American Medical Association

Science Tosses Cold Water On Psychedelics

Published

1 year ago

June 15, 2023

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Psychedelic plants and mushrooms have been used for a thousand years. Long part of indigenous medicinal traditions, it wasn’t part of modern research until 1938. In recent years, there has been an explosion in for profit businesses who push for legalization. The Psychedelic Drugs Market is anticipated to reach a valuation of $11.82 billion US by 2029 from $4.87 billion US in 2022.

Veterans of the boom – bust – and sort of boom marijuana industry pivoted starting in 2019 to jump into building psychedelic companies and brands. Investors who have seen slow returns on companies like High Times and Tilray have been wooed into the next big thing which, they say, will have a quicker return.

Now JAMA has tossed cold water on the immediate future for the industry.

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The crux of the issue is the research. Anecdotal information is abudant with millions swearing to the effectiveness of treatment. But that is not science, and there is not data to verify claims. In the 1950-60s there was a period of scientific and cultural exploration. Psychedelic research was slowed significantly decreased starting in the 70s with governmental interventions.

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There are issues the recent article in the JAMA that need to be resolved for government always it become fully mainstream. We have highlighted three in this article.

How Reliable Are The Studies?

The double-blinded randomized controlled trial (DB-RCT) remains the gold standard method for determining if an intervention is efficacious. However, psychedelic drugs’ intense psychoactive effects make blinding difficult and render trials susceptible to expectation effects. Psychedelic are very personal so looking at a groups of blind data is very difficult, making it even harder to see trends, patterns, benefits and warnings.

What Are The Risks

The challenges of rigorous trial design and the “moral panic” that accompanied the first wave of psychedelic research make separating the true risks of psychedelic drugs from myth and misinformation difficult. Classic psychedelic drugs cause acute and dose-dependent increases in heart rate and blood pressure, but they do not seem to have significant nonpsychiatric medical risks.⁴ In terms of psychiatric risks, there is concern that individuals with a diagnosis, or immediate family history, of a psychotic or bipolar disorder may be at increased risk of adverse events (eg, prolonged psychosis), but more research is needed.

Another arguably underappreciated risk of psychedelic therapy concerns the possibility of major life changes after the experience.

What Are the Challenges of Scaling Psychedelic Therapy?

Questions remain regarding the societal impact of psychedelic drugs as they are scaled up from research trials to clinical practice. Another critical issue is the high cost of current psychedelic therapy models, which typically involve 2 clinicians for the 6- to 8-hour dosing sessions, bookended by approximately 10 to 15 hours of talk therapy.

RELATED: Dementia and Marijuana

Anything that is a healthier and a more natural solution for physical and mental ailments is a positive. It is important for global research to invest in solutions that will benefit millions. Equally important is people understand science will make things more effective if allowed to explore and research.

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American Medical Association

The DEA Against The Vast Majority Of The Public About Marijuana

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2024

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The cannabis industry is concerned about the direction of regulations – and the DEA is still against the plant.

The cannabis industry is very concerned for the future. While many supported the incoming president with hopes for action, things look rough. The Speaker of the House is against legal marijuana, the pro-weed Attorney General nominee seems to be in trouble, and some of the new Senate leadership feel cannabis issues as dead on arrival. And is this giving an indicator to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to not do anything? It is the DEA against the vast majority of the public about marijuana.

Every poll shows at least 88% of the population is for some form of legal cannabis. Florida had almost 57% of their voting public support full recreation. Almost all major medical organizing including the federal government’s Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration, the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians have supported rescheduling. Their reason is proven science around it providing clear medical benefits. But the DEA seems to be against it.

Now, the DEA and their Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney has denied a key group from being part of the hearing. Cannabis has been proven to help with PTSD and the Veterans adminstartion has rearranged its process to allow veterans to seek this option of treatment. The Veterans Action Council (VAC), an organization supporting cannabis access for military veterans, petitioned request “status as an interested party” to give testimony.

This is a follow up from an earlier requested to participate. Despite working with the government, the group was not included on the list of 25 participants released Oct. 31 by DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.

According to a footnote in the order denying the Veteran group a chance to testify, the DEA could allow more participants to testify. But DEA DIrector Milgam has shown no love for cannabis or the industry, and the current list leans heavily into the anti-cannabis group and against the general public.

