When taken as a health supplement Vitamin E is believed by many to offer several health benefits, from stronger bones to preventing inflammation to supporting the immune system. However, it appears that vaping a liquid form of Vitamin E can present serious health consequences.
So says Beth Skwarecki writing for Lifehacker. She reports that a new technique for sampling lung fluid revealed that all of the patients with the vaping illness now being called EVALI who were tested by the CDC—a sample of 29 people from 10 states—had vitamin E acetate in their lungs.
She also points out that Vitamin E acetate is known to be an additive in THC vapes, especially certain black-market cartridges.
According to Jen Christensen writing for CNN, Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the CDC characterized this finding in a press briefing as a breakthrough in the agency’s investigation, although more tests are necessary. Said Schuchat, “These new findings are significant. We have a strong culprit.”
Christensen also reported that the CDC’s Dr. James Pirkle described vitamin E acetate as “enormously sticky” when it goes into the lungs, and said it “does hang around.” Pirkle also said it wouldn’t be unusual for THC to be absent from some of the samples because it leaves the lungs faster. He added finding THC in 82 percent of the samples from 28 patients was “noteworthy.”
In a separate briefing reported by CNN, Dr. Jennifer Layden, the chief medical officer and state epidemiologist with the Illinois Department of Public Health told the press that in Illinois, the majority of the people who were sick used THC, and that their materials came from what she characterized as “informal sources.” In Illinois, she said, they had not had any cases associated with the state’s medical marijuana program.
To learn more we suggest you read Beth Skawrecki’s article in the November 8, 2019 edition of Lifehacker.com and Jen Christensen’s reporting for CNN in the November 8, 2019 edition of CNN.com.
vitals.lifehacker.com/the-cdc-just-confirmed-that-vitamin-e-acetate-is-their-1839723177
www.cnn.com/2019/11/08/health/vaping-injury-vitamin-e-thc-bn/index.html
A New Approach To Treating Glaucoma With Cannabis
The director of the only federally-approved marijuana farm in the U.S. is eyeing a new cannabis-based treatment for glaucoma.
That’s the word from Kyle Jaeger reporting for Marijuana Moment. He writes that pharmacologist Mahmoud ElSohly, director of the University of Mississippi’s Marijuana Research Project, believes that cannabis can be used to relieve the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP) associated with glaucoma.
Jaeger quotes ElSohly as saying “The best way to treat glaucoma is not to take a drug that will affect your brain, affect your ability to function, the whole rest of your body just to lower the pressure inside the eyes.” ElSohly went on to say the way to do this is to develop “eye drops from marijuana.”
According to Jaeger, both ElSohly’s lab at the University of MIssissippi and a separate, unnamed company that licensed the idea, are looking into the eye drop possibility, with the company having already begun clinical trials. Said ElSohly, “We’re developing a pharmaceutical product, and it’s been licensed by the way now, that we take the THC molecule and we modify it in a certain way to allow it to go inside the eye, and once inside, it breaks off and releases THC just in the eye to lower the pressure.” He contends that an added benefit of the product, which is in clinical trials, is that all of the product’s activity takes place in the eye, not the bloodstream and the patient feels no psychological activity.
To learn more, visit Kyle Jaeger’s detailed reporting in the October 31, 2019 issue of Marijuana Moment.
www.marijuanamoment.net/head-of-nations-only-federally-legal-marijuana-farm-develops-thc-eye-drops/
Ask The Doctor
Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, seems to be everywhere these days. A cannabis product used by many to promote wellness, it can be found in everything from ointments to toothpicks. Here to provide an overview of what mature consumers need to know about CBD is Dr. Mark Albert, the head of the medical team at Intact Health and Wellness Center in Dunmore, PA.
A growing number of people use CBD to help manage pain, anxiety, stress and insomnia. CBD is a product of the hemp plant and while it is a form of cannabis, it is not marijuana and will not get a person high.
The history of CBD began in 1990 when an Israeli scientist, while investigating the cannabis plant, discovered an entirely new system in our body which is responsible for balance, wellness and homeostasis. He named it the Endocannabinoid System (ECS system).
The human body naturally makes chemical compounds known as cannabinoids that help transmit information in the ECS system. However, scientists have discovered that many Americans are deficient in the amount of cannabinoids they have in their body and CBD is an easy and effective way to solve that deficiency. Research indicates the CBD interacts with multiple receptors, most notably CB1, CB2 and Serotonin Receptors. These are specialized cells that transmit information to the brain about a variety of conditions, ranging from inflammation to stress.
CBD comes in multiple forms.
1. CBD Oils: Also known as tinctures are the most common form. It is placed under the tongue, where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
2. ODT Tablets: Also known as Oral Dissolvable Tablets, these tablets dissolve under the tongue. The same venous absorption and bioavailability takes places as the oils.
3. Capsules and Tablets: When swallowed these are processed in the stomach (gut). As a result they have less bioavailability than oils or ODTs. This means a smaller percentage of the CBD reaches the bloodstream and the intended receptors. However, they are still effective and are preferred by many people.
4. Pain Cream or Salves: Creams that are rubbed on sore muscles and joints target CB2 receptors in the skin to decrease pain.
