CBD shows real medical promise – but it's not a cure-all

+ photo essay of art from ocean plastic; how blood tests work US Edition - Today's top story: CBD is not a cure-all – here's what science says about its real health benefits [View in browser]( US Edition | 15 February 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( It’s been fascinating to see how CBD has emerged in the past few years as a viable medicine, now approved for seizure disorders, particularly in children. But it’s also disconcerting to see how it’s been pitched for all manner of ailments, including insomnia and anxiety. Kent Vrana, a professor and chair of pharmacology at Penn State, cuts through the hype and provides a detailed account of [what the research shows about the medical uses of CBD](, including its potential as a pain reliever and a cancer treatment. At the same time, he cautions that some over-the-counter products, which are not regulated, do not contain what they say and that CBD can interact with prescription medicines in ways that are not well understood. A study published this morning examines the long-standing question of whether the Earth was cooling or heating up before humans began turning up the temperature by burning fossil fuels during the Industrial Revolution. The paper’s authors explain [how scientists can reconstruct the climate of the past both with computer models and physical evidence](, such as growth rings on trees and corals or seafloor sediment. The two methods did not come to the same conclusion in their review, but they did find that most evidence points to gradual cooling until the Industrial Revolution. The study also suggests how climate models can improve in the future. It was about two years ago that Texans suffered a crippling winter storm that caused widespread blackouts, more than 200 deaths and billions of dollars in damage. Since then, a team of energy researchers from the University of Texas has been studying what happened to better prepare the state – and their conclusions run counter to the idea that building more natural gas and coal power plants is the solution. Instead, they propose a greater investment in [energy efficiency and tools to reduce power demand during peak times](, as well as connecting the Texas grid the rest of the country. Although the story is about just one, albeit big, state, their analysis shows how critical policy decisions are as the U.S. seeks to integrate more solar and wind power onto the grid while electrifying heating through heat pumps. Also in this week’s science news: - [How earthquake science has improved forecasting]( - [Why some people develop a lasting cough]( - [Mathematical concept sheds light on how cancers metastasize]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin La Monica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Since 2018, it has been legal in the U.S. to use a drug made from purified cannabis-derived cannabidiol – CBD – to treat certain childhood seizure disorders. Visoot Uthairam/Moment via Getty Images [CBD is not a cure-all – here’s what science says about its real health benefits]( Kent E Vrana, Penn State CBD isn’t a miracle cure for everything that ails a person – but science shows that it has the potential to help treat a number of health conditions. Natural records suggest a cooling trend was underway thousands of years ago. DeAgostini/Getty Images [Was Earth already heating up, or did global warming reverse a long-term cooling trend?]( Ellie Broadman, University of Arizona; Darrell Kaufman, Northern Arizona University Evidence in Earth’s natural archives, from tree rings to seafloor sediments, points to one trend. Some climate models suggest another. Here’s why are important. Snow on cattle drive sculptures in Dallas after a winter storm, Feb. 3, 2022. Emil Lippe/Getty Images [Two years after its historic deep freeze, Texas is increasingly vulnerable to cold snaps – and there are more solutions than just building power plants]( Michael E. Webber, The University of Texas at Austin; Drew Kassel, The University of Texas at Austin; Joshua D. Rhodes, The University of Texas at Austin; Matthew Skiles, The University of Texas at Austin Texas wasn’t prepared to keep the lights on during Winter Storm Uri, and it won’t be ready for future cold weather unless it starts thinking about energy demand as well as supply. [How do blood tests work? Medical laboratory scientists explain the pathway from blood draw to diagnosis and treatment]( Rodney E. Rohde, Texas State University; Nicholas Moore, Rush University Lab testing provides doctors with essential information to help them diagnose and treat disease. Here’s what happens behind the scenes after you roll up your sleeve for a blood draw. [My art uses plastic recovered from beaches around the world to understand how our consumer society is transforming the ocean]( Pam Longobardi, Georgia State University Pam Longobardi collects and documents ocean plastic waste and transforms it into public art and photography. Her work makes statements about consumption, globalism and conservation. [Why does the Earth spin?]( Silas Laycock, UMass Lowell An astronomer takes us on a tour of the universe to learn about the birth of stars and planets and how they get their spin. [Millions of Americans are problem gamblers – so why do so few people ever seek treatment?]( James P. Whelan, University of Memphis Treatment has a high success rate. Getting problem gamblers in the door – and getting them to complete a full course of therapy – is another matter. [Seismologists can’t predict an impending earthquake, but longer term forecasts and brief warnings after one starts are possible]( Harold Tobin, University of Washington The idea that scientists could warn a region that a big quake was coming at a certain time – with enough advance notice for large-scale preparation and evacuation – remains a dream, not a reality. [Cancer evolution is mathematical – how random processes and epigenetics can explain why tumor cells shape-shift, metastasize and resist treatments]( Andrew Feinberg, Johns Hopkins University An epigenetic model of cancer that incorporates the concept of stochasticity could also explain why cancer risk increases with age and how biological development can be reversible. - [A nagging cough can hang on for weeks or months following a respiratory illness – and there is precious little you can do about it]( Kyle B. Enfield, University of Virginia Some coughs can last for weeks or even months following an upper respiratory infection. The good news – albeit not very satisfying – is that most eventually go away on their own. - [Cost of getting sick for older people of color is 25% higher than for white Americans – new research]( Marc Cohen, UMass Boston; Jane Tavares, UMass Boston A study of medical costs and income losses found that those who can least afford to pay for health care and miss out on their paychecks rack up the biggest bills. - [New Zealand wants to tax cow burps – here’s why that’s not the best climate solution]( Kevin Trenberth, University of Auckland New Zealand is considering a plan to tax methane from cows. But while cows and cars both emit greenhouse gases, they don’t have the same impact over time. - [A new strategy for western states to adapt to long-term drought: Customized water pricing]( Matthew E. Kahn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Bhaskar Krishnamachari, University of Southern California Even after January’s storms, California faces a water-scarce future. An economist and an engineer propose a way to test higher water prices as a conservation strategy without hurting low-income users. - [Big Oil’s trade group allies outspent clean energy groups by a whopping 27x, with billions in ads and lobbying to keep fossil fuels flowing]( Christian Downie, Australian National University; Robert Brulle, Brown University Researchers looked at a decade of political spending by the oil and gas industry and others engaged in climate policy. If money talks, one side had a giant megaphone. - Like this newsletter? 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