The medical sector of the cannabis industry continues to explode behind constant research and innovative studies for identifying viable cancer treatments and other therapies for different ailments.
Health
FDA Approves Liquid Form of Synthetic Marijuana
As the debate around medical marijuana rages on, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a synthetic version of the substance. The recently approved Syndros, manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, is a liquid form of dronabinol, a synthesized version of THC.
Dispensary in Tallahassee Slated to be First Open in Florida
On July 20, 2016, Trulieve, a medical marijuana dispensary licensed by the state of Florida, announced that it had received authorization from the Florida Department of Health to begin dispensing low-THC medical marijuana.
Four Colorado Doctors Suspended Over Medical Marijuana Recommendations
On July 19, 2016, four Colorado doctors had their medical licenses suspended by the Colorado Medical Board for allegedly recommending unusually high plant counts to more than 1,500 medical marijuana patients.
Study: Marijuana Decreases Aggression While Alcohol Increases It
In a nation often divided by anger and aggression, marijuana just might be the solution the country needs.
Medical Marijuana Research Comes Out of the Shadows
It was an unprecedented meeting of the minds and it happened at Harvard Medical School. The subject of April’s confab? Medical cannabis.
New Jersey Seeks Public Input on Medical Marijuana
If you have a medical condition that could possibly be treated with medical marijuana, the state of New Jersey wants to hear from you.
Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Letter Now Online
On July 5, 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that the application for the medical marijuana safe harbor letter is now available online.
Massachusetts Doctors Reluctant to Recommend Medical Marijuana
In Massachusetts, very few doctors are making medical marijuana recommendations for patients. According to Boston Globe, 13 doctors have issued medical marijuana recommendations for approximately three quarters of the 31,818 patients in the state.
Study: THC May Help Treat Alzheimer’s Disease
While marijuana may be the culprit of some short term memory loss, new research seems to suggest that an active chemical in the substance, THC, may be the key in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Breaking News: Toronto Police Raiding Multiple Cannabis Dispensaries
On June 23, 2016, Toronto Police raided multiple medical cannabis dispensaries, with raids of Canna Clinic and Cannabis Culture’s Queen Street dispensary confirmed by CBC News.
Report: Minnesota’s Medical Cannabis Program Benefitting Patients
On June 6, 2016, the Minnesota Department of Health issued a report on survey results collected from patients in the state’s medical cannabis program, revealing that a majority of patients have benefited substantially from using legal medical cannabis.
US Researchers Call for Re-evaluation of Microbial Testing of Cannabis
A new US study suggests that some of the medicinal benefits of dispensary grade Cannabis could be compromised because the flowers host potentially harmful yeasts and toxic molds, which cannot be detected by industry standard culturing techniques.
7 Health Benefits of Cannabis
With more and more states opening up their minds about cannabis, and the amount of positive research coming out about the herb, we decided to compile a list of some of the many health benefits associated with the plant!
NFL Doctors Speak With Medical Marijuana Researchers
In an effort to combat the growing problem of opioid addiction among its players, the NFL has signaled that it is open to the idea of players using medical marijuana.
Study: Long Term Marijuana Use Has Little Effect on Health
As the debate over the health effects of marijuana rages on, one new study suggests that frequent marijuana use may have a minimal effect on the long term health of users.
Jefferson University Forms Medical Marijuana Research Center
Thomas Jefferson University in Center City has created a medical marijuana education and research center, which the school called the “first center of its kind.”
420 Games Founder Plans to Launch Cannabis-Friendly Gym
One of the most common stereotypes about cannabis is that they are often couch potatoes, but according to Tech Insider, one California entrepreneur hopes to change that perception.
Phoenix VA Blocks Medical Marijuana Presentation
On May 26, 2016, KTAR News reported that the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Medical Center has blocked Dr. Sue Sisley’s request to give a presentation on medical marijuana and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
American Pain Society Issues White Paper on Medical Marijuana
In response to growing public interest and support of medical marijuana, the American Pain Society has issued a white paper to help assist pain physicians with marijuana-related clinical issues.
Colorado School District Votes to Allow Medical Marijuana Use
On May 11, 2016, the District 49 Board of Education in Peyton, Colorado, voted unanimously to allow students to use non-smokeable medical marijuana on campus.
What a Change in DEA’s Pot Rules Might Mean for Medical Research
Most doctors approach medical marijuana with a great deal of uncertainty, because drug laws have hindered researchers’ ability to figure out what pot can and can’t do for sick patients.
Illinois Advisory Board Recommends Expanding Qualifying Conditions
On May 2, 2016, the Illinois Medical Cannabis Advisory Board met to review a request to expand the state’s number of qualifying conditions. According to the Associated Press, the board voted to recommend diabetes and panic disorder as qualifying conditions.
Epidiolex in Utah: Decrease in Seizure Frequency and Severity
In September 2014, The University of Utah’s Division of Pediatric Neurology and Primary Children’s Medical Center started the first of three clinical trials on the efficacy of Epidiolex, a nonpsychoactive cannabidiol-based drug from GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH).
DEA Approves Study of Smoked Marijuana For Treatment of PTSD
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has given the green light to a clinical study of smoked marijuana’s effectiveness for treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in veterans, according to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. Seventy-six U.S. veterans will participate in the study.
GW Pharma Receives FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Cannabidiol
On April 21, 2016, GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH), a biopharma company with two promising cannabis-based medications, announced it had received Orphan Drug Designation for cannabidiol in the treatment of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.
