Category: Medical Cannabis News

Welcoming new NICE guidance on cannabis-based medicinal products published today, RPS Chief Scientist Gino Martini said: “It’s excellent news for patients that two cannabis-based medicines, Sativex and Epidyolex, for epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, have been approved for use by the NHS in England.

More than half (56 per cent) of those using cannabis for their conditions did so on a daily basis, with a further 23 per cent on a weekly basis. 1 in 10 (9 per cent) spent nothing on cannabis implying they grow the drug themselves. Some 44 per cent spent up to £99 per month, with a further 21 per cent spending between £100 and £199.

Western Australia said it will allow general practitioners to prescribe medical marijuana without the need for referral to a specialist. WA Health Minister Roger Cook says the changes brought WA closer into line with other states and territories.

Georgia’s top elected leaders moved forward Tuesday with a program to provide medical marijuana to the state’s 15,000 registered patients, nearly seven months after Gov. Brian Kemp signed it into law.. Still, it could take time before regulations are approved, licenses are issued, medical marijuana is grown and products are sold.

Epidyolex has been approved for two rare types of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, while the spray Sativex has been recommended for muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Project backed by Royal College of Psychiatrists aims to be largest on drug’s use in Europe. Writes the Guardian.

The analysis focused on seven studies, five of which concluded medical marijuana may be associated with benefits such as: decreased opioid overdose rates, decreased opioid use, improved quality of life and improved pain control. Says a press release published 20 October.

The German government have disclosed the six most-reported diagnoses for which medical cannabis has been prescribed and covered by statutory health insurers

Medicinal cannabis approvals surged in 2019, but the AMA says there’s still not enough proof that it works. Reports the ABC

Olivier Véran, deputy of the French National Assembly has submitted an amendment to the Social Security Financing Bill (Projet de loi de financement de la Sécurité sociale, or PLFSS) that is critical to secure funding for the proposed national medical cannabis experiment. Reports MJ Biz.

The Doctor website in NZ reports……For the second time in as many months, medicinal cannabis supplies in New Zealand have been depleted. 2 of the main Cannabidiol (CBD) products generally available in New Zealand are out of stock. Neither of the products are expected to have stock until the end of November at the earliest. These products are from different sources, with both Swiss and Canadian products affected.

Maryland’s latest medical cannabis licensing round has been delayed due to an allegedly flawed application process that blocked many applicants from submitting all of the necessary materials on time.

In the position paper, the Academy acknowledges that preliminary evidence indicates marijuana and cannabinoids “may have potential therapeutic benefits,” but they may also have a negative impact on health. “Family physicians can help inform their patients about the complex interplay and emerging evidence surrounding the potential benefits and harms of marijuana and cannabinoid use, helping them to make healthy decisions about its use,” said Beth Anne Fox, M.D., M.P.H., of Kingsport, Tenn., who, as a member of the AAFP’s Commission of the Health of the Public and Science, led development of the position paper.

(CNS): Customs and Border Control (CBC) officers raided Doctors Express, a medical practice in George Town, on Wednesday evening and seized “a large quantity of CBD (Cannabis) oils/vapes”, even though all the doctors at the clinic are registered practitioners. No arrests have been made and CBC Director Charles Clifford has said that because it is an active investigation, “no further comment will be made at this stage”. But CNS understands that the bust may have been triggered as a result of a misunderstanding over the law.

Background Previous studies have associated marijuana exposure with increased respiratory symptoms and chronic bronchitis among long-term cannabis smokers.The long-term effects of smoked marijuana on lung function remain unclear.

On 5 September 2019, Professor John McMillan AO’s Final Report (Report) on the operation of the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 (ND Act) was tabled in Parliament. Section 26A of the ND Act required the Minister to cause a review of the operation of the ND Act to be undertaken.

To distribute its GMP products to pharma customers, including hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and all pharmacies in Israel….

Medical marijuana may not yet be legal at the federal level, but in the state of Florida and certain other states, you can get an ID card for medical MMJ.