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{{/_source.additionalInfo}}Did you get your copy of the
FenceBuilder Newsletter?
It is utterly mind-blowing that people have no idea that Cannabis has been part of the medical prescription landscape for over 20 years. That’s right T. G. A (Therapeutic Goods Administration) trialled and approved cannabis based medicines have been available as an option to alleviate, if only in small ways, some of the symptoms of a couple of diseases or help with recovery from treatment. However, the claims of this plant being a ‘miracle cure’ for just about everything, have existed for of 100 years… yet in no credible and advanced research has any of the properties of the Cannabis plant ‘cured’ anything, ever!
There is no argument that some components of this incredibly complex plant can have some therapeutic benefit, be it ever so small, but deriving such from the plant with out co-opting some of the more detrimental components has proven incredibly difficult. On top of that, the evidence emerging from latest science, sees that some of these therapies, do more harm than good, with the temporary alleviating of a symptom on one hand, and incurring along term genetic harm on the other!
Again if facts and evidence matter to your best-practice health care, then this is the space for you. Make informed decisions based on science, and not quackery!
The implications of this on workplace and driving are as serious as previous studies have indicated. Further evidence that Cannabis and operating any machinery is a dangerous combination – in the workplace or on the roads.
Intoxication due to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol is characterized by disrupted prefrontal cortex activity
Conclusions: In summary, we used portable fNIRS to demonstrate that acute THC intoxication causes significant changes in brain activity within the prefrontal cortex that include (a) reduced correlations and anticorrelations at rest that correlated with severity of intoxication, indicating reduced top-down attention control and engagement of compensatory mechanisms, (b) more variability in dRSFC over time, that may contribute to a disruption of executive function by reducing the ability of cortical networks to efficiently adapt or reconfigure to salient stimuli, and (c) reduced spectral power, indicating THC disrupts the brain’s normal function in this area, as decreased power is generally associated with neural suppression or inhibition. These neurobiological correlates of THC intoxication severity were measurable using fNIRS and could potentially be incorporated into objective roadside impairment testing. Future study is warranted to investigate how these brain effects of acute THC intoxication relate to cognitive performance and operational impairment. (Source Neuropsychopharmacology (nature.com)
A new study led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital reveals that the main psychoactive component in cannabis or marijuana disrupts the normal connections and activity of the brain's prefrontal cortex, a region that is crucial for decision-making and self-control.
THC was associated with decreased functional connectivity within the prefrontal cortex relative to placebo, with the weakest connections among those who reported greater severity of intoxication.
Also, THC was associated with increased variability (or reduced stability) of functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex, which could indicate a reduced ability of the brain to efficiently adapt or reconfigure to changing stimuli. Finally, THC was associated with lower overall activity within the prefrontal cortex.
"We were able to measure these effects of THC intoxication using portable imaging, which could potentially be incorporated in impairment testing scenarios, for example at the roadside," (Source: Medical Xpress Neuroscience 5th June 2024thMedical Xpress Neuroscience 5th June 2024)
Also see
This largely unregulated and highly lauded ‘product’ continues to not only fail to fulfil its promised panacea credentials, but the growing harms of these non-clinically trialled, non-pharmaceutical grade substances are causing increasing short and long-term harms.
Earlier research that flagged warnings, and even some research two years ago that gave some measure of cautious pause on potential harms of CBD are now being eclipsed by new research. It’s important to watch out for the Placebo effect too, as one may be ‘feeling’ better, but only getting worse on other health metrics.
Cannabidiol (CBD) Products for Pain: Ineffective, Expensive, and With Potential Harms
Abstract A 2021 International Association for the Study of Pain task force examined the evidence for cannabinoids and pain but found no trials of CBD. Sixteen CBD randomized trials using pharmaceutical-supplied CBD or making preparations from such a source and with pain as an outcome have been published subsequently. The trials were conducted in 12 different pain states, using 3 oral, topical, and buccal/sublingual administration, with CBD doses between 6 and 1,600 mg, and durations of treatment between a single dose and 12 weeks. Fifteen of the 16 showed no benefit of CBD over placebo. Small clinical trials using verified CBD suggest the drug to be largely benign; while large-scale evidence of safety is lacking, there is growing evidence linking CBD to increased rates of serious adverse events and hepatotoxicity. In January 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a new regulatory pathway for CBD was needed. Consumers and health care providers should rely on evidence-based sources of information on CBD, not just advertisements. Current evidence is that CBD for pain is expensive, ineffective, and possibly harmful.
