Take It Slow: How to Get Back into Working out after a Long Break

For healthy adults, working out at least 20 minutes a day is highly recommended. For those of us with busy schedules, exercise can become less of a priority or even nonexistent overtime. Getting back into a workout regimen, if done properly, is possible. Taking proper precautions will get you back into your workout routine.

Seek Professional Advice Prior to Starting Your Regimen

Before starting your workout regimen, seek a healthcare professional and get a proper evaluation. Understanding your initial health condition will help determine the routine you should follow and if there are any issues, the physician can remedy them before beginning.

Pace Yourself

Jumping back into your original workout regimen can be injurious. Muscle deterioration comes with taking breaks from exercising, so starting with low-intensity workouts and gradually increasing the intensity will give the best results. Also, be comfortable with the intensity you can handle initially. If you can only tolerate one or two days per week, that is okay. Feeling obligated to doing more than your body can handle is counterproductive to achieving your workout goals.

Use Proper Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs When Exercising

Before working out, warm ups are necessary to get your body ready for the regimen’s intensity. Stretching is a great way to warm up. It is also important to stretch when cooling down after a workout, which brings your heart rate back down to its original rest rate. Your body also experiences delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) if you haven’t worked out consistently. Incorporating stretching into warm-up and cool-down routines will eliminate some of this soreness.

Be Sure to Rest

Resting is just as important to muscle restoration as your workout regimen. When your body is tired or sore, take heed and refrain from putting further stress on your muscles. Be sure to get adequate sleep also; exercising burns lots of calories, causing fatigue. Going to sleep earlier or taking a nap after a workout will help rebuild muscles and relieve soreness. Also, try working in massages whenever possible. If you suffer any severe soreness or joint pain, seek necessary healthcare, including knee pain treatmentor physical therapy.Getting back into working out is great, when done safely. The goal of getting in shape should be to maintain your health, so practicing healthy habits like resting, proper pace, and getting professional health evaluations are key to coming back to your exercising routine. Use self-awareness and ease into regimens to reach you

ProMIS Neurosciences advances Alzheimer's disease program targeting neurotoxic forms of tau

Data show antibody candidates bind toxic forms of tau
and inhibit its propagation in a cellular model

TORONTO and CAMBRIDGE, MA, Oct. 17, 2019 /CNW/ - ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (TSX: PMN) (OTCQB: ARFXF), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, continues to further develop antibody candidates that have shown selectivity for the toxic forms of tau. New pre-clinical data show that these antibody candidates can block the spread of pathogenic tau aggregate formation in a cellular model. Continued advancement of ProMIS' dual approach for Alzheimer's disease, which also includes antibody PMN310 targeting the toxic oligomers of amyloid-beta, aligns with research indicating that both misfolded proteins play a major role in disease progression and represent highly validated targets for therapy.

ProMIS announced its tau program in May 2019 when it identified several novel antibody candidates that preferentially bind toxic forms of tau. Pre-clinical data now show that these candidates can block the formation of pathogenic tau aggregates in a cellular model. ProMIS leveraged its proprietary drug discovery and development platform to identify conformational epitopes on misfolded tau and generate, evaluate and advance tau antibody candidates, demonstrating the platform's capacity for producing high-quality antibody candidates rapidly and cost-effectively.

"The misfolded, toxic forms of tau and amyloid-beta are the two most validated targets in Alzheimer's therapy development," said Elliot Goldstein, MD, President and CEO of ProMIS Neurosciences. "While addressing Alzheimer's will require a multifactorial approach, selective targeting of misfolded, toxic forms of both tau and amyloid-beta remains one of the most promising therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease. We will continue to strengthen our programs, offering the critical one-two punch needed for a disease-modifying therapy, while simultaneously seeking ways to leverage emerging biomarkers to improve the success and speed of future clinical development."

To learn more about the search for therapies for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, listen to the podcast, Saving Minds, at iTunes or Spotify.

About ProMIS Neurosciences
ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. is a development stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing antibody therapeutics selectively targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The Company's proprietary target discovery platform is based on the use of two complementary thermodynamic, computational discovery engines – ProMIS and Collective Coordinates – to predict novel targets known as Disease Specific Epitopes on the molecular surface of misfolded proteins. Using this unique precision approach, the Company is developing novel antibody therapeutics for AD, ALS and PD. ProMIS is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ProMIS is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PMN, and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol ARFXF.

