Abstract Aims This study aimed to investigate the differences in psychotic symptomatology, dissociative symptoms, alexithymia, and aberrant salience among three groups: non-cannabis users (NU), natural cannabis users (NC), and synthetic cannabinoid users (SCs). The study also explored the patterns of alexithymia and its associations with other psychopathological dimensions in these populations. Methods A total of 108 participants experiencing First Episode Psychosis (FEP) were recruited during psychiatric crisis presentations to emergency rooms in Italy and categorized into three groups (NU, NC, SCs; n = 36 each). Participants were initially assessed 48–72 h after inpatient admission following clinical stabilization. Psychopathological assessments were conducted using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II),...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background and Objectives The Stages of Change (SoC) model explains addictive behavior change through 5 stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Limited evidence exists from randomized controlled trials testing the SoC model in Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) treatments. The aim of this study was to test the indirect effects of Peer Network Counseling- text (PNC-txt), a text-message delivered motivational interviewing informed treatment for cannabis use disorder, advancing participants through the SoC. Methods Design was a two-arm randomized clinical trial CUD treatment with 1078 U.S. young adults. Participants were allocated to 4 wk of PNC-txt or...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objective: We considered the utility of National College Health Assessment (NCHA) data relative to other national data for studying college students’ cannabis use and binge drinking, and drug policy effects. Participants: Survey data on 18–22-year old college students were drawn from the 2008–2018 NCHA, National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), Monitoring the Future (MTF), and Healthy Minds Study (HMS). Methods: Prevalence estimates were compared across data sources in terms of level and change from 2008–2018 using linear regressions, separately for men and women. Results: Mean prevalence estimates for 30-day cannabis use and 2-week binge drinking, and linear time trends did...

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Abstract Background: Eating disorders and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome are increasingly common causes of nausea, vomiting, and weight loss in adolescent females. Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is rare but has considerable pathophysiological overlap with these conditions and requires a high index of suspicion. Purpose and Basic Procedures: We present the case of a 15-year-old girl who presented with nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite in the context of cannabis use and disordered eating. She was initially discharged from the emergency department but returned the next day experiencing seizures and altered mental status. Medical workup revealed AIP, and she responded well to the appropriate treatment. Main Findings: To date, no...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objectives We studied the acceptability, feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary effectiveness of combined cue exposure and anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on cannabis craving in cannabis use disorder (CUD). Methods We randomly assigned 48 participants equally in 4 groups: A, tDCS and cannabis cue exposure; B, tDCS and neutral image; C, sham tDCS and cue exposure; and D, sham tDCS and neutral image. The images were validated by Delphi consensus. All participants received 6 sessions. We explored the acceptance, protocol completion, and follow-up rates. We assessed cannabis...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabis is being legalized for medical and recreational purposes all around the world. However, the understanding of the psychological effects of cannabis is still limited, and it has been previously linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Lately, new scales have been created and adapted to measure its psychological effects. The aim of this study is to create Spanish versions of some of these scales and test their psychometric characteristics. One hundred sixteen participants were recruited from Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) in Barcelona, Spain. Participants under the effects of their own cannabis completed the Cannabis...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background and purpose People with endometriosis report consuming cannabis to manage their endometriosis symptoms, however, its efficacy has not been established in clinical studies. This study aimed to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of two different medicinal cannabis interventions against placebo in people with endometriosis. Materials and methods A three-armed randomised controlled trial was conducted, comparing the effects of using both inhaled medicinal cannabis using dried flower containing 16 % delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) via vaporisation and an oral oil containing 100mg cannabidiol (CBD) per mL together, versus an oral CBD oil alone, versus a taste- and...

Abstract Introduction As legalization of cannabis products continues, cannabis use becomes more prevalent, and concerns regarding cannabis use disorder (CUD) rise, improving CUD treatment has become increasingly important. Techniques used to regulate emotions, such as cognitive reappraisal, may help manage cravings for cannabis in individuals with CUD. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, may improve regulation of emotions and reduce substance use. This study aims to determine whether the addition of tDCS to training in cognitive reappraisal leads to greater reductions in cravings and cannabis use than cognitive reappraisal without active stimulation. Methods and analysis This longitudinal between-subjects study will...

Abstract Introduction Chronic pain remains a challenge, with standard therapies often providing inadequate pain relief and causing undesirable side effects. Medicinal cannabis has emerged as promising alternative. This study assessed the impact of a cannabis hybrid extract on pain intensity and quality of life in daily clinical use. Methods ESCAPE was an observational study and included patients aged ≥ 18 years with chronic pain in Germany. The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Cannamedical® Hybrid Cannabis Extract THC25:CBD25 on pain during four visits (V1–V4) in clinical practice, and key secondary objectives were pain interference and quality of life. Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric...