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Domestically produced, high potency cannabis (often referred to as ‘skunk’ in the mainstream UK media) has become increasingly widespread in the UK. This paper considers whether the trend reflects an increased awareness of and desire for medical marijuana. Determining whether cannabis is a drug or a medicine depends on its objective physiological effects ‐ which may vary from one individual to another ‐ as well as how and why those effects are experienced. The medicinal and mind‐altering effects of cannabis are not easily separable for many cannabis users. The medicinal use of cannabis in Britain has waxed and waned since the early 19th century. Currently, the UK is at the cutting edge of the development of cannabis‐based pharmaceuticals, but criminalises people who choose to self‐medicate with herbal cannabis. We are living in a time of political, social and economic uncertainty, which threatens the stability of national healthcare systems. The broad‐ranging effects of cannabis on the human body and mind, combined with its relatively easy cultivation, make it a sustainable and effective alternative medicine. Research is needed, especially on the experiences of people who use cannabis to benefit, enrich and even prolong their lives.

“Spice” products are synthetic cannabimimetics (SC; also called “synthetic cannabinoids”)-based designer drugs used as a legal alternative to cannabis for their very strong tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-like effects. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of more recent clinical and pharmacology/toxicology findings relating to SC and describe how they could impact on health, with a particular focus on mental health.

A systematic search and descriptive analysis of the available evidence on psychopathological issues related to misuse was performed here, whilst taking into account the Pubmed/Medline databases, a range of conference proceedings and national/international agencies’ reports.

While THC is a partial agonist, SC are full agonists on the cannabinoid receptors (CB-rs) and the administration of multiple SC can produce additive and/or synergistic agonistic interaction effects on the endocannabinoid system. These levels of strong CB-rs’ activation may be high enough to produce severe physiological and psychological disturbances. The available evidence suggests an existing relationship between SC use and psychosis (“Spiceophrenia”). The acute SC intoxication is usually characterized by tachycardia/hypertension; visual/auditory hallucinations; mydriasis; agitation/anxiety; tachypnoea; nausea/vomiting; and seizures.

The absence of clinical trials and longitudinal studies, together with the heterogeneity of SC compounds does not facilitate a precise assessment of the health risks related to their use, with long-term effects being of particular concern.

Appropriate, non-judgemental, prevention campaigns with a special focus on the differences between SC and cannabis may need to be organized on a large scale. At the same time, clinicians need to be regularly updated about novel psychoactive substances, including SC, to promptly recognize signs/symptoms of intoxication.

The purpose of this paper is to disclose the author’s personal experiences regarding the war on drugs, specifically detailing cannabis encounters.

This work is autobiographical, with notes of science-based fact.

Cannabis could be the gateway to the end of the war on drugs.

The hope for this publication is to explain some of the author’s hope is that by sharing the author’s personal story, people will rally behind the cause of cannabis legalisation and legitimisation; resources are included at the bottom of the document.

It is the author’s story, so hopefully it is original.

The purpose of this paper is to critically summarize the current data concerning the impact of obesity and micronutrient adequacy and supplementation on the risk and severity of COVID-19 disease, and their potential impact on treatment and rehabilitation.

PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were thoroughly searched to identify studies concerning obesity and nutritional status, vitamin and other micronutrients adequacy with COVID-19 severity.

Individuals with higher body mass index are in greater risk of severe disease and need for mechanical ventilation. Concerning micronutrient adequacy, no published studies at the present time have evaluated the effect of supplementation on the risk and the treatment of the novel disease.

Recently, COVID-19 has monopolized the interest of the medical community regarding diet and nutritional status and it possibly plays an important role in disease severity.

The purpose of this paper is to convey the experience of medical cannabis users and growers in the UK.

Biography and personal ethnograpy.

Medical cannabis users are forced into cultivating their own medicine.

Single case study.

There is an urgent need for policy change to enable medical cannabis users to access their medication easily and affordably.

A rising number of people are denied their constitutional right to health by a misguided policy.

This study fills a major gap in the literature on medical cannabis growers.

This paper aims to investigate the new geothermal law and its implications for geothermal development in Indonesia.

This paper investigates new geothermal law and its implications for geothermal development in Indonesia by using comparable law article to discuss this development. All the data are obtained from literature studies based on the history and background, ownership and access, investment and risks, electricity market and re-policies, environmental regulations and community participation around the geothermal resources.

