Best of the Week: January 24 - January 30, 2025

Let’s dive into the top stories shaping the conversation this week. Summaries of each article are listed below.

1. Standards and Innovations in Cannabis and Hemp Beverages: A GMP Collective Webinar

Our readers continuously find valuable information and updates from industry experts in our webinar coverage. For their first webinar episode of the year, the GMP Collective presented the latest episode of its When Things Go Wrong series: Sip Safely – Elevating Standards for Cannabis and Hemp Beverage Production. This episode featured guest speakers Diana Eberlein, Chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA), and Ben Larson, CEO of cannabis and hemp infusion technology company Vertosa, along with the GMP Collective founder, David Vaillencourt. This webinar explored industry trends, challenges, and marketing hurdles in the developing cannabis and hemp beverages industry.

2. Study Looks into Effects of Both Recent and Lifetime Cannabis Use on Brain Function

A recent study published in JAMA, looked to investigate how recent and lifetime cannabis use affected brain function during cognitive tasks. Researchers organized a cross-sectional study consisting of 1,003 young adults between the ages of 22-36 years old. Data was collected via urine toxicology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as cannabis use data. The information was gathered and then analyzed from January 31 to July 30, 2024. For individuals who had more than 1,000 reported uses of cannabis, they were placed as heavy lifetime cannabis users. Moderate users were categorized if they had 10 to 999 cannabis uses and individuals that had less than 10 users were labeled as nonusers. Researchers analyzed brain function through seven tasks that were administered during the “functional MRI session.”

3. Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: Dr. Ethan Russo on Science and Solutions

Another webinar was featured this week. The Veterans Action Council (VAC) recently presented Roundtable #84, focusing on cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) with guest speaker neurologist and medical researcher, Ethan Russo, MD. Founded in 2020, the VAC is a group of international veterans working with organizations, policymakers, researchers, and more with the aim of policy reform and increasing access healthcare, including to natural medicines and alternative therapies such as cannabis. In webinar, Dr. Russo discusses this syndrome, its growing prevalence, research, potential dangers, and possible solutions. He is the co-author of “Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: genetic susceptibility to toxic exposure,” which was published in Frontiers in Toxicology in October 2024.

4. Study Examines Effects of CBD on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms in Women

A recently published study examined the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (1). The cross-sectional survey collected data from adult women, those who used CBD and those who did not, on the severity of the disease and quality of life. As noted in the study, the causes of IBD are not fully known and there is no cure. The study, “The Perceived Effectiveness of Cannabidiol on Adult Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease,” was published in Medicina in December 2024. The study is stated as being the first to examine the effect of CBD in adult women with IBD.