Medical Marijuana and Opioids Study

The overarching goal of the study is to understand how medical cannabis use affects opioid analgesic use over time, with particular attention to THC/CBD content, HIV outcomes, and adverse events. The study will include a cohort of 250 HIV+ and HIV- adults with (a) severe or chronic pain, (b) opioid analgesic use, and (c) new…

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Cancer Patients Using Cannabis ‘Doing Better…Feeling Better’

SAN FRANCISCO — “So let me know if you’ve ever seen a patient like this: 70-year-old guy, metastatic lung cancer, who’s using oxycodone. He’s using long-acting morphine for breathlessness and bone pain. He’s going to be starting chemo and immunotherapy soon. And, usually right as you’re walking out the door, he says, ‘Doc, should I…

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MN adds Alzheimer’s as Qualifying Condition

Minnesota health officials are adding Alzheimer’s disease as a qualifying condition to get medical marijuana. The state Health Department announced Monday that the new condition would take effect in August 2019. Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says there is “some evidence” that marijuana improves the mood, sleep and behavior of people with Alzheimer’s. “Any policy decisions…

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Marijuana use and the risk of lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers

Hashibe M1, Morgenstern H, Cui Y, Tashkin DP, Zhang ZF, Cozen W, Mack TM, Greenland S. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Oct;15(10):1829-34. Abstract BACKGROUND: Despite several lines of evidence suggesting the biological plausibility of marijuana being carcinogenic, epidemiologic findings are inconsistent. We conducted a population-based case-control study of the association between marijuana use and the risk of lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers in Los…

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