Articles

02/08/2024

Between May 1, 2010, and April 1, 2015, we obtained data from 901 patients with first-episode psychosis across 11 sites and 1237 population controls from those same sites. Daily cannabis use was associated with increased odds of psychotic disorder compared with never users, increasing to nearly five-times increased odds for daily use of high-potency types of cannabis" "Use of high-potency cannabis (THC ≥10%) Use of high-potency cannabis was a strong predictor of psychotic disorder in Amsterdam, London, and Paris where high-potency cannabis was widely available"

02/05/2024

Excellent history and scientific information. 

02/04/2024

Marijuana and hemp are made up of hundreds of cannabinoids, including Delta-9 THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana that makes people feel “high” and CBD. Delta-8 THC is a cannabinoid found in the hemp plant and is structurally similar to Delta-9 THC. Because Delta-8 THC is virtually identical to Delta-9 THC, it carries similar risks including risks of addiction and psychosis. In the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress legalized hemp and any hemp-derived products, including Delta-8 THC. As a result, Delta-8 products have popped up in virtually every state and are available at convenience stores and gas stations. 

02/04/2024

To enforce the changes, FDACS conducted “the largest ever inspection sweep of businesses selling products that contain hemp extracts in July and August,” a Department press note said. That included examinations of more than 700 businesses across all 67 Florida counties and resulted in the discovery of 83,000 packages of hemp-extract products that wouldn’t look out of place in a candy aisle.

01/27/2024

A 12-year-old girl was sent to the hospital after she ate what she told FOX 13 she thought was a piece of candy given to her by another student. The seventh grader, Amanda, said at one point, she thought she was going to die. Her parents said she suffered a severe allergic reaction and couldn't breathe. 

01/25/2024

01/06/2024

Both hemp and marijuana plants are the same species. The main difference lies in how much of a certain cannabinoid each contains.  It’s a common misconception that hemp and marijuana are two different species of plant.  In fact, they’re not distinct speciesTrusted Source at all. They’re just two different names for cannabis, a type of flowering plant in the Cannabaceae family.
 

12/18/2023

The Times requested Florida autopsy reports citing kratom or one of its major chemical compounds, an alkaloid called mitragynine, as a cause of death or contributing factor dating back to 2010.
No news organization has ever done this on a large scale. The requests initially turned up more than 600 cases. Reporters handbuilt a database to track the overdoses and key details about them, including blood-mitragynine concentrations, contributing medical conditions and every substance flagged in a person’s system during toxicology testing.
A Times investigation found more than 580 fatal kratom-related overdoses in Florida.

12/13/2023

As medical examiners log an increasing number of overdoses involving kratom across Florida and elsewhere, the industry has largely operated without government constraints or safety measures that could help protect consumers.
Florida lawmakers considered banning kratom three times in the past decade. But industry advocates successfully fought the efforts, ensuring powders, gummies and liquid extracts are readily available at gas stations and smoke shops from Pensacola to Miami. The products vary dramatically in strength — but manufacturers don’t have to disclose or limit their intensity at all.

12/09/2023

The Times bought the products from online vendors, gas stations, smoke shops and other businesses around the region. Below are the key testing results for each product.
They are ordered most potent to least, by product type, based on mitragynine levels. The Times also tested one product containing a large amount of 7-hydroxymitragynine, another kratom alkaloid that is more potent than mitragynine.
READ ARTICLE FOR SUMMARY OF EACH PRODUCT.
Sample of product summary

• The package the product was sent in came with a printed-out sheet showing testing results for mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, heavy metals and bacteria. A section of the report showing who ordered the results was blacked out.
• The product’s label advertised “pain relief + mood enhancement.” Federal law prohibits kratom companies from making medical claims on packaging or in advertising because the substance is not an approved drug.
• This product had nine times as much mitragynine as Sharma believes is safe to consume over an entire day.
• This product type was found at the scenes of two kratom-only overdoses in Florida.
• This product type was found at the scene of a kratom-only overdose in Florida.
• This product type was found at the scenes of two kratom-only overdoses in Florida.

