Editor's E-Note
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have made a surprising finding: people who used any type of cannabis at least once before they became infected with the COVID-19 virus were at risk for serious illness. Published in JAMA Open Network, the study followed 72,501 people seen for COVID-19 in the first two years of the pandemic.
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— Kate Jackson, editor |
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Cannabis and Severe COVID-19
As the deadly disease that came to be known as COVID-19 started spreading in late 2019, scientists rushed to answer a critical question: Who is most at risk?
They quickly recognized that a handful of characteristics—including age, smoking history, high body mass index, and the presence of other diseases such as diabetes—made people infected with the virus much more likely to become seriously ill and even die. But one suggested risk factor remains unconfirmed more than four years later: cannabis use. Evidence has emerged over time indicating both protective and harmful effects.
Now, a new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis points decisively to the latter: Cannabis is linked to an increased risk of serious illness for those with COVID-19.
The study, published June 21 in JAMA Network Open, analyzed the health records of 72,501 people seen for COVID-19 at health centers in a major Midwestern health care system during the first two years of the pandemic. The researchers found that people who reported using any form of cannabis at least once in the year before developing COVID-19 were significantly more likely to need hospitalization and intensive care than were people with no such history. This elevated risk of severe illness was on par with that from smoking.
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Cannabis and Chronic Pain
A study by researchers at the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute and its department of medical cannabis, published in Cureus, explored the use of cannabis as an alternative treatment for chronic pain.
UCLA Research Demonstrates Cannabis Use Is Common in Primary Care Patients
According to research published in JAMA Network Open, one in six patients in primary care report cannabis use, and 35% of those may be at risk for cannabis use disorder.
How Women With Disabilities View Cannabis
Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine researchers have found that roughly 60% of women with disabilities who used cannabis in the year before their study perceived no risk of harm.
Rescheduling of Cannabis Raises Privacy Issues
An article in MJBizDaily looks at the question of whether a medical cannabis dispensary is considered a covered entity under HIPAA. |
Freshly Baked Cannabis Goods
Clebby’s is a line of baking mixes with cannabis-infused oil. Available only in Massachusetts, the line includes Triple Chocolate Brownies, Lemon Pound Cake, and Confetti Cake. Learn more »
Full-Spectrum Cannabis Hydration
A cannabis and electrolyte hydration beverage made from natural ingredients, full-spectrum cannabis, and optimized cannabinoids is available from Vibations. Vegan, gluten-free, and with a sugar-free option, it’s fast-acting, with an onset in 15 minutes. Learn more » |
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