Editor's E-Note
Although medical cannabis may have benefits for older adults, it may pose a hazard for those taking blood-thinning medications. Research suggests cannabis may increase the anticoagulant effect in one or more ways, contributor Michele Deppe reports.
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— Kate Jackson, editor |
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Cannabis and Warfarin: A Dangerous Combination
By Michele Deppe
People taking warfarin and using medical cannabis are at risk for drug-drug interaction.
The well-known anti-coagulant drug Coumadin was first approved by the FDA in 1954.1 The generic warfarin sodium—previously sold as Coumadin, now with the brand name Jantoven in the United States and Canada—is prescribed to prevent blood clots, thus lowering the risk of heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or deep vein thrombosis.2 Blood clots can also travel in the circulatory system, enter the brain, and cause a stroke.2 Warfarin, sometimes called a blood thinner even though it doesn’t thin the blood, slows the body’s process of making clots by decreasing the clotting factors in the blood, keeping clots from increasing in size and moving to other areas.3 Surgery may increase the risk for clots, and an anticoagulant prescription may be given to patients after they’ve had hip or knee surgery.3 People with clotting disorders, recipients of a mechanical heart valve, or those with other heart problems may be given warfarin.2
Older adults have the most significant risk for the primary side effect, which is bleeding, either externally, for example, from a cut that won’t stop bleeding, or internally, with signs that may include severe pain in the head, stomach, or joints; unexplained bruising; coughing blood or passing blood in the stool; changes in vision; dizziness; or weakness.4
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How Safe Are Cannabis-Infused Beverages?
While the market is growing, it’s not clear whether these alcohol substitutes are safe. The New York Times reports on the trend and the research.
Cannabis for Insomnia
A recent naturalistic investigation of cannabis for people with depression, anxiety, and comorbid depression and anxiety indicates a possible benefit, although just how helpful it may be isn’t clear.
Cannabis Cells’ High-Efficiency Hacks
A new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia sheds light on the way the cannabis plant uses cannabis cells to create cannabinoids. Science Daily reports on the plants’ high-efficiency hacks.
Breakdown in Legal Safeguards in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, employees who get a doctor’s okay to use medical cannabis can’t be fired for doing so. But if they use cannabis, even at home, that’s another story. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on the jeopardy medical cannabis users may face. |
Cannabis Certificate Programs
To meet burgeoning demand, Green Flower is bringing a comprehensive Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management Certificate program to top schools across the country. Seventeen partners will launch the program, designed to prepare students to become compliance professionals. |
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