AMA

Medical Marijuana Reduces Opioid Use

Published

11 months ago

January 11, 2024

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Opioids and fentanyl driving a crisis in recent years, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the public’s abuse of the drug. The crisis has also become a major U.S. foreign policy issue. Massive lawsuits have been filling the courts due to the addictive and damaging nature of some opioids and patients have been left in shambles. Now, data shows medical marijuana reduces opioid use.

A new study from New York State and CUNY researchers suggests receiving medical cannabis for thirty days or more may help patients on long-term opioid treatment to lower their dose over time.

Medical Marijuana Applications Soaring Under Coronavirus Pandemic — Photo by beusbeus/Getty Images

Another study conducted by the American Medical Association showed positive data. The study, published in JAMA Oncology, analyzed the results of thousands of patients with different types of cancer. ound an association between receiving medical cannabis for chronic pain for a longer duration and a reduction in prescription opioid dosages among patients on long-term opioid therapy. Patients who were on higher baseline dosages of prescription opioids when they started receiving medical cannabis experienced larger reductions in opioid dosages.

Researchers explained that the study was conducted in order to explore the links that exist between marijuana legalization and opioid use. They concluded that medical marijuana curbed opioid use and provided an alternate route for treatment.

RELATED: Marijuana And Prostate Cancer

“Findings of this cross-sectional study suggest that medical marijuana legalization implemented from 2012 to 2017 was associated with a lower rate of opioid dispensing and pain-related hospital events among some adults receiving treatment for newly diagnosed cancer,” they wrote.

“The nature of these associations and their implications for patient safety and quality of life need to be further investigated,” researchers added.

Medical marijuana has less of an impact on the body and mind. Cannabis can be an effective treatment for pain, greatly reduces the chance of dependence, and eliminates the risk of fatal overdose compared to opioid-based medications. Medical cannabis patients report that cannabis is just as effective, if not more, than opioid-based medications for pain.

With medical marijuana available in 40 states, this is indeed good news for most patients.

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AARP

Lawsuit Says DEA Acting In Bad Faith Over Marijuana

Published

4 weeks ago

November 21, 2024

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It has been clear the DEA is slow to change for cannabis…but have they done something shady?

It has been clear Anne Milgram, the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), is no fan of cannabis and is not pleased with the push to reschedule. Now a lawsuit says DEA acting in bad faith over marijuana. David Heldreth, CEO of psychedelic research firm Panacea Plant Sciences, claims the DEA’s recent actions violate federal law and constitutional principles. Filed in filed in the U.S. District Court for Western Washington, names the Department of Justice, Attorney General Merrick Garland, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram and DEA Judge John J. Mulrooney II as defendants. So what’s going on?

It is no secret, the current President isn’t a fan of cannabis and waited 3 years to fulfill his 2020 promise to help the industry. The timing allowed his administration to pass the decision to the next president. DEA head Milgram has been reluctant about the issue despite recommendation from Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians. All of those agencies recommended the change due to clear research showing the medical benefits of cannabis, especially with cancer, chronic pain, PTSD, and inflammation. For the DEA not to follow goes against all precedent.

Heldreth’s alleges legal violations in the DEA’s rulemaking process. He contends the agency failed to consult Native American tribes despite ignificant impact rescheduling marijuana would have on tribal law enforcement and health services. Additionally, Heldreth challenges the constitutionality of the DEA’s Administrative Law Judges, arguing their appointment by the DEA administrator violates Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

Heldreth is the latest in complaints as a Veteran’s organization is claiming they have been blocked from the hearings, despite the Veteran’s administration working with the industry to figure out a pathway for veterans with PTSD.

Milgam has been obstructive to the late in term admisntration’s move, working to stop the process. After the announcement to reschedule, Anne Milgram made the unusual request of a “off the record/no notes meeting” to top deputies summoned in March for what she called the “Marijuana Meeting”. What followed with a request to the Department of Justice (DOJ) which would slow the process if not stop it. The DOJ pushed back on the request.

With millions of patients using medical marijuana, including veterans, plus thousands of mom and pop businesses, Milgram’s actions are murky. Science has changed the direction and it seems the DEA is the only agency standing against the movement.

