“Suicide rates among older adults have been rising over time in the United States. At the same time, more individuals have been suffering with chronic pain and illness, which are often underlying risk factors for suicide. As self-medication with marijuana has become common, we ask whether access to legal marijuana for medical and recreational purposes reduces suicides rates among older individuals. We find that suicide rates among older age groups decline following the opening of recreational marijuana dispensaries, especially among older Whites, and middle-aged White males and females with low levels of education.”
“Appropriate treatment of muscle spasticity and spasms is important as these conditions may significantly impair patients’ quality of life. Conventional pharmacological treatments for these conditions have poor effectiveness and/or tolerability.
Cannabis is being explored as a treatment.
This was a longitudinal study of patient use of different cannabis products. Data was collected from patient surveys, clinic records, and changes in Patient Reported Outcome Measures Information System 29-Item scores over time. Patient-reported responses on health-related quality of life adverse events (n = 150) and outcomes (n = 78) from treatment for spasticity or spasms were analyzed. No improvements in physical functioning were observed for either group of patients across all product types. However, patients with spasticity who were using cannabidiol-only products experienced an improvement in sleep disturbance, fatigue, pain interference, and pain intensity.
Patients with spasms who were using balanced, cannabidiol-dominant, or tetrahydrocannabinol-dominant products also experienced improvements in these 4 outcomes. Commonly reported adverse events were dry mouth, drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Despite no observation of improvement in physical functioning, the results suggest that cannabis may help relieve some of the secondary complications associated with these conditions, such as poor sleep and pain.
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This longitudinal study highlights differential benefits across cannabis product types, with cannabidiol-only formulations aiding spasticity-related symptoms and tetrahydrocannabinol- or cannabidiol-dominant products benefiting those with spasms.
These findings support the potential of cannabis as a potential therapy to improve health-related quality of life in patients with limited options from conventional pharmacological treatments.”
“Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus that causes acute and chronic disease by strong stimulation of the immune system. It activates innate and adaptive immune cells, including monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and lymphocytes, as well as soluble mediators such as IL-17A, IFN-γ, IL-13, and IL-7. Despite the significant morbidity associated with CHIKV, no specific antiviral therapy is currently available.
In this context, natural compounds with immunomodulatory potential, such as cannabidiol (CBD), represent promising candidates. Here, we investigated whether CBD modulates immune responses following CHIKV stimulation. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with inactivated CHIKV and treated with CBD. Immune cell subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry, and soluble factors were profiled by Luminex assay.
CBD treatment fine-tuned NK and monocyte subsets in vitro and attenuated key inflammatory pathways, particularly the IL-17A-IFN-γ axis, in response to CHIKV stimulation.
These findings identify CBD as a potential immunomodulatory candidate for innovative therapeutic strategies against CHIKV and other alphaviruses.”
“Altogether, our results show that Cannabidiol promotes fine-tuning of NK, monocytic subsets CHIKV stimuli in vitro. In addition, CBD attenuates key inflammatory pathways upon CHIKV immune recall, characterized by the IL-17A-IFN-g axis.
Overall, this study provides new insights into the immunological landscape of CHIKV-induced immunity and identifies CBD as a promising candidate for innovative immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies against the disease associated to this Alphavirus.”
“CBD could be a potential immunomodulatory agent against viral inflammation.”
“Overall, this study provides new insights into the immunological landscape of CHIKV infection and identifies CBD as a promising candidate for innovative therapeutic strategies against this disease.”
“Introduction: Nicotine pouches are rapidly increasing in popularity, yet their long-term neurological consequences remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests nicotine may influence seizure susceptibility and neuroimmune signaling, while cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the time-dependent impact of acute versus chronic oral nicotine exposure on seizure vulnerability, neuroinflammation, and glymphatic function, and evaluated whether inhaled CBD can reverse these pathological changes.
Methods: Mice were exposed to acute or 7-day chronic nicotine pouch prior to kainic acid-induced seizures. Seizure severity was scored using the Racine scale. Neuroinflammatory markers (IL-6, HMGB1), neuronal activation markers (BDNF, c-FOS), and AQP4 expression were quantified via flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting. Glymphatic function was assessed using cisterna magna injection of rhodamine dextran tracers. An ex vivo IL-6 modulation assay evaluated nicotine-induced cytokine production and CBD-mediated suppression, with or without IL-6 receptor blockade.
Results: Acute nicotine transiently reduced seizure severity, whereas chronic exposure significantly exacerbated seizures, elevated IL-6, HMGB1, BDNF, and c-FOS, and markedly downregulated AQP4. CSF tracer studies confirmed impaired glymphatic influx following chronic nicotine exposure. CBD inhalation effectively reversed seizure severity restored AQP4 expression, normalized IL-6 and HMGB1 levels, and reduced c-FOS protein expression. The IL-6R blockade assay showed that nicotine induces IL-6 production in brain-derived immune cells, while CBD suppresses this response upstream of IL-6 signaling.
Conclusions: Chronic nicotine pouch exposure promotes seizure susceptibility through converging neuroimmune and glymphatic disruptions. Inhaled CBD counteracts these effects, supporting its potential as a targeted therapeutic strategy for nicotine-associated neurological risk.”
