Australia’s Creso Pharma Limited (ASX:CPH) says it has reached final stage of development for a new hemp-based lozenge product containing cannabidiolic acid (CBDA).

The cannabinoids CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) tend to steal the limelight, but there are many other cannabinoids in cannabis; among them CBDA.

CBDA hit the headlines recently when University of Oregon researchers suggested it could prevent the coronavirus ( SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19 from invading human cells. The important thing to note is further CBDA research is needed and a conclusion as to its efficacy may be some way off, although CBDA clinical trials may start soon. Creso Pharma notes it has not carried out any of its own research in relation to CBDA and SARS-CoV-2.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a little over more than half of the American adult population are medicating with cholesterol-lowering drugs.

And while high cholesterol is a problem usually associated with the obese or elderly, the truth is that a worrisome population of adults aged 20 and up already have elevated cholesterol levels. It’s far too easy to get high cholesterol given the standard American diet, which is loaded in sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats.

Practicing psychiatry offers perspective on cannabis's popularity and risks.

The privilege granted psychiatrists to hear the most intimate facets of people’s lives, combined with the authority and responsibility to administer medications appropriately and safely, gives them a unique perspective on cannabis use.

Financial rewards will wait, but there’s optimism

Scott Atkinson, a 49-year-old Canadian who fought in Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD, recently became one of the first people to apply for MDMA treatment in Canada following a legal change that companies believe will make it easier to get psychedelic treatments.

His Jan. 6 application came through a revised program that considers doctor-approved recommendations for treatment with psychedelic drugs. It helps explain why Canada is seeing renewed optimism around psychedelic drugs — even if the financial rewards may be a long way off.

The federal agency previously granted Section 56 exemptions to 19 health care professionals in December 2020, allowing them to take part in a historic training program.

About a month after Health Canada amended the Special Access Program (SAP), allowing physicians to request patient access to restricted drugs, the federal agency has denied dozens of health care professionals Section 56 exemptions to psilocybin for training purposes.

The surprising move was announced on Twitter by B.C.-based TheraPsil, a non-profit dedicated to providing access to psilocybin therapy. 

Researchers will look at pain management and chronic pain in those suffering from post-concussion syndrome, and examine CBD/THC as a neuroprotective treatment for concussion.

University of Regina‘s Dr. Patrick Neary received more than $500,000 from the National Football League (NFL), along with $400,000 of in-kind support from My Next Health Inc. to investigate the use of cannabinoids to treat concussions and alleviate and manage pain.

Dr. Neary, an exercise physiologist and prof in Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, Canada, has been working in the area of concussion prevention and treatment for more than 15 years. He says he’s excited to have the NFL’s support.

The truth behind how cannabinoids and terpenes work in therapeutic mixtures is more complicated than has been reported in the popular press.

Following the promising study on cannabinoids and COVID-19 published by Oregon State University, Gb Sciences, Inc., a plant-based biopharmaceutical research and development company, has advised that the truth behind how cannabinoids and terpenes work in therapeutic mixtures is more complicated than has been reported in the popular press.

Gb Sciences’ study with Michigan State University (MSU) has yielded preclinical data demonstrating that specific compounds and ratios of those cannabis compounds are likely to be required for cannabinoids to be used to treat COVID-19 symptoms.

Local cannabis store manager disputes claims, contends 'it's all about education' and finding the right type and correct dose

A local mental health advocate is speaking out about what she considers the potential risks of cannabis use.

Zoey Raffay, a published author and former student at Orillia Secondary School, says she has not consumed cannabis recently, and her mind is as clear as ever.

“I find that cannabis really struck my psychosis, my depression, and anxiety," said the 21-year-old.

"It made it all skyrocket and it made my medications go up. Now that I’ve been off it, it’s been amazing. In the long-term, cannabis doesn’t help with things like depression and anxiety. I found it just made It worse." 

"While we can clearly see there’s an association between cannabis use and schizophrenia in young people, we still can’t actually be sure that cannabis causes it."

An estimated  200 million people  use cannabis across the world. Next to alcohol and tobacco, it’s the most widely used drug in many countries. But while many may  no longer see  cannabis as a risky or harmful substance, there are still many things experts don’t know about cannabis – including why some people develop schizophrenia after use.

Researchers have been investigating the connection between cannabis use and schizophrenia  since the late 1960s . Since then, research has confirmed a link between cannabis use and  greater risk of developing schizophrenia .

"Further studies are needed to determine if reversal of these observed adverse effects would occur if THC was discontinued and for validation of the findings in a human cohort.”

Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) say that non-human primates administered cannabis edibles daily experienced a significant adverse effect their fertility and reproductive health.

“Our analysis of the collected samples found that THC use was associated with significant adverse impacts to the animals’ reproductive hormones,” reports Dr. Jamie Lo, the study’s senior author and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology with the Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU.