Marijuana News in Canada

How does cannabis affect the neurochemistry of our brains? As it stands, we have very little information about the actual effects of cannabis on the brain. When it comes to dopamine signaling, scanty details exist about the role cannabis plays in this function of the brain. A recent study could shed light on this. According to researchers, there exists a dose-response relationship between high cannabis consumption and schizophrenia, a condition that’s associated with irregular synthesis and release of dopamine in the brain. The study results come at a time when more states are legalizing cannabis. It coincides with the growing evidence that shows the risk of psychosis on the youth. According to the study’s senior author Romina Mizrahi from the Toronto-based Center for Addiction and Mental Health, regular use of cannabis affects the cortical dopamine function, specifically...

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As Cannabis becomes a popular treatment method for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (also known as PTSD), there’s concern over its efficiency as prescriptions are based on inadequate evidence, a new UCL study reports. In a systematic review that was published in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis, cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant was said to be able to help to treat PTSD, put people to sleep, and reduce nightmares. Cannabinoids are the active components of the cannabis plant. The study recommended more research into this area, adding that cannabinoids should be taken with the utmost care and through clinical prescription. According to Dr. Chandni Hidocha, who is the head of the UCL clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, people are increasingly using cannabinoids to treat PTSD. He said military veterans are among the group that’s increasingly self-medicating by choosing cannabis...

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According to a new study named “Economic Inquiry”, access to cannabis might reduce the number of opioid-related deaths. The study sought to evaluate how the legalization of marijuana has affected mortality across the US in the last two decades. Researchers found that the legalization of marijuana in a number of US states, as well as increased access to cannabis, has eventually reduced the number of deaths by a margin of between 20% and 35%. The effects were even more pronounced when the subjects of the study used synthetic opioids. The research confirmed earlier claims that marijuana could actually reduce mortality in the US. Researchers say that this study is timely, given the opioid epidemic that’s being experienced across US states. Such revelations have amplified calls from researchers as they demand the legalization of cannabis across the US. According...

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Researchers are using an app to check how cannabis products available in the market affect pain intensity. Researchers from the University of New Mexico used the largest real-time database with recordings of the effects of commercially available cannabis products to investigate whether cannabis alleviates pain. They found strong evidence, saying that the average user reported having up to a three-point drop in pain on a scale of 0-10 once they used cannabis. The opioid epidemic across the US & Canada is not relenting. At the same time, the alternative chronic pain treatment solutions available to the public are relatively few. Cannabis is stepping in to fill the void, especially after scientists found conclusive evidence that it actually alleviates pain with few negative side effects. Chronic pain is a silent epidemic in the US & Canada, affecting over 20%...

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