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Switzerland puts forward plans to legalise cannabis

By |2025-02-18T03:04:17+00:0018 February 2025|

A parliamentary committee in Switzerland has put forward plans that would legalise the possession and use of cannabis. The proposal would allow the sale of cannabis products to Swiss citizens over 18 years of age and for a maximum of three plants to be grown at [...]

Cases of schizophrenia linked to cannabis use disorder have tripled, Canadian study finds

By |2025-02-06T03:03:50+00:006 February 2025|

A large-scale study of hospital admissions in Ontario, Canada has shown that there are higher incidences of schizophrenia in patients with cannabis use disorder (CUD) when compared to the rest of the population.  Researchers based in Ontario and Berlin studied data from hospital admissions between 2006 [...]

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Cannabis oil ‘significantly improves’ life of man diagnosed with Parkinson’s 22 years ago

By |2025-02-04T03:03:37+00:004 February 2025|

Researchers from Brazil have published a detailed study showing significant improvements in a patient living with late-stage Parkinsons Disease after just 63 days of treatment with cannabis oil. The patient, a 77 year old man, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 22 years ago. Due to the [...]

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Cannabinoids may be more effective than opioids for pain, Yale University study finds

By |2025-01-31T03:00:15+00:0031 January 2025|

Scientists from Yale University have published a study that demonstrates how a part of the brain that plays a significant role in the sensation of pain can be suppressed by non-psychoactive parts of the cannabis plant.  Cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN) are non-psychoactive cannabinoids [...]

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55% of Brits support cannabis reform, latest YouGov poll shows

By |2025-01-30T03:03:50+00:0030 January 2025|

A recent YouGov poll, asking the British public their views on cannabis reform compared to those held by politicians, has shown that a majority of both groups support some sort of cannabis reform. The survey, conducted between 8th and 9th January 2025, asked members of the [...]

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People who use cannabis found to exercise more than those who don’t

By |2025-01-29T03:00:42+00:0029 January 2025|

Researchers have published a study which shows a correlation between cannabis use and an increase in the amount of daily exercise a person carries out. Uptakes in people’s cigarette and alcohol use were also linked to cannabis use. The data was taken from a nationwide survey [...]

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Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht released from prison after Trump pardon

By |2025-01-23T10:14:18+00:0023 January 2025|

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the darknet marketplace Silk Road, has been granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump on the first day of his second term as President of the United States.  Ulbricht, who was sentenced to a whole life sentence in 2015, was released [...]

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UK university to trial DMT as treatment for alcohol use disorder

By |2025-01-22T03:08:03+00:0022 January 2025|

A team of researchers from University College London (UCL) have begun a clinical trial exploring the potential of DMT to treat alcohol use disorder. The study aims to enhance treatment options for individuals seeking to reduce or eliminate their alcohol consumption, and “to better understand how [...]

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Cannabis to be used as late-stage dementia treatment in ‘first of its kind’ study

By |2025-01-21T03:04:09+00:0021 January 2025|

Scientists from the University of Kentucky (UK) are set to embark on a ground-breaking study which will explore the benefits of administering cannabis-based medicines to patients living with late-stage dementia. Care providers are restricted by the small number of treatment options available for controlling the symptoms [...]

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Doubt cast on ‘gateway drug’ theory after large study of adolescent brains

By |2025-01-15T03:01:42+00:0015 January 2025|

A study has found that the structural difference in the brains of people who use drugs may be present before experimentation with substances, casting doubt on the contested gateway theory that soft drug experimentation leads to harder drug use. Scientists studied the brains of nearly 10,000 [...]

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One cigarette can reduce life expectancy by 20 minutes, research shows

By |2025-01-11T03:00:28+00:0011 January 2025|

Smoking a single cigarette can take around 20 minutes off a person’s life, according to research commissioned by the Department of Health. In a report, published in the journal Addiction, researchers at University College London found that the average loss of life per cigarette smoked was [...]

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CBD can reduce cravings for alcohol, study finds

By |2025-01-08T03:07:53+00:008 January 2025|

A single 800mg dose of orally administered CBD can significantly reduce a subject’s cravings for alcohol, according to the results of a new study. Researchers from the Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine at the University of Heidelberg in Germany analysed how CBD impacts alcohol [...]