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AARP

DEA Delivers Gut Punch To Marijuana Industry

Published

2 months ago

November 1, 2024

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The DEA has worked hard to keep marijuana illegal – despite almost 90% believing it shouldn’t be.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has work diligently to turn the tide of legal marijuana. An agency built on the “War on Drugs” is doing everything to stop cannabis being available to the population and undercutting a vast amount of their efforts. And now again the DEA delivers gut punch to the marijuana industry. The agency is swimming upstream in the process as it is being recommended by Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration to them to reclassify cannabis in part do to the medical benefits. This goes along the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians encouraging the federal government to change based proven, science based medical help to a variety of patients including cancer, chronic pain, inflammation and more.

The delay until post-election is do to the DEA’s inability to coordinate the next steps so they pushed the in-person testimony for the upcoming marijuana rescheduling until early next year. DEA director Anne Milligan is seen as anti-marijuana and more inline with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). When the current administration announced the move to reschedule, Director Milligan had a meeting with key DEA Leaders with “no note taking” and off the record. The DEA not rescheduling would go against the norm as they have always followed HHS and the FDA recommendations.

While both presidential candidates have expressed support for marijuana, a YOUGOV poll has indicated more people have faith in Harris to support the industry. The surprise is the fact is both Democrats (65%) and Republicans (31%) believe her administration would follow through. Pew Research, who has followed the mainstreaming of cannabis, has it at 88+% of the population is for some form of federal legalization. Even AARP has moved toward legalizing marijuana, a key voting block for both parties. But, it seems, the DEA, is against the move and is hoping there is a change of heart in policy making.

In another slap to the cannabis industry, Milligan and the DEA have tried to stack the deck against cannabis. NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said that he was disappointed but hardly surprised by the DEA’s decision to disproportionately include groups opposed to marijuana policy reform as designated participants. “The fight to end our nation’s outdated and failed cannabis prohibition laws has never been fought on a level playing field,” he said.

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AMA

Study: Cannabis Shows No Long-Term Impact on Brain Function

Published

3 months ago

September 26, 2024

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In recent years, the debate surrounding cannabis effect on brain function has intensified, especially as more states and countries move toward legalizing the drug for both medical and recreational use. Historically, marijuana has been associated with cognitive impairments, particularly in areas such as memory, attention, and executive function. However, a new study published by the American Medical Association (AMA) challenges this long-standing view, suggesting that moderate cannabis use does not significantly impair certain cognitive processes such as working memory, reward processing, and inhibitory control. This groundbreaking research shifts the conversation about cannabis, particularly in its medical applications, and prompts a re-evaluation of prior assumptions.

Background: Changing Perceptions of Cannabis

For decades, cannabis was largely viewed as a recreational substance that carried risks of addiction, cognitive decline, and other negative health outcomes, particularly in adolescents and heavy users. Early studies indicated that cannabis use, especially when initiated during adolescence, could impair brain development and lead to long-term cognitive deficits. This perspective influenced policy and public opinion, leading to its classification as a Schedule I substance in the United States, alongside drugs like heroin and LSD.

However, as cannabis legalization has gained momentum, the need for a more nuanced understanding of its effects has become increasingly important. Medical cannabis, in particular, is used to manage conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. These evolving applications prompted researchers to take a closer look at how cannabis affects brain function, especially in moderate, controlled doses for medical use.

The AMA Study: Key Findings

The AMA-funded study, published in JAMA Network Open, investigated the long-term effects of marijuana use on cognitive functions. The research focused on adults who were using medical cannabis to manage symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. Researchers utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain activity related to working memory, reward processing, and inhibitory control tasks at baseline and after one year of moderate cannabis use.

The results were surprising. Contrary to previous assumptions, the study found no significant differences in brain activation between the two time points, even after a year of consistent marijuana use. Specifically, the researchers reported that “working memory, reward, and inhibitory control tasks did not differ statistically from baseline to one year and were not associated with changes in cannabis use frequency.” This suggests that moderate cannabis use for medical purposes does not impair these key areas of cognitive function.