytics establishes distribution network in South America

Sage Analytics, the developers of portable, laboratory-quality cannabis potency measurement systems, announced it established a distribution network in South America, anchored by Senses Biotech in Uruguay.

11 Jan 2016

Early promise for cannabis extract treatment in epilepsy

A preliminary, open-label study suggests that cannabidiol may be a useful adjunctive treatment in adults and children with intractable epilepsy.

7 Jan 2016

Purified cannabinoid reduces seizures in children and young adults with treatment-resistant epilepsy

Children and young adults with severe forms of epilepsy that does not respond to standard antiepileptic drugs have fewer seizures when treated with purified cannabinoid, according to a multi-center study led by researchers from UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco.

6 Jan 2016

Recreational drug and alcohol use can increase risk of poisoning-related hospital admissions

Poisonings from recreational drug and alcohol use account for 9 percent of all poisoning-related hospital admissions, says a new University of Sydney study revealing that males and people under 30 are at greatest risk.

17 Dec 2015

Report shows relationship between sensation seeking, reward sensitivity and cannabis use

Sensation seeking is a personality trait that describes a person's tendency to seek out novel and exciting experiences, and a high level of sensation seeking has been implicated as a risk factor for addiction.

11 Dec 2015