#cannabis studie

[vintagequeer-oceansoul]

Went into a cannabis-fueled sort of fugue state and painted a whole bunch of South Pacific island environments nonstop for the last two days. I suspect there will be more to come, lol.

[lifewithchronicpain]

What gives the cannabis sativa plant it’s pain-relieving properties?

Most people will tell you it’s cannabidiol (CBD) and/or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the two most well-known chemical compounds found in cannabis.

But researchers at University of Arizona Health Sciences say terpenes -- aromatic compounds that give cannabis its distinctive “skunky” smell – have analgesic effects as well. In fact, in a new study published in the journal PAIN, they report that cannabis terpenes are just as effective as morphine in reducing neuropathic pain in laboratory animals.

“A question that we’ve been very interested in is could terpenes be used to manage chronic pain?” lead researcher John Streicher, PhD, a Pharmacology Professor at UA’s College of Medicine in Tucson, said in a press release. “What we found is that terpenes are really good at relieving a specific type of chronic pain with side effects that are low and manageable.”

Terpenes are found in all plants and are the main component of essential oils. Terpenes give lavender, sage and eucalyptus oils their distinctive smells, which are used to promote relaxation or even reduce pain and inflammation. In nature, terpenes help plants attract pollinators such as bees or to protect themselves from predators. (Read more at link)

Doesn’t surprise me at all. Sometimes pot is pain relieving, and sometimes it just makes it easier to watch tv in pain. I’m really fond of Wedding Cake for pain relief.

[backworldmedia]

🗺️🔬 [Research] Hemp to fight certain bacteria

Cannabidiol (CBD) could potentially fight gonorrhea, meningitis, and Legionnaires’ disease, according to a 2021 study from the University of Queensland in Australia. Nature continues and will continue to surprise us! 🏥

🇫🇷🔬 [Recherche] Le chanvre pour combattre certaines bactéries

Le cannabidiol (CBD) pourrait potentiellement combattre la gonorrhée, la méningite et la maladie du légionnaire, selon une étude de 2021 de l'université du Queensland en Australie. La Nature continue et continuera de surprendre ! 🏥

[brightlotusmoon]

Marijuana Users Have More Empathy And A Greater Understanding Of Other People's Emotions, Study Finds

Researchers said the results suggest a potential association between cannabis use and empathy, though they caution that further research is needed to fully understand the interactions “since many other factors may be at play.”

In attempting to explain the findings, the team of neuroscientists noted that a part of the brain, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), “is a region that is prone to the effects of cannabis consumption and is also greatly involved in empathy, which is a multi-component process that can be influenced in different ways.”

“Given that the ACC is one of the main areas that possess CB1 [cannabinoid] receptors and is heavily involved in the representation of the affective state of others,” the study says, “we believe that the differences shown by regular cannabis users in the emotional comprehension scores and their brain functional connectivity could be related to the use of cannabis.”

Despite the qualifiers, the study concludes, “Given previous studies of the effect of cannabis on mood and emotional detection, we believe that these results contribute to open a pathway to study further the clinical applications of the positive effect that cannabis or cannabis components could have in affect and social interactions.”

In other neuroscience research this year, researchers at the University of West Attica in Greece found that medical marijuana use was associated with improved quality of life — including better job performance, sleep, appetite, and energy — among people with neurological disorders.

Another recent study published by the American Medical Association found that medical marijuana was associated with “significant improvements” in quality of life for people with conditions like chronic pain and insomnia—and those effects were “largely sustained” over time.

Other studies have found cannabis may boost the “runner's high” felt during exercise and enhance the practice of yoga.

[chipped-chimera]

Going to have my consult with a clinic tomorrow to see if they think I can get into this medicinal cannabis study - please send me good vibes, I'm super sick of having these anxiety drops and fighting bad thoughts every goddamn evening when my meds wear off and I'm running out of anxiety treatment options 😞

[cannabisbusinessexecutive]

Does using weed make you a nicer person? Results can vary.