Visit us at www.promisneurosciences.com, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This information release contains certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE ProMIS Neurosciences Inc.

Is a Herpes Vaccine Finally Here?
By Dr. Eddie Fatakhov MD

A vaccine for genital herpes has been in the works for close to 100 years. The majority of these prospective vaccines have failed, with some even making it to the human testing phase. Genital Herpes, or Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2), is spread by vaginal, anal or oral sex, and is a more serious condition than common cold sores, or Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1).

Genital herpes is common in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that estimates more than 1 in 6 people aged 14 to 49 have genital herpes, with as many as 90% of these people not even knowing they have herpes due to lack of symptoms. The concerning issue with genital herpes is that the virus can be spread by people who have no symptoms and essentially, do not know they have it.

With so many sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that seem to be common knowledge in this day and age, what is important to note about genital herpes is that there is no known cure. Medications are available to reduce viral outbreaks and lessen the likelihood of spreading the virus to a partner, but no medication to make it disappear. Carrying genital herpes also makes you 3 to 4 more times at risk for other viruses such as HIV. The open sores caused by the herpes virus provide an entryway for HIV to enter the body. Genital herpes is also a little “discriminatory” when it comes to gender and ethnicity. Twice as many women have the virus than men. Male-to-female transmission of herpes is easier than female-to-male transmission. Genital herpes is also more common among non-Hispanic blacks than non-Hispanic whites. The trended research shows that economic differences play a role in the spread of genital herpes.

While genital herpes is widespread, it is not the most common STD. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has the dubious distinction as the most common STD, but it now has a vaccine. Genital herpes comes in second place, making the development of a vaccine imperative. University of Pennsylvania scientists may be closer than ever. Their most recent published results show that immunization not only totally prevented genital herpes in mice and guinea pigs, but it very effectively kept the virus from retreating into nerve roots. The nerve roots are where the infection can hide and remain symptomless yet still transmitted. These mice and guinea pigs developed no clinical infection (with symptoms), and no subclinical infection that allows for spreading without symptoms. The next step is to get approval from the FDA to begin human trials.

To those who question the importance of such a vaccine, or find yourself saying “just protect yourself, use condoms, get tested, know your partners, etc.”, understand genital herpes can carry much bigger risks than the potential outbreak of occasional painful sores on your body. If the infection is passed to an infant (which can happen before, during, or after birth), it can cause severe disability or even death from complications such as meningitis. This fact alone greatly supports the need for vaccination.

Although this is exciting news in the medical field, we would still be quite some time away from a final product. Clinical trials could take 8 years or longer. The long-term vision would be teenagers receiving an HSV-2 Vaccine alongside the HPV vaccine, which is already protecting them from cervical, throat and mouth cancer. We have made it a reality that we will now see future populations with a significantly lower prevalence of HPV, resulting in less cancer. While HSV-2 is a virus with no cure, a vaccine that could prevent someone from ever getting it to begin with, while also potentially reducing HIV transmission rates. This would be ground-breaking for our future generations.

In Search of the Perfect Strain: Top Cultivator in California’s “Wine Country” of Weed Shares Generational Wisdom Behind One Family’s Decades-Long Pursuit of the Perfect Toke

Committed to purity and sustainability, Autumn Brands’ Head Grower talks sixth-generation Dutch farming techniques and the challenges of spearheading a “no-spray” operation

LOS ANGELES, California – (October 17th, 2019): Backed by decades of hard-won sustainable farming expertise, 50% woman-owned Autumn Brands stands out as a sixth-generation, family-run operation with a health-centered holistic focus and refreshingly artisanal approach. Running a large-scale cannabis operation presents a variety of challenges for any commercial grower. Every aspect of cultivation requires strategic precision, from selecting the hardiest strains to keeping up with increasing demand for product. In a notoriously competitive market, many sellers rely on harsh chemicals and pesticides to speed the growth process and ensure a strong final product. Under the watchful eye of Head Grower Johnny Brand, Autumn Brands far surpasses federal and state regulatory standards, offering powerfully potent strains of clean, pesticide-free cannabis from a name customers trust for quality and consistency.