There is no good reason for thinking that CBD relieves pain, but there are good reasons for doubting the contents of CBD products in terms of CBD content and purity.
(Source: The Journal of Pain 2023)
CANNABIDIOL (CBD) – POTENTIAL HARMS, SIDE EFFECTS, AND UNKNOWNS
The use of non-Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cannabidiol, or CBD, has gained attention in recent years, as CBD is becoming increasingly popular and is being marketed for various health conditions.1 A poll of American adults aged 18 years and older found that 14 percent reported using CBD products in 2019, and a similar poll conducted in 2020 found that as many as 1 in 3 adults reported using CBD products.2-3 However, non-FDA-approved, commercial CBD products marketed to the public and available over the counter differ significantly in composition from those used in clinical studies,4 and there is limited evidence to support their safety.5 The public should be aware of the misconceptions surrounding CBD products, as well as the potential harms and risks associated with their use. (Source: SAMHSA 2023)
Review of the oral toxicity of cannabidiol (CBD)
A B S T R A C T: Information in the published literature indicates that consumption of CBD can result in developmental and reproductive toxicity and hepatotoxicity outcomes in animal models. The trend of CBD-induced male reproductive toxicity has been observed in phylogenetically disparate organisms, from invertebrates to non-human primates. CBD has also been shown to inhibit various cytochrome P450 enzymes and certain efflux transporters, resulting in the potential for drug-drug interactions and cellular accumulation of xenobiotics that are normally transported out of the cell. The mechanisms of CBD-mediated toxicity are not fully understood, but they may involve disruption of critical metabolic pathways and liver enzyme functions, receptor-specific binding activity, disruption of testosterone steroidogenesis, inhibition of reuptake and degradation of endocannabinoids, and the triggering of oxidative stress. The toxicological profile of CBD raises safety concerns, especially for long term consumption by the general population. (Source: Food & Chemical Toxicology 2023)
Also see:
Chronic Pain Associated With Increased Cannabis Use and Adverse Effects Among Young Adults
Nonmedical cannabis use is on this rise in adults suffering from pain, despite evidence demonstrating negative clinical outcomes. Researchers investigated the relationship between cannabis use, adverse consequences, and chronic pain in a US-based cohort of young adults aged 18–25 years.
Comments: This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that young people with chronic pain have increased cannabis use compared with their peers and experience more adverse effects. Youth are neuro-developmentally vulnerable to cannabis’s effects, with brain maturation occurring through the mid-twenties. Cultural messages that promote cannabis as a “medication” appear to be drowning out accurate information about the risks of use for this age group. Given the implications, young adults should be advised of non-cannabis alternatives to mitigate chronic pain.
(Source: Boston Medical Centre, Emily Nields, DO)
Introduction: The increase of cannabis use, particularly with the evolution of high potency products, and of cannabis use disorder (CUD) are a growing health care concern. While the harms of adult use and potential medicinal properties of cannabis continue to be debated, it is becoming evident that adolescent cannabis use is a critical window for CUD risk with potential lifelong mental health implications. Herein, we discuss mental health consequences of adolescent cannabis use, factors that contribute to the risk of developing CUD, and w(S(hat remains unclear in the changing legal landscape of cannabis use. We also discuss the importance of preclinical models to provide translational insight about the causal relationship of cannabis to CUD-related phenotypes and conclude by highlighting opportunities for clinicians and allied professionals to engage in addressing adolescent cannabis use.
Conclusion: The relationship between developmental cannabis, the impact of high potency products, and increased risk of developing CUD and mental health problems must be taken seriously, especially in light of the current mental health crisis. The plasticity of the developing brain offers windows of opportunity for prevention and early intervention to change that trajectory. Clearly new treatment strategies are needed to address the mounting challenge of CUD risk in teens and young adults. While data accumulated over the past decades about the effects of now “low dose” THC has been very valuable, significant research efforts in preclinical models are needed, focused on THC potency relevant to today’s products. Additionally, longitudinal studies such as ABCD should be able to provide important insights about factors related to resilience that may also help guide the development of intervention strategies. Altogether, the combined longitudinal, clinical and preclinical efforts will help provide unprecedented knowledge to mitigate the trajectory of CUD and related psychiatric disorders, both of which have a strong neurodevelopmental etiology.
(Source: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.20231006
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