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Opioid deaths decline “immediately” following legalisation of cannabis, research shows

By |2025-01-07T03:00:47+00:007 January 2025|

A new study has revealed that deaths caused by opioid overdose in the USA go down directly after the legalisation of recreational cannabis. The study also showed that states which changed their cannabis legislation earlier experienced an even greater decrease in deaths than others that did [...]

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Cannabis improves the lives of people with IBD, UK study finds

By |2025-01-04T03:03:21+00:004 January 2025|

Data taken from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry has shown a positive association between cannabis and improved health-related quality of life for people who have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is an umbrella term for conditions that affect the stomach. Symptoms can range [...]

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Teen cannabis use lowest since legalisation began, US study finds

By |2024-12-19T09:52:34+00:0019 December 2024|

Data from a federally funded survey has found that cannabis use amongst teens in the USA is at its lowest since the first states began to legalise adult access to the drug in 2012. The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey, which is supported by the [...]

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Only 3% of Canadians now buy cannabis illegally, survey shows

By |2024-12-13T03:06:26+00:0013 December 2024|

A survey by Health Canada, the government body responsible for regulating the Canadian cannabis market, has shown that the number of people buying cannabis from illegal sources has dropped to just 3%.  The annual Canadian Cannabis Survey aims to give researchers important information about the way [...]

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War on drugs has failed says UN Human Rights Chief

By |2024-12-11T03:05:00+00:0011 December 2024|

The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for world leaders to treat drug use as a health issue after declaring that the “war on drugs has failed, completely and utterly”. Türk made the statement at the Dealing with Drugs II [...]

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Parent cannabis use shapes teen attitudes towards the drug, study finds

By |2024-12-06T03:10:52+00:006 December 2024|

Teens who believe their parents use cannabis are more likely to hold favourable attitudes toward the drug and to consider trying it themselves, according to new research. The study, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Child and Family Studies, also showed that the closeness of the [...]

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Police officers say cannabis is effectively ‘decriminalised’ in the UK

By |2024-12-04T03:00:35+00:004 December 2024|

A poll carried out for a UK-based think-tank has found that 66% of police officers believe that the use of cannabis is either ignored or dealt with so lightly that it is in effect ‘decriminalised’. The anti-drug, Tory-linked think tank The Centre for Social Justice commissioned [...]

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Psychosis symptoms may come before teen cannabis use, study finds

By |2024-11-28T03:05:02+00:0028 November 2024|

Adolescents who use cannabis and report symptoms of psychosis may be self-medicating to alleviate those symptoms and the associated distress, according to the results of a new study. In the study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers analysed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development [...]

Long term cannabis use not linked to cognitive decline, study finds

By |2024-11-21T03:14:32+00:0021 November 2024|

Men with a lifetime history of cannabis use experience “significantly less cognitive decline” over their lifetimes compared to non-users, according to new research. The study, published by a team of Danish researchers in the journal Brain and Behaviour, assessed the relationship between cannabis use and age-related [...]

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Hemp to be made easier for farmers to grow, UK Government announces

By |2024-11-13T03:19:06+00:0013 November 2024|

The UK Government has announced a series of reforms to hemp licencing, making it easier for farmers to grow the crop. At present, anyone landowner or farmer wishing to grow hemp has to apply for a licence, outlining the specific fields they wish to use for [...]

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Cannabis distributed via a social club for the first time in Germany

By |2024-11-07T03:04:33+00:007 November 2024|

The legal dispensing of cannabis via a cultivation association has taken place for the first time in the German municipality of Ganderkesee. Cannabis Social Club Ganderkesee claims to be the first club in Germany to have carried out a legal cannabis harvest on behalf of members. [...]

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Psilocybin to be used as a treatment for opioid addiction in government backed study

By |2024-11-06T03:21:59+00:006 November 2024|

A study led by Imperial College London will investigate if there is a role for psilocybin in the treatment of opioid addiction. It is reportedly the first time research involving psilocybin-assisted therapy to treat substance addiction will be financially backed by the UK Government.  Despite the [...]

