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More CO2 in the atmosphere is making food crops more calorific, less nutritious and potentially more toxic

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3 months ago

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More CO2 in the atmosphere is making food more calorific, less nutritious and potentially more toxic. If we do not intervene, this can lead to malnutrition, even in population groups that currently have enough to eat. These are the findings of the Leiden study published in the journal Global Change Biology.

Someone who eats a healthy diet of rice and tomatoes today may not be getting enough essential nutrients in the future. The increase in CO2 in the air is reducing the nutritional quality of crops: they contain less zinc, iron and protein, for example. These nutrients are decreasing by an average of 4.4%, but some are decreasing by 38%. At the same time, the number of calories is increasing, which can lead to obesity. The concentration of harmful substances such as lead may also be increasing, although more data are needed to investigate this.

Wake up call
All over the world, many people depend on rice or wheat for food. Both crops experience a significant decline in essential nutrients as CO2 levels rise. The decline in nutritional value can have a significant impact on people’s health – even if there is enough food – and can lead to malnutrition. Environmental scientist Sterre ter Haar sees her study as a calling. “With food security, we often think about whether people can fill their bellies or not. Our research highlights that food security also means food security. We have to pay more attention to that.”

Comparing data from different studies
The researchers analyzed and compared crop data from different studies. In these studies, researchers grew crops at various CO2 levels. Although a large amount of data was available, the different concentrations of CO2 used made it difficult to compare the studies. However, the Leiden researchers studied found that the effect of CO2 levels on plant growth was linear: if the CO2 level doubles, the nutrients are also affected. This allowed the researchers to make a baseline measurement, allowing them to compare the data. A total of 43 crops were studied, including rice, potatoes, tomatoes and wheat.

How realistic is this scenario?
Crops for different studies were grown under experimental conditions both indoors and outdoors. How realistic is it that our food will be more caloric, more nutritious and more toxic? “The CO2 level for the baseline measurement was 350 parts per million (ppm) and we looked at what would happen at 550 ppm, the level we can reach in our lifetime,” said researcher Sterre ter Haar. “Today we live at 425 ppm, so we are already halfway through this model.” According to the researchers, the results show that our diet is already less nutritious than it was a few decades ago. In the future we will have to adjust our diet.

More research is needed
The Leiden researchers hope that this study will stimulate further research into the impact of CO2 not only on other crops, but also on whether climate change affects our food differently and how we can adapt crops to climate change. Can we grow them differently in greenhouses, for example? “Fortunately, there is a lot of innovation in the Dutch food sector and we have strong research institutions that can study it,” says Ter Haar. “We can really move forward together.”

You can read the full study at the link here.

Source: University of Leiden

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Swiss company launches nationwide price comparison tool for cannabis

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16 hours ago

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March 2, 2026

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Evidena Care AG is one of the leading Swiss telemedicine platforms and specialized medical practices for medical cannabis. The company currently supports more than 2,000 patients across the country. Under the direction of Dr. Nicolai Berardi and two other specialist doctors, Evidena Care has focused on evidence-based, responsible and patient-centered treatment for the past two years.

Now, Evidena Care is launching a nationwide online comparison portal for medical cannabis products. The platform is designed for patients who already have a valid medical prescription and want a clear and reliable view of the market. For the first time in Switzerland, patients can directly compare products and prices from the country’s largest pharmacies in one place.

Medical cannabis plays an essential role in the treatment plans of many patients. At the same time, prices can vary significantly between pharmacies, even when the products contain the same levels of active ingredients. As these costs are often not covered by health insurance, or only partially covered, many patients have a heavy financial burden. The new portal addresses this issue by bringing transparency to a market that until now has been difficult to navigate.

The platform provides an overview of available products and dosages, clearly lists the active ingredient content, such as THC and CBD levels, and displays the current prices of leading Swiss pharmacies. Patients can directly compare options and make informed decisions that help optimize their therapy costs, without compromising medical guidance.

“Patients should not be victims of non-transparent pricing structures,” says Dr. Nicolai Berardi, CEO of Evidena Care AG. “We are creating transparency with our comparison portal, strengthening the self-responsibility of those affected and promoting fair competition in the interests of patients.”

The portal is only for people with a valid prescription. It serves as a true information tool and supports cost optimization in an existing therapy supervised by a physician.

For more information:
Evidena Care AG
Email: (email protected)
https://evidena.care/










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Cannabis News

Virginia Lawmakers Advance Marijuana Resentencing Bills As Push To Legalize Commercial Sales Also Nears Finish Line

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16 hours ago

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March 2, 2026

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Virginia’s House and Senate lawmakers have advanced a pair of bills with amendments that would allow people with prior marijuana convictions to be sentenced.

