Latest news with #ControlledSubstancesAct
Gulf Insider
3 days ago
- Health
- Gulf Insider
Cannabis Use Linked To A Doubled Risk Of Heart Disease Death, New Study Finds
With growing marijuana use across the country, studies have looked at the link between cannabis use and cardiovascular problems — but new research is showing the magnitude of such risk. In the study, published Tuesday in the journal Heart, researchers found cannabis use is linked to a doubled risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 29% higher risk for acute coronary syndrome and 20% higher risk for stroke. The authors analyzed data from 24 studies published from 2016 to 2023. 'Our results provide a fully comprehensive report of the recent situation towards the cardiovascular health of cannabis users,' the authors wrote, but added there were some study limitations, including potential imprecise dosage measurements. With recreational marijuana legal in 24 states, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is moving to reclassify the drug to a less dangerous category under the Controlled Substances Act. Daily marijuana users now outnumber daily drinkers for the first time ever, according to a Carnegie Mellon University report last year. The preference shift is largely being driven by young people. For example, 69% of people aged 18 to 24 prefer marijuana to alcohol, according to a 2022 survey by New Frontier Data, a cannabis research firm. Due to increased usage, the perception of risk around marijuana has declined, health experts Dr. Lynn Silver of the Public Health Institute and Stanton Glantz, emeritus professor of the University of California at San Francisco, write in an editorial note that was published alongside the research, but the results of the study highlight the potential health effects. In the note, the authors called for the drug to 'be treated like tobacco: not criminalized but discouraged,' including added protection of bystanders from secondhand exposure. They also called for more research on whether cardiovascular risks are limited to inhaled products, which made up the majority of cases in the meta-analysis, or extend to other forms of cannabis exposure.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cannabis use may double risk of heart disease death, study finds
With growing marijuana use across the country, studies have looked at the link between cannabis use and cardiovascular problems — but new research is showing the magnitude of such risk. In the study, published Tuesday in the journal Heart, researchers found cannabis use is linked to a doubled risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 29% higher risk for acute coronary syndrome and 20% higher risk for stroke. The authors analyzed data from 24 studies published from 2016 to 2023. "Our results provide a fully comprehensive report of the recent situation towards the cardiovascular health of cannabis users," the authors wrote, but added there were some study limitations, including potential imprecise dosage measurements. With recreational marijuana legal in 24 states, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is moving to reclassify the drug to a less dangerous category under the Controlled Substances Act. Daily marijuana users now outnumber daily drinkers for the first time ever, according to a Carnegie Mellon University report last year. The preference shift is largely being driven by young people. For example, 69% of people aged 18 to 24 prefer marijuana to alcohol, according to a 2022 survey by New Frontier Data, a cannabis research firm. Due to increased usage, the perception of risk around marijuana has declined, health experts Dr. Lynn Silver of the Public Health Institute and Stanton Glantz, emeritus professor of the University of California at San Francisco, write in an editorial note that was published alongside the research, but the results of the study highlight the potential health effects. In the note, the authors called for the drug to "be treated like tobacco: not criminalized but discouraged," including added protection of bystanders from secondhand exposure. They also called for more research on whether cardiovascular risks are limited to inhaled products, which made up the majority of cases in the meta-analysis, or extend to other forms of cannabis exposure. Teen questioned after family's quadruple murder Congressional members seek $1 billion for security after deadly lawmaker shootings Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hospitalized after allergic reaction
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Psychedelics as potential mental health treatment are explored by Trump administration
The Trump administration has expressed interest in exploring psychedelics for their potential in treating PTSD and other debilitating mental health issues, various officials have shared. "The Department shares the goal of ensuring that all Americans — especially our nation's veterans — have access to safe and effective treatments for conditions such as PTSD, addiction and depression," a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), run by Sec. Robert J. Kennedy Jr., said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "Secretary Kennedy is committed to applying rigorous, evidence-based science to research efforts aimed at addressing these serious health challenges." Fda Approves First Ai Tool To Predict Breast Cancer Risk In recent years, researchers have been actively investigating the potential of psychedelics, such as MDMA and psilocybin ("magic mushrooms") to treat mental health disorders. MDMA is not approved for clinical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but can be studied in clinical settings. Read On The Fox News App Psilocybin is listed as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, which means it has "a high potential for abuse, [is not] currently accepted for medical use in treatment in the United States, and [has] a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision." Psilocybin-assisted therapy, however, is legal in Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico. Psychedelic medicines are "showing real promise," according to Dr. Luke Twelves, general practitioner and vice president of medical for Lindus Health in London. Clinical trials have found such treatments safe and effective for patients battling serious mental health issues, according to Twelves. Common Supplements And Medications Could Cause Liver Damage, Studies Show "Take psilocybin, for example — it's demonstrating remarkable results for severe depression that hasn't responded to other medications," he told Fox News Digital. "MDMA is showing similar