“As no-spray cannabis farmers, we have few of the tools traditional growers use to battle things like mildew and mold,” explains Johnny Brand of Autumn Brands’ rigorous, hands-on approach. Once he establishes that a particular strain is not hypersensitive to the ravages of moisture, he tests 10 plants and observes their unique growth patterns through three distinct stages: first, he notes how easily clones take root and how quickly they grow. Next, Brand looks for plants that swell quickly, producing strong trichomes (the sticky resin glands responsible for their THC, CBD, and other cannabinoid content) and terpenes (which give each strain its unique flavor and aroma). Finally, post-harvest, the plants are dried, hand-trimmed, and lab-tested to verify THC and CBD levels, as well as other beneficial cannabinoids.

“The full process takes around 6 months, and I’m constantly searching for new strains to test and grow,” says Brand. Fortunately, several family-owned greenhouses give the company a unique edge: the freedom to grow and test product year-round in conjunction with the weather. “Indoor grows can operate year-round, regardless of the weather. Outdoor grows can only cultivate in warmer seasons,” he explains. “We’ve grown in the same greenhouses for more than 27 years, as hard-won knowledge from my grandpa and my dad passed down to me. My favorite part of our approach is the ability to work with the seasons; some plants change color and growth speed depending on the weather - which makes the testing process especially challenging - but it’s also what keeps me engaged in the process.”

Autumn Brands brings an uncompromising work ethic, informed by generations of family farming, to the task of producing hand-selected, sun-grown buds - each hang-dried, hand-trimmed, and cured to preserve maximum potency and full healing benefits. Overseeing every stage of their no-spray growth process, Johnny Brand and his expert team deliver sustainably sourced, farm-to-consumer cannabis to a blossoming health and wellness market. Visit www.AutumnBrands.com to learn more and discover their full selection of premium flower, pre-rolls, and pre-filled cartridges. Follow on Instagram @AutumnBrands for the latest product releases and updates.

About Autumn Brands:

Autumn Brands is a licensed California cannabis cultivator dedicated to the synergy of health and wellness. The Autumn Brands’ family farm started in Holland more than a century ago, and today, sixth-generation farmers apply the same expertise garnered in growing the world’s finest tulips to producing pure and potent strains of cannabis in sunny, coastal Santa Barbara County. Autumn Brands is proud to be 50 percent woman-owned, free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. For more information, visit www.autumnbrands.com or email leighanne@anderson-pr.com.

# # #

https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/post/growing-competition-cannabis-space

Trichomes: The Complete Guide

Canopy Growth completes previously announced acquisition of Beckley Canopy Therapeutics

SMITHS FALLS, ON & LONDON, Oct. 15, 2019 /CNW/ - Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) ("Canopy Growth" or the "Company") has closed the previously announced acquisition of all outstanding shares in the global cannabinoid based research company Beckley Canopy Therapeutics (Beckley Canopy), including the joint commercial venture Spectrum Biomedical UK. These teams will now be integrated into the broader Spectrum Therapeutics organization to increase the breadth of the clinical research being pursued under the Spectrum banner and to combine continental European and United Kingdom commercial teams.

As a part of the acquisition, Canopy Growth's European management structure will evolve. Paul Steckler and Steven Wooding will assume the roles of Co-Managing Directors in charge of all European operations. Paul is a seasoned pharmaceutical executive with over 20 years' experience in commercial roles, having worked in both large and small pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer. Steve has held multiple positions within a 27-year career at Janssen, the Pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson. Most recently, he was head of Global Commercial Strategy and Market Access for Janssen.

"The acquisition comes at a time when commercial opportunities across Europe are ramping up," said Mark Zekulin, CEO, Canopy Growth. "Spectrum Biomedical has completed all necessary approvals to import cannabis into the UK market and is proud to facilitate patient access to safe cannabinoid-based medicines there. Consolidating our UK-based operations will allow Canopy to simultaneously improve its research and commercial capabilities across the continent."

Beckley Canopy was formed as a joint venture in January 2018 between Beckley Research & Innovations ("BRI") and Canopy Growth to research and develop clinically validated cannabis-based medicines, with a strong focus on intellectual property protection. The research platform combined European and North American-based leaders in cannabis research from BRI and Canopy Growth to create a strong and complementary UK-based European partnership. Since its inception, Beckley Canopy has made significant progress in its core research areas, added additional indications of interest, and worked closely and in a complementary fashion with the global Canopy research team.