Members of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on Monday approved alternate versions of the reform bill in opposite chambers, setting the stage for bicameral negotiations as the measures move through the legislative process.

Broadly, the legislation introduced in both chambers would create a process to consider changing the sentences for people incarcerated or on community supervision for certain crimes involving the possession, manufacture, sale or distribution of marijuana.

The Senate panel approved it HB 26 In a 9-6 vote by Del. Rozia Henson (D), with revisions largely consistent with the House bill, SB 62that is being backed by Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas (D). passed on the floor last month before going Home.

Senators have now referred the House measure to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

There are some differences between the sizes of the chambers. The House-passed legislation includes minors who would be eligible for relief from marijuana-related convictions, clarifies that judges would only consider convictions for cannabis offenses and specifies that the reform would include people with marijuana-related probation violations.

Both proposed bills apply to people with convictions or convictions for conduct that occurred before July 1, 2021, when a state law legalizing personal possession and home cultivation of marijuana went into effect.




As for the Senate bill, which clean up The House committee’s 15-7 vote Monday would have eliminated more categories of people who could be eligible for the sentence as an alternative, and would add a longer list of violent crimes that make people with cannabis convictions ineligible for relief.

Against the background of these recent developments, Virginia bills to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana have moved forward in the way of implementing laws. Last week, members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate modified and advanced the proposals of the opposite chambers on the subject.

Members of the Virginia Legislature Last month, he took action on multiple marijuana bills during a major deadline—advance proposals to legalize the sale of cannabis, provide a way to punish previous marijuana convictions, as well as other laws to allow access to medical cannabis for seriously ill patients in hospitals.

Despite their stark differences, the two chambers’ trade sales bills have largely aligned with recommendations released by the legislature in December. Joint Committee to Oversee the Transition to the Commonwealth Retail Cannabis Market.

Meanwhile, some members of the GOP have aligned ideologically with their Democratic colleagues throughout this legislative process, breaking with the majority of their caucus. in favor of creating a regulated market for adults to buy cannabis.

Since legalizing cannabis ownership and home cultivation in 2021, Virginia lawmakers have been working to establish a commercial marijuana market– Only for those efforts to stall under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who twice vetoed measures sent to his desk by the Legislature.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), on the other hand, supports legalizing the sale of marijuana to adults.

Separately last month, the Virginia House patients passed a bill to allow the use of medical marijuana in hospitals. It would require health care facilities to implement policies “to address the situation in which an eligible patient is authorized to use medical cannabis.”

The Senate passed various pieces of legislation use of medical cannabis in healthcare facilities last month

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Meanwhile, the Virginia House passed the bill earlier this month Protecting the rights of parents who use marijuana by complying with state laws.

Del. According to the proposal by Nadarius Clark (D), a parent or guardian’s own use of cannabis “shall not serve as a basis for a finding of abuse or neglect of a child unless other facts establish that its possession or consumption causes or produces physical or mental injury to the child.”

“A person’s legal possession or consumption of substances permitted (under state marijuana law) shall not serve as a basis for limiting custody or visitation unless other facts establish that such possession or consumption is not in the best interest of the child,” reads the text of HB 942.

Separately, the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry has published a new defining workplace protections for cannabis users.

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Cannabis News

State counties could tax medical marijuana sales under a new House bill

Published

2 days ago

on

March 1, 2026

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A bill that would allow Oklahoma counties to impose a tax on retail marijuana sales has passed a committee in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Under the Oklahoma Legislature, House Bill 3314, authored by Rep. Ryan Eaves, R-Atoka, would allow counties to impose a tax of 15 percent of the impact of public utilities within county boundaries. The bill is similar to Senate Bill 1125, introduced by state Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, in the Oklahoma Senate during the 2025 legislative session. SB 1125 would allow counties and municipalities to levy an excise tax on medical marijuana.

HB3314 passed the House County and Municipal Government Committee on a 6-0 vote, and now moves to the Government Oversight Committee for further consideration. The invoice does not automatically generate tax. If a county chooses to join, it must first be approved by a majority of the county’s voters in a special election. The bill also exempts marijuana grown on private property by individuals and not sold.

“Countries are the ones dealing with the daily impact of marijuana sales,” Eaves said. “This allows local communities to decide for themselves whether they want to allocate a portion of that revenue to law enforcement, first responders and improving problem properties.”

Read more at News 9










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