breakthroughs for PTSD treatment." Clinical trials are also investigating how psychedelics could help with end-of-life anxiety, addiction, eating disorders, chronic pain and OCD, he added. Researchers have faced challenges in terms of regulatory hurdles and proper placebo controls, Twelves said. "Given that these treatments could transform [the] lives of people suffering from conditions where nothing else has worked effectively, it's crucial that we complete this research properly," he said. "The goal is to bring safe, proven psychedelic therapies to the patients who need them most." At President Trump's May 1 cabinet meeting, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said that "we're opening up the possibility of psychedelic treatment." Retired Army Sergeant Jonathan Lubecki recently told Fox News' Alexandria Hoff that MDMA stopped his PTSD while he was participating in a clinical trial. "[I] took my first dose of MDMA. I've only taken it three times as part of the clinical trial, haven't taken it since, and haven't found the need to take it since, because I haven't had PTSD," he said. Peter Kasperowicz, Department of Veterans Affairs press secretary, told Fox News Digital the department is safely exploring all avenues that promote the health of veterans. Fallujah Vet Turns Medal Of Heroism Into A Healing Mission For Fellow Warriors With Service Dogs Program "Preliminary findings have produced positive results on psychedelic-assisted therapies for treating mental health conditions," he said. The VA is currently running 11 clinical trials in various phases, with a total of some 800 veterans expected to participate. "The goal of these trials is to determine whether compounds such as MDMA and psilocybin can treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment-resistant depressive disorder, major depressive disorder and potentially other mental health conditions," said Kasperowicz. An MDMA study published in the Jan. 2025 issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry found that the substance is "unlike classical psychedelics." The study noted, "MDMA allows the individual to maintain intact ego functioning and a greater degree of cognitive and perceptual lucidity while still experiencing a prosocial altered state of consciousness that facilitates deeply emotional therapeutic breakthroughs." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter The researchers concluded that MDMA showed "enhanced levels of trust, empathy, self-compassion and a 'window of tolerance'" that traditional psychotherapy lacks. Doug Drysdale, CEO of the Canadian pharmaceutical company Cybin, told Fox News Digital that "the time is now to address the mental health crisis." He said it is "gratifying" that administration officials value the potential benefits of looking into alternative mental health treatments. Cybin is currently in phase 3 of a study of CYB003, a type of psilocybin that has been granted breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA as an additional treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). "In Cybin's completed Phase 2 MDD study, long-term efficacy results showed that 71% of participants were in remission from depression, and 100% of participants responded to treatment at 12 months after just two 16 mg doses of CYB003," said Drysdale. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Fox News' senior medical analyst, previously interviewed two of the country's top researchers on psychedelics — Dr. Rachel Yehuda, founder and director of the Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research at Mt. Sinai in New York, and Dr. Charles Marmar, director of the PTSD research program at NYU Langone. "They agree there is therapeutic potential if very carefully studied under very strict medical guidance, but there is a huge downside in terms of unregulated recreational uses," Siegel told Fox News Digital at the time. "Both doctors see likely therapeutic value to psychedelics if carefully managed by medical experts," Siegel added. Ryan Moss, chief science officer at Filament Health, a clinical-stage natural psychedelic drug development company in Canada, emphasized it's important to administer psychedelics in a safe setting when treating mental health conditions. For more Health articles, visit "Psychedelic experiences can sometimes feature anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia," Moss previously told Fox News Digital. "Some patients using traditional psychedelics have reported experiencing adverse cardiovascular events during clinical trials." To mitigate these risks, Moss recommended clinical trial participants receive thorough preparation and monitoring by trained professionals during sessions. Melissa Rudy and Angelica Stabile, both of Fox News Digital, contributed article source: Psychedelics as potential mental health treatment are explored by Trump administration
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With cannabis industry struggling, Western Mass. sellers and growers seek relief from high court
SPRINGFIELD – Plaintiffs growing, selling and delivering legal marijuana in Massachusetts now have two court decisions against them, but aren't giving up. They seek to overturn a federal law they say strangles their business. They were turned back last week by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. But plaintiffs say their fight against the Richard Nixon-era Controlled Substances Act of 1970 is not over. 'It is fair to assume that we shall seek Supreme Court review,' wrote one of their attorneys, Jonathan D. Schiller of the firm Boies Schiller Flexner. The plaintiffs include Canna Provisions, with stores in Holyoke and Lee; Wiseacre Farms, which grows cannabis in West Stockbridge; Gyasi Sellers, of Springfield, which delivers cannabis; and Verano Holdings Inc. based in Chicago. That company owns Zen Leaf Enfield, at 98 Elm St., in Enfield, Connecticut. The plaintiffs say the 1970 law is an overreach and prevents them from making use of banking services and bankruptcy protection available to most businesses. The U.S. Supreme Court receives 7,000 to 8,000 petitions each term, but hears only about 80 cases. The Boies in the firm's name is that of David Boies, who represented former U.S. Vice President Al Gore during the recount controversy against President George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. Boies argued in person when the case came before U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni in Springfield a year ago. The judge ruled in favor of the U.S. Department of Justice and upheld the Controlled Substances Act. The companies appealed to the First Circuit and a three-judge panel ruled Tuesday, once again in favor of the government. The plaintiffs declined further comment. They sued in 2023, saying that with states legalizing cannabis for recreational use, the 1970 federal law exceeds Congressional power. Making their argument, the companies reached back into history showing that marijuana predates the U.S. Constitution. 