One hallmark of Justin Trudeau’s leadership in Canada was legalizing cannabis, making it legal to buy it at shops and dispensaries even without a doctor’s note. That act has made accessibility to cannabis commonplace and within reach for teens too, who are fond of gummies and edibles. But cannabis can hurt developing brains, and it’s not only providing pain relief and therapy. While it can calm symptoms of PTSD, it can also lead to negative outcomes such as anxiety and depression, finds a new study.

The study looked at 35,000 Canadians who use cannabis and shows that rising cannabis use and worsening mental-health symptoms are increasingly appearing together, with the connection between the two strengthening over time.

The study, led by McMaster University, was published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry and analyzed data from two large, nationally representative Statistics Canada surveys of Canadians aged 15 and older living in the provinces, to examine cannabis use and mental-health outcomes between 2012 and 2022.

With the legalization of cannabis in Canada landing at the midpoint of the study period, the authors suggest that stronger products, wider availability, and increased use for stress relief may be contributing to the patterns they observed. The study doesn’t prove causation, but it underscores a widening public-health issue as cannabis use and mental-health challenges rise in parallel.

“We see that Canadians who use cannabis tend to be more likely to meet criteria for anxiety and depressive disorders, and more likely to report suicidality. We also see that this co-occurrence has strengthened over time,” said Jillian Halladay, an assistant professor who contributed to the study.

Key findings:

• The number of people reporting generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive episode nearly doubled, increasing to 5.2% and 7.6%, respectively.

• Suicidality didn’t change much in adults but increased by 44% among youth. Younger Canadians also saw some of the strongest cannabis–mental-health connections.

• Canadians who used cannabis at any level, compared to those who did not, were more likely to meet criteria for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive episode and report suicidality. The connection between cannabis use and these mental-health problems strengthened over time.

• In 2022, Canadians who used cannabis regularly (two or more times a week) were about five times more likely to report anxiety, depression, or suicidality than those who did not use cannabis.

“This extends our prior study that similarly found a strengthening in the co-occurrence of cannabis use and these mental-health problems between 2002 and 2012,” she says.

Halladay and her fellow researchers emphasize that the growing overlap between cannabis use and mental-health problems highlights the need for earlier detection of anxiety, depression, and suicidality among people who use cannabis, as well as routine screening for cannabis use in mental-health settings.

“It’s important for people to recognize when and how their cannabis use may be impacting their mental health, and how their mental health may be influencing their cannabis use. It’s also increasingly important for health and mental-health providers to assess and address both cannabis use and mental-health concerns together.”

This study furthers recent research from McMaster that found anxiety and depression rates among teenagers increased nearly three-fold over the last decade. In that study, rates of anxiety and depression were higher in teens who use cannabis heavily.

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Previous research that evaluated the effect of the hallucinogenic molecules of cannabis (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol THC) the main psychoactive compound in cannabis on motor vehicle crashes concluded that there is no increase of crash risk because of detectable THC. The molecule may linger days after use and is not a reliable indicator that a driver is impaired, report scientists in a new study.

Despite evidence showing no correlation between the detection of THC in the blood and driving impairment, 6 American states in the United States have per se laws using 2 or 5 ng/mL of THC as the cut-off point for driving under the influence of cannabis, while 12 have a zero-tolerance law.

These cut-off points are considered face value evidence of driving impairment, which means that even if it has been several days since an individual’s last use of the drug and they show no behavioral impairment, they may still face legal risks, up to and including felony charges. In Dubai you can go to jail for having cannabis in your blood, even if the cannabis was consumed in London, Tel Aviv or Toronto.

To address this issue, a team of researchers led by Dr. Thomas D. Marcotte, professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and codirector of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, set out to investigate the blood concentrations of THC in regular cannabis users, as well as the simulated driving performance for participants who exceeded per se cut-off points compared with those who were below these values. The researchers measured baseline concentrations of THC in 190 regular cannabis users after instructing participants to abstain from cannabis for at least 48 hours. Following abstention, the researchers also evaluated driving performance in this group using a driving simulator.

