ScienceDaily: Marijuana News

Medical marijuana not the answer for teens with chronic pain, doctors say

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:09:09 EDT

Adolescents can have chronic pain, just like adults. As patients, their parents and physicians search for solutions, there is one increasingly available option they should avoid, researchers say: medical marijuana.

Low doses of THC (cannabis) can halt brain damage, study suggests

Thu, 30 May 2013 13:25:25 EDT

Medical cannabis is often used by sufferers of chronic ailments, including cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder, to combat pain and other symptoms. Now a researcher says that the drug has neuroprotective qualities as well, protecting the brain from long-term cognitive damage in the wake of injury from lack of oxygen, seizures, or toxic drugs.

Surge in children accidentally eating marijuana-laced foods: Relaxed Colorado drug laws behind trend

Mon, 27 May 2013 23:19:19 EDT

A new study shows the relaxation of marijuana laws in Colorado may have caused the spike in the number of young children treated for accidentally eating marijuana-laced cookies, candies, brownies and beverages.

Study adds to evidence that cigarettes are gateway to marijuana

Sun, 05 May 2013 07:37:37 EDT

Teen smokers who rationalize their use of cigarettes by saying, "At least, I'm not doing drugs," may not always be able to use that line. New research supports the theory that cigarettes are a gateway drug to marijuana.

Scientists weaken HIV infection in immune cells using synthetic agents

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:20:20 EDT

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is notorious for hiding within certain types of cells, where it reproduces at a slowed rate and eventually gives rise to chronic inflammation, despite drug therapy. But researchers recently discovered that synthetic anti-inflammatory substances distantly related to the active ingredient of marijuana may be able to take the punch out of HIV while inside one of its major hideouts -- immune cells called macrophages.

Alcohol use, anxiety predict Facebook use by college students

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Anxiety and alcohol use significantly predict emotional connectedness to Facebook, a new study suggests. According to one of the researchers, alcohol use is generally viewed as normative, or socially acceptable, among college students, so increased alcohol use may cause an increase in emotional connectedness to Facebook. Researchers also found that marijuana use predicted the opposite: a lack of emotional connectedness with Facebook.

Mental illness linked to heavy cannabis use

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:48:48 EDT

People with mental illnesses are more than seven times more likely to use cannabis weekly compared to people without a mental illness, according to new research.

How the brain suppresses pain during times of stress

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:40:40 EST

How does the brain suppress pain? For the first time, it has been shown that suppression of pain during times of fear involves complex interplay between marijuana-like chemicals and other neurotransmitters in a brain region called the amygdala.

New study shows cannabis effects on driving skills

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:22:22 EST

Cannabis is second only to alcohol for causing impaired driving and motor vehicle accidents. In 2009, 12.8% of young adults reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs and in the 2007 National Roadside Survey, more drivers tested positive for drugs than for alcohol. These cannabis smokers had a 10-fold increase in car crash injury compared with infrequent or nonusers after adjustment for blood alcohol concentration.

Parents talking about their own drug use to children could be detrimental

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:31:31 EST

Parents know that one day they will have to talk to their children about drug use. The hardest part is to decide whether or not talking about ones own drug use will be useful in communicating an antidrug message. Recent research found that children whose parents did not disclose drug use, but delivered a strong antidrug message, were more likely to exhibit antidrug attitudes.

Smoking marijuana associated with higher stroke risk in young adults

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:10:10 EST

Marijuana use may double the risk of stroke in young adults. The New Zealand findings are the first from a case-controlled study to indicate a potential link between marijuana and stroke.

Medical cannabis provides dramatic relief for sufferers of chronic ailments, Israeli study finds

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:34:34 EST

Though still controversial, medical cannabis has been gaining ground as a valid therapy for cancer, PTSD, and chronic pain. Now a specialist says that residents of an Israel nursing home experienced dramatic physical and mental improvements following cannabis therapy and that the therapy significantly reduced the need for chronic medications for many of them.

Brain imaging insight into cannabis as a pain killer

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:57:57 EST

The pain relief offered by cannabis varies greatly between individuals, a brain imaging study suggests. The researchers found that an oral tablet of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, tended to make the experience of pain more bearable, rather than actually reduce the intensity of the pain.

