Highlights • Pre-legalization, 19 % of SUD admissions were CUD, compared to 9 % post-legalization. • Adult use legalization was associated with a decrease in CUD treatment admissions. • Differences existed in legalization's associations on different demographic groups. Abstract Introduction Many nations and jurisdictions have legalized non-medical adult use of cannabis, or are considering doing so. This paper contributes to knowledge of adult use legalization's associations with cannabis use disorder (CUD) treatment utilization. Methods This study collected data from a dataset of all publicly funded substance use disorder treatment delivered in California from 2010 to 2021 (1,460,066 episodes). A logistic regression model estimates adult use legalization's...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract As cannabis use is rising and federal restrictions are easing, it is important to recognize its potential adverse cardiovascular effects for better risk stratification and informed guidance. We conducted a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2019, where 39,992 subjects were enrolled. The extracted population was classified into two groups based on the presence of cannabis-related disorders. The primary outcomes of the study were cardiovascular-related adverse events, in-hospital mortality, total cost of hospitalization, and cardiac dysrhythmias. The study concluded that cannabis use disorder was not significantly associated with the likelihood...

Abstract Background: Tobacco use disorder (TUD) adversely impacts older patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, CVD risk in chronic habitual cannabis users without the confounding impact of TUD hasn’t been explored. We aimed to determine the risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in older non-tobacco smokers with established CVD risk with vs. without cannabis use disorder (CUD). Methods: We queried the 2019 National Inpatient Sample for hospitalized non-tobacco smokers with established traditional CVD risk factors aged ≥65 years. Relevant ICD-10 codes were used to identify patients with vs. without CUD. Using multivariable logistic regression, we evaluated the odds of...

Please use this link to access this publication. Key Points Question  What is the association of state-level medical and recreational cannabis laws with cannabis use disorder (CUD) and cannabis poisonings in the adult population with employer-sponsored health insurance? Findings  This longitudinal cohort study showed that from 2011 to 2021, states with legalized medical cannabis experienced 42.7% and 88.6% increases in CUD and cannabis poisoning, respectively, compared to states without legalized medical cannabis. States with legalized recreational cannabis experienced a 31.6% increase in cannabis poisoning compared to states without legalized recreational cannabis. Meaning  State medical cannabis legalization was associated with increased CUD and cannabis poisonings, and state recreational...

ABSTRACT Cannabis, the most commonly used recreational drug, is illicit in many areas of the world. With increasing decriminalization and legalization, cannabis use is increasing in the United States and other countries. The adverse effects of cannabis are unclear because its status as a Schedule 1 drug in the United States restricts research. Despite a paucity of data, cannabis is commonly perceived as a benign or even beneficial drug. However, recent studies show that cannabis has adverse cardiovascular and pulmonary effects and is linked with malignancy. Moreover, case reports have shown an association between cannabis use and neuropsychiatric disorders. With growing availability, cannabis misuse...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of ADHD and determine an effective screening test for ADHD in a population-seeking treatment for cannabis use disorders. Method: The Conners Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; CAADID) was used to generate sensitivity and specificity data for ADHD screening tests, which were then administered to 99 participants seeking treatment for cannabis use disorders to estimate ADHD prevalence. Results: The prevalence estimated from the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) was 45% (sensitivity = 0.88, sensitivity of 0.75), from the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) 34% (sensitivity = 0.80,...

Abstract Background: Evidence for long-term effectiveness of commercial cannabis products used to treat medical symptoms is inconsistent, despite increasingly widespread use. Objective: To prospectively evaluate the effects of using cannabis on self-reported symptoms of pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and cannabis use disorder (CUD) after 12 months of use. Methods: This observational cohort study describes outcomes over 9 months following a 12-week randomized, waitlist-controlled trial (RCT: NCT03224468) in which adults (N = 163) who wished to use cannabis to alleviate insomnia, pain, depression, or anxiety symptoms were randomly assigned to obtain a med ical marijuana card immediately (immediate card acquisition group) or to delay obtaining a card for 12...

Abstract Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug in the United States with more than 45 million users of whom one-third suffer from a cannabis use disorder (CUD). Despite its high prevalence, there are currently no FDA-approved medications for CUD. Patients treated with semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) approved for treating type 2 diabetes (T2D) and for weight management have reported reduced desire to drink and smoke. Preclinical studies have shown that semaglutide decreased nicotine and alcohol consumption. Preclinical and preliminary clinical evidence of semaglutide’s potential beneficial effects on various substance use disorders led us to evaluate if it pertained to...

Summary Background Variation in liability to cannabis use disorder has a strong genetic component (estimated twin and family heritability about 50–70%) and is associated with negative outcomes, including increased risk of psychopathology. The aim of the study was to conduct a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify novel genetic variants associated with cannabis use disorder. Methods To conduct this GWAS meta-analysis of cannabis use disorder and identify associations with genetic loci, we used samples from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Substance Use Disorders working group, iPSYCH, and deCODE (20 916 case samples, 363 116 control samples in total), contrasting cannabis use disorder cases with controls. To...

Abstract Importance: There are no medications approved for treating cannabis dependence or withdrawal. The cannabis extract nabiximols (Sativex), developed as a multiple sclerosis treatment, offers a potential agonist medication for cannabis withdrawal. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of nabiximols in treating cannabis withdrawal. Design, setting, and participants: A 2-site, double-blind randomized clinical inpatient trial with a 28-day follow-up was conducted in New South Wales, Australia. Participants included 51 DSM-IV-TR cannabis-dependent treatment seekers. Interventions: A 6-day regimen of nabiximols (maximum daily dose, 86.4 mg of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and 80 mg of cannabidiol) or placebo with standardized psychosocial interventions during a 9-day admission. Main outcomes and measures: Severity of cannabis...