Analysis: Cannabis Use by Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Associated With Reduced In-Hospital Mortality, Lower Hospitalization Costs

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who consume cannabis are less likely to die while hospitalized and they incur fewer hospital-related expenses as compared to non-users, according to data published in the journal Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings. Researchers affiliated with St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City assessed the relationship between cannabis use and inpatient outcomes … Continued

Study: Cannabis Use Not Associated With Sedentary Lifestyle

Younger and middle-aged adults who regularly consume cannabis are no less likely than non-users to engage in physical activities, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research. Belgian researchers examined the relationship between past-month cannabis use and physical activity in a cohort of adults between the ages of 15 and 64. After controlling … Continued

Harvard Analysis: Cannabis Smoking Not Linked To Increased Risk of Emphysema, Other Tobacco-Related Harms

  Cannabis smoking poses fewer pulmonary risks than tobacco smoking and it is not positively associated with the development of emphysema, according to Harvard Medical School researchers. Participants who smoked tobacco exhibited greater damage to their hearts and lungs than did those who exclusively smoked marijuana. Specifically, tobacco smokers were far more likely to demonstrate … Continued

Using Marijuana Reduces Alcohol Cravings In People Who Drink A Lot, Federally Funded Study Shows

New federally funded research into the effects of cannabis on alcohol use finds that people who used marijuana immediately before drinking subsequently consumed fewer alcoholic beverages and reported lower cravings for alcohol. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, provides further evidence of a substitution effect, … Continued

Analysis: Cigarette Smoking Poses Greater Impact to Airway Health Than Cannabis

Cannabis smoking and tobacco smoking appear to have disparate impacts on lung health, according to data published in the journal Respiratory Research. Investigators affiliated with the University of California at Davis assessed the impact of tobacco smoke and cannabis smoke on airway health by analyzing subjects’ exhaled breath condensate (EBC). They reported that cannabis consumers … Continued

Study: Patients With Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy Improve Following Medical Cannabis Therapy

Patients with refractory epilepsy report sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of medical cannabis preparations, according to observational data published in the journal Brain and Behavior. Investigators assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in a cohort of 134 patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy. (British health care providers may prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products … Continued

Clinical Trial: Topical Cannabis Cream Mitigates Pruritus

According to placebo-controlled clinical data published in the journal Kidney Medicine, topical application of a cream containing CBD and THC reduces itch severity in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)- associated pruritus. Investigators associated with Thammasat University in Thailand assessed the use of a cannabis-infused cream versus placebo in pruritus patients. Subjects were administered either … Continued

Study: Post-Traumatic Stress Patients Experience Sustained Improvements Following Use of Medical Cannabis Products

Patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress experience significant long-term benefits following their use of medical cannabis preparations, according to data published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. British researchers assessed changes in patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs). (British health care providers may prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products … Continued

Medical cannabis shows potential to fight cancer, largest-ever study finds

Researchers this week published what they described as the “largest meta-analysis ever conducted on medical cannabis and its effects on cancer-related symptoms”, finding “overwhelming scientific consensus” on marijuana’s therapeutic effects. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Oncology, analyzed data from 10,641 peer-reviewed studies—what authors say is more than ten times the number in … Continued

Analysis: Cannabis Use Associated With Less Stress, Better Sleep Quality Among Military Veterans With PTSD

Cannabis use by veterans with post-traumatic stress is linked to reduced stress and better same-night sleep quality, according to data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. A team of investigators affiliated with the RAND Institute and the University of Southern California assessed cannabis and alcohol consumption on stress and sleep quality in a … Continued