Norml

London, United Kingdom: The oral administration of a standardized formulation of THC and CBD significantly reduces agitation in patients with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, according to clinical trial data presented last week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London. Researchers assessed the efficacy of the cannabis intervention versus a placebo in a cohort of 120 hospice patients with advanced Alzheimer’s-induced dementia.

Toronto, Canada: Women frequently substitute or supplement their use of prescription antidepressants with legal cannabis products, according to data published in the Substance Use & Addiction Journal. Canadian researchers assessed trends in adults’ use of cannabis and antidepressants prior to and following nationwide cannabis legalization.

Washington, DC: Military personnel and civilian Pentagon employees continue to face sanctions for their possession and use of cannabis, despite changes in the substance’s federal classification.

A proposal repealing key elements of Massachusetts’ voter-approved marijuana legalization law will appear on the November ballot, state officials confirmed today. The measure (An Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy) seeks to repeal decade-old laws permitting adults to home-cultivate marijuana and regulating the adult-use retail cannabis market, among other changes. Financing for the campaign has come entirely from a single out-of-state special interest group.

Raising taxes on state-legal cannabis products drives a significant percentage of consumers to the unregulated marketplace, according to data published in the journal Health Economics. Investigators affiliated with the Ohio State University evaluated purchasing behaviors among a cohort 1,525 adult cannabis consumers. They reported that tax increases discourage many consumers from patronizing legal cannabis markets.

Fewer employers are screening new hires for cannabis, according to reporting provided by the Wall Street Journal. In a recent survey of nearly 1,000 employers, “about half” no longer test for cannabis in the pre-hire process, the Journal reported. Respondents frequently indicated that they ceased testing to increase their prospective applicant pool.

Judges cannot categorically prohibit marijuana use as a condition of probation, according to a judgment by the Michigan Supreme Court. In a unanimous ruling, the Court the rejected arguments that marijuana use is a per se probation violation because the substance remains federally illegal.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) welcomes the reintroduction of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). This comprehensive US Senate bill ends the federal prohibition of cannabis and establishes a regulatory framework governing its production, sale, and use.

London, United Kingdom: Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience sustained improvements in their symptoms following the use of cannabis products, according to observational data published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports. British investigators assessed the use of plant-derived cannabis products (either oils, flower, or a combination of both) in a cohort of 130 adults (mean age: 34) with a primary diagnosis of ASD enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry.

Madrid, Spain: The daily administration of an oral spray containing standardized doses of THC and CBD provides sustained improvements for patients diagnosed with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), according to data published in the Journal of Neurology. Spanish researchers assessed the efficacy of Sativex, a proprietary oral spray containing 2.7 mg of plant-derived THC and 2.5 mg of plant-derived cannabinol, in 18 patients with RLS.