Here's to Future (European) Growth.

About Canopy Growth Corporation
Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED, NYSE:CGC) is a world-leading diversified cannabis, hemp and cannabis device company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms, as well as medical devices through Canopy Growth's subsidiary, Storz & Bickel GMbH & Co. KG. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time. Canopy Growth has operations in over a dozen countries across five continents.

Canopy Growth's medical division, Spectrum Therapeutics is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis, and has devoted millions of dollars toward cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. Spectrum Therapeutics sells a range of full-spectrum products using its colour-coded classification Spectrum system as well as single cannabinoid Dronabinol under the brand Bionorica Ethics.

Canopy Growth operates retail stores across Canada under its award-winning Tweed and Tokyo Smoke banners. Tweed is a globally recognized cannabis brand which has built a large and loyal following by focusing on quality products and meaningful customer relationships.

From our historic public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange to our continued international expansion, pride in advancing shareholder value through leadership is engrained in all we do at Canopy Growth. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names including cannabis icons Snoop Dogg and Seth Rogen, breeding legends DNA Genetics and Green House Seeds, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth operates eleven licensed cannabis production sites with over 4.7 million square feet of production capacity, including over one million square feet of GMP certified production space. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Examples of such statements include statements with respect to strategic acquisitions. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the Company's ability to satisfy provincial sales contracts or provinces purchasing all cannabis allocated to them, and such risks contained in the Company's annual information form dated June 25, 2019 and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation

Canopy Growth Announces Sale of Stake in AusCann

The companies will continue to collaborate in the Australian market

SMITHS FALLS, ON, Oct. 15, 2019 /CNW/ - Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) ("Canopy Growth") has sold its 42,087,639 shares in Australian cannabis company AusCann Group Holdings (AusCann) via an off market block trade at $0.15 per share for gross proceeds of $6.3 million. The trade was facilitated by Canaccord Australia.

The sale represents Canopy Growth's total 13.2% interest in AusCann.

"Canopy Growth remains optimistic about the future of the Australian medical cannabis market and will continue to collaborate with the team at Auscann to support greater physician understanding and patient access to high quality cannabis products throughout Australia," said Mark Zekulin, CEO, Canopy Growth. "The decision to divest our position in AusCann, which we obtained three years ago in exchange for support provided, will allow us to sharpen our focus on our wholly-owned operations in the market, while continuing to collaborate with our partners at AusCann."

Dr. Marcel Bonn-Miller, Canopy Growth's Global Senior Director of Clinical Science, will continue to sit on the AusCann Board of Directors to facilitate future collaboration.

Here's to Future Growth.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Examples of such statements include statements with respect to divesting shares. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the Company's ability to satisfy provincial sales contracts or provinces purchasing all cannabis allocated to them, and such risks contained in the Company's annual information form dated June 25, 2019 and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation

Avicanna Commences Trading on the OTCQX Market in the United States

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAWS/

TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2019 /CNW/ - Avicanna Inc. ("Avicanna" or the "Company") (TSX: AVCN) (OTCQX: AVCNF), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of cannabinoid-based products, is pleased to announce that its common shares will commence trading today on the OTCQX® Best Market in the United States under the symbol "AVCNF".

The OTCQX Best Market provides added service, value and convenience to U.S. investors, brokers and institutions seeking to trade Avicanna shares. OTCQX is OTC Markets Group's premier market for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To be eligible, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, demonstrate compliance with U.S. securities laws, be current in their disclosure, and have a professional third-party sponsor introduction.

"Trading on the OTCQX Market represents a significant step in Avicanna's capital markets strategy and journey to become an international leader in the biopharmaceutical industry. The achievement will allow us increased access to the U.S. capital markets and industry participants with extensive experience in evaluating pharmaceutical companies. Trading on OTCQX is also expected to provide a streamlined process for U.S. investors to transact in our securities and enhanced liquidity for all shareholders," stated Setu Purohit, President of Avicanna Inc.

About Avicanna

Avicanna is an Ontario corporation focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products through its two main business segments, cultivation and research and development.

