The federal government has moved to rein in the unregulated market for intoxicating hemp-derived products like Delta-8 THC. A provision tucked into a bill to end the government shutdown would effectively ban these products outside of state-legal cannabis markets by November 2026.

The hemp industry in Colorado and across the country is reeling from a surprise provision in the latest government spending bill. A new federal law will soon ban the sale of any hemp or CBD products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC. This comes as a major blow to local producers who have been operating under Colorado's more lenient 2022 regulations.

Federal authorities have announced a renewed crackdown on the use of marijuana on public lands. Hikers caught consuming cannabis, even in states where it is legal, now face potential prosecution. The move comes after a period of leniency, where officials had largely turned a blind eye to the recreational use of THC and CBD on federal properties.

#CannabisBoomer #CannabisNews #HempIndustry #FederalRegulation #PublicLandUse #AlcoholAndCannabisCoUse #MentalHealth #Sleep #AlcoholUseDisorder

Grace[0:0:0]​

On today's Cannabis Boomer's Journal of News and Reviews in Cannabis Science, Dr. Alex Terrazas PhD gives his take on the latest findings in cannabis research.

But first. here is The Cannabis Boomer's top cannabis news story.

Alex Terrazas, PhD: The Cannabis Boomer[0:0:19]

Feds Crack Down on Weed-Smoking Hikers

Federal authorities have announced a renewed crackdown on the use of marijuana on public lands. Hikers caught consuming cannabis, even in states where it is legal, now face potential prosecution.

The move comes after a period of leniency, where officials had largely turned a blind eye to the recreational use of THC and CBD on federal properties. But that policy has now been reversed, with the Department of the Interior warning that anyone caught using or possessing marijuana will be subject to criminal charges.

Advocates argue that this heavy-handed approach unfairly targets outdoor enthusiasts and criminalizes behavior that is legal in many states. However, federal officials maintain that the use of illicit substances on public lands poses safety and environmental risks that can no longer be ignored. Hikers are now advised to leave their cannabis at home if they want to avoid run-ins with law enforcement on the trails.

Alex Terrazas, PhD: The Cannabis Boomer[0:1:34]

New Federal Limits on THC in Hemp Products Stun Colorado Producers.

"You could go to a place like Wisconsin and buy products that have 10 or 20 milligrams of THC on their liquor store shelves," explains Shannon Donnelly, a cannabis expert at MSU Denver. "But now the federal government is stepping in to crack down on these higher-THC hemp products, even in states where marijuana itself is still illegal."

Haylee Jordan, co-founder of the Denver-based hemp beverage company Fabric, says the industry is "shocked" by the sudden change. "It feels like we have an almost $28 billion industry that we're just going to say should no longer exist," she laments. Donnelly believes this is the federal government's way of asserting more control over the entire cannabis landscape, as lawmakers grapple with how to regulate the booming hemp and CBD markets.

And Finally:

Regulating the Wild West of Hemp-Derived Intoxicants

Now, Congress has voted to close that loophole, banning all hemp-derived products containing more than 0.4 mg of total THC per container. Industry advocates warn this could wipe out 95% of the hemp business, costing thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue. But others say regulation is necessary to rein in the "lawless drug" of uncontrolled hemp extracts that have become associated with the cannabis industry.

Alex Terrazas, PhD: The Cannabis Boomer[0:4:33]And now the Cannabis Boomer reviews recent cannabis science publications.

Alex Terrazas, PhD: The Cannabis Boomer[0:4:38]

Today's cannabis research articles are about cannabis and alcohol co-use. First up is:

Monthly simultaneous cannabis and alcohol use: effects on depression, anxiety, and stress in male and female college students by Hetelekides and others in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

This study examined the relationship between monthly simultaneous cannabis and alcohol (SCA) use and mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and stress, in male and female college students.

The key findings indicate that SCA use was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in both male and female college students. These associations were observed even after controlling for individual use of cannabis and alcohol.

The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design, where college students self-reported their substance use and mental health symptoms. Participants were categorized into groups based on their monthly SCA use patterns.

The results suggest that SCA use may be a significant risk factor for poor mental health in college students, regardless of sex. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the co-use of cannabis and alcohol and its potential impact on the mental well-being of this population.

The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to establish causal relationships, and further longitudinal research is needed to better understand the temporal dynamics between SCA use and mental health outcomes. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported data may be subject to recall bias or social desirability bias. Causality is difficult to establish because it is not clear is mental health causes cannabis use or vice-versa.

Alex Terrazas, PhD: The Cannabis Boomer[0:6:39]

My second article about cannabis and alcohol co-use is: Sleep quality and duration following the use and co-use of alcohol and cannabis in the daily life of community adults by Nance and others. This article was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

This study examined the day-level effects of alcohol and cannabis use on sleep quality and duration among middle-aged and older adults in the community.

The key findings indicate that while cannabis use alone had negligible effects on sleep, the co-use of alcohol and cannabis attenuated the negative effects of alcohol on sleep. This suggests that cannabis may have a protective effect on sleep when used in combination with alcohol.

The study utilized a daily diary methodology, where participants reported their substance use and sleep outcomes on a daily basis over the course of several weeks. This allowed for the examination of within-person, day-to-day associations between substance use and sleep.

The findings have important clinical implications, as they suggest that the co-use of alcohol and cannabis may be a strategy used by some individuals to mitigate the negative effects of alcohol on sleep. However, the long-term consequences of this approach are not yet clear and warrant further investigation.

The study is limited by its reliance on self-reported data and the lack of objective measures of sleep quality and duration. Additionally, the sample was predominantly middle-aged and older adults, so the findings may not generalize to younger populations.

And finally, we have:

Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use is associated with daily consequences reflective of alcohol use disorder symptoms by Howe and others, also published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

This study examined the associations between different patterns of alcohol and cannabis co-use (simultaneous, concurrent, and alcohol-only) and the likelihood of endorsing alcohol consequences categorized as alcohol use disorder symptoms.

The key findings indicate that simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use was associated with a higher likelihood of endorsing alcohol consequences reflective of alcohol use disorder symptoms compared to concurrent use or alcohol-only use.

The study utilized a daily diary design, where participants reported their alcohol and cannabis use patterns and alcohol-related consequences for 30 days. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the data.

The findings have important clinical implications, suggesting that healthcare providers should assess for simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use and target these co-use patterns in interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms.

The study's limitations include the reliance on self-reported data and the lack of information on the specific quantities and timing of alcohol and cannabis use within each day.

#CannabisBoomer #CannabisNews #HempIndustry #FederalRegulation #PublicLandUse #AlcoholAndCannabisCoUse #MentalHealth #Sleep #AlcoholUseDisorder