Abstract Pancreatic cancer is particularly refractory to modern therapies, with a 5-year survival rate for patients at a dismal 8%. One of the significant barriers to effective treatment is the immunosuppressive pancreatic tumor microenvironment and development of resistance to treatment. New treatment options to increase both the survival and quality of life of patients are urgently needed. This study reports on a new non-cannabinoid, non-psychoactive derivative of cannabis, termed FBL-03G, with the potential to treat pancreatic cancer. In vitro results show major increase in apoptosis and consequential decrease in survival for two pancreatic cancer models- Panc-02 and KPC pancreatic cancer cells treated with varying concentrations of...

Abstract Purpose: Minnesota's medical cannabis program is unique, in that it routinely collects patient-reported scores on symptoms. This article focuses on changes in symptom severity reported by patients with cancer during their first 4 months of program participation. Materials and methods: Patients with cancer in Minnesota's medical cannabis program reported symptoms (anxiety, lack of appetite, depression, disturbed sleep, fatigue, nausea, pain, and vomiting) at their worst over the last 24 hours before each medical cannabis purchase. Baseline scores on each of the eight symptoms were statistically compared with the average symptom scores reported in the first 4 months of program participation. Symptom scores were also calculated...

Abstract Background: A substantial proportion of people using cannabis report using it to improve sleep. Yet, little research exists on the associations between the timing of cannabis use and sleep. This study examines the time elapsed between cannabis use and sleep start time and its association with two of the main indicators of sleep continuity: (1) sleep onset latency (SOL) and (2) number of awakenings (NOA) throughout the night. Methods: Each morning, for 7 consecutive days, daily cannabis users (n = 54) reported on the timing of previous night's cannabis use and sleep indicators on their smartphones. Mixed effects models examined the relations of within- and...

Key Points Question  Is adolescent cannabis consumption associated with risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in young adulthood? Findings  In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 studies and 23 317 individuals, adolescent cannabis consumption was associated with increased risk of developing depression and suicidal behavior later in life, even in the absence of a premorbid condition. There was no association with anxiety. Meaning  Preadolescents and adolescents should avoid using cannabis as use is associated with a significant increased risk of developing depression or suicidality in young adulthood; these findings should inform public health policy and governments to apply preventive strategies to reduce the use of cannabis among...

As more and more people are becoming interested in chronic disease management with cannabis, it is important to consider all aspects of chronic disease such as kidney diseases. This review discusses several articles that go over the efficacy and evidence in using cannabinoids to treat many of the symptoms that occur because of chronic kidney disease which could be used for healthcare practitioners to better formulate treatment plans for their patients.   Abstract: Purpose of Review: Physical and psychological symptom burden in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) is significantly debilitating; yet, it is often inadequately treated. Legalization of cannabis in Canada may...

Cannabis sativa is the source of a unique set of compounds known collectively as plant cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids. This review focuses on the manner with which three of these compounds, ( )-trans-D9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (D9 -THC), ( )- cannabidiol (CBD) and ( )-trans-D9 -tetrahydrocannabivarin (D9 -THCV), interact with cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors. D9 -THC, the main psychotropic constituent of cannabis, is a CB1 and CB2 receptor partial agonist and in line with classical pharmacology, the responses it elicits appear to be strongly influenced both by the expression level and signalling efficiency of cannabinoid receptors and by ongoing endogenous cannabinoid release. CBD displays unexpectedly high...

Background: A high prevalence of cannabis use disorder has been reported in subjects suffering from schizophrenia, fueling intense debate about whether schizophrenia with pre-onset cannabis use disorder may be a distinct entity with specific features or whether cannabis use disorder can precipitate schizophrenia in genetically vulnerable subjects. Methods: We retrospectively assessed schizophrenia subjects with and without pre-onset cannabis use disorder on the basis of their clinical features, assessed categorically and dimensionally with the operational criteria checklist for psychotic illnesses (OCCPI). We also investigated whether the two groups could be differentiated on the basis of a history of psychiatric disorders in first-degree relatives. A principal...

Objective: To test the hypothesis that sleep disruptions would be evident in 3-year-old children with a history of prenatal marijuana exposure. Design: A prospective study using stratified random sampling beginning in the fourth month of pregnancy. Marijuana and other substance use were assessed by interviews at multiple time points. Offspring were followed up through age 3 years with multidomain assessments at fixed time points, including electroencephalographic sleep studies in the newborn period and at age 3 years. Setting: Primary care, prenatal clinic at a university hospital. Subjects: The sample included 18 children with prenatal marijuana exposure (mean [m=+-SD]age, 39.0m=+-4.4 months) and 20 control children...

Cannabis is widely used among adolescents and adults. In the U.S., marijuana laws have been changing, and Americans increasingly favor legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational uses. While some can use cannabis without harm, others experience adverse consequences. The objective of this review is to summarize information on the legal status of cannabis, perceptions regarding cannabis, prevalence and time trends in use and related adverse consequences, and evidence on the relationship of state medical (MML) and recreational (RML) marijuana laws to use and attitudes. Twenty-nine states now have MMLs, and eight of these have RMLs. Since the early 2000s, adult and adolescent perception of...

The aim of this article is to summarize current evidence regarding alterations in the neuroendocrine stress response system and endocannabinoid system and their relationship in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Exposure to stress is linked to the development of a number of psychiatric disorders including psychosis. However, the precise role of stress in the development of psychosis and the possible mechanisms that might underlie this are not well understood. Recently the cannabinoid hypothesis of schizophrenia has emerged as a potential line of enquiry. Endocannabinoid levels are increased in patients with psychosis compared with healthy volunteers; furthermore, they increase in response to stress, which suggests...