Science Category
Brain-based method to determine impairment from cannabis intoxication
A new study shows that imaging of brain activity with functional near-infrared spectroscopy might offer a more accurate and reliable way to distinguish impairment from…
Marijuana users’ risk of deadly complication doubles after rare type of bleeding stroke
Among adults with a certain type of bleeding stroke, those who used marijuana within the last 3-30 days were more than twice as likely to…
Cannabis use could cause harmful drug interactions
Using cannabis alongside other drugs may come with a significant risk of harmful drug-drug interactions, new research suggests. The researchers looked at cannabinoids–a group of…
Why cannabis smells skunky
As cannabis is legalized in more areas, it has become increasingly popular as a medicinal and recreational drug. This plant produces a pungent, skunk-like odor…
Breast milk of marijuana users does not hurt short-term health of early premature infants, long-term effects still unknown
Researchers compared early preterm infants who were fed breast milk from THC-positive mothers to those who were fed either formula or breast milk from THC-negative…
‘The mother of all cannabinoids’: Anti-seizure compounds discovered in cannabis
Scientists have found that three rare cannabinoids reduce seizures in mice. They using the information to develop a better cannabis-based treatment for Dravet syndrome, an…
Passage of recreational cannabis laws leads to some rise in use but not for all demographics
The U.S. is seeing an increased use of cannabis resulting from its legalization for recreational purposes. The findings showed that passage of the laws led…
Smartphone sensor data has potential to detect cannabis intoxication
A smartphone sensor, much like what is used in GPS systems, might be a way to determine whether or not someone is intoxicated after consuming…
Teens who use cannabis frequently more likely to have premature baby
Teenagers who use cannabis frequently may be more likely to have children born preterm, when they become parents up to twenty years later, finds a…
Cancer patients use less marijuana than general public, study finds
A new study shows that between 2013 and 2018, as many U.S. states were legalizing recreational marijuana, cancer patients continued to abstain in large numbers.
Study shows strong association between perceived risk, availability and past-year cannabis use
Combined perceptions of the risk and availability of cannabis influence the risk of cannabis use more than perceived risk and perceived availability alone, according to…
Novel study of high-potency cannabis shows some memory effects
Researchers observed participants over Zoom as they used high-potency cannabis they purchased themselves from dispensaries in Washington state, where recreational cannabis is legal. After administering…
People with fibromyalgia are substituting CBD for opioids to manage pain
As the ravages of the opioid epidemic lead many to avoid these powerful painkillers, a significant number of people with fibromyalgia are finding an effective…
Adolescent marijuana, alcohol use held steady during COVID-19 pandemic
Adolescent marijuana use and binge drinking did not significantly change during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite record decreases in the substances’ perceived availability, according to a…
Early exposure to cannabis compounds reduces later neural activity in zebrafish
Zebrafish exposed to the leading cannabinoids found in cannabis in the earliest stages of development suffer a significant drop in neural activity later in life,…
Peptide could allow medical marijuana to relieve pain without side effects
Many people live with chronic pain, and in some cases, cannabis can provide relief. But the drug also can significantly impact memory and other cognitive…
Genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may increase risk of psychosis from cannabis use
New research shows that while cannabis users had higher rates of psychotic experiences than non-users across the board, the difference was especially pronounced among those…
Early cannabis use linked to heart disease
Smoking cannabis when you’re young may increase your risk of developing heart disease later, according to a recent study.
Cannabis legalization and link to increase in fatal collisions
Legalization of recreational cannabis may be associated with an increase in fatal motor vehicle collisions based on data from the United States.
Heritable traits that appear in teen years raise risk for adult cannabis use
Study finds that a small portion of the risk for repeated cannabis use into adulthood can be attributed to the genetic effects of neuroticism, risk…
Medical cannabis can reduce essential tremor: Turns on overlooked cells in central nervous system
Medical cannabis can reduce essential tremor in mice. By injecting a specific synthetic cannabinoid into the spinal cord of mice suffering from essential tremor, researchers…
Sharp reductions in costs of producing cannabis, fentanyl likely to spur widespread changes in use, dependence
A new analysis explores the effects of these changes on use. The analysis concludes that sharp declines in production costs for cannabis and opioids could…
Frequent cannabis use by young people linked to decline in IQ
A study has found that adolescents who frequently use cannabis may experience a decline in Intelligence Quotient (IQ) over time. The findings of the research…
Legal cannabis stores linked to fewer opioid deaths in the United States
Access to legal cannabis stores is associated with a reduction in opioid related deaths in the United States, particularly those linked to synthetic opioids such…
The dangers of drugged driving are outpacing drunk driving
A recent study of drugged driving shows that a sizable percentage of individuals reported the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs while operating behind…
Cannabis use both helps and hurts entrepreneurial creativity
When entrepreneurs dream up ideas for new businesses, cannabis use might help, and hinder, their creativity, according to a new study.
Drink and drug risk is lower among optimistic pupils with 'happy' memories
Teenagers with happy childhood memories are likely to drink less, take fewer drugs and enjoy learning, according to new research.
Marijuana use typically drops at the beginning of the year, then climbs in summer and fall
Marijuana use increases throughout the calendar year, with use up 13 percent on average at the end of each year compared to the beginning.
More than half of people using cannabis for pain experience multiple withdrawal symptoms
More than half of people who use medical marijuana products to ease pain also experience clusters of multiple withdrawal symptoms when they’re between uses, a…
Cannabis use blunts stress reactivity in female rats
Female rats that inhaled vaporized cannabis daily for a month developed a blunted physiological response to stress, according to a new study. In contrast, male…
Experimental vaccine can counter dangerous effects of synthetic cannabinoids
Made in clandestine laboratories and sold widely across the United States, the diverse class of drugs known as synthetic cannabinoids presents a growing public health…
Cannabis strength soars over past half century
Largest study on how cannabis has changed over time finds increased strength putting consumers at greater risk of harm.
Cannabis reduces OCD symptoms by half in the short-term
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) report that the severity of symptoms was reduced by about half within four hours of smoking cannabis. After smoking cannabis,…
Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to cognitive deficits, altered behavior
Regular cannabis exposure in rats during pregnancy may cause their offspring to have long-term cognitive deficiencies, asocial behavior, and anxiety later in adulthood.
More young adults are abstaining from alcohol
Fewer college-age Americans drink alcohol, compared to nearly 20 years ago, according to a new study.
Cannabis use appears to encourage, not replace, non-medical opioid use
Contrary to some claims, people in the US may not be substituting cannabis for opioids, New research examined the direction and strength of association between…
Older adults using cannabis to treat common health conditions
Researchers report that older adults are increasingly using cannabis to treat a variety of common health conditions, including pain, sleep disturbances and psychiatric conditions like…
Cannabis ads and store location influence youth marijuana use
States may want to consider the proximity of cannabis retailers and cannabis advertising to neighborhoods to prevent underage use of the drug, according to new…
It is time to embrace cannabis for medicinal use, say experts
Attitudes towards cannabis products for medicinal use need to change with much greater appropriate use of such products to help alleviate patients’ pain, suggests new…
Study of siblings finds moderate cannabis use impacts cognitive functioning
A new study compares adolescent siblings to determine the impact of early and frequent use of marijuana on cognitive function. This study contrasts with previous…