12/08/2023

He decided to try kratom, a dusty green psychoactive powder from the leaves of a Southeast Asian tree. It was marketed as a safe way to ease anxiety and mimic the effects of opioids. It was legal, virtually unregulated and described as all-natural. He could find it at gas stations, cafes, smoke shops or online.
He took it regularly, including before paramedics were called to his home in April 2021.

12/02/2023

Abstract Cannabis is the most commonly abused drug in the world. In Egypt, the Anti Narcotic General Administration showed that the narcotics problem costs the Egyptian economy approximately 800 million dollars annually. LD50, lethal dose that kills 50% of the treated animals, of the bango was determined and then selected groups of rats were given tenth of LD50 for 90 days.
All over the world, there is growing interest in the part played by drugs in traffic accidents, and how to investigate adequate measures to reduce their incidence.2 Africa is the second largest producer of herbal cannabis in the world.3 In Egypt, drug addiction is considered one of the serious problems that worry both people and government. It affects young people within their productive years. It may lead to many problems such as social maladaptation, decreased works productivity and job loss.4 ‘Bango’ is the name of cannabis leaves used in Egypt and North Africa.5
Conclusion In conclusion, the present study revealed the bad effects of the bango plant on different organs in animals. Bango abuse leads to severe effects on different organs and this may subsequently lead to apoptosis and fibrosis of the organs, and this depends mainly on the dose and duration of administration.

11/30/2023

To report concerns about a retailer who sells snacks containing hemp-derived products, contact:

• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Hillsborough County Code Enforcement, Regulatory Compliance
• - Report online or email RegComp@HCFLGov.net

  Photo Information: A properly labeled hemp-derived food product that complies with tightened regulations on snacks that contain THC, such as delta 8.

11/28/2023

11/24/2023

What are the potential health effects of using marijuana during my pregnancy?
Marijuana use during pregnancy can be harmful to your baby’s health.1 The chemicals in marijuana (in particular, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) pass through your system to your baby and may harm your baby’s development.2
 

11/23/2023

11/16/2023

11/15/2023

An emergency room pediatrician is seeing an uptick in children consuming pot-laced edibles that often look and taste like regular candy — and these kids get more than a sugar high.
“Some kids come in and they’re really drowsy, and some are unresponsive," Dr. Meghan Martin tells TODAY.com. "Both scenarios are terrifying for the families, and it's becoming more and more common."

11/11/2023

11/01/2023

 In conclusion, emerging data on the correlation between cannabis use and suicide risk in patients with schizophrenia or other schizophrenic spectrum disorders are insufficient to draw firm conclusions. Nonetheless these studies seem to suggest a positive correlation of cannabis use with increased suicide risk, particularly regarding first episode psychosis (FEP) and male gender. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of a higher risk of suicidal behavior associated specifically with cannabis use for men and patients during FEP.

10/21/2023

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome  
I've seen cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome several times in the past few years. It occurs in daily to weekly pot users. Very rarely, it can cause cerebral edema, but it is also associated with seizures and dehydration that can lead to hypovolemic shock and kidney failure.

10/21/2023

"To see his whole body shaking, not being able to open his eyes, is something I would never forget," Claudia Curiel said

10/11/2023

Delta-8 THC Legal Status by State 10/11/2023

10/01/2023

09/18/2023

The language in farm bill has been interpreted to mean that any hemp-derived product with less than 0.3% THC in its final form is legal. Make a 70-gram brownie out of hemp containing just under 0.3% THC, and you get 21 times more THC than you can get in California’s regulated cannabis market. 
Furthermore, with some chemistry, innovative hemp manufacturers can create an alphabet soup of chemically synthesized cannabinoids that can get you high, like delta-8 THC, THC-P, and THC-O. The Drug Enforcement Administration has pushed back and classified two such compounds as dangerous Schedule I substances. Still, the regulations on synthetic cannabinoids made from compounds that naturally occur in hemp remain overwhelmingly unenforced.    