Avicanna's two majority-owned subsidiaries, Sativa Nativa S.A.S. and Santa Marta Golden Hemp S.A.S., both located in Santa Marta, Colombia are the base for Avicanna's cultivation activities. These two companies are licensed to cultivate and process cannabis for the production of cannabis extracts and purified cannabinoids including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Avicanna's research and development business is primarily conducted out of Canada at its headquarters in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Centre, JLABS @ Toronto. Avicanna's scientific team develops products, and Avicanna has also engaged the services of researchers at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto for the purpose of optimizing and improving upon its products.

Avicanna's research and development and cultivation activities are focused on the development of its key products, including plant-derived cannabinoid pharmaceuticals, phyto-therapeutics, derma-cosmetics and Extracts (defined as plant-derived cannabinoid extracts and purified cannabinoids, including distillates and isolates), with a goal of eventually having these products manufactured and distributed through various markets.

Stay Connected

For more information about Avicanna, visit www.avicanna.com, call 1-647-243-5283, or contact Setu Purohit, President by email info@avicanna.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

Certain information in this press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements include but are not limited to the expected benefits from the commencement of trading on the OTCQX Market. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's long form final prospectus dated July 8, 2019. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company.

SOURCE Avicanna Inc.

Health Canada Leverages Strainprint^RTechnologies’ Real-Time Observational Data and Analytics to Better Understand Cannabis Use in Canada

Strainprint Analytics Research Platform to Help Support Canadian Government
Policies Post-Cannabis LegalizationF

TORONTO (Oct. 15 2019) – Strainprint^RTechnologies Ltd. (Strainprint), the leader in cannabis data and analytics is proud to announce that Health Canada has subscribed to use Strainprint Analytics to further research Canadians’ use of cannabis in the post-legalization era.

Health Canada views the legalization and regulation of all cannabis through a lens of public safety and is regarded as one of the most respected regulatory bodies in the world. Raising awareness about the health effects of cannabis through research and public education is fundamental to Health Canada’s mandate, which Strainprint’s real-world observational data is uniquely positioned to support.

Health Canada now has access to over 1.4 million anonymized patient reported outcomes (70+ million data points on real-time patient use and strain efficacy) through Strainprint Analytics, the most sophisticated cannabis research platform available today. Strainprint Analytics is the self-serve web-companion to published reports (like the Candian Medical Cannabis Experience: A 2019 Patient Retrospective) and custom research that Strainprint’s research team conducts on its data for industry.

Various departments at Health Canada will use Strainprint Analytics to:

Understand how optimal products and administration methods vary by gender and age across the country;
See how products and producers rank against each other for consistency and efficacy;
Get better and faster visibility into any adverse reactions; and
Track how Candian patient use has changed pre and post legalization.

“Canada has developed the most sophisticated and compliant medical cannabis program in the world, which makes Health Canada, arguably, one of the most important data customers in the industry,” said Strainprint CEO, Andrew Muroff. “We are incredibly proud that they have chosen to work with us as a trusted authority on patient data.”

For more information visit www.strainprintanalytics.com.

About Strainprint^R

Founded in Toronto in 2016, Strainprint^RTechnologies Ltd. is the leading demand-side cannabis data and analytics company. With the world's largest longitudinal, observational dataset of its kind and a mission to advance the scientific understanding of cannabis and its legitimization as a mainstream therapy, Strainprint helps medical cannabis patients and doctors to use cannabis in the most effective and responsible way possible. Strainprint's comprehensive research platform provides advanced business intelligence and treatment guidance to producers, retailers, medical practitioners, pharmacies, government and industry. Strainprint is HIPAA, PIPEDA and PHIPA privacy compliant, military-grade encrypted, and all patient data is completely anonymized and at rest in Canada. Strainprint can be seamlessly embedded or integrated with most electronic medical records (EMR) and seed2sale software systems. Strainprint Analytics is accessed by customer subscription. The Strainprint App is free to patients and can be downloaded from both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. www.strainprint.ca, facebook, twitter, linkedin. Strainprint Reports are available at https://strainprint.ca/strainprint-reports/.

Vaping is not a safe substitute for smoking and can damage the lungs—a case study of granulomatosis resulting from vaping

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 14, 2019) Vaping is not a low-risk substitute for smoking cigarettes, according to researcher Charlie Lin, MD, who authored a case study of a 34-year-old former smoker diagnosed with granulomatosis attributed to two months of electronic cigarette use. Dr. Lin will present his case study at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2019 in New Orleans.