5. Vapes: These work the quickest: Best bioavailability other than suppositories
6. Suppositories: Best absorption and bioavailability. Can be used vaginally or rectally.
How you take your CBD depends on your preference and the result you hope to achieve. Remember, it’s best to start low (dosage) and go slow.
Patients need patience—finding the right dose
On average, the dose of CBD someone takes for anxiety tends to be less than the dose they might take for pain, although some people with severe anxiety may need a higher does.
For example, the average dose seems to be 20-50 mg per day for anxiety, while the average dose for moderate to severe pain seems to average 50-80 mg per day. As mentioned previously, it’s best to start with a lower dose and increase it slowly until you get the desired effect. You need to be patient while increasing the dose in order to find the proper dosage for you. Many patients need their receptors to be saturated with CBD,which can take weeks, or in some cases months.
However, those who are patient and persistent usually find the relief they desire.
A graduate of Bucknell University with a medical degree from St. George’s University, Dr. Albert was an emergency room physician for 15 years prior to opening INTACT Health and Wellness Center. The Center offers a CBD dosage helpline that provides information and advice on how to get the best individual care. To learn more, call 570-955-5752.
Treating PTSD With Cannabis
A new study, this one from Canada, indicates using cannabis may help individuals deal with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as depression.
According to University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers from UBC’s faculty of medicine and the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) found that people who have PTSD but do not medicate with cannabis are far more likely to suffer from severe depression and have suicidal thoughts than those who reported cannabis use over the past year.
The researchers found that cannabis non-users with PTSD were about seven times more likely to have experienced a recent major depressive episode and nearly five times more likely to have thoughts of suicide compared to cannabis non-users without PTSD.
The study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, is thought to be the first to document the relationships between PTSD, cannabis use, and severe mental health outcomes in “a sample representative of the population.”
Said Stephanie Lake, the lead author of the study and a PhD candidate at the UBC faculty of medicine’s school of population and public health, “We know that with limited treatment options for PTSD, many patients have taken to medicating with cannabis to alleviate their symptoms. However, this is the first time that results from a nationally representative survey have shown the potential benefits of treating the disorder with cannabis.”
Senior author Dr. M-J Milloy, Canopy Growth Professor of Cannabis Science at UBC and a research scientist at BCCSU added, “We’re only just beginning to understand what the therapeutic potential of cannabis may be for a variety of health conditions.” He believes the study’s findings are promising, and recommended further study in order to fully understand the benefits of cannabis for people living with PTSD.
According to the study’s researchers, people exposed to trauma, including survivors of acute injury, conflict, violence and disaster, suffer from depression, suicide, and substance use disorders at disproportionately high rates compared to the general population. Canada is estimated to have one of the highest prevalence rates of PTSD worldwide, affecting an estimated 9.2 percent of the population.
To learn more you can visit the overview of the study released by the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine.
www.med.ubc.ca/news/cannabis-could-help-alleviate-depression-and-suicidality-among-people-with-ptsd/
CBD is Everywhere
In an extreme example of “giving the people what they want,” CBD is showing up in all kinds of products. To demonstrate the trend Nick Dimengo, writing for GreenEntrepreneur, has come up with 12 of the wackiest ways companies are using the implied benefits of an infusion of CBD to sell their wares.
Here are three examples from his list.
For starters, there’s a company called Ignite that’s offering CBD toothpicks designed to help clean your teeth and offer a little gum relief at the same time. They come in six flavors— menthol, cinnamint, mango mint, lemongrass, passion fruit and coffee — and are made from North American Birchwood that’s harvested fresh quarterly, if that matters to you.
When chewed, each toothpick is said to provide relief from tooth pain, while providing a relaxing feeling thanks to immediate absorption of CBD into the bloodstream, giving effects that the company says can be felt throughout the entire body.
Next, there is toilet paper called Hempies that’s described as a 100 percent “feel-good-super sustainable tree-free” toilet paper made from both hemp and what the company calls “other good stuff.”
Actually, produced with renewable hemp cellulose fibers mixed into the tissue itself, the toilet paper is said to be soft and more environmentally friendly than any other type of toilet paper.
There’s no information on the amount of CBD available in each sheet but the product uses the angle that since it is made from hemp instead of paper it’s more environmentally friendly than regular toilet paper and you can help the planet to go green when you are going.
The third product might best be described as an innovative CBD delivery system. A small pouch that contains 10 mg of CBD that’s similar in design to a tobacco chew is placed between the cheek and gum. The pouch is kept in the mouth for anywhere between 15 minutes to two hours to get the full effect.
Called Cannadips, the pouches are available in three different flavors —natural mint, full American and tangy citrus—and use what’s described as a patent-pending blend that features fast-acting, water soluble CBD formulas to provide immediate relief from mouth pain. They are also said to stave off nicotine cravings.
These three represent just the tip of the CBD-infused iceberg. To learn more we recommend reading Nick Dimengo’s entertaining article in the November 1, 2019 edition of GreenEntrepreneur.
www.greenentrepreneur.com/slideshow/341602#5
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at joe.kohut@gmail.com or at 347-528-8753.