09/18/2023

Support our efforts to end prohibition, fight for fairness, reduce crime, and boost local economies through marijuana policy reform.

• Medical Marijuana
• Legalization
• Social Justice

08/24/2023

The bill that Robinson and Burton sponsored during the 2023 session originally would have limited the amount of THC (the main psychoactive compound in cannabis) in hemp products, but it faced a fierce pushback from members from the hemp industry as well as regular Floridians who say they rely on the product to deal with physical pain.
For example, in the House, the bill set THC limits not to exceed 5 milligrams per serving or 50 milligrams per package and prohibit those products to anyone under the age of 21. Ultimately, the bill sponsors removed the provision that would limit the THC amounts.
“We just ran out of time,” Robinson told the Phoenix on Wednesday. “We had to get it through the final committee hearing [and] we had 80 percent of the bill that everyone ...

07/25/2023

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the results of “Operation Kandy Krush,” the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ largest ever inspection sweep of food establishments selling products that contain hemp extracts. The week-long statewide inspection sweep targeted the illegal sale of hemp extract products that are attractive and/or marketed to children, prohibited by Florida Law. The sweep included inspections of more 475 food establishments in 37 Florida counties and uncovered 68,689 packages of hemp extract products — including euphoric, high-potency THC products — targeting children.

07/01/2023

06/18/2023

A mother in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, pleaded guilty Monday to involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 4-year-old son, who consumed a fatal amount of marijuana-infused gummies last year.
Authorities said Dorothy Annette Clements didn't get help soon enough for her son, Tanner Clements, when he was found unresponsive on May 6, 2022 at a home they were both visiting.
Tanner Clements died two days later. An autopsy found that THC caused the boy's death. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana that gets people high.

05/27/2023

The evidence presented in this review allows us to conclude that Δ9-THC and CBD produce biphasic, dose-dependent effects on several physiological responses. The biphasic nature of cannabinoid effects highlights the need for a careful analysis of the dose ranges separating therapeutic from unwanted effects. Besides, Δ9-THC produces dependence and harmful effects, while CBD does not.
The available pharmaceutical formulations of these phytocannabinoids and related molecules have clear therapeutic effects; however, more research is needed to assure their efficacy and safety since their effects are complex. Several additional potential therapeutic applications, mainly for CBD, are being proposed which, however, still lack sufficient clinical and preclinical support. For this reason, caution is advised when using or prescribing cannabinoids.
Additional consideration deserves the fact that the ECS participates in the development of the central nervous system98. Therefore, the use of cannabinoid-based formulations for the medical treatment of children and adolescents experiencing brain developmental changes must be carefully examined, balancing the pros and cons of prescribing cannabinoid-based medications in every single case. Cannabis research field is expanding with the identification of new molecular targets, the characterization of undescribed phytocannabinoids, and novel findings related to the ECS99. In addition, consumption of synthetic cannabinoids as drugs of abuse represents a new challenge in addiction research100.

04/26/2023

DeLoach said a 12-year-old female student reportedly was passing out and exhibiting symptoms of an overdose. The principal told deputies the child might have taken THC gummies along with three other students who may have eaten some as well.

04/25/2023

Dr. Roneet Lev- Years ago, she advocated against the overprescription of opioid painkillers like OxyContin. Now, she believes she’s seeing the same thing all over again: the specious claims of medical benefits, the denial of adverse effects. “From Big Tobacco to Big Pharma to Big Marijuana—it’s the same people, and the same pattern.”
Today, teenagers are “dabbing” a product that’s three, four, or five times stronger, (than 30 years ago) and are often doing so multiple times a day. At that level of potency, the impact of the drug on a user’s brain belongs to an entirely different category of risk than smoking a joint or taking a bong rip of even an intensively bred marijuana flower. It’s highly addictive, and over time, there’s a significant chance it can drive you insane.

