Does CBD Reduce The Effects Of Cannabis?

Cannabis is a psychedelic drug that is increasingly legal in the Western world for medicinal and recreational purposes. At the same time, more powerful drugs are used in terms of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is known to cause severe side effects and can cause long-term damage when used regularly in large doses.

Recent neuropsychopharmacology research is investigating whether these negative effects can be reduced by increasing the amount of cannabidiol (CBD) in these products. 

Introduction 

Heavy cannabis users have been reported to experience severe memory and attention deficits from high THC cannabis preparations and psychotic symptoms. In long-term use, this can lead to a greater risk of psychosis and the development of cannabis use disorders. As a chemical, CBD does not affect cognitive function or prevent the development of psychosis, the risk of these two events is low in users who smoke cannabis with a high CBD content, regardless of how often they and – eat. When CBD was first followed by THC, it was reported that the memory and emotional effects of THC were reduced in light users, but not with regular use. 

About the study 

The current study examines the significant effects of cannabis on four different systems of CBD versus THC. The following CBD:THC ratios of 0:1, 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 were tested in 46 healthy volunteers aged 21 to 50 who regularly use cannabis. Clearly, the study participants had used this drug once or more in the past, but not more than once a week in the past year.

None of the study participants had a drug use problem or used synthetic cannabinoids. The current study followed a double-blind design using vaporized cannabis containing 10 mg THC and 0, 10, 20, or 30 mg of CBD. The researchers assessed their cognitive and verbal memory effects using the Hopkins Verbal Learning Task. At the same time, psychological symptoms were assessed using the positive score of the Panic and Panic Disorder Scale (PANSS).

The participants in the study first smoked cannabis, after which they completed a cognitive test and showed that they had a pleasant feeling based on the taste of chocolate and their fear. Participants were then asked to shop at the hospital store.

After that, the subjects are given time for the effects of the drug to wear off. Finally, they completed a journal to describe their psychological experiences, including distressing thoughts, self-reports of psychological distress, and visual observations of their personal feelings following drug use.

Finally, they completed an interview to complete the PANSS-P. 

What did the study show?

In all cases, the highest levels of THC and THC metabolites in the blood are similar. However, peak CBD levels increased with the THC:CBD ratio.

THC produced the same effect in all rats, with immediate and delayed word memory impaired from baseline, regardless of the presence or dose of CBD. Here, THC induced a high rate of psychotic hallucinations, both immediate and delayed.

Positive psychotic effects were greater after inhalation, with half of the total participants showing an increase in their PANSS-P score of three points from baseline at all levels and with no significant differences between extremes. Psychotic thoughts increased in groups without differences between different groups.

However, persecutory thoughts did not increase in any way with drug use. Other tests have shown that the feeling of pleasure or euphoria is well distributed, regardless of the ratio of CBD: THC. In addition, the effect of euphoria was not related to the plasma levels of the two compounds. Although the heart rate increased after breathing, there was no change in blood pressure or temperature. However, the cough during inhalation is significantly increased by the CBD dose. Additionally, with the longer time required to fully inhale, the peak concentration in the CBD:THC ratio is reduced.

Cannabis Legalization Can Move Quickly

There is still much we don’t know about the risks and benefits, and lawmakers don’t always take into account what we do know.

Since 2017, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine entitled The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids has served as a warning, even though cannabis has become legal. This systematic and comprehensive review states that the lack of rigorous research on the health effects of cannabis poses a risk to public health. In other words, research to date has not provided a clear answer as to whether cannabis is safe or dangerous when it comes to its long-term health effects in areas such as heart disease risk. The lack of evidence about the various health effects of cannabis users leads to confusion among patients, health professionals and policy makers.

Although cannabis research has made significant progress over the past five years, the translation of evidence at the bedside has sometimes left an important step. During my own research in South Florida, most of our new users did not know that there are many things in the cannabis sector in general, each with its own health effects. During an interview, one participant said that hearing about the pain-relieving cannabis salve made him start smoking. This example is not unique.

It’s not that the health benefits are said that the dangers of cannabis are hidden from the American public. Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in particular, have sparked discussion among health professionals, patients and the public. But I have noticed right away how many people who use cannabis understand what they are consuming. In our sample, only 4% know the composition of the cannabis product or flower they use, both in terms of cannabinoids and fillers. 

The results of our study and others suggest a disconnect between the peer-reviewed information provided by scientists and the knowledge of the general public. Lack of public awareness includes knowing the risks and benefits of using cannabis. From a public health perspective, it is important that education be based on scientific findings rather than word of mouth. Unfortunately, people’s desire to try cannabis exceeds their desire to understand its long-term health effects. For this reason, legislators should take an appropriate approach to cannabis-related health care and health impact research and the development of policies and regulations. 