Regular marijuana use by teens continues to be a concern

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:27:27 EST

Continued high use of marijuana by the United States' eighth, 10th and 12th graders combined with a drop in perceptions of its potential harms was revealed in this year's Monitoring the Future survey, an annual survey of eighth, 10th, and 12th-graders conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. The survey was carried out in classrooms around the country earlier this year, under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Holiday spices often abused for cheap highs, says toxicologist

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:05:05 EST

Cinnamon, nutmeg and even marshmallows are being intentionally abused in risky behavior, says a toxicologist. Once folly for teenagers, pre-teens are now copying what they see from Internet videos with dangerous results.

Combined chronic alcohol and marijuana use during youth can compromise white-matter integrity

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:09:09 EST

Chronic alcohol and marijuana during youth is associated with worsened neurocognitive abilities into later adolescence and adulthood. A new study examines fiber tract integrity affected by adolescent alcohol and marijuana use for 1.5 years. Results support previous findings of reduced white-matter integrity in these youth.

No strong evidence to back use of cannabis extract in multiple sclerosis

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:57:57 EST

There is no strong evidence to back the use of cannabis extract in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, concludes a review of the available evidence on the first licensed preparation.

Binge eating, overeating may be associated with initiating use of marijuana, other drugs

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:36:36 EST

Overeating and binge eating may be associated with initiating use of marijuana and other drugs in a study of adolescents and young adults.

Parents key to preventing alcohol, marijuana use by kids

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:55:55 EST

New research finds that parental involvement is more important than the school environment when it comes to preventing or limiting alcohol and marijuana use by children.

Street forms of 'synthetic marijuana' products linked to thousands of hospital emergency departments visits each year

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:53:53 EST

Street forms of synthetic cannabinoids – so-called “synthetic marijuana” – were linked to 11,406 of the 4.9 million drug-related emergency department (ED) visits in 2010, according to a new report.

A risk gene for cannabis psychosis

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:39:39 EST

The ability of cannabis to produce psychosis has long been an important public health concern. This concern is growing in importance as there is emerging data that cannabis exposure during adolescence may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, a serious psychotic disorder. Further, with the advent of medical marijuana, a new group of people with uncertain psychosis risk may be exposed to cannabis.

Cannabis use mimics cognitive weakness that can lead to schizophrenia, fMRI study finds

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:46:46 EDT

Researchers in Norway have found new support for their theory that cannabis use causes a temporary cognitive breakdown in non-psychotic individuals, leading to long-term psychosis. In an fMRI study, researchers found a different brain activity pattern in schizophrenia patients with previous cannabis use than in schizophrenic patients without prior cannabis use.

Gene implicated in schizophrenia risk is also associated with risk for cannabis dependence

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:53:53 EDT

New research implicates a new gene in the risk for cannabis dependence. This gene, NRG1, codes for the ErbB4 receptor, a protein implicated in synaptic development and function.

Cannabis extract eases muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, study suggests

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 11:24:24 EDT

Cannabis seems to ease the painful muscle stiffness typical of multiple sclerosis, indicate phase III trial results.

Cannabis withdrawal symptoms might have clinical importance

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:39:39 EDT

Cannabis users have a greater chance of relapse to cannabis use when they experience certain withdrawal symptoms, according to new research.

Boosting natural marijuana-like brain chemicals treats fragile X syndrome symptoms

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:13:13 EDT

Scientists have found that increasing natural marijuana-like chemicals in the brain can help correct behavioral issues related to fragile X syndrome, the most common known genetic cause of autism.

Marijuana use implicated in pregnancy problems

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:18:18 EDT

New research indicates marijuana-like compounds called endocannabinoids alter genes and biological signals critical to the formation of a normal placenta during pregnancy and may contribute to pregnancy complications like preeclampsia. A new study offers evidence that abnormal biological signaling by endocannabinoid lipid molecules produced by the body disrupts the movement of early embryonic cells important to a healthy pregnancy.

Mechanism related to negative emotions of cocaine withdrawal discovered: Emotional 'brakes' stay on after cocaine wears off

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:20:20 EDT

Researchers have found a cellular mechanism that contributes to the lack of motivation and negative emotions of a cocaine addict going through withdrawal. Their discovery offers a deeper look into the cellular and behavioral implications of addiction.

Adolescent pot use leaves lasting mental deficits; Developing brain susceptible to lasting damage from exposure to marijuana

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:20:20 EDT

The persistent, dependent use of marijuana before age 18 has been shown to cause lasting harm to a person's intelligence, attention and memory, according to an international research team.

High potency and synthetic marijuana pose real dangers in first weeks of pregnancy

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:30:30 EDT

Experts say the argument that marijuana is a harmless drug is no longer valid due to the emergence of "high potency" marijuana and synthetic marijuana which pose a potential real threat for pregnant women and their unborn children.

