Bridgeport Ends Merger
As reported in our last issue, the University of Bridgeport and Marlboro College had originally signed a letter of intent to merge, with the small Vermont school renamed the Marlboro College of Arts and Sciences at Bridgeport (original campus) and the Marlboro College of Arts and Sciences (Bridgeport campus).
However, after going to press, rumors circulated the merger was no longer proceeding – rumors now confirmed with the following from Bridgeport President Laura Skandera Trombley to the university community, according to an article in the Connecticut Post's CT Insider:
"'[L]iberal arts colleges are struggling nationwide and the hardest hit state is Vermont, where they have seen four institutions disappear over the past year,' Trombley wrote. "'While we hold Marlboro in great esteem, we have concluded that their challenges are too great for us to proceed.'"
Per the article, a nondisclosure agreement prohibits Bridgeport from sharing further details.
NIH: Major Research on CBD for Pain
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a National Institutes of Health entity, has announced the funding of nine studies to "investigate the potential pain-relieving properties and mechanisms of actions of the diverse phytochemicals in cannabis, including both minor cannabinoids and terpenes." Approximately $3 million has been allocated for the studies, which will investigate the non-THC components of cannabis, a point emphasized by Dr. David Shurtleff, NCCIH deputy director: "THC may help relieve pain, but its value as an analgesic is limited by its psychoactive effects and abuse potential. These new projects will investigate substances from cannabis that don't have THC's disadvantages, looking at their basic biological activity and their potential mechanisms of action as pain relievers."
The studies will include investigation of a broad range of potential CBD applications for pain including inflammatory and neuropathic pain, chronic arthritis, and influence on pain pathways and pain receptors.
