Abstract Cannabis is widely used as a therapeutic drug, especially by patients suffering from psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the complex interplay between phytocannabinoids and their targets in the human receptome remains largely a mystery, and there have been few investigations into the relationship between the chemical composition of medical cannabis and the corresponding biological activity. In this study, we investigated 59 cannabis samples used by patients for medical reasons. The samples were subjected to extraction (microwave and supercritical carbon dioxide) and chemical analyses, and the resulting extracts were assayed in vitro using the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Using a partial least squares regression analysis, the...

Abstract The Cannabis sativa plant contains more than 120 cannabinoids. With the exceptions of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), comparatively little is known about the pharmacology of the less-abundant plant-derived (phyto) cannabinoids. The best-studied transducers of cannabinoid-dependent effects are type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R, CB2R). Partial agonism of CB1R by ∆9-THC is known to bring about the ‘high’ associated with Cannabis use, as well as the pain-, appetite-, and anxiety-modulating effects that are potentially therapeutic. CB2R activation by certain cannabinoids has been associated with anti-inflammatory activities. We assessed the activity of 8 phytocannabinoids at human CB1R, and CB2R in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing...

Abstract Background: Medical cannabis has been legally available in Canada since 2001, but its benefits and harms remain uncertain. We explored attitudes toward medical cannabis among family physicians practising in Ontario. Methods: Between January and October 2019, we conducted a qualitative study of Ontario family physicians using semistructured telephone interviews. We applied thematic analysis to interview transcripts and identified representative quotes. Results: Eleven physicians agreed to be interviewed, and 3 themes regarding medical cannabis emerged: reluctance to authorize use, concern over harms and lack of practical knowledge. Participants raised concerns about the limited evidence for, and their lack of education regarding, the therapeutic use of cannabis, particularly...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Previous research has reported increased risk for psychosis among individuals who use cannabis during adolescence. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the interaction between adolescent cannabis use and other factors in moderating risk for psychosis later in life. Method We searched four electronic databases in June 2020 for articles that assessed adolescent cannabis use, had psychosis as an outcome and analyzed for the association between adolescent cannabis use and psychosis. Analysis was done using random-effects meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. Results A total of 63 studies were included in the narrative review...

  ABSTRACT Cannabis use among pregnant women is common and has increased in recent years in the US, from an estimated 3.4% in 2002 to 7.0% in 2017.1 Pregnant women report using cannabis to relieve stress and anxiety,2 and prenatal cannabis use may have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic as pregnant women faced general and pregnancy-specific COVID-related stressors (eg, social isolation, financial and psychosocial distress, increased burden of childcare, changes in prenatal care, and concerns about heightened risks of COVID-19).3,4 Considered an essential business in California, cannabis retailers remained open during the pandemic with record sales in 2020.5 We used data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC),...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objectives: We investigated trends in cannabis-related hospitalizations among youth before and after legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada on October 17, 2018. Methods: We computed rates of cannabis-related hospitalizations and the proportion of substance-related hospitalizations involving cannabis by age and sex in the months before and after legalization in Quebec, Canada. Results: In boys aged 10 to 14 years, cannabis-related hospitalization rates increased from 5.2 per 100,000 one year before legalization [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9–9.3] to 9.5 per 100,000 after legalization (95% CI 6.2–14.6), although the increase was not statistically significant. Cannabis was reported...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objectives: With the recent legalization of cannabis there are more cannabis products available to consumers today than ever before. However, little is known about the relation of distinct modes of use to cannabis-related risks. The current study estimated the prevalence of different modes of use among a sample of university students, and quantified the magnitude of association between modes of use (type and number) and cannabis-related risks (i.e., dependence, negative consequences, simultaneous use with alcohol). Methods: The sample included 368 undergraduate students (71% female) who reported using cannabis in the last 6 months. Results: Joints were the most commonly reported primary...

Abstract Background Patients with cancer have played a key role in advocating for legal access to cannabis, but little is known about links between cancer and cannabis use or cannabis-related beliefs. The authors used data from a national survey to study these relationships. Methods Nationally representative data collected by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2015 to 2019 were acquired. Patterns of cannabis use and cancer history were examined and tested within age group subpopulations via domain analysis using survey weights. Results Data for 214,505 adults, including 4741 individuals (3.8%) with past (>1 year ago) cancer diagnosis and 1518 individuals (1.2%)...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were introduced in the United States in 2007 and by 2014 they were the most popular tobacco product amongst youth and had overtaken use of regular tobacco cigarettes. E-cigarettes are used to aerosolize a liquid (e-liquid) that the user inhales. Flavorings in e-liquids is a primary reason for youth to initiate use of e-cigarettes. Evidence is growing in the scientific literature that inhalation of some flavorings is not without risk of harm. In this review, 67 original articles (primarily cellular in vitro) on the toxicity of flavored e-liquids were identified in the PubMed...