WHY IT MATTERS: As federal rescheduling moves forward, organizations that center both clinical evidence and patient experience could directly shape whether patients gain broader, safer, and more affordable access to cannabinoid therapies. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: A newly formed cannabis medicine group is working to ensure that federal policy discussions around cannabinoid therapy are rooted in scientific evidence and shaped by real patient perspectives. This effort comes at a critical moment as rescheduling conversations advance at the federal level, creating an opening to influence how cannabis is regulated, researched, and integrated into clinical care.
Recreational Marijuana – Cons | Britannica
WHY IT MATTERS: Patients who use cannabis and alcohol together, or who are considering cannabis as a tool to reduce drinking, should know that the evidence for this substitution effect is preliminary and does not yet support cannabis as a clinically validated alcohol reduction strategy. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: The relationship between cannabis and alcohol use is a genuinely complex area of pharmacology, with some research suggesting that certain THC concentrations may reduce acute alcohol cravings and consumption in the short term. This potential substitution effect has drawn both scientific interest and policy debate, as it raises questions about whether cannabis legalization shifts patterns of alcohol use at the population level.
Legislation on medical cannabis: DOH bares conditions – Cebu Daily News
WHY IT MATTERS: Filipino patients with conditions like chronic pain, epilepsy, or cancer-related symptoms may soon have a clearer legal pathway to access medical cannabis, but only if proposed legislation meets the scientific standards regulators are demanding. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Medical cannabis legislation in the Philippines is advancing through regulatory channels, with health authorities emphasizing that any framework for legal access must be grounded in robust clinical and scientific evidence. This position reflects a cautious but scientifically oriented approach to policy, requiring that efficacy and safety data drive decisions rather than anecdotal reports or political pressure.
Brain Researchers Finally Know Why Cannabis Use Increases Appetite – The Debrief
WHY IT MATTERS: Patients using cannabis for appetite stimulation, including those managing cachexia or chemotherapy-related anorexia, now have stronger neurological evidence supporting what clinicians have observed for years, which may help guide more targeted and confident therapeutic use. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: The appetite-stimulating effects of cannabis, commonly known as “the munchies,” have long been observed clinically but the precise neurological mechanisms were not well characterized until recently. Research has now identified how cannabinoids interact with specific brain circuits to drive increased appetite, independent of the type or palatability of food available.
Scientists Reveal What Types Of Food The Marijuana ‘Munchies’ Make You Crave The Most
WHY IT MATTERS: If you use cannabis and notice yourself reaching for specific types of snacks, understanding that this is a predictable physiological response can help you plan ahead with healthier options and avoid unwanted weight gain during treatment. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: New clinical trial data examining cannabis-induced appetite changes confirms what many patients report in practice: cannabis alters not just hunger levels but specific food preferences, particularly toward calorie-dense, palatable options rich in fats and sugars. This research is clinically relevant because understanding munchies at a mechanistic level helps physicians counsel patients on dietary planning, weight management, and nutritional strategies when cannabis is part of their treatment regimen.
Cannabis: What Is the Profile of Adults at Low Risk of Dependence?
Scientists have mapped exactly how THC tricks your brain into feeling starving even when you’re full, which opens the door to developing appetite-boosting medications without the psychoactive high. A University of Montreal study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research found that among Quebec adults in their mid-30s who used cannabis in the past year, 63% were at low risk for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Lower-risk users tended to use cannabis occasionally and in social contexts, and were more likely to be women or to co-use cannabis with alcohol rather than tobacco.