“This case of granulomatosis secondary to electronic cigarette use exemplifies an unintended consequence of ‘vaping,’” Dr. Lin wrote. Granulomas destroy healthy tissue and inflame blood vessels, which can limit blood flow to organs including the lungs.

Electronic cigarettes vaporize liquids for inhalation to simulate the combustion of smoking traditional cigarettes. Until recently, e-cigarettes, with their lack of combustion-produced toxins, were thought to be lower risk than traditional cigarettes. Consequently, e-cigarettes have been heralded as having a perceived role in smoking cessation.

The subject of the case study sought medical evaluation for a new cough and wheeze 10 months after undergoing a bilobectomy for lung cancer. The patient acknowledged that she had begun vaping two months earlier. After a variety of tests, she was diagnosed with granulomatosis.

“Given the recent introduction of electronic cigarettes into our culture and the relatively limited availability of studies delineating health risks arising from their use, further research is necessary to quantify and characterize exposures of specific chemicals within vaporized liquids,” continued Dr. Lin. “This can assist with determination of toxic doses and may inform future regulations regarding safe levels of constituent components within commercially available liquids. Importantly, such investigation can help bolster public knowledge and continue to objectively demonstrate that “vaping,” or inhalation of aerosolized liquids, is not benign, and in fact has known pulmonary consequences,” Dr. Lin concluded.

Victor Test, MD, Co-Chair of the CHEST Scientific Program Committee and Professor of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, commented: “This case report is reflective of the recent increase in reported vaping-associated lung injury. It brings to the surface how little we understand about vaping and its effects on lung health though it does suggest that vaping is not a benign habit.”

ABOUT CHEST 2019

CHEST 2019 is the 85th annual meeting for the American College of Chest Physicians held Oct. 19 to Oct. 23, 2019, in New Orleans. The American College of Chest Physicians, publisher of the journal CHEST®, is the global leader in advancing best patient outcomes through innovative chest medicine education, clinical research and team-based care. Its mission is to champion the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication and research. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 19,000 members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. For more information about CHEST 2019, visit chestmeeting.chestnet.org, or follow CHEST meeting hashtag, #CHEST2019, on social media.

Smokers have more blood clots in the lung, leading to higher hospital readmission rates

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 14, 2019) Patients with lung blood clots who smoke are more likely to be readmitted for lung blood clots than nonsmokers, according to Kam Sing Ho, MD, from Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West in New York City, who will present the study findings at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2019 in New Orleans.

Pulmonary emboli (PE), or blood clots in the lung, are common and are associated with 100,000 deaths annually. Risk factors include advanced age, surgery, trauma, prolonged immobility, cancer, pregnancy, estrogen therapy, congestive heart failure and defects in blood coagulation factors.

The researchers conducted a retrospective study using the AHRQ-HCUP Nationwide Readmission Database to study the role of smoking in hospital readmissions with a primary diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and a secondary diagnosis of tobacco dependence, also called active smoking.

“Active smokers have a higher hospital readmission rate (34.2%) for pulmonary embolism,” stated Dr. Ho. “We found that 11% of smokers and nearly 9% of nonsmokers with PE were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. The most common cause (13%) for readmission was PE. Smoking was an independent predictor associated with higher readmission rate.”

The investigators found that readmitted patients were twice as likely to die than patients on their first admission (6.27 % vs. 3.16%). Smoking was associated with readmission as were female gender, atrial fibrillation, in-hospital oxygen requirement, Medicare insurance and additional illnesses. Private insurance and higher income status were associated with fewer readmissions.

“Previous reports have shown that smoking cessation services are underutilized within the hospital,” commented Dr. Ho. “The National Readmission Database provides a platform to identify these correlations. This is an early study with promising results, which we are planning further refine with our own hospital database. In the future, we want to incorporate smoking cessation services for all adults hospitalized with pulmonary emboli.”

Michelle Cao, MD, member of the American College of Chest Physicians Scientific Presentations and Awards Committee and Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University, California, addressed the importance of smoking cessation and the next step in implementation: “This study provides an opportunity to evaluate methods of implementing tobacco cessation, in light of possible increased risk of pulmonary embolism in smokers. One of the questions posed is how can we better utilize in- hospital smoking cessation programs as well as outpatient programs. Can this service be driven by primary care providers and/or pulmonologists? Successful smoking cessation programs would have major implications on morbidity, mortality as well as economic burden.”