Maine Considers Treating Opioid Addiction With Medical Marijuana
In Maine, medical marijuana activists are hoping to convince state lawmakers to expand the state’s list of qualifying conditions to include one of the most pressing medical conditions in the United States: opioid addiction.
More and More Doctors Want to Make Marijuana Legal
A group of more than 50 physicians, including a former surgeon general and faculty members at some of the nation’s leading medical schools, has formed the first national organization of doctors to call on states and the federal government to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana in the interest of public health.
Doctors Are Getting on Board with Connecticut’s Push for Children’s Medical Marijuana
In a reversal of policy, the Connecticut arm of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has reportedly gotten on board with an effort to expand medical marijuana legalization to sick children in the state.
Scientists: Cannabis Can Help Heal Brain Cells Damaged by Alcohol
The vast healing properties of the cannabis plant are becoming more and more widely known. The actual scientific knowledge behind why and how cannabinoids are an invaluable treatment and medication is sadly not widespread.
CDC: Doctors, Stop Testing for Marijuana
The CDC has ordered doctors to stop testing their patients for marijuana use before giving a patient a prescription for painkillers.
Maryland Physicians Registering for State’s Medical Cannabis Program
On March 21, 2016, the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission posted a message from Richard Proctor, the state program’s interim executive director, announcing that 112 physicians have registered to issue written certifications to medical cannabis patients.
Study Finds Medical Marijuana Treatment Reduces Use of Opioids
On March 22, 2016, the University of Michigan announced that a recent study conducted by the U-M School of Public Health and Medical School found that patients who treated chronic pain with medical marijuana had a 64 percent reduction in their use of prescription opioids.
Kindman Disputes Colorado MED Pesticide Advisory
On March 17, 2016, the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division issued a public health and safety advisory regarding potentially unsafe pesticide residues on retail cannabis plant material and products produced from cannabis cultivated by MGI Inc., dba Kindman.
Scientists Develop Method to Accurately Measure Cannabinoids in Edibles
On March 15, 2016, the American Chemical Society announced that scientists have developed a new technique to more accurately measure cannabinoids in cannabis-infused edibles, including gummy bears, brownies and cookies, as well as certain topical lotions. “Producers of cannabis edibles complain that if they send off their product to three different labs for analysis, they get three different…
Weighing risks and benefits: Cannabis, pain reduction and opioid abstinence
In a recent study that has been accepted for publication in The Clinical Journal of Pain, researchers assessed the long-term effect of medical cannabis … View Original Article Here
Life After Legalization: Stephen Goldner Leads the Way to FDA
When FDA barriers change, regulations deal fortune to some and hardship to others. On March 4, 2016, at the California Cannabis Business Expo in San Francisco, Stephen Goldner, Senior Forensic Toxicologist at Quantum 9, a cannabis consulting and technology firm, addressed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s role in regulating the cannabis industry in life after legalization.
How ‘Medical’ are Medical Marijuana Programs?
According to a new study released on March 7, more than 1 million people participate in medical marijuana programs in the United States. The new study, conducted at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, found that “while 14 of the nation’s 24 medical marijuana programs were essentially non-medical in practice, they enrolled more than 99…
Cannabis Meets Aromatherapy: Applying Ayurvedic and Holistic Practices to Cannabis
As cannabis becomes increasingly welcomed in the United States, an exciting variety of companies are continuing to enter the space.
Health Care Professionals Pack Medical Cannabis Brunch
Doctors, dentists, surgeons and a variety of other health care providers came out in large numbers to learn about Maryland’s medical cannabis program on Sunday, Feb. 21.
Canadian Pharmacy in Negotiations to Sell Medical Marijuana
One of Canada’s largest pharmacy chains is reportedly pushing to become a provider of medical marijuana.
New Study: Cannabis Usage Risks Reduced
In the past cannabis has been the scapegoat of mental health professionals. Much research indicates that use of the plant is responsible for a myriad of mental health problems. However, new research seems to point in a different direction. “Our findings suggest caution in the implementation of policies related to legalization of cannabis for recreational…
Study: Marijuana May Affect Verbal Memory
A study published on Feb. 1, 2016, by JAMA Internal Medicine has reported that long-term marijuana use may impact a person’s verbal memory.
Oregon’s Adults Love Marijuana and Prefer Smoking It
The Oregon Health Authority recently released its January 2016 review of marijuana consumption in the state.
Study Finds No Link Between Marijuana Use and Drops in IQ
Both parents and opponents of marijuana reform fear that early marijuana use may permanently damage a teenager’s intelligence quotient, but new scientific findings may serve to ease such anxieties.
Study Finds Marijuana May Reduce Migraine Frequency
According to a new study published in “Pharmacotherapy,” medical marijuana use may lead to decreased frequency of migraine headaches.
Mountain High Suckers Issues Major Product Recall
On Dec. 30, 2015, the city of Denver announced that Mountain High Suckers, a Denver-based manufacturer of marijuana-infused products, voluntarily recalled almost 100,000 units after product samples tested positive for potentially unsafe levels of pesticide residues.
DEA Loosens Restrictions for FDA-Approved Clinical Trials on CBD
Right before Christmas, on Dec. 23, 2015, the DEA released a press release quietly announcing a new federal advancement on cannabinoid research.
Superior Pharmaceutical Capsules Elevate Medical Acceptance of Cannabis
The pharmaceutical capsule as a medical cannabis delivery system has the greatest potential of propelling cannabis into mainstream medical treatment regimens.
UVM Department of Pharmacology Teaching Science of Cannabis
On Nov. 17, 2015, the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine launched its course registration for the spring 2016 semester, which included a course titled “Medical Cannabis, Pharm-372.”