From this, the team found that many regular users of cannabis exceed zero tolerance and per se THC cut-off point concentrations days after their last use. Specifically, 43% of participants exceeded zero-tolerance statutes at baseline, while 24% had baseline blood THC concentrations that were greater than or equal to the per se cut-off of 2 ng/mL, and 5.3% had blood concentrations greater than or equal to 5 ng/mL.

Based on the results from the driving simulation, participants with elevated baseline concentrations of THC did no worse on a driving simulator compared with participants who were below per se cut-off points. Altogether, the results add to a growing body of evidence showing that current per se THC blood limit laws lack scientific credibility as face-value evidence of impairment.

“More work needs to be done to address how to best identify drivers who are under the influence of cannabis and are unsafe to drive,” the study authors wrote. “At present, the best protocol is a combination of observations in the field and toxicology testing.” They also added that “an essential component of improving highway safety is collaborations between law enforcement and the scientific community to develop standards that are unbiased and potentially lifesaving.”

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Maryland, home to the FDA, is one of 38 US states, along with three territories and the District of Columbia, that have legalized cannabis for medical purposes. This legal sea change has generated increasing interest in and use of cannabis and cannabis products, yet most health care practitioners and students feel underprepared to counsel patients on medical cannabis, according to a new paper co-authored by a University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) faculty member and published in JAMA Network Open.

The paper suggests key content that should be incorporated into medical school curricula so that students will have the tools they need to serve patients in a landscape of increasing legal medical cannabis use, according to study co-author David Gorelick, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center.

“This paper outlines the core competencies that physicians should possess to deal appropriately with their patients regarding medical cannabis,” Dr. Gorelick said. “The goal is to spur medical schools and residency programs to incorporate these competencies into their curricula.”

When I interviewed Dr. Raphael Mechoulam in the past, and also Dr. Alan Shackelford, both medical cannabis pioneers in their right, they both understood that dosing is key. How to find it may depend on the individual’s response to finely tuned concentrations of CBD and THC and other cannabis active compounds.

The core competencies could also help clinicians address a concurrently increasing amount of legal non-medical cannabis use, Dr. Gorelick added, as 24 states, including Maryland, now allow for adult recreational sale and use of cannabis products.

In collaboration with more than 20 co-authors across 26 institutions, Dr. Gorelick and his colleagues characterized the gap between patient and clinician needs and the current medical school curriculum. They cited past studies showing that only 8 percent of medical school curricula mentioned medical cannabis in the 2015-2016 academic year, and that 66.7 percent of surveyed medical school curriculum deans felt their students graduated without adequate preparation for prescribing medical cannabis.

At the same time, the need for cannabis-informed physicians is increasing as more people are using cannabis with or without medical supervision — UMSOM researchers studying cannabis use among pregnant women found that use increased 170 percent between 2009 and 2016, for instance.

When I asked cancer researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, treating my dad for cancer, and one of the leading cancer clinical hospitals in the world, they were stumped and said I couldn’t access any treatments inside the hospital. The concept was out of bounds.

To better meet the needs of patients and clinicians, the authors assembled 23 clinical and scientific experts with varied backgrounds to achieve a consensus on what medical students need to know about cannabis before entering practice. The process resulted in a recommendation of six core competencies addressing the clinical utility, risks, legal landscape, and scientific evidence around medical cannabis.

The six core competencies are:

1. Understand the basics of the endocannabinoid system.
2. Describe the main components of the cannabis plant and their biological effects.
3. Review the legal and regulatory landscape of cannabis in the US.
4. Describe the evidence base for health conditions that are commonly managed with cannabis.
5. Understand the potential risks of medical cannabis use.
6. Understand basic clinical management with medical cannabis.

”It’s important that medical students be exposed to this information, and we currently provide lectures that cover cannabis fairly robustly in our pre-clerkship curriculum in the first two years of medical school,” said Dr. Joseph Martinez, MD, UMSOM Professor of Emergency Medicine and the school’s Associate Dean for Medical Education and Student Experience.

