Birth Defects

Thalidomide “only” causes 33 birth defects.

• In USA cannabis is linked with 46 / 62.
• In cannabis is linked with 89 / 95.
• Moreover, cannabis shares 12 of the 13 mechanisms of action of thalidomide.
• All 45 associated in USA were also associated in Europe.
• 65/69 assessable European congenital anomalies were also linked in the USA data.
• 59% of the human genome is directly impacted by cannabis genotoxicity.

Cancer

• 25/34 Cancers in USA cannabinoid related
• 33/40 Cancers in Europe cannabis related
• 96% of 25 USA Cancers confirmed in European dataset
• 97% of 24 European cancers confirmed in USA dataset

Cannabis is driving the 50% rise in pediatric cancer.  This is due to inheritable genotoxic damage to parents which become manifest in the offspring. It has also driven the rise in Acute Lymphoid Leukaemia which is the commonest childhood cancer of all. It has also driven the 100% rise in testicular cancer in USA. (Click Image or here for Video Presentation)

ASD is the commonest form of cannabis-associated clinical teratology. Using two independent datasets and two categorization methods we confirmed that medical, decriminalized and legal cannabis regimes are associated with higher rates of ASD than illegal ones.

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Abstract

Introduction: Cannabis is commonly used for its medicinal and therapeutic benefits and is also widely used as a recreational drug. Cannabis use has been increasing in Canada, including among Canadian women of reproductive age. Post-legalization, further increases in cannabis use are expected due to increased availability and lowered perceptions of harm. Although cannabinoids are well known for their effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems, endocannabinoid receptors have also been characterized throughout the female reproductive tract. Cannabinoids may affect many aspects of female reproductive health, including fertility, pregnancy outcomes with neonatal implications, and menopause.

Purpose: To provide a comprehensive review of trends in cannabis use among women and review the impact of cannabis across the female reproductive lifespan.

Methods: We searched PubMed and Cochrane Library databases using keywords and MeSH terms. Included studies reported the potential impact of cannabinoids on female fertility, pregnancy, transmission to breast milk, neonatal outcomes, and menopause.

Results: The existing literature is primarily concentrated on the effect of cannabis use in pregnancy and breastfeeding, with little exploration of its impact on fertility and in later life. Studies are limited in number, with small sample sizes, and are hampered by methodological challenges related to confounding and other potential biases.

Conclusions: There remain critical gaps in the literature about the potential risks of cannabis use, particularly in vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, and their infants. Given the rise in the prevalence of cannabis use, new, robust investigations into the consequences of cannabis exposure on female reproductive health are needed.

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Key points

• Activation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) by endocannabinoids or synthetic ligands mediates acute haemodynamic effects and might contribute to pathology in cardiovascular disease; activation of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) exerts anti-inflammatory effects
• The psychoactive constituent of marijuana, Δ9‑tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), exerts its cardiovascular effects via CB1R activation; at low doses it might have beneficial properties via partial activation of CB1R and CB2R, and unrelated mechanisms
• The composition of marijuana (THC–cannabidiol ratio, terpenoids) can influence its therapeutic and cardiovascular adverse effects, with marijuana smoke being as harmful as tobacco smoke
• Most synthetic cannabinoids used for recreational use are full agonists of CB1R (THC is a partial agonist) with up to several hundred-fold higher potency and efficacy than THC, causing more dangerous adverse effects
• In parallel with a tenfold increase in the THC content of marijuana and the widespread availability of synthetic cannabinoids for recreational use, the number of serious cardiovascular adverse effects reported has markedly increased
• Clinicians should be vigilant to recognizing potential cardiovascular effects of marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids; controlled clinical trials should determine the long-term consequences of the use of medical marijuana on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (Also see Handbook of Cannabis and Related Pathologies – 1st Edition (elsevier.com)

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Children eating the grown-ups ‘medicinal marijuana’ Gummy Bears, being not only sedated but experiencing a disease that affects brain structure and/or function. Encephalopathy causes altered mental state and confusion – Welcome to THC – and its analogues – use!

Sedation and Acute Encephalopathy in a Paediatric Patient Following Ingestion of Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Gummies

Abstract

BACKGROUND Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC) is an isomer of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC), the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in the marijuana plant. Typically found at lower concentrations in marijuana, delta-8 THC exhibits psychoactive properties similar to delta-9 THC. Products containing delta-8 THC are readily available across the US and currently there is a lack of available confirmatory testing specific to delta-8 THC as there is cross-reactivity to other naturally occurring cannabinoids in standard immunoassays. Paediatric exposures to this substance are on the rise.

CASE REPORT We present a case with laboratory confirmation of a previously healthy 2-year-old girl ingesting approximately 15 mg/kg of delta-8 THC gummies. The patient arrived minimally responsive and requiring intubation for encephalopathy. Laboratory confirmation of delta-8 THC exposure is not routinely available with common testing modalities. A urine drug screen preformed in the hospital was positive for delta-9 THC. With the collaboration of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Toxicology Testing Program, detection and confirmation of delta-8 THC was performed in the serum and urine using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of delta-8 THC-containing products in the illicit drug market is increasing rapidly. Delta-8 THC products are now available in gas stations and in headshops. The clinical presentation of delta-8 THC exposure is similar to known effects of delta-9 THC exposure. These similarities limit the clinicians' abilities to determine the specific substance ingested. Symptomatic and supportive care remains an effective treatment for cannabinoid toxicity.

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(also Read FDA Issues Warning Letters to Companies Illegally Selling CBD and Delta-8 THC Products  Violations Include Marketing Unapproved New Drugs, Misbranding, Adding Delta-8 THC to Food Products)