04/11/2023

Last month, the Village Board unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits licensed tobacco and “smoke shop” operators from selling any products containing THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.  

03/29/2023

"There is a gray area in state statue when it comes to these products. It's basically not being regulated," Johnson said at the Village Board meeting. "We are going to regulate it."

03/25/2023

That provision reflects the state government’s position that consumer safety should override all other concerns in establishing laws to guide the hemp sector, sponsoring lawmakers said earlier.

A Virginia boy’s death last year was attributed to over-ingestion of delta-8 THC from eating gummies, leading to felony murder and felony child neglect charges against his mother. The death was officially ruled an accident attributable to “delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol toxicity” by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Central District of Virginia, although some cannabis experts have cast doubt on that conclusion.

03/23/2023

The study, published May 4 by the Cambridge journal Psychological Medicine, examines 6.9 million people ages 16-49 and more than 45,000 schizophrenia cases from 1972 to 2021. It found that the adjusted incidence risk ratio for males ages 16 to 20 was more than twice that for females of the same age group, concluding that “[a]t a population level, assuming causality, one-fifth of cases of schizophrenia among young males might be prevented by averting CUD” (cannabis use disorder).

03/23/2023

Key findings from the RDCOS March ‘23 issuance on novel and alternative cannabinoids include:

• There is significantly greater Delta-8 consumption in states where cannabis remains illegal than in states with adult-use cannabis markets.
• Past month consumption of Delta-8, Delta-8 THCO, Delta-10, THCP, THCV, CBN, and HHC each are associated with a greater prevalence of driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) and the severity of problematic cannabis use.
• Delta-8 consumption by past-year cannabis consumers has increased by 10% since December 2022.
• THCV, a cannabinoid commonly branded as “diet weed,” is the most popular alternative cannabinoid among past-year cannabis consumers.
• A total of 23% of 16–20-year-olds who consumed cannabis in the past year reported consuming Delta-8 at least monthly.

03/21/2023

The Georgia Supreme Court has cleared the way for Gwinnett County to resume raids, arrests and prosecutions to stop the sale of cannabis-derived products Delta-8 and Delta-10.
Cannabis-derived products containing very low THC amounts are broadly considered legal in Georgia and are widely available at shops around the state.
So when Gwinnett County cracked down on the products last year, shop owner Jennifer Byrd said her business was threatened and she took the county’s district attorney to court.

03/16/2023

Article from pro-marijuana:
The issue is legislation in Florida that would limit how much THC such products are allowed to contain. Everyone, of course, is not going out of business, though Boyce’s company is at risk. The hemp industry will live on. Boyce’s note blamed the proposed legislation on “certain politicians” who are “heavily invested in the medical marijuana industry.”

This kind of thing is why licensed cannabis companies in legal states are increasingly disgusted by gray-market alt-THC peddlers. It’s not just the competition they face (after all, the hemp-derived products are aimed mostly at people in states where cannabis is still illegal). It’s also that fly-by-night operators tend to make the whole industry look bad, whether they’re selling iffy THC products or CBD gummies and oils that haven’t been tested and in some cases contain little or no CBD.

One relatively simple act could solve all these problems in one fell swoop: legalizing cannabis at the federal level.

02/14/2023

If you're smoking a joint to enjoy the psychoactive effects of THC, then you might want to know how much of the potent cannabinoid is in a typical smoke. Here you'll learn how to calculate the amount of THC in a joint and understand what percentage of the cannabinoid your body is actually processing. 
The weight of the joint (in milligrams) multiplied by potency/THC percentage equals total milligrams of THC. 
One gram = 1000 milligrams. 
Example: The difference between a half gram and full gram joint of the same 20% THC flower:
1 gram: 1000 mg x 0.20 = 200 mg
Half gram: 500 mg x 0.20 = 100 mg
If you'd rather skip the math equations, a modern joint may contain between 60 to 150 mg of THC or more, representing a sharp increase from the approximately 10 mg common in the 1970s. 
The above formulas tell us how much THC is in a joint, but they tell us nothing about how much your body is absorbing from the joint. According to Rae, this number will depend on several factors that differ among individuals. These factors include:

• Composition of the joint, i.e., ratio of THC to CBD
• How much THC is wasted in sidestream smoke which wafts off at the end of a joint without being consumed, unlike mainstream smoke which is what you directly inhale and exhale
• Smoking topography, aka your puff technique
• Bioavailability (the proportion of THC that is able to activate the brain, after being introduced into the body and entering the bloodstream)

Rae elaborated on the key components of mainstream and sidestream smoke, saying, “The ratio of mainstream to sidestream smoke produced by a joint is highly variable because of differences in puff techniques. There are several factors in an individual puff. The volume of smoke per puff is typically about 35 milliliters but can be as big as 55 milliliters (for context, the volume of a shot glass is about 40 milliliters). This volume is determined by the force and amount of time a person inhales.”
Mainstream smoke is also affected by the frequency of inhalations, as Rae said, “Puffing more frequently increases the amount of THC consumed in mainstream smoke, and thus diminishes the amount of THC wasted in sidestream smoke.”
Ultimately, bioavailability is calculated by measuring the THC in the blood, and comparing that to how much THC you started with in the joint. Referencing research published in 2007 in the journal Chemistry & Biodiversity, Rae added, “Bioavailability is highly variable for inhalation: experiments in humans show that it ranges from 2% to 56% depending on the person.”
To illustrate bioavailability, Rae provided the following examples using one gram joints and half gram joints.

• One gram joint = 200 mg THC. On the low end, 2%: 200 x 0.02 = 4 mg. On the high end, 56%: 200 x 0.56 = 112 mg.
  The bioavailable THC in a 1 gram joint with 20% THC is between 4  and 112 milligrams.
  Half gram joint = 100 mg THC. On the low end, 2%: 100 x 0.02 = 2 mg. On the high end, 56%: 100 x 0.56 = 56 mg.
  The bioavailable THC in a half-gram joint with 20% THC is between 2 and 56 milligrams

02/11/2023

Conclusion: The first report of D8-THC, in the FAERS database, as a suspect drug appears to be in 2011. Overall, there are 183 total cases listing D8-THC as a suspect drug in the FAERS database as of June 30, 2021. Of the 183 cases, most were respiratory in nature.
 
FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard

02/09/2023

02/09/2023

More than 5.4 million Americans are medical cannabis patients. In Florida alone, there are 788,297 medical cannabis cardholders as of Jan. 27 – a 1,107.01 percent increase since 2018.

BY GISELE GALOUSTIAN | 2/9/2023

In the United States, 49.6 million Americans ages 12 and older used cannabis or marijuana in 2020. More than 5.4 million Americans are medical cannabis patients. In Florida alone, where medical cannabis has been legal since 2014, there has been a 1,107.01 percent increase in the number of people with medical cannabis cards, from about 65,310 cardholders in 2018 to 788,297 as of Jan. 27.
One primary reason for the continued increase in cannabis use is risk perception. Many people believe cannabinoids – plant derived, medicinal, and synthetic or chemically engineered – are safe to use because they are non-psychotropic and non-psychoactive. However, for some people, cannabis can be addictive and potentially cause harm when taken with other substances such as alcohol or other drugs.
Despite its widespread use in the U.S. and globally (more than 200 million worldwide), little is known about deaths that are associated with or caused by using cannabinoids. 
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing are the first to conduct a statewide analysis of deaths in Florida associated with cannabis and synthetic cannabis use, utilizing data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement from 2014 to 2020. For the study, they examined sociodemographic characteristics, health-related conditions, the presence of other substances, and the type of death associated with the use of these substances.
Results, published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship , show that 386 people died as a result of cannabis use; of these, 258 cases were caused by synthetic cannabis. Nearly 65 percent of these cases involved synthetic cannabis as the only drug involved.
“Synthetic cannabinoids are part of the new psychoactive substances that are two to 100 times more potent than THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana,” said Armiel Suriaga, Ph.D., senior author and an assistant professor in FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. “Synthetic cannabinoids are manufactured chemicals sprayed onto dried, shredded leaves or plant materials that mimic the effect of cannabis, but their actual effects are unpredictable, harmful and deadly.”  
Findings showed that nearly 28 percent of deaths caused by cannabis and synthetic cannabis were in those ages 45 to 54, compared to 9 percent in those ages 8 to 24. This finding suggests a change in the age demographic in the context of mortality considering the attributable health conditions such as cardiovascular heart diseases.
More than 13 percent of cases had cardiac-related conditions such as hypertensive heart disease related to high blood pressure, atherosclerotic heart diseases, cardiac arrhythmias, and cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart. There was one case of death from an ischemic stroke and one case of a death from a hemorrhagic stroke, both related to synthetic cannabis use.
Among the study’s key findings:

• Nearly 88 percent of those who died from cannabis and synthetic cannabis use were men.
• Approximately 65 percent were non-Hispanic whites.
• One hundred percent of cannabis-related deaths occurred in urban counties.
• In rural counties, 28.3 percent of deaths were related to synthetic cannabis use; 39.9 percent were African American.

Nearly 99 percent of individuals using cannabis and synthetic cannabis died from accidents. Most of these accidents were due to drug intoxications (83.93 percent) and motor vehicular crashes or collisions (14.17 percent) that caused blunt traumas to the head and torso. More motor vehicular accidents were observed in cannabis use as a cause of death rather than synthetic cannabis use. Four individuals died from drowning under the influence of cannabis.
The highest count of deaths related to cannabis use was in 2019; the highest count for synthetic cannabis as a cause of death was in 2018. The lowest count of deaths from both substances ranged from one to three deaths, which occurred in 2014.
“The persistent deaths from cannabis and synthetic cannabis use are a legitimate public health concern,” said Suriaga. “The public should remain vigilant of the adverse health outcomes associated with these substances and their unpredictable effects, especially for men who are disproportionately affected, and particularly for people with underlying cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.”
Study co-authors are Ruth M. Tappen, Ed.D., RN, FAAN, the Christine E. Lynn Eminent Scholar and professor, FAU Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing; and Elizabeth R. Aston, Ph.D., an assistant professor, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health.
This study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Substance Use Disorder Evidence- Based Practice Training Awards and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
-FAU-

01/29/2023

Suicide affects all ages. In 2020, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10–64. Suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10–14 and 25–34.  

01/23/2023

Kratom Concerns
The escalation of importation, distribution, as well as online and retail sales of kratom products in the United States over the past two years raises numerous public health and safety concerns. Kratom is a tree, native to Southeast Asia that contains the drug mitragyna which produces both stimulant effects (in low doses) and sedative effects (in high doses) and can lead to addiction.  Kratom is mainly consumed orally as a tea, but it may also be smoked or its leaves may be chewed.
 
Consumption of kratom can lead to a number of health impacts, including

• respiratory depression,
• nervousness,
• agitation,
• aggression,
• sleeplessness,
• hallucinations,
• delusions,
• tremors,
• loss of libido,
• constipation,
• skin hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin),
• nausea,
• vomiting, and
• severe withdrawal signs and symptoms. 

click link to read additional informaiton

01/17/2023

01/15/2023

Among people aged 12 or older who vaped any substance in the past month, 71.1% vaped nicotine, 40.1% vaped marijuana, and 19.2% vaped flavoring

01/15/2023

CNN — 
In just five years, the number of small children in the US exposed to cannabis after accidentally eating an edible rose 1,375%, a new study says.
There were more than 7,040 exposures to edible cannabis in kids under 6 between 2017 and 2021, according to an analysis of records from the National Poison Data System, a central repository for data from America’s Poison Centers.