Thursday, May 18, 2023

New AMA Study: Marijuana Is Associated With ‘Significant’ And ‘Sustained’ Health Improvements

The use of medical marijuana is associated with “significant improvements” in quality of life for people with conditions like chronic pain and insomnia—and those effects are “largely sustained” over time—according to a new study published by the American Medical Association (AMA). . .“Given the diverse range of conditions being treated with medical cannabis, as well as the vast array of products and dose forms available, clinical evidence incorporating patient-reported outcomes may help determine safety and efficacy.”

SCIENCE & HEALTH

Marijuana Is Associated With ‘Significant’ And ‘Sustained’ Health Improvements, American Medical Association Study Finds

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2023

Kyle Jaeger

Researchers carried out a retrospective case series analysis that involved 3,148 people in Australia who were prescribed medical cannabis for the treatment of certain eligible conditions.

For all eight wellbeing indicators that were tested, marijuana appeared to help, with adverse side effects that were “rarely serious,” according to the study, published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Health Policy.

Patients were asked to rate their wellness in eight categories on a scale of 0-100 at different stages of treatment. Those categories were general health, bodily pain, physical functioning, physical role limitations, mental health, emotional role limitations, social functioning and vitality.

After administering the survey to the patients about once every 45 days, for a total of 15 follow ups, the study found that participants who were consuming cannabis reported average improvements of 6.6-18.31 points on that 100-point scale, depending on the category.

“These findings suggest that medical cannabis treatment may be associated with improvements in health-related quality of life among patients with a range of health conditions,” the researchers from the Swinburne University of Technology, University of Western Australia and Austin Hospital wrote.

“Patients using medical cannabis reported improvements in health-related quality of life, which were mostly sustained over time.”

The most common conditions for which marijuana was prescribed were non-cancer chronic pain (68.6 percent), cancer-related pain (6.0 percent), insomnia (4.8 percent) and anxiety (4.2 percent).

“The use of cannabis as a medicine is becoming increasingly prevalent,” the study says. “Given the diverse range of conditions being treated with medical cannabis, as well as the vast array of products and dose forms available, clinical evidence incorporating patient-reported outcomes may help determine safety and efficacy.”

The doses, methods of consumptions and cannabinoid profiles of marijuana products that patients used varied significantly. Even so, the “estimated treatment effects were very similar.”

The researchers said that the retrospective case series analysis is limited by the fact that there was not a control, making it more difficult to generalize the results.

“This study suggests a favorable association between medical cannabis treatment and quality of life among patients with a diverse range of conditions,” it concludes. “However, clinical evidence for cannabinoid efficacy remains limited, and further high-quality trials are required.”

This is just the latest in a long list of studies supporting the therapeutic potential of marijuana as more states and countries move to reform their cannabis laws. . ."

SIMULTANEOUS SUMMITS ON FRIDAY: 32nd Arab League Summit in in Jeddah

Despite the existing strains in Saudi-US relations, the Saudi Crown Prince met with a US delegation led by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan...However, a Saudi diplomat informed Agence France-Presse that significant progress has yet to be achieved. The diplomat highlighted that a permanent ceasefire is not currently on the table, given that each party involved believes they can achieve victory in the ongoing conflict.

>>>Despite the momentum surrounding normalisation with Israel, Saudi Arabia escalated its stance by conditioning a normalisation deal on establishing a Palestinian state. Israeli journalist David Horovitz said the Saudis presumably seek to “deepen their covert alliances.”

In other words, Saudi Arabia is capitalising on the US’ diminishing involvement in the region and the obsolete roles of Egypt, Iraq, and Syria to solidify its leadership position.

