New York PTSD Patients Now Eligible for Cannabis Therapy

NORML | November 15, 2017 ALBANY, NY — Legislation signed into law on Saturday permits patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to be eligible to receive medicinal cannabis products. Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed S.5629/A.7006 into law late last week. The law took effect immediately upon passage. New York is the 23rd state to explicitly permit the use of cannabis for symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Article continues …

Study: CBD Products Sold Online Are Often Mislabeled

NORML | November 15, 2017 PHILADELPHIA, PA — Retail products marketed and sold online as CBD extracts are typically mislabeled with regard to their potency and ingredients, according to findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. A research team led by the University of Pennsylvania analyzed the contents of 84 CBD-infused products, produced by 31 different companies. Only 30 percent of the …

Study: Oral THC Mitigates Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

NORML | November 16, 2017 CHICAGO, IL — The use of oral THC mitigates sleep apnea symptoms compared to placebo, according to clinical trial data published online ahead of print in the journal Sleep. Investigators at the University of Illinois at Chicago assessed the efficacy of dronabinol treatment in 73 adults diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). They reported that oral …

Many Medical Marijuana Patients Stop Using Opioids, Survey Finds

Paul Armentano | November 16, 2017 CHICAGO, IL — More than two out of three medical marijuana patients substitute cannabis in place of opioids, according to survey data compiled by Aclara Research, a Chicago-based consulting firm. Sixty-seven percent of respondents reported that they ceased their opioid use after initiating cannabis therapy. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said that cannabis allowed them to decrease their …

Medical Marijuana Patients More Likely to Stop Using Opioids vs Non-Participants

Paul Armentano | November 17, 2017 Chronic pain patients enrolled in a statewide medical cannabis access program are significantly more likely to either reduce or cease their use of opioids as compared to non-enrolled patients suffering from similar pain conditions, according to data published online in the journal PLOS One. A team of investigators at the University of New Mexico assessed opioid prescription …

Marijuana Use Reduces In-Hospital Mortality in Heart Failure Patients, Study Finds

NORML | November 21, 2017 Heart failure patients with a history of cannabis use possess reduced odds of in-hospital mortality compared to similarly matched controls, according to data published online in the journal Circulation. Investigators assessed data from over six million heart failure patients over a seven-year period. Patients with a history of cannabis use were less likely to suffer from atrial fibrillation …

Study: "Substantial" Clinical Evidence Supports Medical Marijuana Claims

NORML | November 21, 2017 BOSTON, MA — Substantial clinical trial data exists to support the efficacy of medical cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain conditions, pediatric epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis, according to a literature review published online ahead of print in the journal Polish Archives of Internal Medicine. Investigators from Harvard Medical School and New York Medical College reviewed randomized, placebo-controlled …

Legalizing Medical Marijuana Doesn't Increase Teen Use (Another) Study Finds

NORML | November 9, 2017 NEW YORK, NY — The enactment of medical marijuana laws is not associated with any increase in marijuana use by those ages 12 to 25, and is not associated with any increase in problematic cannabis use by any age groups, according to data published online ahead of print in the journal Prevention Science. Investigators at Columbia University assessed marijuana use …

Survey: More Than One in Five Military Vets Uses Marijuana Medicinally

NORML | November 11, 2017 INDIANAPOLIS, IN — More than one in five military veterans engage in the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes, according to nationwide survey data conducted on behalf of The American Legion. The American Legion is the largest veterans’ advocacy organization in the United States. Twenty-two percent of respondents said they “use cannabis to treat a mental or physical condition.” Thirty-nine …

New York Finally Adds PTSD as Qualifying Condition for Medical Marijuana

Approximately 8 million adults suffer from PTSD, including many military veterans. (WikiMedia Commons/USMC) TJ Baker | November 12, 2017 ALBANY, NY — On Veterans Day, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that will finally allow patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to access medical marijuana in New York. The bill (A.7006/S.5629), which was passed by the legislature earlier …