Some people may turn to weed for anxiety, sleep and creativity. New research suggests it could also make you a nicer person. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research, suggests there could be a connection between cannabis use and empathy. A study of 85 regular cannabis users and 51 nonusers asked participants to complete a test that measures empathy. Researchers also used…

[echthr0s]

it's 2023 and people still don't know how to talk about drugs without soundin like massive tools. I'm so annoyed that I've looped around to bein impressed

[mirollodepics]

study time para no perder la costumbre

[zippers]

cant remember where i saw it but cant stop thinking about this reddit post i saw recently where this person was like "i got my coworker to take dabs with me at work, but now my coworker is enabling me/constantly pressuring to get high during work, how do i cut back on my weed use" i cannot stress enough that op is the one who initiated bring your weed to work day. everyone is generally supportive until it is eventually revealed by op that they are a utility pole repair/maintenance worker.

[puffpixieofficial]

imagine this being your desk…. I could sit here and draw or write for hours

[13thpythagoras]

The USA really took out its frustrations over cancer on individual smokers, now it's illegal to smoke 15 within feet of a door, much less inside anywhere

Meanwhile the actual government has a patent to a cure for cancer and suppresses it

[vixvaporub]

its 4:23pm and im dreading working on this group project. i have just under 2 weeks worth of university work before im fully graduated and done with academia but my brain is just completely exhausted and done with everything

One thing I absolutely hated about uni was working on group projects. Especially when you're the only one trying to do work. I also get you. When I was almost done with my grad school, I was totally over doing school work. I just wanted to start moving on with my life. But you're almost there. It's that one final thing you're done! The light is at the end of the tunnel. And congrats!!! Finishing a degree is a big accomplishment!

Anonymously tell me what time it is, where you are, and what you’re thinking about! ❤️

[chipped-chimera]

I'm about to choke my entire country's government with my bare fucking hands.

[illusoryfem]

High Points: An Historical Geography of Cannabis, Barney Warf

[jcmarchi]

Nitrous Oxide Effects Are Reversible With Early Treatment - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/nitrous-oxide-effects-are-reversible-with-early-treatment-technology-org/

Nitrous Oxide Effects Are Reversible With Early Treatment - Technology Org

Nitrous oxide is readily accessible to those who want to use it recreationally for the high it can provide. With just a few clicks, it can easily be bought online. But despite its availability, using the drug—commonly referred to as “whippets” (or “whippits”), “laughing gas,” or “hippie crack”—can have sobering consequences, including permanent, full, or partial paralysis.

The good news is that the damage can be reversed, but clinicians must quickly diagnose and appropriately treat patients, Yale experts say.

In 2020, nitrous oxide was the second most commonly used recreational drug among 16- to 24-year-olds in the U.K., second only to cannabis, according to a British government report. In the United States, its use is now rising rapidly. A U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2019 survey found that almost 13 million Americans aged 12 and older had misused nitrous oxide in their lifetime. Some experts fear that the COVID pandemic may have exacerbated its abuse.

When recreationally inhaled, nitrous oxide can impair the body’s metabolism of vitamin B12. This is a dangerous effect because vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining the body’s myelin sheath, insulating and protecting brain and spinal cord nerves. Nitrous oxide’s long-term use can lead to a range of neurological, hematologic [related to blood], and psychiatric complications, including nerve damage and psychosis.

Now, in a case study published in October 2023 in BMJ Case Reports, Yale researchers have highlighted the urgent need for clinicians to evaluate patients suffering symptoms of impaired B12 metabolism thoroughly. They say that even severe consequences can be successfully treated with quick response.

“Recreational nitrous oxide use is increasing,” says Tova Gardin, MD, neuroimmunologist and psychiatrist at Yale School of Medicine and first author of the study. “If we treat our patients early, we can reverse serious neurologic complications. So, it’s important to know about nitrous use, and it’s important to screen for it.”

What is nitrous oxide and how long has it been used recreationally?

Nitrous oxide is a colorless gas that is used as a sedative for various dental and medical procedures. It is also available for purchase, intended to be used in dispensers to give whipped cream the fluffy consistency found in store-bought cans. When inhaled, nitrous oxide can produce short-lived feelings of euphoria or relaxation. But those who use it may also experience headaches, dizziness, anxiety, or loss of consciousness.

