Abstract As a wide group of medicines, the effectiveness and safety of ‘medical cannabis’ products is likely to vary in relation to product-specific dimensions such as potency, dosage, route of administration, and cannabinoid composition. Systematic reviews can perform a crucial role in analysing and synthesising the outcomes of medical cannabis interventions found in empirical research. We analysed 23 contemporary systematic reviews on the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis to discern the extent to which this body of work aimed to capture, and ultimately captured, the differing outcomes of medical cannabis products by product-specific dimensions of treatment. We further highlighted the methodological reasons given...

Abstract The legalization of cannabis in multiple U.S. states and several other countries, along with its increasing social acceptance across diverse demographic and socioeconomic groups, has led to a growing number of patients presenting for interventional procedures with a history of cannabis use. Although anesthetic and sedation-related implications may be less pronounced than in major surgery, they remain clinically relevant and warrant careful consideration. Key factors include acute intoxication, chronic use, and cannabis use disorder. Cannabis users often require higher—and sometimes unpredictable—doses of propofol and other sedatives. Inhalational use is associated with airway hyperreactivity, increasing the risk of bronchospasm and, in severe cases, life-threatening...

Abstract Background Cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood has been associated with brain harm, yet despite a rapid increase in cannabis use among older adults in the past decade, the impact on brain health in this population remains understudied. Objective To explore observational and genetic associations between cannabis use and brain structure and function. Methods We examined 3641 lifetime cannabis users (mean (SD) age 61.0 (7.1) years) and 12 255 controls (mean (SD) age 64.5 (7.5) years) from UK Biobank. Brain structure and functional connectivity were measured using multiple imaging-derived phenotypes. Associations with cannabis use were assessed using multiple linear regression controlling for potential confounds. Bidirectional two-sample...

Abstract Aims Progressive legalization of medical and recreational cannabis markets at the state-level has led to rapid growth of medical and recreational cannabis markets and to product diversification with emerging products having high concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Research on these products is still limited and the evidence available for policy formulation is diminished by methodological limitations. Methods As a step towards addressing these limitations, the Colorado School of Public Health convened a multidisciplinary workshop that addressed four areas of cannabis research: epidemiological, clinical, surveillance, and policy. Workshop participants provided recommendations in each area to advance research on cannabis to make it more informative for decision-making...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction: Cannabis is the most consumed illicit substance in Europe. Although its sale and use remain generally prohibited, European public policies have evolved in recent years by legalizing cannabis for medical use and considering its legalization for recreational use. However, in the literature there are arguments in favor of a particular relationship between cannabis consumption and the development of psychotic symptoms. Thus, since cannabis consumption tends to increase with legalization, the aim of this review was to investigate the impact of the legalization of cannabis for recreational use on the risk of psychosis in regions of...

ABSTRACT Data addressing safety concerns related to potential drug interactions between cannabis-derived products and pharmaceutical medications in the pediatric population are lacking. In this study, we retrieved case reports through a published literature search using PubMed and spontaneous reporting data using the Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) to identify potential cannabis– and cannabinoid–drug interactions in individuals younger than 18 years old. To evaluate the published case reports, we used the Drug Interaction Probability Scale (DIPS), a 10-item questionnaire designed to discern the causal relationship between a potential drug interaction and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). FAERS reports were deduplicated and analyzed to...

ABSTRACT Summary. Background. Cannabis is the most used recreational drug worldwide. Its use can increase the risk of developing psychotic disorders and exacerbate their course. However, little is known about the relationship between psychosis and withdrawal and the literature is still scarce. Case presentation. In this study, based on an analysis of 4 patients referred to our mental health department and evaluated between 2019 and 2023, we describe psychotic features emerged after abrupt cannabis withdrawal and we attempt to explore its characteristics. Conclusion. Although it is difficult to show specific mechanisms underlying the psychopathological alterations in cannabis withdrawal induced psychosis, it is clear that this serious clinical picture could...

Summary Cannabis consumption is legally prohibited in most countries in the world. Several countries are legalising cannabis for adult consumption. It is important to monitor the public health effects of these policy changes. In this paper, we summarise the evidence to date on the legalisation of adult non-medical cannabis use in Canada and the USA. We describe regulatory models for cannabis legalisation, changes in cannabis products and pricing, effects on the illicit cannabis market, changes in cannabis use, and changes in cannabis-related physical and mental health harms. We discuss the challenges in assessing the effects of cannabis legalisation on public health outcomes and emphasise...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background: The rise in global cannabis use has led anaesthetists to encounter an increasing number of patients on cannabis and cannabinoids. With cannabis influencing the perioperative period, anaesthetists will face associated challenges managing these patients. Objective: This review aims to summarise this literature on perioperative care for patients with long-term cannabis consumption or cannabis use disorder. Methods: This review was conducted based on the PRISMA 2020 statement. A literature search was performed using Medline and Cochrane library databases to identify relevant reports published from 2003 to 2023. This search yielded 209 records. After screening, 17...

Abstract Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, with a growing interest in its potential therapeutic applications. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in cannabis use, driven by the progressive legalization and acceptance of recreational usage. Despite the expanding legalization and use of cannabis, the effects of this substance on various physiological systems and behaviors are not fully understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that cannabis exposure may elicit sex-specific effects, highlighting the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in cannabis research. Sex can affect many behavioral outcomes, thus these differences should be considered when looking at...