British researchers have launched a pioneering trial to study the effects of cannabis on the brain.
Scientists associated with the King’s College London Cannabis & Me project are recruiting 6,000 Londoners aged 18-35 across three categories: those who currently use cannabis, those who have used less than three times and those who have never tried it .
The DailyMailOnline reported on November 14 that those selected to participate will win £50, the equivalent of around US$60
The study will begin with a 40-minute online survey of users’ experiences with the drug and why they use it. Everyone who takes the survey will be entered into a raffle for a £100 Amazon voucher.
A subset of those who complete the survey will be selected for in-person assessment at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College. Those who complete the assessment will be paid £50.
A combination of genetic and epigenetic DNA testing, psychological and cognitive analysis, and virtual reality will be used to understand the effects of cannabis on consumers. Subjects will undergo more questions, a blood test, and a virtual reality scenario to observe their reaction in social situations.
One area researchers will focus on is how the substance may contribute to paranoia.
Study leader Dr Marta Di Forti said the study “aims to provide data and tools that can make doctors in the UK and around the world more confident, where appropriate, in the Cannabis Prescription Safely”.
A separate part of the study will assess people receiving treatment for psychosis thought to be associated with cannabis use.
Di Forti said researchers will investigate whether there are biological factors that increase the susceptibility to developing psychosis after cannabis use, and examine whether a screening test could be developed to identify people who can safely use cannabis. for medical or recreational purposes.
According to Daily MailAround 17,000 people in the UK have been prescribed cannabis for conditions including Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and MS.
AV search
In the wake of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, which passed Congress on Nov. 16 and has been sent to President Joe Biden for signature, cannabis advocates hope to see renewed interest on Capitol Hill in SB21- 1467, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act.
The bill, which was introduced in the Senate in April 2021, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct clinical trials on the effects of medical cannabis. The effects of medical-grade cannabis would be studied on the health outcomes of veterans diagnosed with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee held hearings on the bill in June 2021, but it has languished ever since.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) supports the bill, which was also introduced in the House of Representatives in April 2021, although the VA continues to push back against cannabis as a treatment for PTSD.
“We do what we can when we find legislation we can support to let our members know…here’s something that’s potentially good for you or something you’ve asked for that we think is good legislation, and make sure to let your lawmakers know,” DAV Deputy National Legislative Director Marquis Barefield told Cincinnati TV News WCPO earlier this year.
The ears have it
Earlier this year, boxing legend Mike Tyson launched Mike Bites – ear-shaped edibles with a missing piece that commemorated in THC the moment when, during the world heavyweight title fight of 1997, Tyson bit off his opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear.
The fight continued anyway, until Tyson bit off Holyfield’s other ear.
Now, obviously, there are no hard feelings – Holyfield has stepped back into the ring to team up with Tyson in a new THC-infused, gluten-free, vegan ear-shaped edible called Holy Ears.
The initial product is cherry flavored, which Tyson jokes is the taste of Holyfield’s ears. It will be produced by Carma Holdings, the new brand of the two athletes, and sold on the TYSON 2.0 online marketplace.
“Mike and I have a long history of competition and respect for each other,” Holyfield said in a press release announcing his new venture. “At the time, we didn’t realize that even as strength athletes, we were also in a lot of pain. Now, nearly 20 years later, we have the opportunity to share the medicine we really needed throughout our careers.
“It’s a privilege to reunite with my former opponent and now a lifelong friend and turn years of fights and knockouts into a partnership that can positively impact and heal people.”
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