Recreational nitrous oxide use stems all the way back to the late 18th century, shortly after its invention in 1772 by English chemist Joseph Priestly. Another English chemist, Humphry Davey, soon became known for throwing parties in which surgeons and playwrights would inhale the gas from a green silk bag.

In fact, it was through these parties that Davey became one of the first to realize the drug’s analgesic effects. By the mid-19th century, dentists and doctors began experimenting with the drug’s numbing effect on patients undergoing various procedures. Now, it is the most frequently used anesthetic for partial sedation in dentistry. It is also commonly used in surgical procedures in combination with other anesthetics and even in childbirth.

Fueled by the fact that it is both legal and not difficult to get, recreational nitrous oxide use has skyrocketed in popularity. It is especially prevalent at underground raves and music festivals. And, dangerously, its misuse is especially prevalent among adolescents and young adults.

Given the accessibility of nitrous oxide, few who use the substance recreationally are aware of how deeply dangerous it can be.

“It was shocking to me when I visited a popular retail website and typed in ‘nitrous oxide,’ the products algorithmically suggested to be bought together were those that would be used for substance use—not for whipped cream,” says Gardin.

Treating nitrous oxide effects requires thorough evaluation

In her case study, Gardin reports that her team’s recent research was inspired by a man in his 30s who developed numbness, weakness, and difficulty walking after chronic nitrous oxide use. He had no prior issues with mobility. After taking a thorough clinical history, the clinicians learned that he had been using nitrous oxide daily for four to five months.

The team’s first step in understanding what was happening was to order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, which revealed abnormalities in the man’s dorsal column. The dorsal column is a central nervous system pathway associated with sensory function. They diagnosed him with subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord, which was causing his symptoms.

Next, the team looked for any concomitant causes of vitamin B12 deficiency. They performed a blood test and found that the patient’s level of B12 was in the normal range. However, further testing revealed he had elevated levels of two metabolites of vitamin B12—methylmalonic acid and homocysteine. “This gave us a clue that the patient had some sort of difficulty with B12 metabolism,” says Gardin.

From there, the clinicians ran tests looking for antibodies to intrinsic factor and gastric parietal cells. This would signal pernicious anemia, a rare autoimmune disorder that can also impair vitamin B12 absorption. They found this was the case in their patient.

Nitrous oxide effects reversed by vitamin B12 repletion

Treating impaired metabolism of vitamin B12 first required the complete cessation of nitrous oxide use. Then, the clinicians began the repletion process, treating the patient with a seven-day course of intramuscular vitamin B12. He then received weekly injections for one month and, going forward, will need lifelong monthly vitamin B12 repletion. Physical and occupational therapy are required as well. Importantly, mental health care services were also recommended to help with his substance use.

Following treatment, the patient regained sensation and the ability to walk. “Our patient wanted his story shared so that others would know that intervening early allows people to regain neurologic function,” says Gardin. “It would have been easy for us to have chalked up his problems to nitrous oxide use and called it a day. But it’s important to perform additional screening to look for issues with B12 metabolism and B12 deficiency and to make sure such patients get the neurologic and psychiatric care they need.”

What clinicians should know about nitrous oxide use

Gardin emphasized that nitrous oxide use is increasingly common and more extensive than many realize, and that patients presenting with neurologic or psychiatric symptoms related to nitrous oxide use should be promptly screened for other vitamin B12 metabolism issues. Furthermore, treating the complications of chronic nitrous oxide use requires a multi-disciplinary approach addressing all underlying neurologic and psychiatric causes. “The chronic use of nitrous oxide can be part of a reinforcing cycle in which use causes B12 impaired metabolism resulting in neurologic and psychiatric symptoms which can, in turn, reinforce nitrous oxide use. Ensuring comprehensive neurologic and psychiatric care is the best way to treat and prevent relapse for those who chronically use nitrous.”

Source: Yale University

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