Students also gain hands-on experience in caring for patients using cannabis, as well as any other medications and illicit substances, after they begin their clinical rotations, he added.

“I’m pleased to say that the UMSOM medical student curriculum appears to incorporate most of the topics recommended in the JAMA Network Open article,” Dr. Gorelick said. “I hope that further progress will be made in including cannabis-related material in the curricula for clinical clerkships and residencies. This will help ensure that future physicians have the knowledge and expertise they need to work with patients who are using or considering using cannabis products.”

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Medical cannabis can be a life saver for children and adults with epilepsy. It helps alleviate cancer pain and it’s been shown to help certain people with PTSD. But not all cannabis plants have the same potency of medically active ingredients such as THC and CBD. And a new study has shown that even though there are measures in place to estimate potencies and doses in actual practice the labels are wildly inaccurate.

Researchers weigh in and report that nearly half of cannabis flower products are inaccurately labeled when it comes to potency, with most showing they contain more THC than they really do. Meanwhile, labels on cannabis concentrates tend to be accurate, with 96% shown to match what’s inside.

Related: Charlotte’s web and cannabis 

That’s the takeaway from a new analysis of products sold at dispensaries across Colorado—the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. The study, published this month in the journal Scientific Reports, is the first comprehensive label audit of legal market cannabis to date.

“Cannabis use has complex and wide-ranging effects, and we are working hard to better understand them,” said senior author Cinnamon Bidwell, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at CU Boulder. “While that research plays out, we should, at the very least, be providing accurate information about the amount of THC in these products.”

The study was funded by the Institute of Cannabis Research, the state’s official cannabis research institute, and conducted in collaboration with MedPharm Research, LLC, a licensed cannabis testing facility, manufacturer and retailer. Under federal law, university scientists are not allowed to handle legal market cannabis for research, so collaborating with industry is critical.

For the study, a secret shopper from MedPharm traveled the state to obtain 277 products from 52 dispensaries across 19 counties. The sampling included 178 flower products and 99 smokable concentrates. No edibles were included in this phase of the study.

The shopper shared label photos with Bidwell’s team. Then the samples, marked only with a number, were tested by MedPharm chemists who hadn’t seen the labels. Data analysis showed that flower products contained on average about 21% THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol—the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Concentrates contained 71% THC on average, with some containing as much as 84%. In the 1980s, the typical THC content in marijuana was around 8%.

“THC content has increased significantly, and we know that greater THC exposure is likely associated with greater risks, including risk of cannabis use disorder and some mental health issues,” notes Bidwell.

Products were considered “accurately labeled” if they contained within 15% of the THC amount shown on the label—the same threshold the state uses. About 44% percent of flower products failed to meet that standard, with 54 of those products inflating their THC content and 23 containing more THC than the label indicated. Only four concentrate products were labeled inaccurately.

“When it comes to concentrates, I would say Colorado gets a good grade for labeling accuracy, but there are some real issues with flower,” said Bidwell.

The study also looked at several other cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). Notably, CBG and CBGA, which have been associated with anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties, were more abundant than CBD in products across categories. But Colorado law only requires that companies put CBD levels on the label.

“Focusing on THC on the label can actually do a disservice for consumers, because it creates an environment in which people buy based solely on THC content,” said Bidwell. “Our data suggests that multiple other cannabinoids should also be reported.”

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A growing number of chronic pain patients are turning to medical cannabis—and finding relief without the mental fog that often comes with traditional painkillers, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in Cureus.

The research, conducted by the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education, examined how people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain are using cannabis, what benefits they’re experiencing, and whether long-term use affects cognitive function.

“Over 80% of participants reported that medical cannabis helped manage their pain,” said Dr. Mohammad Khak, co-author of the study and researcher at the Rothman Institute. “Many also noted improvements in sleep and anxiety, indicating cannabis could provide broader symptom relief than typical pain medications.”

Importantly, 40% of those surveyed reduced their use of traditional analgesics after starting cannabis—some even scaled back their opioid use.