Geothermal industries in Indonesia need assurance and clear legal basis to be developed. Geothermal investors, whether foreign or local, need policy assurance and good business structures that can create a secure investment environment. Furthermore, a good relationship with international cooperation agency needs to be improved to establish knowledge transfer regarding technologies and information about exploration, production and geothermal development. This is essential to further develop the geothermal utilization and prepare Indonesia to be the country with the biggest reduction in CO₂ emission in 2025. New geothermal regulation (Law No.21 Year 2014) has facilitated the geothermal activities. After the issuance of this regulation, the activities can be done at conserved, production and conservation forest. Moreover, the public service agency (BLU) or state-owned enterprise (BUMN) assignment scheme can boost the geothermal industries development.

Indonesia has huge geothermal resources because of its geological condition that is located at volcanoes path, also known as “Ring of Fire”. According to 2017 ESDM data, Indonesia’s geothermal potentials are almost 30 GW and are distributed to 331 potential points. However, only 5 per cent of those potentials (1,643.5 MW) have been utilized to date. The huge potentials can be utilized optimally to support the Government’s plan in achieving the energy security. Therefore, policies that regulate geothermal utilization is strategically essential for Indonesia’s future.

The purpose of this paper is to present evidence of the therapeutic value of cannabis as a harm reduction intervention with people who smoke crack cocaine.

A desk study of published peer-reviewed material supporting the use of cannabis as therapeutic in mitigating some of the harms associated with crack cocaine smoking.

The use of cannabis as a harm reduction strategy for crack cocaine use has been commented on in the scientific literature since the 1980s. The officially scheduling of cannabis as having no medicinal value hampered further study despite the reporting of positive findings and numerous calls for more research.

There are currently no approved pharmaceutical substitutions for crack cocaine. Cannabis has shown itself effective in mitigating harms for 30–40 per cent of people. Cannabis is inexpensive and readily available and should be allowed for those people who want to use it.

Poly drug use is often framed in a negative context. In this paper, the author shows that with cannabis and crack, the poly drug use is actually a valid harm reduction strategy.

“Cannabis” and “cannabis resin” are derived from the Cannabis plant, used as herbal medications, in traditional medicine and as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Since 1961, they have been listed in Schedule IV, the most restrictive category of the single convention on narcotic drugs. The process to scientifically review and reschedule them was launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 2 December 2016; it survived a number of hindrances until finally being submitted to a delayed and sui generis vote by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs on 2 December 2020, withdrawing “cannabis” and “cannabis resin” from Schedule IV.

To evaluate WHO’s scheduling recommendations, the process leading to the Commission vote and subsequent implications at global, national and patient/clinician levels. Narrative account of the four-year proceedings; review of the practical implications of both rejected and accepted recommendations.

The process was historically unprecedented, of political relevance to both medical Cannabis and evidence-based scheduling generally. Procedural barriers hampered the appropriate involvement of civil society stakeholders. The landscape resulting from accepted and rejected recommendations allow countries to continue creating decentralised, non-uniform systems for access to and availability of “cannabis” and “cannabis resin” for medical purposes.

Perspective of accredited observers; highlight of institutional issues and the lay of the land; contrast of stakeholders’ interpretations and engagement.

New psychoactive substances (NPS) are increasingly being used in secure mental health settings. Within these settings, NPS use presents a range of challenges and staff currently lack adequate training to manage these challenges. The purpose of this paper is to explore nursing staffs’ perception of the challenges of working with patients who use NPS and to explore nursing staffs’ perception of their training needs in relation to NPS.

A cross-sectional qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight nursing staff from a medium secure unit (MSU).

A thematic analysis identified three overarching themes: “There Will Always Be Something”, “We Are Doing Our Best” and “If We Know More, We Can Do More”. The findings describe how nursing staff manage NPS use at present, and their perceptions of how training could improve their management of NPS use in the future.

The findings suggest that MSUs require a local policy for managing NPS use. The research implies that staff training programmes should recognise the existing methods staff use to manage NPS use. The findings also suggest that NPS interventions should target the whole peer group and not just the individual using NPS.

This paper contributes to the limited literature on NPS. The findings demonstrate the importance of developing evidence-based mechanisms for managing NPS use. Changes to practice are suggested, with the view of developing ways in which staff currently manage NPS use by complementing this with specific training on NPS.