Chronic back pain is a major issue around the globe.

In fact, lower back pain is the leading cause of disability on the planet.

The condition affects people from all backgrounds and socio-economic statuses, although low and middle-income populations have seen a greater uptick in diagnosis compared to upper-income global populations in recent years.

Back pain can come in many forms and levels of severity, from a nagging pain that makes routine life actions tougher, all the way up to complete debilitation.

If you have suffered from chronic back pain at any point in your life, then you know how painful it can be.

Growing up, Georgia's family thought she was a bit of a hypochondriac because she'd always complain about weird aches and pains. Even doctors didn't really take her symptoms seriously.

"I remember at 14 going to the doctors with really bad lower back pain, and they told me it was my posture. I was really fatigued all the time and sleeping so much," Georgia told Hack.

Finally, after years of pain and other chronic symptoms, Georgia was diagnosed with endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body. It can be painful, chronic, and has no cure.

Medical cannabis was legalized in Colorado in 2000, but 20 years later, Camille Stewart, MD, isn't able to prescribe it to her patients. Nor is she able to dictate the dosage or frequency with which patients take the drug.

That's because of the weird limbo in which medical cannabis exists. Although it is legal in many states, cannabis still is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I drug with no current acceptable medical use and a high potential for abuse. That puts it in the same category as heroin, LSD and MDMA (ecstasy).

For some, it might mean feeling a little uneasy when matched with an unknown entity that catches them off guard when they least expect it, or a looming dread of a weekly editorial meeting that keeps them from wanting to get out of bed. Hey, we’ve been there. There are other people, however, who have an irrational, crippling fear (otherwise known as a phobia) of something that hinders their lives with such ferocity that they will do everything in their power to maintain a safe distance.

Millions of people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many of them U.S. veterans who experienced combat and served on other missions where they had life-threatening experiences. For years, veterans have argued for the right to use cannabis to treat  PTSD symptoms, which include recurring nightmares about past events, an inability to sleep, and a frequent feeling of being on edge.

A new study shows that veterans who have advocated cannabis use may be onto something. Researchers have found that cannabis can modulate PTSD symptoms by tamping down the fear and anxiety at the root of the issue.

Consuming cannabis before getting behind the wheel is never a good idea, but just how much influence does it have on our driving?

A study published on Tuesday suggests that low doses of CBD don’t have an influence on people’s capabilities to drive. It also found that while THC is capable of impairing drivers, the effects wear off within a period of four hours.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first to analyze the impact CBD has on driving, while also providing more information as to how THC affects us behind the wheel.

Would you smoke cannabis if it meant you might consume less alcohol, tobacco, or prescription drugs? A recent study examining a group of patients adds more convincing evidence to the idea that marijuana is an “exit” drug rather than a gateway drug.

(image: Outside of the Bay of Quinte Skills Centre at Loyalist College. Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)

Loyalist College has inked another partnership that will help students in its Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis.

The college has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bioenterprise, which helps to connect, innovate and grow small and medium-sized businesses in Canada’s agri-tech and food industry.

Students will work with Biotech clients with product development, extraction and analytical testing, to ensure that their cannabis-based food and beverage products are safe and effective.