Canada: Cannabis use after legalization

Since the legalization of cannabis in some countries, we are finally able to collect valid data about cannabis consumption in different parts of the population. This is the case in the Quebec region, and the CBD Tester team thought it would be good to share with you these very informative figures on cannabis consumption since legalization and the appearance of the COVID

Post-legalization cannabis use among youth

Cannabis use among youth aged 15 to 17 in the Canadian province of Quebec declined by about 3% between 2018 and 2021, reveal data from the Quebec Cannabis Survey, recently released by the Institut de la statistique du Québec. In contrast, in all other age groups, after age 18, post-legalization cannabis use has increased over the past three years.
Held between February and June 2021, the third edition of the “Quebec Cannabis Survey (QCS)” examined the frequency of cannabis use as well as various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic related to its use.

Cannabis use after legalization … and since COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have had an impact on some users. Of the 20% of Quebecers who used cannabis in the past year, 24% reported an increase in use due to the pandemic, while 72% reported no change in use. Cannabis users with high levels of psychological distress, however, were more likely to report an increase in cannabis use due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Quebec society. The QSS, conducted by the Institut de la statistique du Québec on behalf of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, aims to monitor changes in cannabis use. The first edition of the survey was conducted in 2018, before the legalization of cannabis. The second (2019) and third (2021) editions will continue the study of cannabis use patterns in Quebec and its evolution since legalization.

The detailed results of the third edition will be available in April 2022.

CBD, an ally in the management of lung cancer?

As more and more physical and online stores offer cannabidiol (or CBD) for sale in recent months, research continues to determine whether this naturally occurring compound in cannabis has therapeutic benefits.

In addition to its relaxing and sleep-enhancing effects, studies have found that CBD may be effective against lung damage caused by Covid-19 infection or delay the formation of beta-amyloid plaques, which cause Alzheimer’s disease.

In an article published in BMJ Case Reports, researchers suggest that CBD oil could be used as a potential treatment for lung disease.

A 76% decrease in tumor diameter

The cannabinoids found in CBD oil can interact with signaling pathways in cells, including cancer cells. Although other studies have shown conflicting results about their effectiveness as a primary treatment for cancer, this new work is encouraging.

It results from the follow-up of an 80-year-old patient diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. She also suffered from mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoarthritis and high blood pressure. She was a smoker and consumed more than a pack of cigarettes per week (68 packs per year).

At the time of diagnosis, the patient’s lung tumor measured 41 mm and could be treated conventionally with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. But the woman refused treatment. So she was placed under surveillance, with regular CT scans every 3 to 6 months.

The scans showed that the tumor was gradually shrinking, from 41 mm in June 2018 to 10 mm in February 2021, an overall reduction of 76 percent of the maximum diameter.

When contacted in 2019 to discuss her progress, the woman revealed that she had been taking CBD oil as an alternative self-treatment for her lung cancer since August 2018, shortly after her initial diagnosis: 0.5 ml of oil, usually three times a day, but sometimes two.

Other than loss of appetite, no other side effects have been reported. The patient also made no changes to her prescribed medications, diet or lifestyle. And she continued to smoke throughout.

More research needed

The researchers caution that this article is not a clinical trial. It is only a case report, with only one other similar case reported. They explain that they don’t yet know exactly what ingredients in CBD oil may have been effective in decreasing the size of the tumor. “Although there appears to be a relationship between CBD oil intake and the observed tumor regression, we are not able to conclusively confirm that the tumor regression was due to the patient’s intake of CBD oil.”

“Further research is needed to identify the actual mechanism of action, routes of administration, safe dosages, its effects on different types of cancer, and any potential adverse side effects when using cannabinoids,” they conclude.

How can CBD help with anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling and emotion felt by most people, a fact further accentuated by the frantic pace at which our modern societies advance. An increasingly common ailment that can have different degrees of impact on our mental and physical health. It can, for example, cause depression. And when we know that Europeans, and more particularly the French, are among the top-consumer of anti-depressant, CBD comes to impose itself as a miracle solution much healthier. So what are the benefits of cannabidiol against anxiety? How to consume it to effectively fight anxiety? Tutoarduino answers all these questions below.

How to define anxiety?

First of all, it is important to describe a little more precisely how anxiety can manifest itself and impact an individual in his daily life. Anxiety is defined more as a feeling, as an emotion rather than as an illness. It results from an accumulation of conscious and unconscious stress. In more severe cases, it can manifest itself in the form of panic disorder, obsessive disorder, phobia, social disorders, as well as post-traumatic stress from an accident or shocking experience. More pronounced forms can cause breathing problems, aches and pains, dizziness, severe headaches, but also tachycardia or strong heat rises.