'Each of the thirteen original colonies enacted' laws concerning marijuana — 'then known simply as 'hemp'' — some of which 'encouraged (or even required) colonists to grow marijuana,' the suit read. Even the Magna Carta of 1215 created rights concerning hemp cultivation and sometimes even 'made the cultivation of hemp compulsory.' But the appeals judges were unmoved, saying that if left unregulated, the trade in marijuana within states would impact interstate commerce. And Congress has the right to regulate interstate commerce. As a practical matter, federal law makes it harder for marijuana companies to lease farm land for fear of losing federal agricultural supports or to do banking or borrow money. The Massachusetts marijuana industry does $1 billion a year in sales, according to data kept by the Cannabis Control Commission. Commission data says marijuana retails for $125 an ounce these days, down from $416 in 2020. Ryan Dominguez, executive director of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition trade association, said 30 Massachusetts cannabis businesses closed in the last year. Regulation is expensive, he said. And every neighboring state except New Hampshire has legalized recreational marijuana. Many of those states have tailored their laws – such as limits on how much customers can buy in one transaction – to compete with Massachusetts. The federal law means none of them can take federal tax deductions, he said. And if they want to go out of business, they can't claim bankruptcy protection. The bankruptcy issue is something the lawsuit could fix if it reaches the Supreme Court, Dominguez said. 'A lot of these people would have to declare personal bankruptcy,' he said. And that means they would lose personal assets in addition to the business. Placing pigeons in the park on purpose in Springfield Cause detailed for February train derailment in Wendell 'Global order has been upset': World Affairs Council gauges tariff war impact on Western Mass Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Minnesota Army veteran: Cannabis need to be rescheduled
Upon rescheduling, the author writes, "Researchers and medical professionals would finally be able to conduct studies with the rigor and scope this issue demands, helping us better understand the full spectrum of cannabis's therapeutic potential. (Photo by Getty Images) As a U.S. Army veteran who served five combat deployments, I've seen firsthand the physical and psychological scars that many of my fellow service members carry with them after returning home. I've walked alongside soldiers battling PTSD, chronic pain, anxiety and the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries. These are not just war wounds — they are life-altering burdens that often go unseen and untreated. In the years since I returned home, I've come to see that the path to healing doesn't always come easily. And for many veterans, traditional treatments aren't effective, leading us to turn to alternative treatments like cannabis. I say this not as an outsider or a casual observer, but as a patient, an advocate and a former member of the Minnesota Cannabis Advisory Council. I've had countless conversations with fellow veterans and civilians alike who have found relief through cannabis when traditional medicine failed them. I've seen its power, not as a miracle drug, but as a legitimate and effective treatment for various conditions. That's why I strongly support the push to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The work that started during the Biden administration on this issue appears to have stalled out, and it needs a jumpstart. Rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III would be more than a symbolic gesture. It would represent a tangible, meaningful shift in how we treat cannabis and those who rely on it. It would open the door to comprehensive clinical research that has long been stifled under federal restrictions. Researchers and medical professionals would finally be able to conduct studies with the rigor and scope this issue demands, helping us better understand the full spectrum of cannabis's therapeutic potential. And let's be clear: Support for this change is not partisan. In fact, President Donald Trump has expressed support for rescheduling cannabis, recognizing the benefits of modernizing our drug laws. When leaders from across the political spectrum — conservatives, libertarians, progressives and independents — are aligned on an issue, it tells us something: This isn't a radical idea. It's a reasonable one. Despite this growing body of evidence, our federal government still classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug, putting it on par with heroin and declaring it to have 'no accepted medical use' and a 'high potential for abuse.' Veterans, perhaps more than any other group, understand the consequences of bureaucratic inertia. We've watched the Veterans Affairs system struggle to keep up with the growing mental health crisis in our community. We've watched our brothers- and sisters-in-arms cycle through prescriptions, such as opioids, antidepressants and sleeping pills, many of which come with debilitating side effects and limited long-term effectiveness. Cannabis has been a lifeline for many of us. And the irony is, in states where medical cannabis is legal, veterans often still face stigma from health care providers and risks to their federal benefits if they choose to use it. Why? Because cannabis remains stigmatized by outdated federal laws that ignore decades of research and real-world experience. Reclassifying cannabis would legitimize it in the eyes of our health care system. It would allow providers, especially those within the VA, to have honest conversations with patients about medical cannabis as an option. It would remove the concern that many veterans face when they bring up cannabis with their doctors, fearing judgment or repercussions. We can't talk about supporting veterans and then ignore a reform such as this one that could improve our lives. We can't claim to respect our service members while denying us access to a medicine that helps us live with dignity and purpose. We served our country with honor. We did our duty. Now we are simply asking our government to do theirs. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
