Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Current research on drug use emphasizes harms and often neglects its pleasures and benefits. This one-sided view has supported policies that criminalize personal drug use. This study explores nuanced understandings of cannabis use from the perspectives of marginalized users in Nigeria. Methods This study is based on qualitative research conducted with street-involved young adults (n = 97) recruited through time-location sampling in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. Data were collected through in-depth, individual interviews, transcribed, coded and analyzed thematically. Results Cannabis offered corporeal and social pleasures, which were shaped by the socio-spatial context of use....

Abstract While cannabis is among the most used recreational drugs during pregnancy, the impact of maternal cannabis use (mCB) on fetal and child development remains unclear. Here, we assessed the effects of mCB on psychosocial and physiological measures in young children along with the potential relevance of the in utero environment reflected in the placental transcriptome. Children (∼3 to 6 y) were assessed for hair hormone levels, neurobehavioral traits on the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2) survey, and heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and during auditory startle. For a subset of children with behavioral assessments, placental specimens collected at birth were processed...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Emerging data suggest cannabis use is a component cause of psychotic disorders; however, the sequence of processes accounting for this association is poorly understood. Some clues have come from studies in laboratory settings showing that acute cannabis intoxication is associated with subclinical hallucinations and delusional thinking, i.e., “psychotic experiences”. Although psychotic experiences are relatively common, those that are severe and distressing are linked to an increased risk of developing a psychotic disorder. This study aimed to investigate the association between the frequency of cannabis use and psychotic experiences in young adults. Methods 1034 U.S. college students completed...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract In the present work, Cannabis sativa L. cv Futura 75 inflorescences, cultivated in the Abruzzo territory, were characterized for their volatile fraction through SPME-GC-MS. In addition, the essential oil extracted from these inflorescences was investigated for the antioxidant potentialities and for the terpenic profile. The antibacterial activity of hemp essential oil (HEO) against some pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms isolated from food was also evaluated by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The results showed significant antioxidant capacity (DPPH: 63.38 ± 0.08 mg TE/g HEO; FRAP: 438.52 ± 6.92 mg TE/g HEO) alongside good antibacterial activity against Gram-positive...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT Introduction: Research has established a link between cannabis use and adverse psychotic outcomes in psychosis patients. However, we have yet to determine if this relationship is maintained when controlling for important confounding variables. The following systematic review aims to investigate if the association between cannabis use and psychotic outcomes is preserved when accounting for important confounders, and if discontinued use mitigates any potential negative impacts. Areas covered: The authors conducted an exhaustive search of the MEDLINE database and Google Scholar to identify articles pertaining to the systematic review. Thirty-three articles were retained for meeting the...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Amidst cannabis legalization efforts and laws, we do not fully understand how the youngest frequent cannabis users fare during young adulthood. This study aims to 1) examine the prevalence of cannabis use during adolescence, and 2) investigate links of frequent (i.e., weekly or daily) teenage cannabis use with psychopathology and functional well-being at age 20—compared to no or occasional use. Methods Data came from a prospective-longitudinal cohort study (assessments from 2004 to 2018, from ages 7–20) in an urban setting (N = 1482). Substance use was assessed with self-reports between ages 13 and 20. At age 20, participants reported on psychopathology (psychotic...

Abstract Cannabis is a complex mixture of hundreds of bioactive molecules. This provides the potential for pharmacological interactions between cannabis constituents, a phenomenon referred to as “the entourage effect” by the medicinal cannabis community. We hypothesize that pharmacokinetic interactions between cannabis constituents could substantially alter systemic cannabinoid concentrations. To address this hypothesis we compared pharmacokinetic parameters of cannabinoids administered orally in a cannabis extract to those administered as individual cannabinoids at equivalent doses in mice. Astonishingly, plasma cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) concentrations were 14-times higher following administration in the cannabis extract than when administered as a single molecule. In vitro transwell assays identified CBDA as...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background and Aims Ecological studies have suggested that Cannabis legalization might have led to a decrease in opioid overdose deaths. Such studies do not provide information about whether individuals are substituting Cannabis for opioids at different points in time. The current study assessed the magnitude of the daily association between Cannabis and opioid use in individual adults with and without pain who use non-medical opioids. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting The greater New York area and a suburban inpatient addiction program. Participants Adults with problem substance use who use non-medical opioids, recruited from May 2016–June...

Abstract Cannabis use by women has been under-researched, particularly use by marginalized women in developing societies. This article draws on qualitative research in Uyo, Nigeria, to explore how intersecting stigmas around social identity categories (e.g. gender, sex work) shapes cannabis use and contributes to health harms for marginalized women. Qualitative data were collected via in-depth interviews with street-involved female cannabis users, and transcribed, coded and analysed thematically. Initiation of cannabis use was influenced by social networks and sexual relationships. Heavy cannabis use enabled some women to perform alternative femininity thereby challenging the boundaries of appropriate gendered behaviour, while others were pressured by normative expectations...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract This study was done to investigate the effect of roasting time (7, 14, and 21min) at 160 ᵒC on proximate composition, colour attributes, bioactive compounds, and fatty acids composition of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds. Roasting of the seeds for different periods significantly (P < 0.05) increased the protein, oil, total phenolic, total flavonoid, and DPPH scavenging. The lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) of the samples were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with roasting time but redness (a*) was increased. Moreover, phenolic acids, flavones, polyphenols, and glycosylated flavonoids were increased significantly with the roasting time. Roasting of the seed slightly affected fatty acid contents....