A recently published study looking to expose the functional status of older drug users has found that most of their cognitive abilities are equal to their peers who have never smoked cocaine, except for a marginally lower verbal comprehension. Similar studies should continue in order to determine how chronic drug users will affect or challenge public health systems in the future.
When the CEOs of major cannabis companies were asked what they believed the biggest threats to the cannabis industry are, the answers were consistent with common concerns: black market cannabis, public policy, execution of businesses, as well as consistency of product and markets. Not only in the US, but also globally https://yhoo.it/31pNOO9
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Benjamin Caplan, MDCommon Concerns for cannabis CEOs
A recent study has found that flavonoids isolated from Psoralea corylifolia are able to inhibit part of the insulin pathway.
Seeds of the P. corylifolia plant have been used in eastern medicine, primary in China, for years, and is now being further researched as flavonoids continue to intrigue researchers with their possible therapeutic benefits. The inhibitory activity found in this study provides evidence that flavonoids should be pursued as a potential treatment for Type-2 Diabetes.
In a study that excluded cannabis users, researchers found that alcohol hangovers significantly impair both executive function (paying attention, regulating emotions, etc.) and prospective memory (remembering future plans).
Guanfacine decreases symptoms of cannabis withdrawal in daily cannabis smokers
A study performed on daily cannabis users with cannabis use disorder (CUD) found evidence for Guanfacine to reduce the irritability and disturbances to sleep, characteristic of cannabis withdrawal. It is potentially a viable, improved alternative to Lofexidine, another treatment for CUD which happens to result in some adverse effects, including drowsiness, dizziness, and altered food intake. However, beyond these effects, while Lofexidine reduced cannabis self-administration following abstinence, Guanfacine did not in this study. Regardless, further research on the therapeutic effects of Guanfacine may be worthwhile and could help reduce cannabis cravings following withdrawal.
Edibles are a popular way to consume cannabis because they can be tasty & easy, but maybe this is a problem? Should meds be made unappealing to children or pets? Although many people enjoy treatment via gummy bears, is this a bad path? The Brilliant Dr Peter Grinspoon’s take: http://bit.ly/2KygQov
Taste buds likely evolved to detect foods which have a positive (or negative) effect on the body. It seems logical to assume that good taste would prime good effects. Also, cannabis has an effect similar to hypnotizability and suggestibility. If it tastes good, it’s logical to suggest that good tastes would suggest a higher likelihood of improved effect, from a psychological standpoint too.
A counter-argument: “If it tastes good, people (especially kids) would take it all the time. It actually should taste unpleasant so that you only take it when the alternative is worse.”
1 – Better-tasting medications may enhance pediatric adherence to drug therapy, where that is appropriate.
2 – Sugars, acids, salt, and other substances may reduce perceived unpleasant taste of cannabis With respect to children, in one study, more than 90% of pediatricians suggested that a drug’s taste and palatability were the biggest barriers to completing treatment.
3 – The potential for taste stimuli to activate nongustatory sensory systems, including those of a visceroceptive nature in the cases where the taste solutions are swallowed, must be considered, particularly as bitter tastes (likely with cannabis) are governed by GPR protein receptors.
4 – Pleasant tasting products activate a conditioned response: good taste = good effect (when can then generalized to all pleasant-tasting edibles.
5 – “The unpleasant taste of medicine is often a sensory expression of its pharmacological activity; in many cases, the more potent the drug, the more bitter it will be. The more bitter, the more likely the drug will be rejected. Better-tasting medications may go a long way toward enhancing the ability of pediatric patients to adhere to drug therapy, especially when failure to consume may do harm and, in some cases, be life-threatening.”
6 – On the other hand, frequent use of sucrose-sweetened medicines has been linked to dental caries
While most people tout market projections, this CEO notes that many people entering the industry have not considered the logistics behind creating and expanding their business. In such a unique industry, realistic goals and measures will be crucial to long term success and scaling. http://bit.ly/31fJYH0
Benjamin Caplan, MDMarket Projections, Ethanol Extraction, and Mismatched Expectations
Medical cannabis remains inaccessible for many as its status as a Schedule I substance prevents insurance companies from covering #cannabis product costs, even though it would likely be lowering costs for the insurance companies too. http://bit.ly/30VaF3T
Piggybacking on the Juul craze, Hempods has created a #CBD distillate w/ other #cannabinoids and #terpenes. They also recognize the importance of third-party verification systems, like solosciences to inform and educate customers about their product http://bit.ly/2VUvJDT
