Nabiximols (Sativex) is not FDA-approved for any indication in the US. It’s an oral spray approved in roughly 25-30 countries (UK, Canada, most of Europe) for MS spasticity, but the US market has been the holdout since GW Pharmaceuticals first developed it. Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which now owns the drug, has been running a US-based Phase 3 program to try to change that.

For several years, MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD looked like it was on a fast track to becoming the first FDA-approved psychedelic medicine in the US.

(For those new to this topic, MDMA is a psychedelic compound commonly known as “ecstasy” when used as a party drug. In clinical settings, it is known as midomafetamine.)

It may seem odd that a nicotine addiction drug would also be effective in reducing use of a non-nicotine drug. Varenicline’s potential role in treating CUD is based on how the drug works in the brain. The medication acts as a partial agonist at α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Activation of these receptors helps reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms in people trying to quit tobacco smoking. Researchers believe the drug might also influence overlapping reward pathways in the brain that are involved in multiple forms of addiction, including cannabis use.

Dispensaries are now open (sort of) in Kentucky, and patients finally have access to medical cannabis. However, the first dispensary to open had to close within days because they sold out. The program in Kentucky is new, and certainly will expand in time. More qualifying conditions will likely be added, and more dispensary licenses will be granted. Still, medical marijuana is largely a cash-only business. Low and fixed income patients are virtually priced out of the market, since product prices are high and quite volatile. The challenges of serving medical cannabis patients are not singular to Kentucky. Many states, especially with burgeoning programs, have encountered growing pains.

President Trump just signed an executive order directing federal agencies to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. This rescheduling will be an official acknowledgement by the Feds of the medical utility and lower abuse potential already recognized by patients, the scientific community, and the majority of U.S. states. While this move will hopefully lead to expanded patient access and provide tax relief for businesses, it will not resolve all the current conflicts between state and federal laws.

Now there is a new study that adds to the evidence that a THC blood levels is not a good predictor of driving performance.

The study published in the journal Clinical Chemistry investigated the connection between THC blood levels and performance in a driving simulator. Even though THC blood levels of participants were often above some states’ “per se” or zero-tolerance limits, driving performance was no worse than those with blood levels below those limits. This suggests current THC per se driving laws may not accurately reflect actual driving impairment in frequent cannabis users.

Congress passed the new funding bill on November 13, ending the government shutdown. However, a measure unrelated to the budget was included in that bill that will severely limit most hemp-derived products and may cripple the U.S. hemp industry. Proponents of the measure say they want to eliminate preparations containing delta‑8 THC and other synthetic hemp-derived cannabinoids, and they have cited the long-debunked “gateway theory,” claiming this ban will keep children from progressing to more harmful drugs like heroin.

Cannabinoids, especially CBD and THC, are being explored as add-on treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). What evidence is there of CBD’s impact on ASD patients?

The best way to find key information is in the certificate of analysis (COA). Some states require COAs to be made available to the consumer, either with paper copies on file in the dispensary, or electronically via QR code on the product.

In Kentucky, it is unlawful to drive under the influence of any drug that impairs driving ability. Cannabis is included in that definition, and Kentucky’s law equally applies to non-medical and patients registered in the state medical cannabis program. People who are observed by law enforcement to be unsafely driving may be pulled over and administered a field sobriety test. Kentucky’s implied consent law states that any person operating a car automatically consents to chemical tests if an officer has reasonable grounds to believe a DUI has occurred. To prove the presence of cannabis, investigators must obtain a warrant and collect a blood sample. There is no breath analysis test like there is for alcohol. Kentucky defines the upper limit of THC as 5 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood. For reference, 1 nanogram is one billionth of a gram.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics examined the effects of prenatal cannabis use on newborn health outcomes. The study aimed to update previous findings by analyzing data from 51 studies, encompassing over 1.2 million pregnancies. Researchers focused on outcomes such as birth weight, gestational age at birth, and the need for neonatal intensive care.

Migraines can be debilitating, resulting in missed time with family, sick days from work, and the need for multiple medications. Migraines affect millions of people worldwide, but tend to occur more in women. Recent research has been published on the potential of cannabis as a treatment migraines. Let’s explore the benefits and risks of using cannabis for migraine relief based on recent clinical trials.

There are multiple studies that have demonstrated opioid burden is reduced when cannabis-based medication is added. We can look to other states’ data to predict if Kentucky’s OUD rates (and overdose deaths) will decline when patients can legally access cannabis medicine.

Ohio became the twenty-fourth state to legalize adult-use cannabis when its residents approved a ballot measure in November 2023. This measure comes eight years after Ohio’s approval of a medical cannabis program in 2016.