Saudi city of Jeddah decked out to welcome Arab League summit delegates

Arab flags fly across Jeddah for the summit. (AN photo by Abdullah Al-Faleh)

Updated 18 May 2023

AFSHAN AZIZ

May 17, 202322:25

1437

Hotels and roundabouts have been decorated with the flags of the pan-Arab group’s constituent nations
Security has been tightened to ensure the safety of high-level delegations and the smooth flow of traffic

JEDDAH: This Saudi city is leaving no stone unturned in giving a warm welcome to the various high-level delegations invited to the upcoming Arab League summit on Friday.

In preparation for the summit, authorities have deployed the national flags of Arab League member states around Jeddah and replanted trees as part of a green drive.

One of the most notable views is that of the Syrian national flag fluttering among the flags of other countries.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan (R) and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab Foreign Ministers Preparatory Meeting ahead of the 32nd Arab League Summit in Jeddah on May 17, 2023. (SPA)

Abdulrahman Rammal, a Saudi journalist, said: “It’s so amazing to see the Syrian flag on the streets of Jeddah as it represents a good change and, hopefully, the summit re-establishes the relationship between the Kingdom and Syria.”

Although Rammal does not support the Syrian regime, he believes that the country’s public, through renewed ties, might improve their living conditions and be reunited with relatives.

Dr. Rima Ibrahim, a Syrian living in Jeddah, said: “Witnessing the Syrian flag and its participation in the summit is great. As a Syrian living in Saudi Arabia, re-establishing the relationships between both countries means that we can visit the Syrian Embassy and renew our passports easily, which was not the case during the crisis. Besides, now I can visit my family in Syria and go to my country through direct flights.”

Jordanian citizens are also excited to see their country’s presence at the summit and its work to end the crisis in Syria and bring Damascus back into the Arab fold.

Jeddah is under high security alert, ensuring the safety of high-level delegations and the smooth conduct of traffic from highways to the summit.

Arab League foreign ministers attend a preparatory meeting in Jeddah on May 17, 2023 ahead of the 32nd Arab League Summit. (SPA)

Hotels and roundabouts have also been decorated with Arab flags for Friday’s event. The Ritz Carlton has taken special measures as part of its preparations. With the hotel fully booked out for the summit, guests can expect a luxury experience.

Through the summit, Saudi Arabia hopes to reinvigorate Arab ties and improve communication between countries. Important foreign policy topics are set to be at the center of discussion on Friday.

Saudi Wants All to Attend

Arab Summit — Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia meets Bashar al-Assad on April 18, 2023 in Damascus, Syria. Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry/Handout / Anadolu Agency via AFP.

To reflect its regional and international stature, Saudi Arabia is actively seeking the attendance of all Arab leaders at its upcoming summit. To reach this goal, Riyadh Saudi Arabia leverages its political and diplomatic influence to ensure an unprecedented level of Arab participation .

The Kingdom aims to secure the attendance of Moroccan King Mohammed VI at the summit, with the hope of a symbolic handshake between him and Tebboune. Such an interaction would inaugurate a new symbolic breakthrough in the strained relations between Morocco and Algeria.

After a 12-year absence from Arab summits, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is anticipated to attend the upcoming Jeddah summit.

Al-Assad’s presence is an instance of pragmatic Saudi policy. Riyadh’s methodology strives not just to resolve regional issues, but also to prepare Arab countries for a new era amidst the Russian-American conflict over the region.

Despite objections from certain Arab partakers, Saudi Arabia has secured Arab consensus on Syria’s reinstatement into the official Arab stage. Observers see this step as indicative of a shift in the regional approach toward the Syrian crisis. They perceive al-Assad’s symbolic attendance at the forthcoming Arab summit as the “most significant development in ending his isolation within the Arab world.”

The Arab Summit is traditionally a protocol-driven event, without anything out of expectations. However, this time, the Syrian regime returns to the Arab League after years of exclusion due to the ongoing crisis that began in Syria in 2011. According to the Saudi minister, hosting the negotiations is not only a reaffirmation of Saudi Arabia’s international standing. It is also a testament to “the result of international cooperation achieved through intensive efforts with the United States, in partnership with the Quad and the Trilateral Mechanism.”