“Importance: Cannabis use is prevalent among adolescents and young adults who vape nicotine. It is not known if cannabis use affects nicotine vaping cessation success.
Objective: To assess whether baseline frequency of cannabis use or cannabis use disorder (CUD) symptom severity was associated with nicotine vaping cessation in a randomized clinical trial.
Design, setting, and participants: This secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial with youth who vaped nicotine recruited at a single site in Massachusetts from June 2022 to May 2024. The trial included 3 groups receiving 12 weeks of varenicline treatment and placebo (both double-masked, paired with counseling), as well as single-masked referral to texting-app-based nicotine vaping cessation support (enhanced usual care [EUC]). Eligible participants were aged 16 to 25 years who reported vaping nicotine regularly and did not smoke tobacco.
Exposure: Baseline cannabis use was assessed via self-reported number of days of cannabis use per week and with Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT) scores.
Main outcomes and measures: Biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence nicotine vaping abstinence at week 12. Logistic regression models estimated associations between baseline cannabis use and vaping abstinence. Interaction terms were evaluated to examine whether cannabis use moderated the effect of varenicline on nicotine abstinence.
Results: Among the 261 participants randomized to nicotine vaping cessation treatment (mean [SD] age, 21.5 [2.0] years; 139 female [53%]), 28% (73 participants) reported no past-month cannabis use, 38% (100 participants) reported using cannabis more than 0 and less than 4 d/wk, and 30% (78 participants) reported using cannabis 4 to 7 d/wk. Cannabis use frequency was not significantly associated with nicotine vaping cessation (eg, 4 to 7 d/wk use vs no use: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.14; 95% CI, 0.51-2.57; overall P = .20). Nor did cannabis frequency modify the effect of varenicline (eg, abstinence varenicline vs placebo or EUC among those with 4 to 7 d/wk use: aOR, 8.47; 95% CI, 2.78-28.25; vs among those with no use: aOR, 5.60; 95% CI, 1.97-17.06; overall interaction P = .32). Findings were similar for CUD symptom severity.
Conclusions and relevance: Among adolescents and young adults attempting to reduce or stop nicotine vaping, baseline cannabis use was not associated with nicotine vaping abstinence. Varenicline proved helpful for nicotine vaping cessation regardless of cannabis use, indicating that co-use of cannabis may not represent a barrier to successful nicotine vaping cessation treatment.”
“Findings indicate that regular cannabis or alcohol use is not expected to diminish the effectiveness of offering varenicline for nicotine vaping cessation in youth.”
“Purpose: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is common in schizophrenia and drives cardiovascular risk. While cannabis use and potency are increasing, the impact of cannabis on cardiometabolic health in schizophrenia remains unclear. This study assessed the association between objectively measured cannabis use and MetS prevalence in a large schizophrenia cohort.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 988 participants with DSM-IV schizophrenia from the CATIE study. Cannabis use was measured via hair testing for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the gold standard for long-term use detection. MetS was defined per International Diabetes Federation criteria using physical and biochemical data. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and lifestyle confounders, assessed the association between THC use and MetS.
Results: THC-positive participants (14.8 %) exhibited a significantly lower prevalence of MetS compared to non-users (42.5 % vs. 60.5 %, p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders including age, sex, ethnicity, smoking, and other substance use, cannabis use remained independently associated with reduced odds of MetS (adjusted OR 0.64, 95 %CI 0.44-0.93, p = 0.02). Among MetS components, cannabis users had significantly lower odds of elevated waist circumference after adjustment (adjusted OR 0.61, 95 %CI 0.41-0.91, p = 0.02). Cannabis use was also associated with lower weight, BMI and triglycerides and higher HDL in unadjusted analyses. No significant differences were found in blood pressure or fasting glucose.
Conclusions: In schizophrenia, cannabis use was associated with lower rates of both metabolic syndrome and central obesity. While these findings support emerging evidence of metabolic differences in cannabis users, the cross-sectional design precludes conclusions regarding causality. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify long-term metabolic effects and guide targeted interventions.”
“Cannabis use is associated with better cardiometabolic health in the general population, with users showing lower fasting insulin and glucose levels, reduced waist circumference, lower BMI, reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol compared to non-users.”
“Growing evidence suggests cannabis users with psychotic disorders may have better metabolic health compared to non-users.”
“In summary, our findings demonstrate a significant association between cannabis use and a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome in individuals with schizophrenia.”
“The design of neurological “magic shotguns” represents a modern approach toward the treatment of complex central nervous system disorders, and many natural products like cannabidiol possess distinct potential due to their unique polypharmacological profiles toward central nervous system targets.
Herein, we describe the computational design, semisynthesis, and preliminary biological screening of aminergic cannabidiol derivatives as neurological magic shotguns.
A small library of 22 aminergic cannabidiol derivatives were synthesized and evaluated through radioligand binding assays, revealing that these derivatives generally exhibit higher affinity toward serotonin, dopamine and sigma receptors than the parent compound.