Cannabis as painkiller

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:12:12 EDT

Cannabis-based medications have been demonstrated to relieve pain. Cannabis medications can be used in patients whose symptoms are not adequately alleviated by conventional treatment. The indications are muscle spasms, nausea and vomiting as a result of chemotherapy, loss of appetite in HIV/Aids, and neuropathic pain, experts say.

Students trading sex for drugs or alcohol happens also in rural Canada

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:37:37 EDT

Just over two percent of teens in rural schools who have ever tried alcohol, marijuana or other drugs report they have also traded sex for these substances, according to new research.

Adolescents in substance abuse treatment report using someone else's medical marijuana

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:46:46 EDT

Diverted medical marijuana use among adolescents receiving treatment for substance abuse is very common, according to new research. Study participants from two adolescent substance abuse treatment programs in the Denver metropolitan area were asked questions about their medical marijuana use. 121 of 164 adolescents (73.8%) reported using medical marijuana that had been recommended for someone else, also known as diverted medical marijuana, a median of 50 times.

Hookah smoking increasingly common among first-year college women

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:26:26 EDT

Nearly a quarter of college women try smoking tobacco with a hookah, or water pipe, for the first time during their freshman year, according to new research.

Cannabis 'pharma factory' discovered

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:16:16 EDT

Researchers have discovered the chemical pathway that cannabis sativa uses to create bioactive compounds, paving the way for the development of marijuana varieties to produce pharmaceuticals or cannabinoid-free industrial hemp.

No evidence medical marijuana increases teen drug use, study suggests

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:28:28 EDT

While marijuana use by teens has been increasing since 2005, an analysis of data from 1993 through 2009 by economists at three universities has found no evidence linking the legalization of medical marijuana to increased use by high school students.

Active ingredient of cannabis has no effect on the progression of multiple sclerosis, study suggests

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:39:39 EDT

The first large non-commercial study to investigate whether the main active constituent of cannabis (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) is effective in slowing the course of progressive multiple sclerosis shows that there is no evidence to suggest this; Although benefits were noted for those at the lower end of the disability scale.

Mothers' teen cannabinoid exposure may increase response of offspring to opiate drugs

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:59:59 EDT

A study in rats suggests that mothers who use marijuana during their teen years -- then stop -- may put their eventual offspring at risk of increased sensitivity to opiates.

Smoked cannabis reduces some symptoms of multiple sclerosis

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:26:26 EDT

A clinical study of 30 adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has shown that smoked cannabis may be an effective treatment for spasticity – a common and disabling symptom of this neurological disease.

How cannabis use during adolescence affects brain regions associated with schizophrenia

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:27:27 EDT

New research has shown physical changes to exist in specific brain areas implicated in schizophrenia following the use of cannabis during adolescence. The research has shown how cannabis use during adolescence can interact with a gene, called the COMT gene, to cause physical changes in the brain.

Anticonvulsant drug helps marijuana smokers kick the habit

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:56:56 EDT

Scientists have found clinical evidence that the drug gabapentin, currently on the market to treat neuropathic pain and epilepsy, helps people to quit smoking marijuana (cannabis). Unlike traditional addiction treatments, gabapentin targets stress systems in the brain that are activated by drug withdrawal.

Marijuana use higher in young adult smokers than previously reported

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:35:35 EDT

Half of young adult tobacco smokers also have smoked marijuana in the last 30 days, according to a recent Facebook-based survey, indicating a greater prevalence of marijuana and tobacco co-use among smokers age 18-25 than previously reported.

Intrauterine exposure to drugs does not affect academic achievement test scores, study suggests

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:26:26 EST

Researchers have found children's academic achievement test scores not affected by intrauterine exposure to cocaine, tobacco or marijuana. However, alcohol exposure in children who had no evidence of fetal alcohol syndrome did lead to lower scores in math reasoning and spelling even after controlling for other intrauterine substance exposures and contextual factors.

How marijuana impairs memory

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:34:34 EST

A major downside of the medical use of marijuana is the drug's ill effects on working memory, the ability to transiently hold and process information for reasoning, comprehension and learning. Researchers provide new insight into the source of those memory lapses. The answer comes as quite a surprise: Marijuana's major psychoactive ingredient (THC) impairs memory independently of its direct effects on neurons.

