Abstract BACKGROUND: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis, is increasingly used recreationally, especially among young adults. Although often perceived as harmless, emerging evidence links THC to serious cardiovascular complications, including QTc prolongation, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac arrest, even in individuals without underlying heart disease. CASE REPORT: A 26-year-old woman with a history of chronic cannabis use was brought to the Emergency Department (ED) after having a sudden cardiac arrest. Her initial rhythm was ventricular fibrillation, and return of spontaneous circulation was achieved following advanced cardiac life support. An initial electrocardiogram revealed sinus tachycardia with a QTc interval of 483 ms, and a urine drug...

Abstract We report the case of a 34-year-old female who presented with acute respiratory failure and hemoptysis, requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed progressively bloodier returns during lavage, consistent with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH). This case highlights DAH as a rare but severe complication associated with cannabis use. DAH involves bleeding into the alveolar spaces, impairing gas exchange and causing respiratory distress. While cannabis use is not a well-established cause, this case underscores its potential to trigger serious respiratory complications. Recurrent DAH episodes can lead to long-term complications, such as interstitial fibrosis and emphysema, resulting in obstructive spirometry patterns. Acute complications, including...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences and cannabis use are robustly associated with psychosis risk, with evidence suggesting their co-occurrence may synergistically amplify risk. Objective To synthesize evidence on the co-occurrence between adverse childhood experiences, cannabis use, and psychosis across different populations, examining effects across the psychosis spectrum and providing stage-specific intervention implications. Methods Systematic review of literature (January 2000–January 2024) across PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science. Studies were categorized into five groups: general population/community, high-risk, first-episode psychosis, established psychosis, and treatment-seeking clinical samples and intervention studies. Quality was assessed using appropriate tools. Results Sixty-two...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Aims To estimate the strength of association between psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders (SUD), and cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) during early pregnancy. Design Observational study. Setting Kaiser Permanente Northern California, USA. Participants 299 496 pregnancies from 227 555 individuals screened for cannabis use by self-report and a urine toxicology test at entrance to prenatal care in Kaiser Permanente Northern California during January 2011–December 2021 (excepting year 2020). The sample was 62.5% non-White, with a mean (standard deviation) age of 31.1 (5.5) years; 6.8% used cannabis; 0.2% had a CUD. Measurements Exposure variables included electronic...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Insomnia is characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep and affects 10–20 % of adults. Conventional pharmacotherapies for insomnia, initially comprising benzodiazepines and later the Z-drugs, often present significant adverse effects, including dependence and tolerance. Here we provide a brief review on cannabis therapy for insomnia and present a relevant case report. We first discuss the sleep stages and the main clinical aspects of insomnia. Next, we report the case of a 37 year-old patient who, after a grief situation, began to experience insomnia that was resistant to various conventional treatments, even with dosage adjustment. The...

Abstract Social factors significantly influence the initiation and progression of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. Although cannabis is the most widely used drug globally, its social cognitive aspects and neural correlates have rarely been studied. To evaluate the findings to date and to guide future research, this systematic review assesses neuroimaging evidence on the associations between long-term cannabis use, social cognition, and emotion recognition. Findings from 8 studies on social cognition suggest an increased neural response to social influence and a decreased neural sensitivity to social exclusion, psychosocial stress, and social reward. However, these results should be interpreted with caution, and further replication...

Abstract Background The association between the age of cannabis use (CU) onset and substance use (SU) problems has been extensively studied, yet findings remain inconsistent. Aims This systematic review aimed to examine prospective studies on the association between age of CU onset and later SU problems, controlling for key individual, social, and SU-related risk factors. Methods PsycINFO, Web of Science and PubMed were searched for studies published between January 2000 and December 2024. Studies were included if they: 1) were prospective; 2) measured CU onset during adolescence; 3) measured CU or SU problems after CU onset, 4) examined whole plant or phytocannabinoids. Studies were...

Abstract Prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco has been associated with child regulatory abilities and problems, but less is known about the associations with cannabis exposure. This review seeks to address this gap primarily focusing on the effects of maternal cannabis use on the child. Thus, we investigate the association between pre- and postnatal cannabis exposure of the child and regulatory abilities and problems, as well as the underlying neurobiological mechanisms potentially mediating the associations. According to the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature review was performed based on a systematic literature search through Medline (PubMed), Web of Science and PsycInfo, including studies assessing children...

Abstract There is consistent evidence that brief interventions can be effective in preventing and reducing alcohol use, but support for their effects on illicit drug use is more limited. This meta-analysis expands prior research by testing whether brief drug interventions (BDIs) delivered in general medical settings reduce cannabis consumption and severity across post-intervention follow-up periods and explores potential heterogeneity in these effects. Findings from 17 randomized controlled trials were synthesized to compare short- and long-term cannabis use outcomes between intervention and control groups. Mixed effects meta-regression models were estimated to examine variability in effects across four intervention characteristics: booster session delivery, delivery setting, intervention...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction: Taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) is experienced by most patients with breast cancer, and there is no efficacious treatment. In pre-clinical studies, co-administration of two constituents of cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), synergistically reduces TIPN. Materials and Methods: The goal of this 8-week, double-blind, randomized pilot study, conducted from 2019 to 2021, was to test the feasibility and tolerability of oral cannabis (100 mg CBD: 5 mg THC, TID) relative to placebo on pain resulting from TIPN. Participants with painful TIPN completed daily questionnaires online about their pain, sleep, and medication use, and weekly questionnaires on...