Abstract Cannabis consumption among aging adults in Canada is increasing. The aims of the study were to examine cannabis consumption patterns before and after non-medical cannabis legalization and assess whether these patterns differ between men and women. Data were analyzed from Canadian respondents in a repeat cross-sectional survey conducted in 2018–2021. Analyses were conducted among adults aged 55–65 (n = 18,177) who had consumed cannabis in the past 12-month (n = 4119). Past 12-month cannabis consumption significantly increased among 55–65-year-olds from 2018 (19.3%) to the first-year post-legalization in 2019 (24.5%; p < .001), but remained stable thereafter (24.3%, and 25.6% in 2020 and 2021). More men reported past...

Abstract Introduction: As the medically prescribed use of cannabis flower continues to increase, there is a need to understand how vaporized cannabis can acutely affect driving-related skills and risk-taking behaviors in medicinal populations. Method: Given this, the present study examined the acute effects of vaporized cannabis flower on measures of hazard perception, driving-related risk-taking behaviors, and subjective perceptions of driving skills in a sample of adult medicinal cannabis patients. Participants (N = 38, M age = 43) attended both a baseline (no cannabis) and intervention appointment (with cannabis consumption), where they completed video-based tasks and self-report measures of driving ability. Results: After vaporizing one dose of their prescribed cannabis flower, participants exhibited no...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT Sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) individuals in high-stigma areas may use cannabis to cope with unmet healthcare needs and elevated stress. Adults in Oklahoma (Mage = 43.9[SD = 16.8], 54.5% female, 71.4% non-Hispanic White) completed a cross-sectional survey (August-September 2022). Logistic regression examined the association of SGM identity (SGM or non-SGM) with past-year unmet healthcare need (yes/no). Logistic and linear regressions also examined main and interactive effects of SGM identity and unmet healthcare needs on past-month medical cannabis use and number of relaxation/tension-reduction reasons for cannabis use endorsed. Analyses were unadjusted and adjusted for sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics. In...

Abstract Background: The trends of recreational use of cannabis and the use of cannabis for medical indications (i.e., “medical cannabis”) have grown in recent years. Despite that, there is still limited scientific evidence to guide clinical decision-making, and the strength of evidence for the medical use of cannabis is currently considered to be low. In contrast, there is growing evidence of negative health outcomes related to the use of cannabis. In this rapidly shifting landscape, the role of physician attitudes regarding the therapeutic value of cannabis has become essential. This study aimed to characterize knowledge/experience, attitudes, and potential predictors of clinical practice regarding medical cannabis....

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract In recent years there has been an increase in cannabis use among adults in the U.S., which corresponds with changes in state-level laws making cannabis available for medical/recreational use. While cannabis became available for medical use in Florida in 2014, it was not until a ban on smoking cannabis was lifted in 2019 that the number of patients began to increase. The data for the current study are the Florida Young Adult Cannabis Study and focus on 415 medical cannabis patients (MCP). We identified several significant differences between male and female MCP. Female MCP initiated...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Medical cannabis (MC) has gained traction in oncology for managing cancer-related symptoms, but its integration faces challenges due to limited evidence, inconsistent guidelines, and varied legal frameworks. Methods The TASMAN study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncologists and palliative care providers globally regarding MC use in cancer care. A survey of healthcare providers from diverse regions and income levels was conducted. Results we study included 179 participants (response rate: 51.1 %), with an equal gender distribution (49.4 % female) and a median age of 37 years. Participants were primarily oncologists (71.5 %), practicing...

Abstract Background Canadian Veterans experiencing chronic pain report concerns about accessing accurate information on the risks associated with medical cannabis (MC) use. The Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG) were developed to equip individuals who use cannabis recreationally with safer-use strategies. Many of the harm reduction recommendations for recreational cannabis use are relevant and important considerations for MC use. The primary objective of our study was to assess Canadian Veterans’ awareness of and interest in the LRCUG, and engagement in potential higher-risk MC use behaviours. Methods Canadian Armed Forces Veterans living with chronic pain (N = 582) were recruited online and through the Chronic Pain Centre...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT This mixed-methods study investigated the role of medicinal cannabis use among younger adults who live in rural communities and experience high levels of cumulative social disadvantage (CSD). Results are based on cross-sectional surveys and online interviews with 153 younger adults (18–35-years old) in rural California. We assessed participants’ levels of CSD (high, medium, and low) and examined associations with perceived general physical and mental health and with medicinal use of cannabis (MUC). Qualitative analyses were then conducted to better understand the roles of cannabis use in the lives of study participants with high versus low...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract This study aimed to identify the strategies that medicinal cannabis patients employ to manage the risk of impaired driving, and the aetiological factors that influence the use of these strategies. A sample of medicinal cannabis patients (N = 58) from Queensland, Australia, participated in qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that medicinal cannabis patients employ a variety of strategies to mitigate impaired driving risk, despite commonly reporting driving after the recent use of cannabis. These strategies included the subjective assessment of impairment, waiting a specific post-consumption time-period, regulating cannabis consumption and driving behaviour, and adjusting on-road driving behaviour....

Abstract Background Cannabis use disorder (CUD) treatment prevalence decreased in the US between 2002 and 2019, yet structural mechanisms for this decrease are poorly understood. We tested associations between cannabis laws becoming effective and self-reported CUD treatment. Methods Restricted-use 2004–2019 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health included people ages 12+ classified as needing CUD treatment (i.e., past-year DSM-5-proxy CUD or last/current specialty treatment for cannabis). Time-varying indicators of medical cannabis laws (MCL) with/without cannabis dispensary provisions differentiated state-years before/after laws using effective dates. Multi-level logistic regressions with random state intercepts estimated individual- and state-adjusted CUD treatment odds by MCLs and model-based changes in specialty CUD treatment state-level prevalence....