Cannabis: The good, the evil, the ugly

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:41:41 EST

Cannabis-like substances that are produced by the body have both therapeutic and harmful properties, besides their well-known intoxicating effects, and the body’s cannabinoid system may be a target for new strategies in cancer treatment, new research suggests.

Cannabis use doubles chances of vehicle crash, review finds

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:12:12 EST

Drivers who consume cannabis within three hours of driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a vehicle collision as those who are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to a new review.

Marijuana smoke not as damaging to lungs as cigarette smoke, study suggests

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:34:34 EST

Using marijuana carries legal risks, but the consequences of occasionally lighting up do not include long-term loss of lung function, according to a new study. In the study in which participants had repeated measurements of lung function over 20 years, occasional and low cumulative marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function.

Brain imaging study evaluates effects of ingredients in marijuana on brain functioning during reactions to visual stimuli

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:08:08 EST

Different ingredients in marijuana appear to affect regions of the brain differently during brain processing functions involving responses to certain visual stimuli and tasks, according to a new report.

Cigarette and alcohol use at historic low among teens

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:59:59 EST

Cigarette and alcohol use by eighth, 10th and 12th-graders are at their lowest point since the Monitoring the Future survey began polling teenagers in 1975, according to this year's survey results. However, this positive news is tempered by a slowing rate of decline in teen smoking as well as continued high rates of abuse of other tobacco products (e.g., hookahs, small cigars, smokeless tobacco), marijuana and prescription drugs.

Medical marijuana could help patients reduce pain with opiates

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:14:14 EST

A UCSF study suggests patients with chronic pain may experience greater relief if their doctors add cannabinoids – the main ingredient in cannabis or medical marijuana – to an opiates-only treatment. The findings, from a small-scale study, also suggest that a combined therapy could result in reduced opiate dosages.

New way to boost potency of natural pain relief chemical in body

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:25:25 EST

Researchers have discovered a new means of enhancing the effects of anandamide -- a natural, marijuana-like chemical in the body that provides pain relief.

High childhood IQ linked to subsequent illicit drug use, research suggests

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:10:10 EST

A high childhood IQ may be linked to subsequent illegal drug use, particularly among women, new research suggests.

Legalizing medical marijuana does not increase use among youth, study suggests

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:10:10 EDT

Researchers studied whether legalizing medical marijuana in Rhode Island would be likely to increase its use among youths. Based on their analysis of 32,570 students, they found that while marijuana use was common throughout the study period, there were no statistically significant differences in marijuana use between states where medical marijuana was legal and where it was illegal in any year.

Do deficits in brain cannabinoids contribute to eating disorders?

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:52:52 EDT

A new report suggests that deficits in endocannabinoid function may contribute to anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Endocannabinoids are substances made by the brain that affect brain function and chemistry in ways that resemble the effects of cannabis derivatives, including marijuana and hashish. These commonly abused drugs are well known to increase appetite, i.e., to cause the "munchies." Thus, it makes sense that deficits in this brain system would be associated with reduced appetite.

How cannabis causes 'cognitive chaos' in the brain

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:26:26 EDT

Cannabis use is associated with disturbances in concentration and memory. New research by neuroscientists in the UK has found that brain activity becomes uncoordinated and inaccurate during these altered states of mind, leading to neurophysiological and behavioral impairments reminiscent of those seen in schizophrenia.

How hemp got high: Cannabis genome mapped

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:57:57 EDT

Researchers have sequenced the genome of Cannabis sativa, the plant that produces both industrial hemp and marijuana, and in the process revealed the genetic changes that led to the plant's drug-producing properties.

The cannabis genome: How hemp got high

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:44:44 EDT

Throughout history, Cannabis sativa has been exploited by humanity. Hemp seed oil is rich in omega 6, and its fiber is used in the production of fabrics. Marijuana is known for its mind-altering properties. The changes to the genome that led to drug-producing plants is a mystery of cannabis evolution, but one that has now been solved, thanks to new research.

Smoking cannabis increases risk of depression in the case of genetic vulnerability, study finds

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:48:48 EDT

Young people who are genetically vulnerable to depression should be extra careful about using cannabis: smoking cannabis leads to an increased risk of developing depressive symptoms, according to a new study carried out by researchers in the Netherlands. Two-thirds of the population have the gene variant that makes one sensitive to depression.

Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers, study finds

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:34:34 EDT

Researchers have found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use.

Marijuana component could ease pain from chemotherapy drugs, study suggests

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:54:54 EDT

A chemical component of the marijuana plant could prevent the onset of pain associated with drugs used in chemotherapy, particularly in breast cancer patients.