Colorado is an example of a state that successfully turned public health concerns into regulations. According to a report published last year in National Health, a publication of the American Public Health Association, Colorado law requires the Department of Public Health and the State to regularly review scientific data on the effects of cannabis on health, in addition and drug use. monitoring and reporting process. States that have already integrated these strategies into national policies and plans should continue this process. For states that have not done so, such as Illinois, steps should be taken to ensure that funding is invested in public health research on cannabis and research on its long-term health effects. The overall objective should be to ensure the improvement and keep people healthy and disease-free. The first step to achieving this is to understand that not all cannabis is created equal, and its users are not the same.

Legalization Of Cannabis: Health Risks And Benefits

Sex and better protection from COVID-19 against reduced cognitive ability and long-term damage: divided science on the risks and use of cannabis plants for young people.

Dope, weed, marijuana, hemp – cannabis goes by many different names. Humans have known about the Central Asian plant and its benefits for thousands of years. It is used to make ropes and textiles, but the popularity of cannabis comes from its use as a poison and medicine. Globally, cannabis is the second most commonly used substance after alcohol and before nicotine, according to the Global Drug Survey 2021. Teenagers and young adults often use cannabis. Once considered a dangerous gateway drug, cannabis has gained public acceptance in recent years. In many countries, entertainment is now legal. 

Sex and better protection against COVID?

So, is cannabis a dangerous gateway drug or a panacea? Many studies have been published in recent months, some showing great risks, others great benefits of the hemp plant and various things.

A recently published Spanish study led by researchers at the University of Almeria found that sexual activity makes cannabis users more efficient and achieve better orgasms. “This improvement is often associated with a reduction in anxiety and shyness, which makes sex easier,” the researchers explain.

In other words: those who lose their inhibitions by drinking alcohol or smoking can have better sex. US researchers from Oregon State University recently proposed cannabinoids as a way to prevent and treat COVID-19, as they prevent the virus from entering cells, and can provide protection against infection by the coronavirus.

Their study showed that CBGA (cannabigerolic acid) and CBDA (cannabidiol acid) bind to spike proteins and prevent Sars-CoV-2 from entering cells, the researchers wrote in the Journal of Natural Products. Unlike the well-known tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis, CBGA and CBDA are not psychoactive.

So, psychoactive THC leads to better sex and cannabis acid protects against COVID-19 – talk about a convincing argument in favor of the miracle plant! 

Smoking causes long-term problems 

However, it is not that simple, because the use of cannabis can also cause long-term disability, especially in young people whose brains are still developing. This was recently demonstrated by a new meta-analysis of 10 published in the journal Addiction.

Analysis of data from 43,000 participants showed that heavy drinking (which occurs after consuming a large amount of THC) can lead to mild and mild depression. It affects decision-making skills, the ability to inhibit inappropriate reactions or learn from reading and listening, and the time it takes to complete mental tasks. But these weaknesses can last longer than the duration of heavy drinking. “Cannabis use among young people can lead to lower educational attainment and, among adults, poor performance and dangerous driving. These consequences may be worse among regular and heavy,” said Alexandre Dumais, professor of clinical medicine at the Université de Montréal and one of the authors of the study. On average, adults who use cannabis as teenagers score lower on intelligence tests and are more likely to succeed in school or college. But there hasn’t been a close connection. Whether cannabis use among adults can have long-term consequences is also controversial.

The developing brain is especially at risk 

However, there is no doubt that cannabis use can damage young brains, as the brain does not fully develop until the mid-twenties.

The brains of young cannabis users were smaller in some areas than those in a control group, as shown by brain scans of 800 teenagers who were part of a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry last June. The prefrontal cortex is most affected. This is the area of the brain where impulses are controlled, problems are solved and plans are made. According to studies, teenagers with negative brain scans are more likely to be impulsive and have trouble concentrating than other teenagers. The more teenagers use cannabis, the more pronounced its effects become. 

Increased risk of psychoses 

Excessive drinking can also trigger psychoses, especially in teenagers.

People who smoke weed every day can have a mental condition three times more than those who do not have a connection with cannabis, a European study showed in 2019. Researchers from the psychiatric hospital of the University of Ulm also found an eight-fold increase in psychoses between 2011 and 2019, which they attributed, among other things, to a significant increase in THC content in many joints. 

In Europe, the proportion of psychoactive THC in cannabis doubled from 8% to 17% between 2006 and 2016, British research shows. The intoxicating effect of THC is reduced by cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is also used in pain management in patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain disorders such as arthritis. But according to a British study, the CBD content of cannabis sold on the street has decreased significantly.

According to experts, regular and excessive consumption of THC during adolescence can trigger not only psychoses, but also anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder or depression. However, it is still debatable whether the use of cannabis causes these disorders, or whether young people with such mental health problems are more likely to use heavy cannabis.

Growing social acceptance 

Despite the risks and side effects and the ban, cannabis is the most popular drug among young people in Europe. Other popular drugs such as alcohol and tobacco can be purchased legally in Germany and many other countries, although they can also be harmful to health and social relationships, as well as to society. his whole.

The debate in many parts of the world about legalizing cannabis shows that public acceptance of the drug is growing.

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