Author: Hilary Macht
Hilary Macht
Hilary Macht is a longtime health writer and former health editor whose work has appeared in dozens of media outlets including Everyday Health, The New York Times, Prevention, Civil Eats, and the Columbia Journalism Review. Her work is distributed by the National Center for Health Research and the Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making.
French authorities will officially prohibit the sale of CBD edibles starting May 15. This sudden crackdown stems from a strict new interpretation of European Union Novel Food regulations and threatens to severely disrupt the nation's €100 million hemp-derived food supplement market. The ban is not driven by new domestic legislation. Instead, France's Directorate-General for Food is enforcing recent provisional thresholds established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The EFSA recently set a highly restrictive safe intake level of 0.0275 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. For an average 70-kilogram adult, this equates to roughly 2 mg of…
The federal government’s decision to move state-licensed medical cannabis to Schedule III has officially dismantled the crippling Section 280E tax barrier for qualifying businesses. Occurring amidst a massive industry transition, this shift allows standard business deductions but immediately exposes companies to complex IRS compliance and audit risks. For years, cannabis operators have functioned under a fundamentally distorted and punishing tax regime. Section 280E denied the basic deductions that every other traditional business takes for granted. This forced cannabis companies to pay taxes on a figure much closer to their gross income rather than their actual net profit. That restrictive framework…
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) have discovered that specific compounds within whole-plant cannabis extracts can reverse metabolic impairments associated with obesity. This breakthrough addresses the long-standing paradox of why chronic cannabis users often exhibit lower body weight and reduced type 2 diabetes risk despite increased food intake. Published in The Journal of Physiology, the preclinical study led by Professor Nicholas V. DiPatrizio investigated how different cannabis components interact with the body's metabolic systems. Using a mouse model designed to mimic human dietary patterns, the research team compared the metabolic effects of pure delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) against a whole-plant…
Hong Kong authorities will enforce a comprehensive ban on the public possession of e-cigarettes and alternative tobacco products starting April 30. This stringent new regulation, arriving just ahead of a major tourist holiday, targets anyone carrying these devices in public spaces, threatening violators with fines of up to HK$50,000 and potential jail time. Under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, alternative smoking products are defined as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and herbal cigarettes. The new law makes it an offense to possess these items—including e-liquids, capsules, and heat sticks—in any public area, regardless of whether the device is activated or actively…
The Trump administration is aggressively pushing federal agencies to reclassify marijuana to Schedule III and has signed an executive order to accelerate clinical research into psychedelic therapies like ibogaine for veterans. The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to prepare for the imminent reclassification of marijuana while simultaneously issuing an executive order to fast-track psychedelic drug research. This aggressive policy shift aims to expand medical treatment access for veterans and patients with severe illnesses, stopping short of federal decriminalization. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is preparing to announce initial steps, including a new administrative hearing, to reclassify marijuana. Sources indicate…
A massive, federally funded long-term study reveals that teenagers who use cannabis, specifically products containing THC, experience stunted development in critical cognitive skills like memory and focus compared to their non-using peers. Researchers from UC San Diego have confirmed that teen cannabis use significantly impairs brain development. Analyzing over 11,000 youths, the federally funded study found that THC exposure directly stunts the growth of critical cognitive skills, causing memory and attention progress to plateau during crucial adolescent years. The findings stem from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term investigation of youth brain development in the United States.…
The Connecticut House of Representatives has passed legislation to remove THC concentration limits on cannabis flower and raise limits for infused beverages, aiming to make the state's legal market more competitive with neighboring states. The Connecticut House of Representatives passed a contentious bill Monday night designed to overhaul the state's recreational cannabis market. Driven by a push to remain economically competitive, the legislation eliminates THC concentration caps on cannabis flower and modifies operational regulations for dispensaries. Since narrowly legalizing recreational cannabis in 2021, Connecticut lawmakers have continuously debated market parameters. Proponents of the new bill argue that current restrictions place…
Luxembourg health groups have issued urgent warnings after discovering high-risk synthetic cannabinoids in illegally marketed "THCA" products sold at a local CBD shop, raising broader safety concerns across Europe. Health officials and the harm reduction organization 4motion in Luxembourg have issued urgent warnings after discovering that illegally marketed cannabis products were laced with highly potent synthetic cannabinoids. This alarming discovery, originating from a local CBD shop's vending machine, has triggered wider safety concerns as similar contaminated products surface across Europe. The controversy began when an RTL Today journalist purchased a product labeled "Silver Haze THCA" from a vending machine in…
Researchers from the University of Calgary and Washington State University have confirmed the biological mechanisms behind cannabis-induced hunger. This development occurs amidst growing interest in the medical applications of cannabis, directly resulting in empirical evidence that THC vapor acutely increases food intake by altering the brain's reward valuation rather than digestive signals. Deconstructing the "Munchies": A Controlled Study While pop culture has long joked about the intense food cravings that follow cannabis consumption, the exact biological and behavioral mechanics have remained surprisingly understudied. To fill this gap, a team led by Matthew N. Hill, director of the Mathison Centre for…
Anxiety, depression, and PTSD are among the most common reasons Australians seek medicinal cannabis. However, a deep dive into the clinical data reveals that while patients are predominantly prescribed high-THC inhaled products, the highest-quality research actually supports CBD-based treatments. Experts warn that high-THC cannabis not only lacks robust evidence for treating mental health conditions but may actively trigger psychosis and severe withdrawal symptoms in vulnerable populations. The Disconnect: Prescribing Trends vs. Clinical Evidence In Australia, the landscape of medicinal cannabis is dominated by prescriptions for mental health conditions. According to data from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the majority of these…