Daily Dose Q&A

2025-12-17

Compare the safety profile of vaporizing cannabis to that of smoking cannabis.

Unlike smoking, which involves combustion, vaporization heats the cannabis flower or extracts to temperatures high enough to volatilize cannabinoids into an aerosol but below the temperature at which cannabinoids combust. As a result, individuals who vaporize cannabinoids are not exposed to the toxic by-products of smoke, such as carbon monoxide and tar.

Zamarripa, C. A., Vandrey, R., & Spindle, T. R. (2022). Factors that impact the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of cannabis: A review of human laboratory studies. Current Addiction Reports, 9(4), 608-621. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-022-00429-4

2025-12-16

Name a few of the physiological processes that the endocannabinoid system regulates.

The ECS regulates multiple physiological processes, including appetite, metabolism, gastrointestinal function, mood, stress and anxiety responses, immune function, tumor surveillance, cardiovascular activity, motor coordination, sensory perception, pain modulation, sleep, reproduction, neurodevelopment, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity.

Avoseh, F. T., Mtunzi, F. M., Avoseh, O. N., & Takaidza, S. (2025). Cannabis sativa: Ethnobotanicals, classifications, pharmacology, and phytochemistry. Natural Product Communications, 20(6), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X251334244 Gorelick, D. A. (2023). Cannabis-related disorders and toxic effects. The New England Journal of Medicine, 389, 2267-2275. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2306065 Kienzl, M., Kargl, J., & Schicho, R. (2020). The immune endocannabinoid system of the tumor microenvironment.International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(23), 8929. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21238929 Kumar, U. (2025). Cannabinoids: Role in neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(1), 152. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010152 Meah, F., Lundholm, M., Emanuele, N., Amjed, H., Poku, C., Agrawal, L., & Emanuele, M. A. (2022). The effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on the endocrine system. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 23(3), 401-420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-021-09682-w

2025-12-15

According to a recent study, the 4th most common condition for which 50+ year olds use cannabis is COPD. What's the effect of cannabis use on acute exacerbation of COPD?

An analysis of 80,280 adult COPD admissions with and without cannabis use disorder (CUD) was performed. The results indicated that "the overall prevalence of an acute exacerbation of COPD was significantly lower (8.8% vs 16.5%) in the CUD+ cohort... Cannabis use decreased the risk of acute exacerbation COPD on unadjusted and adjusted sociodemographics and sociodemographics+comorbidities.... Furthermore, the CUD+ cohort experienced shorter hospital stays (4 vs 5 days) and lower hospital cost ($9649 vs $10424) compared to the COPD/CUD- group (p

Desai R, Baraskar B, Kumar J. et al., Paradoxical Effect of Cannabis Use on COPD Exacerbations: A Nationwide Analysis. Chest Journal. Oct 2022. Vol 162 Iss 4. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2022.08.1614

2025-12-12

What are the most common conditions for which medical marijuana is used in the 50+ year old patient population? Check out the answer… the 4th most common reason may surprise you.

According to a study that examined the data from the 2018-2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys, "the most common conditions reported among adults 50+ who use marijuana for medical reasons are arthritis (61%), depression (36%), asthma (20%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (18%)." Your next dose of cannabis education will explore the use of cannabis in COPD patients. What is the effect of cannabis use on acute exacerbation of COPD? - Does it really help?

Ailshire, J. Patterns of Marijuana Use in the US Older Population. Innovation in Aging, 2023 Vol 7, No. S1.

2025-12-11

Are there any possible detrimental effects of combining cannabis while undergoing immunotherapy?

"Recent data indicate that there could also be a detrimental effect of combining cannabis while undergoing immunotherapy, which may be related to the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabis, similar to the use of steroids during immunotherapy. These preliminary reports provide important questions about the risks associated with cannabis use during active cancer treatment."

Gowin K, Muminovic M, Zick S, et al. Integrative Therapies in Cancer Care: An Update on the Guidelines. ASCO Educational Book (asco.ord/edbook) Vol 44, Iss 3. Mar 31 2024.