Best of the Week: January 31 – February 6, 2025

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

1. Spotlight on Hemp: CST Celebrates National Hemp Day 2025

Check out our exciting 2025 National Hemp Day coverage!

To celebrate National Hemp Day on February 4, Cannabis Science and Technology put the spotlight on hemp by compiling hemp-related content, new and old. From regulatory compliance to science, hemp is a fertile and fascinating topic that Cannabis Science and Technology is dedicated to covering closely.

National Hemp Day was first introduced by cbdMD in 2019. The holiday is meant to help bring recognition to the hemp plant and everyone who plays a role in the industry. Enjoy National Hemp Day 2025!

2. New Year, Fresh Company Goals

Our February installment of the Stuck on Compliance blog discussed quality and safety certifications. As author Kim Anzarut, CEO of Allay Consulting, explains, these certifications not only distinguish you from competitors but may also be required by state regulations or rewarded with incentives. Beyond regulatory benefits, certifications improve efficiency, reduce the risk of recalls, enhance consumer confidence, and increase the overall value of your business. One often overlooked perk? Higher employee satisfaction—teams appreciate clear expectations and streamlined processes.

3. New Study Finds Cannabinoids May Offer A Safer Pain Relief Option Without Addiction Risks

The week featured several developments in cannabis research. In a recent study, Yale researchers investigated how the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN), can be used as an alternative chronic pain treatment without addiction risks and found that they can help lower pain signals in Nav1.8, a key protein that is implicated in transmitting pain in the peripheral nervous system.

4. Study Examines Prevalence of Schizophrenia Cases Associated with Cannabis Use Disorder After Cannabis Legalization

A recently published study analyzed cases of schizophrenia over periods of cannabis policy liberalization and legalization in a Canadian province. The study was conducted from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2022, which covers both the legalization of medical cannabis, which started in 2001 and expanded until full legalization in 2015, and nonmedical cannabis legalization in 2018. Ultimately, the researchers concluded: “the proportion of incident cases of schizophrenia associated with CUD almost tripled during a period encompassing ongoing liberalization of medical and nonmedical cannabis. Although the proportion of cases of schizophrenia associated with CUD increased fairly linearly over time, incident cases of psychosis NOS and the proportion associated with CUD accelerated after cannabis liberalization.”

5. Exploring the Latest Medical Cannabis Research: Insights from Healer’s First 2025 Webinar

Finally, Dustin Sulak, DO, founder of Healer, a cannabis education and product resource, presented an analysis of five recent research studies involving cannabis. This webinar, intended for audiences of all backgrounds, provided a deep dive on recent research on medical cannabis for conditions including alcohol use disorder, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and also examined the effects of cannabis compared with opioids. One study examined the effects of low-dose formula on quality of life in 20,000 Thai patients.