It is also interesting to note that anxiety can itself be a symptom of so-called higher illnesses. Anxiety known as secondary anxiety can result from bipolarity, hyperthyroidism, depression itself or even major psychiatric disorders or hypertension. So many symptoms and diseases on which CBD has had promising impacts since science has decided to focus on its virtues.

How can CBD alleviate anxiety

At present, a whole bunch of pharmaceutical drugs are marketed with the aim of alleviating anxiety in people who suffer from it. But their major problem is that these same drugs can have several side effects, but also, and especially, caused an addiction in its consumer. This is where CBD comes in as the safest and healthiest alternative for human beings. Because in addition to effectively fighting anxiety, cannabidiol has proven itself against certain serious skin diseases such as multiple sclerosis, but also on Parkinson’s disease, and even on certain forms of cancer.

Not to be considered as a full-fledged drug, CBD can be an excellent ally against anxiety. Indeed, it acts and dissipates completely in our body thanks to the natural presence of our endocannabinoid system, and thus on the CB1 and CB2 receptors. A process that generates the creation of serotonin and its influx into our brain. This hormone acts directly on the mood and on the feeling of well-being and happiness. A proven result, since proven by several international studies in recent years.

Benefits that have boosted its image among new consumers of legal cannabis. Because unlike its cousin THC, cannabidiol has no psychotropic effect. This could accentuate certain ailments such as personality disorders, bipolarity by promoting hallucinations and paranoia for example. But even if the CBD does not represent any danger for the health, it is important to dose its doses so that it acts in the most optimal way.

What dosage to choose ?

First of all, it is important to know that CBD will have a different degree of effects in each person, as they do not all react in the same way. For that, it is important to find the mode of consumption which pleases you the most. The cannabidiol in herbal tea remains surely the most adequate to the good and complete dissipation of the benefits of our magic molecule in our body. The e-liquids and the flowers consumed under specialized vaporizer are also an excellent way to take advantage of the CBD, even if the time of the effects will be less than those caused by the consumption of an herbal tea. CBD oils as well as massage balms are also a good way to benefit from the virtues of cannabidiol, especially when it comes to local applications. CBD honey can also be just as effective as infusions, since it spreads directly into the bloodstream, and therefore, impacting in a beneficial way the whole of our organs.

In short, it is important to find the right dose and the most pleasant way to enjoy CBD, it will take care of the rest. We advise you to consult your doctor beforehand to discuss the subject with him. An expert eye will surely help you make a more informed and serene choice.

Smoking a cannabis joint to fall asleep might not be a very good idea

A recent study conducted over more than a decade has delivered a novel conclusion. Indeed, it established a link between cannabis use and sleep disorders. Smoking cannabis would cause more difficulties to fall asleep, to stay asleep and would make smokers sleep too much.

Does cannabis impacts the quality of sleep?

Smoking cannabis in the evening to sleep better is a habit that concerns many people around the world. According to the followers, this plant would help to relax and would allow to sleep well. However, a study published on December 6, 2021 in the BMJ Journals states that this is just a preconceived idea. The study was conducted by the University of Toronto (Canada), in collaboration with various health organizations in the United States.

The researchers tried to understand the possible relationship between the use of cannabis on the moment and the duration of sleep by integrating no less than 21,729 volunteers between 2005 and 2018. They took into account many factors such as ethnicity, level of education, age, number of hours worked per week and other health-related criteria. Of course, the researchers also included information on sleep quality and cannabis use.

The study placed participants in three categories based on the length of their night’s sleep. The first category was for short nights (less than six hours), the second for “optimal” nights and the last for long nights (nine hours or more).

Smokers with sleep problems

The scientists asked the volunteers about their possible difficulties in finding sleep or staying asleep. They were also asked to find out more about sleeping for too long. Next, the participants were again divided into two groups: cannabis smokers who had used in the past month and those who had not. The 3,132 smokers in the sample included moderate smokers (less than 20 joints per month) and heavy smokers (more than 20 joints per month).

According to the results, 34% of moderate and heavy cannabis users reported sleeping less than six hours per night and 56% more than nine hours. In general, they reported having more problems falling asleep or staying asleep. Others also confirmed that they slept too long.

According to the researchers, heavy cannabis users are more exposed to both extremes of sleep duration. The study results are believed to be related to an unknown consequence of repeated exposure to cannabis. It may also be a reflection of underlying sociodemographic or health factors. The scientists believe that it is possible that as the body becomes accustomed to cannabis, it becomes more susceptible to sleep disturbances.