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NHS failing to prescribe cannabis to patients six years on from legalisation

By |2024-11-02T03:12:18+00:002 November 2024|

The NHS is not prescribing cannabis flower medication to any patients, including those with conditions such as epilepsy, chronic pain, and cancer, according to new research from the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). Through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, the CIC asked 152 NHS Foundation Trusts [...]

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No evidence of impairment the morning after using cannabis for insomnia, study finds

By |2024-10-31T03:04:09+00:0031 October 2024|

A study into the ‘next day’ performance of people given an oil containing THC and CBD has found that cannabis has no significant impact on safety-sensitive tasks such as driving a vehicle. Cannabis, specifically the THC contained within, is well known to produce an effect on [...]

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Ireland should legalise cannabis through social clubs, report recommends

By |2024-10-25T03:05:56+01:0025 October 2024|

A parliamentary committee has recommended that cannabis should be partially legalised and accessed through social clubs in Ireland. The committee, set up to guide Ireland’s future drug legislation, said that personal possession of all drugs should be decriminalised and the country’s approach to drug use should [...]

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Prescribing medical cannabis could save NHS £4 billion each year

By |2024-10-23T03:07:38+01:0023 October 2024|

Increasing access to medical cannabis on the NHS for chronic pain could save the state healthcare provider almost £4 billion annually, according to a new research study published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & [...]

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Legalisation does not lead to an increase in cannabis consumption by young adults, study finds

By |2024-10-22T03:00:29+01:0022 October 2024|

A study by researchers at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center (BMC) has found that cannabis use among young adults in the country of Georgia did not increase following legalisation. The use of cannabis was legalised for adults over the [...]

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Single dose of psilocybin found to physically change human brain

By |2024-10-18T03:11:32+01:0018 October 2024|

A study has found that a single high dose of psilocybin can lead to physical changes in the human brain. The study, which is in pre-print and has not yet been peer-reviewed, involved 28 healthy participants who had no prior experience with psilocybin or other psychedelics. [...]

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Good practice guide issued for cannabis clinics as industry experiences rapid growth

By |2024-10-18T03:11:23+01:0018 October 2024|

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) has published a good practice guide for prescription cannabis clinics in the UK. The guidance includes 10 principles of good practice and five specific policies for clinics to implement. The good practice guide encourages ethical and responsible operations, builds industry collaboration, [...]

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Cannabis legalisation linked with greater levels of physical activity, study finds

By |2024-10-15T03:08:42+01:0015 October 2024|

A study, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, has found that the legalisation of cannabis is linked with higher levels of physical activity. In the study, researchers from Brigham Young University used data from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to evaluate the association between [...]

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Quitting smoking cigarettes beneficial to health regardless of age, study shows

By |2024-10-12T03:09:00+01:0012 October 2024|

A first-of-its-kind study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, has shown that the cessation of cigarette smoking can increase life expectancy, regardless of age.  In the study, researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health analysed average death rates by age and [...]

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Cannabis makes music more enjoyable, study finds

By |2024-10-09T03:18:54+01:009 October 2024|

A group of researchers from the Toronto Metropolitan University have conducted a study investigating the effect cannabis can have on a person’s experience of music.  The preprint study involved participants 104 participants and used questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Researchers concluded that people do enjoy music more when [...]

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Fewer benzodiazepines prescribed where cannabis legally available, study finds

By |2024-10-04T03:07:34+01:004 October 2024|

States in the US where cannabis is available legally see fewer prescriptions issued for benzodiazepines, research has shown. A study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that when cannabis is legally accessible, either on a medical prescription or via recreational outlets, there is a [...]

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Cannabis legalisation could be worth £9.5 billion per year to the UK

By |2024-10-01T03:04:07+01:001 October 2024|

Regulating and legalising cannabis for adult use could net the UK Treasury between £3.3 billion pa and £9.5 billion per annum, according to a plan published by CLEAR. The plan, titled How To Regulate Cannabis in Britain is the third iteration of research conducted by CLEAR [...]

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Medical cannabis leads to meaningful improvements in quality of life, study finds

By |2024-09-26T03:08:32+01:0026 September 2024|

New medical cannabis patients experience rapid and meaningful improvements in their health-related quality of life, according to a study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research. Researchers from the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, USA assessed  438 patients who were new to using medical cannabis [...]