As reported in early summer, Director Milgram made an unusual request of top deputies summoned in March for the “Marijuana Meeting”: Nobody could take notes. This has made the industry very anxious and hoping for a positive outcome for the thousands of mom and pop businesses.

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AARP

How Cannabis Can Help With Dysmenorrhea

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

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Millions suffer, but relief could be here thanks to science and a simple plant. Here is how cannabis can help with dysmenorrhea.

It is an uncomfortable topic to discuss, but the painful truth is a majority of women will suffer it at some point and finding relief is invaluable. Around 80% of women experience period pain at some stage in their lifetime. Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for pain or discomfort during menstruation. It is a common gynecologic problem, but the pain can range from dull cramps to indescribable agony. Here is how cannabis can help with dysmenorrhea.

Medicinal cannabis has emerged as a potential treatment option for dysmenorrhea, offering hope for the tens of millions of women who suffer from menstrual pain. Current medical management options primarily consisting of over-the-counter pain relievers and hormonal contraceptives. The effectiveness of these treatments vary greatly.

The endocannabinoid system plays a role in uterine function and pain perception. Cannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R, as well as TRPV receptors, have been identified in human myometrial tissue. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a primary component of cannabis, can act as a cannabinoid agonist, potentially triggering myometrial relaxation and easing menstrual pain.

The potential benefits of cannabis for dysmenorrhea includes pain relief, improved sleep quality, and reduced reliance on pharmaceutical pain relievers. While research specifically on cannabis for dysmenorrhea is growing, studies on chronic pain provide some insights:

A systematic review of 18 randomized controlled trials found that synthetic cannabis products with high THC-to-CBD ratios may offer moderate improvement in pain severity.
A meta-analysis of 32 trials showed that medical cannabis or cannabinoids resulted in small to very small improvements in pain relief, physical functioning, and sleep quality among chronic pain patients.

There is significant interest in using cannabis for gynecologic pain management:

A survey found that 61.2% of women who had never used cannabis and 90.0% of those who had were willing to try it for gynecologic pain.
After cannabis legalization in Canada, current cannabis use increased from 13.3% to 21.5% among women with self-reported moderate-to-severe pelvic pain.

With th American Medical Association, American College of Physicians and even AARP recognizing the medical benefits of cannabis, it is critical more research is funded. Millions of women may be in pain needlessly due to untreated dysmenorrhea.

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American College of Physicians

New Data About Cancer And Cannabis

Published

2 months ago

September 23, 2024

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While there is a need for more research, the data has good news.

The American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians along with the federal agencies Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have all spoke up about the need for additional research to unlock medical benefits of cannabis. The acknowledge it can help, but need more information, including more understand about dosage. Now, a study reveals more data about cancer and cannabis which only reenforces their call to action.

While cannabis is not a treatment for cancer, studies support marijuana-derived cannabinoids. TCH and CBD can help relieve symptoms and ease the side effects of cancer, including chemotherapy. More research can be done on treatment, but how do patients feel about using medical marijuana? The University of California San Diego and VA Health Care researchers partners for the one-year study. Team conducted a comprehensive survey of nearly 1,000 adult cancer patients at various stages of cancer treatment. What they discovered wasn’t a common sense surprise.

The lead researchers Corinne McDaniels-Davidson’s published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. They explored the decision-making process, perceived benefits, and risks of cannabis use to address symptoms in adults with cancer.

“There’s a vacuum in the world of cancer care. Many oncologists don’t talk to their patients about cannabis or refer them to a pain management specialist instead,” said McDaniels-Davidson, who is the associate director at the SDSU School of Public Health.

“Our data shows about a third of the patients surveyed used cannabis after their diagnosis, but only a few of those patients said they had told their oncologist,” said McDaniels-Davidson.

Cannabis has been used as medicine for thousands of years. The archeological site in the Oki Islands near Japan contained cannabis achenes from about 8000 BC, but it developed a bad name in the early 20th century. But the understanding it works is still strong. Survivors who perceived cannabis had any benefits were five times more likely to use it. Those who perceived there were any risks were nearly 60% less likely to have used it post-diagnosis.

According to the study, cancer survivors diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 were also more likely to use cannabis. Among those who used cannabis, 19% said they believed the misconception that it could treat or cure cancer. Cannabis can not cure cancer, a fact which needs to be made clear, but it increasing can help treat the disease. This study gives medical professional another tool to talk with patients.

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