Notably, compounds 8d and 8e displayed significantly improved affinity toward sigma-1 receptors (Ki = 4.8 nM and 8.3 nM, respectively). We then established the functional behavior of compound 8e in mouse primary hippocampal neurons through whole-cell patch clamp assays: exposure to compound 8e potentiates N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, an effect that may be reversed in the presence of a selective sigma-1 receptor antagonist.
These results suggest that compound 8e behaves as an agonist of sigma-1 receptors, thereby promoting downstream potentiation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors.
Altogether, these findings provide preliminary evidence that aminergic cannabinoids, and potentially other derivatives of promiscuous natural products, may hold utility as neurological magic shotguns.”
“Objective: Cannabis use has increased among older adults, yet the neurocognitive effects in this demographic remain unclear. Prior work has suggested cannabis may increase brain volume in areas rich in cannabinoid (CB1) receptors, though negative effects are often reported in adolescents. This study sought to clarify the relationship between cannabis use and brain health among middle-aged and older adults.
Method: Using data from the UK Biobank, which includes health information from over 500,000 adults, associations between cannabis use, regional brain volume, and cognition in participants aged 40-70 years (mean age = 54.5) were evaluated.
Results: Lifetime cannabis use was positively associated with regional brain volume in CB1-rich regions, including the caudate, putamen, hippocampus, and amygdala. Greater lifetime use was also linked to better performance in learning, processing speed, and short-term memory. Individuals reporting use limited to adolescence also showed larger regional volumes and better cognitive performance than non-users. Sex differences in cannabis effects on brain volume and cognition were also observed.
Conclusions: Results highlight that cannabis may influence brain health differently across the lifespan, potentially offering protective effects in older age while posing risks earlier in development. Protective effects may result from endocannabinoid-mediated modulation of inflammation, immune function, and neurodegeneration. Observed sex differences likely reflect variation in the endocannabinoid system and underscore the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in studies of cannabis and brain health.”
“This study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of hemp seed (Cannabis sativa L.) protein isolate, protein hydrolysate, and its fractions. The protein hydrolysate was obtained through sequential enzymatic digestion using pepsin and pancreatin, achieving a degree of hydrolysis of 48.11%. The hydrolysate was then fractionated by ultrafiltration.
Assays conducted on Caco-2 (colorectal cancer) and THP-1 (leukemia) cell lines revealed that the higher-molecular-weight fraction of (>10 kDa) exhibited the strongest, concentration-dependent antiproliferative effect, as determined by the neutral red uptake (NRU) assay for Caco-2 cells and the MTT assay for THP-1 cells. Furthermore, a significant intracellular antioxidant activity was observed, particularly in the whole hydrolysate and its low-molecular-weight fractions, as measured by the DCFH-DA assay in Caco-2 cells.
The results suggest the potential application of hemp seed protein hydrolysate and its fractions as antioxidant and chemoprotective supplements in oncologic therapies.”
“This study establishes that hemp seed protein hydrolysate (HSH) and its ultrafiltration fractions possess significant and dual biological activities. The principal finding is the identification of a potent, dose-dependent, and selective antiproliferative effect against colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cell lines, with the high-molecular-weight fraction (F1 > 10 kDa) demonstrating the greatest efficacy.
Collectively, these findings underscore the dual potential of hemp seed peptides as a reduction in cell viability agents and potent antioxidants, positioning them as promising candidates for development as functional food ingredients for chemoprevention and as adjuvants in oncological therapies.”
“In the present study, a comprehensive evaluation of the antioxidant properties of various parts of the hemp plant, specifically its leaves and flowers, in a new feminized variety of Cannabis sativa with an admixture of Cannabis ruderalis was investigated.
Methods such as Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy were used to assess trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and total polyphenol content (TPC). TEAC values of the analyzed samples ranged from 29.5 μmol TE/g DW to 150.2 μmol TE/g DW, while TPC varied between 5.4 mg GAE/g DW and 20.3 mg GAE/g DW.
The findings indicate that hemp exhibits significant antioxidant properties, especially in its leaves. This is attributed to a diverse range of antioxidants, including cannabinoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, which offer notable health benefits.
Furthermore, the method of drying hemp has been shown to influence its antioxidant properties significantly. Research indicates that freeze-dried and air-dried hemp retains higher levels of antioxidant compounds compared to other drying methods. This suggests that selecting an appropriate drying technique is essential for preserving the bioactive compounds responsible for hemp’s antioxidant activity.”
“Cannabis plants, in general, owe their antioxidant capabilities to compounds like polyphenols, terpenes, and cannabinoids. Among these, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the nonpsychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) are the most recognized. Both THC and CBD exhibit antioxidant activities comparable to vitamins E and C, effectively scavenging free radicals, reducing metal ions, and counteracting oxidative stress.”
“The hemp plant, C. sativa, has emerged as a promising source of natural antioxidants, with various parts of the plant exhibiting diverse levels of antioxidant activity.”
“As global interest in hemp rises, a deeper understanding of its health benefits, particularly its antioxidant properties, will be essential for fully capitalizing on this plant. Research into its bioactive compounds could pave the way for innovative natural remedies and contribute to developing new products that support well-being.”