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Cannabis use does not change memory or other brain functions, study finds

By |2024-09-24T05:26:54+01:0024 September 2024|

Adults who consumed cannabis for a year did not show any reduction in working memory, reward, and inhibitory control brain function, a study has shown. The federally funded research, published by the American Medical Association in the journal JAMA Network Open, involved 57 patients who had been [...]

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Swiss cannabis pilot showing “positive results” after first year

By |2024-09-21T03:09:15+01:0021 September 2024|

A pilot cannabis legalisation trial in Zurich, Switzerland is producing positive results, according to a press release from the city’s Health and Environment Department. Residents of Zurich participating in the trial have been able to legally purchase cannabis flower and extracts containing THC from approved sources [...]

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Increasing intake of flavonoids may reduce risk of dementia, study finds

By |2024-09-19T03:03:38+01:0019 September 2024|

People who consume more foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea, red wine and dark chocolate, could lower their risk of dementia by 28%, a new study has found. The study, led by researchers at the Queen’s University Belfast and published in the journal JAMA [...]

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Polish Ministry of Health expresses support for cannabis decriminalisation

By |2024-09-17T03:11:41+01:0017 September 2024|

The Ministry of Health in Poland has expressed support for the decriminalisation of up to 25 grams of cannabis and the cultivation of up to four plants at home, according to the cannabis activist organisation Wolne Konopie. The Wolne Konopie (Free Hemp) Association is a social initiative [...]

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Psychedelic mushrooms may have played a role in development of human consciousness, study finds

By |2024-09-13T03:04:09+01:0013 September 2024|

Psychedelic fungi containing psilocybin may have played a role in the development of human consciousness a scientific review has suggested. The study, published in the journal LILLOA, analysed multiple studies involving psilocybin, psilocin and human consciousness. Taking a multidisciplinary approach spanning studies from the fields of [...]

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Product Earth cancels second day of Drumsheds event

By |2024-09-09T03:13:49+01:009 September 2024|

Product Earth, the UK’s largest event celebrating cannabis and other natural medicines, has cancelled the second day of its 2024 event, set to be held at Drumsheds in London. The event organisers posted an update on social media early on Sunday morning, citing issues with the [...]

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Landlords in UK risk breaching Equality Act over treatment of cannabis patients

By |2024-09-05T03:13:19+01:005 September 2024|

Landlords, property managers, and housing associations in the UK are currently at risk of breaching the Equality Act over their approach to prescription cannabis, according to a new report published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). The report, The Use of Prescription Cannabis in Buildings, emphasises [...]

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LSD, psilocybin and ayahuasca could treat alcohol use disorder

By |2024-09-04T03:07:57+01:004 September 2024|

Classic psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin and ayahuasca could be effective as a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to two recently published studies. In the first open-label study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, researchers at the University of Copenhagen and the National Institute [...]

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Warning issued after ‘staggering increase’ in amount of cannabis seized at UK airports

By |2024-08-29T03:08:09+01:0029 August 2024|

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued a warning to travellers arriving into the UK from Thailand, Canada and the United States, after reporting a huge increase in arrests of people smuggling cannabis.  So far in 2024, the NCA has seized around 15 tonnes of cannabis, [...]

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Low doses of THC can reverse ageing in the brain, study finds

By |2024-08-28T03:14:24+01:0028 August 2024|

A study published in the journal ACS Pharmacology & Translation Science has shown that giving mice long-term, low doses of a key cannabis component can reduce the effects of ageing on the brain. In the study, researchers treated elderly mice with small daily doses of tetrahydrocannabinol [...]

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Topical CBD cream can prevent and repair skin damage from the sun, study shows

By |2024-08-02T03:09:16+01:002 August 2024|

CBD applied to the skin can prevent and repair damage from ultraviolet-A radiation, a first of its kind study has found. The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, recruited twenty healthy volunteers aged between 23-64. Participants were then given either a [...]

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Parental cannabis use can have a positive effect on child development, study finds

By |2024-08-01T03:02:51+01:001 August 2024|

A new study has found medicinal cannabis use can have a positive impact on a child’s development by increasing the amount of time parents spend with them. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Econometrics, also found that men who are prescribed cannabis increase the [...]

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