Nova Scotia, Canada: The nomenclature ‘indica’ and ‘sativa’ poorly capture genetic variations between cannabis plants, according to data published in the journal Nature Plants. A team of scientists from Canada and from the Netherlands analyzed the composition of 297 cannabis plant samples. Consistent with prior studies, they identified few genomic differences between samples explicitly labeled ‘indica’ or ‘sativa.’ “Our results demonstrate that the ‘sativa–indica’ scale currently used to label cannabis poorly …

Gainesville, FL: The use of medical cannabis by older adults with a chronic pain condition is associated with improvements in their quality of life, according to data published in the journal Cannabis. Investigators with the University of Florida at Gainesville assessed the use of medical cannabis over a three-month period in a cohort of 46 middle-aged and older adults diagnosed with chronic pain. They …

Fort Myers, FL: The majority of patients registered with the state of Florida to access medical cannabis products report reducing their consumption of other medications over time, according to data published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids. A team of researchers affiliated with Florida Gulf Coast University surveyed 157 state-registered medical cannabis patients. Sixty-five percent of respondents said that they had either reduced …

Cleveland, OH: Fully vaccinated persons with a clinical diagnosis of cannabis use disorder (CUD) possess a greater risk of COVID breakthrough infections than do to similar controls, according to data published in the journal World Psychiatry. Researchers with the US National Institutes of Health and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland evaluated whether those with a diagnosis of a substance abuse disorder (SUD) were …

Pullman, WA: Patients with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) report that cannabis mitigates symptoms of the disorder and reduces some of the adverse side effects associated with their prescription medications, according to survey data published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. A pair of investigators with Washington State University conducted an online survey involving 1,738 students with ADHD. They reported: “Participants with ADHD who have used …

Marseille, France: Cannabis consumption is associated with lower rates of obesity among patients with hepatitis B, according to data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. A team of investigators affiliated with France’s National Institute of Health assessed the relationship between cannabis use and body weight in a cohort of 3,700 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. After researchers adjusted …