Medical

In the first prospective study of synthetic cannabinoids or SCs - the group of chemicals that mimic the effects of marijuana - researchers have found that symptoms of depression, drinking alcohol, or using marijuana was linked to an increased risk of SC use one year later.

Synthetic cannabinoids are a large group of chemicals that are similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that produces its hallmark effects. These chemicals may be sprayed on plant-based materials that resemble cannabis and sold as "not for human consumption" potpourri or incense at stores.

The drug enforcement situation in the Philippines continues to grow in curiosity.
Not even 24 hours after Parliament approved a third and final reading to reinstate capital punishment for drug-related offenses, the Philippines House Committee on Health began debating a bill to legalize medical marijuana.
Congressman Rodito Albano’s House Bill 180 outlines a program that would allow doctors to prescribe cannabis at a specific predetermined location and allow patients to receive a special I.D. card for the prescription.
The bill would also guarantee confidentiality for patients to ensure they will not be discriminated against.

Two of Canada’s largest licensed producers of medical marijuana are facing class action lawsuits after recalling product that tests confirm contained banned pesticides myclobutanil and bifenazate.
On March 6, Toronto law firm Roy O’Connor LLP issued a proposed class action against Mettrum Ltd.

Using marijuana raises the risk of stroke and heart failure even after accounting for demographic factors, other health conditions and lifestyle risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use, according to research scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session.

Coming at a time when marijuana, medically known as cannabis, is on track to become legal for medical or recreational use in more than half of U.S. states, this study sheds new light on how the drug affects cardiovascular health.

Canadian police on Thursday raided nearly a dozen stores selling marijuana in several cities, after arresting a prominent pot activist and his wife.


Search warrants were executed at 11 Cannabis Culture stores in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and Vancouver, according to a statement.
On Wednesday night self-proclaimed "Prince of Pot" Marc Emery and his wife Jodie, who own the stores, were arrested as they waited at the Toronto airport to board a flight to Spain to attend a festival.
The coordinated police operation came as the government reaffirmed its commitment to legalize recreational use of marijuana, but asked for patience.

As Germany marches forward with its broadened medical marijuana program, a new government agency has been created to oversee this new dawn for medicine in the European nation. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has created a new cannabis agency which will control all aspects of the medical marijuana landscape in Germany moving forward.
First and foremost, the agency, once fully established, will oversee the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes. It will begin its very important task by starting a European Union-wide search for potential cultivators.

As of 2017, the UK's MHRA officially recognises CBD as a medicine, on the basis of scientific evidence. To protect patients, it has established standards of safety, quality and efficacy for CBD products. Although this is a positive development for patients and the British cannabis community, the medicinal value of cannabis is not recognised. The United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken the decision this year (2017) to officially recognise and classify Cannabidiol, or CBD, as a medicinal ingredient. The agency justified its classification based on scientific evidence of CBD’s efficacy.

Today is International Women’s Day, and as we celebrate the successes of women around the globe as well as push forward with much needed reforms for greater equality, there is a woman in Ireland who is a fantastic example of commitment and dedication — a mother trying desperately to save her child’s life.
Vera Twomey has a daughter named Ava who suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that is often treatable using medical marijuana.

In this photo taken Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, Michael Fasman poses with his dog Hudson at his home in San Francisco. As more states legalize marijuana for humans, more pet owners are giving their furry companions cannabis-based extracts, ointments and edibles marketed to treat everything from arthritis and anxiety to seizures and cancer.

Australia's first medical marijuana farm received its growers' licence Wednesday, opening up domestic production of the drug for people seeking relief from serious illnesses.


The Cann Group, who last month received a cannabis research license, was awarded the cultivation permit after a "rigorous on-site security assessment".
"This major development will lead to improved access to domestically produced medicinal cannabis products for Australian patients," said Health Minister Greg Hunt.
"We are now making it easier to access medicinal cannabis products more rapidly, while still maintaining strict safeguards for individual and community safety," he added, with more licences expected