“This suggests cannabis might be a safer alternative or complement to conventional pain management, especially in light of the ongoing opioid epidemic,” said Dr. Ari Greis, senior author of the study and assistant professor at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Patients used cannabis in a variety of forms, including oils, vaporizers, and smoked flower. Most had tried conventional treatments without success, turning to cannabis as a last resort when pain became unmanageable. Still, only about 25% of users received a physician’s recommendation, pointing to ongoing challenges in medical cannabis access and acceptance.

“This study underscores barriers such as a lack of physician training, complex regulations, and persistent stigma,” added Dr. Khak.

The study also explored concerns over cognitive side effects. While some patients experienced mild symptoms like dry mouth or fatigue, most reported no serious cognitive impairment—suggesting that medical cannabis can often be used without affecting mental sharpness.

Researchers stressed that while patient-reported outcomes are promising, larger clinical trials are essential to confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis for chronic musculoskeletal pain. They also called for improved education for healthcare providers and more streamlined regulations to help guide responsible cannabis use in pain treatment.

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Legalized, medical cannabis has changed lives in Canada, America and Israel where it is easy to access and research is developed. It is prescribed by doctors and used by children to treat extreme cases of epilepsy, and it also helps adults with PTSD, pain from cancer, and it’s byproducts like CBD is used as a neutraceutical.

Now that’s it’s legal in more than half of all US states, what should be done with the people incarcerated when it was outlawed?

Grassland, a timely social justice narrative film highlighting the perils of cannabis incarceration, is now available for streaming on Apple TV, Amazon, Roku, and more.

The story follows Leo (Cabot-Conyers), a curious and sensitive young boy whose world is turned upside down when he befriends his new neighbors—an inquisitive young white boy and his police officer grandfather (Kober). Unknowingly, Leo’s friendship places his single mother (Maestro), who is secretly running an illegal cannabis business, at risk.

Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar-winning artist Common serves as an Executive Producer. The film stars Mía Maestro (The Motorcycle Diaries), Quincy Isaiah (Winning Time), Jeff Kober (Sons of Anarchy), Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew), and Sean Convery. Rounding out the cast are Rachel Ticotin, Armando Riesco, Claudia Robinson, and newcomer Elizabeth Cuzzupoli. Set in 2008, amidst the economic recession, Grassland explores the stark realities of racial inequality in the criminal justice system.

The Grassland team launched a robust impact and advocacy campaign aimed to target relevant federal, state-level criminal justice reform and the estimated 40,000+ Americans still in prison on low-level cannabis possession charges, despite the legal cannabis industry reaching over $30 Billion in 2024 in the U.S.

The film partnered with Common’s organization, Free to Dream, as well as lifestyle brand Shinola and Last Prisoner Project in its impact campaign. As part of their partnership with Shinola, the film’s team launched a multi-city screening tour featuring panels with activists in the cannabis equity space.

Executive Produced by Common and Directed by William Bermudez and Sam Friedman, Grassland offers an intimate portrayal of race, justice, and family, telling a story of friendship, courage, and sacrifice. As Leo’s desire to protect his family unknowingly jeopardizes their safety, the film powerfully illustrates the devastating cost of systemic injustice.

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Portugal became the new Costa Rica during the Covid epidemic. Lax lockdowns and no need for vaccine certificates, combined with plenty of nature and freedom for global nomads made Portugal the go-to place for people around the globe. Full of entrepreneurial spirit that other countries may have lost Portugal now aims to be a medical cannabis hub of Europe and the world. America’s complicated relationships with Federal cannabis laws make doing business there complicated. Canada’s market is saturated with so many products and companies. Can the climate of Portugal do it better?

Canadian-founded and American headquartered Tilray is one of the companies doing business in Portugal. Tilray (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY) receives its second approval for a new medical cannabis extract in Portugal: Tilray Oral Solution THC10:CBD10. It’s a product that is built with half and half, CBD and THC.

Denise Faltischek, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of International at Tilray said: “This is a significant step towards meeting the critical needs of patient care and providing high-quality cannabis products and therapeutic options to those with specific medical conditions. The approval of this oral cannabis solution in Portugal is a testament to Tilray’s global commitment to increasing safe and regulated access to medical cannabis products for patients in need.”

Related: How Alan Shackelford changed cannabis into medicine

Tilray Medical continues to be a global leader in the medical cannabis industry, offering a diverse portfolio of EU-GMP certified medicinal cannabis products. With operations extending over 20 countries, Tilray Medical is dedicated to supporting medical cannabis patient care worldwide through quality products accessible via healthcare practitioners. Its business in Portugal is a stepping stone to the rest of the EU.

Tilray Medical grew from being one of the first companies to become an approved licensed producer of medical cannabis in Canada to building the first GMP-certified cannabis production facilities in Europe, first in Portugal and later in Germany. Today, Tilray Medical is one of the biggest suppliers of medical cannabis brands to patients, physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, researchers, and governments, in over 20 countries and across five continents.

After we published this article, we feel a reader inquiry warrants an update. A cannabis grower with a nationally registered brand tells Green Prophet: “But what you don’t hear in your story is how littered with clandestine growers are in the police services.”

People planning on starting a cannabis business in Portugal beware

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You could find a CBD-based body scrub online, but until now Walmart was staying away from CBD-based nutraceuticals. In a new announcement this week you can now make your morning more mellow with CBD-enhanced products you can find at Walmart. CBD are the non-hallucinogenic molecules found in the cannabis plant otherwise known as medical marijuana.

The initial offerings of CBD Life Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK:CBDL) will include Nano CBD Coffee Creamer, Mellow Mornings, and CBD Pain Cream, which have seen growing demand in local markets.

These products will now have national distribution, broadening our customer base across the US announces CBD Life Sciences: “By entering the Walmart Marketplace, we are now accessible to one of the largest retail platforms in the world, boasting over 120 million monthly visitors. This launch strategically positions CBDL to significantly increase brand visibility and consumer base.”

The company says that their yearly forecasts project a substantial revenue boost, with a projected increase of 35% in annual sales due to this new distribution channel. Revenue growth over the past 12 months has already seen a 20% rise, and they expect accelerated growth driven by this expansion.

“Our launch on Walmart Marketplace represents a monumental step forward in our growth strategy,” said Lisa Nelson, CEO of CBD Life Sciences, Inc. “We are not only expanding our reach but enhancing our capacity to deliver value to our investors. The CBD market is poised for explosive growth, and with this new distribution channel, we are strategically positioned to capitalize on the rising consumer demand.”

“As a small but rapidly growing company, we recognize that entering high-traffic marketplaces like Walmart is a powerful catalyst for scaling. We continue to prioritize innovation in our product lines and have seen positive feedback from both consumers and local retailers.

“With our products now on Walmart Marketplace, we anticipate a sharper competitive edge and a much larger footprint in the booming CBD sector, which is projected to reach $47.22 billion by 2028.

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The king of Morocco has decided to pardon 5,000 farmers convicted of illegal cannabis cultivation, the justice ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Morocco is now a major cannabis producer and has legislated the cultivation, export and use of the drug for medicine or in industry since 2021, but it does not allow it to be used for recreational purposes. Cannabis extracts such as CBD has been found to be helpful to treat autism and epilepsy.

The latest pardon by King Mohammed VI would encourage farmers “to engage in the legal process of cannabis cultivation to improve their revenue and living conditions,” Mohammed El Guerrouj, the head of Moroccan cannabis regulator ANRAC, told Reuters.

Morocco’s first legal cannabis harvest weighed 294 metric tons back in 2023, according to officials.

This year it is expected to be higher as the number of farming permits increases officials allow farmers to cultivate a local strain called Beldia.

About a million people live in northern Morocco where cannabis is now the main economic activity. People have been growing and smoking it for generations, along with tobacco in long-stemmed pipes.

Legalization was meant to stop trafficking and improve the farmers’ income. It has awarded 54 export permits last year. Here is a great research article on the history and challenges of cannabis and medical marijuana in Morocco from 2017.

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