Abstract In this case report, the role of a myocardial bridge of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and recent use of cannabis in a sudden death of a drug user is discussed, also considering the relevance of histopathological pulmonary findings. A 37-year-old man with a history of drug abuse was found dead in his house. External and autoptic examination were performed, as well as histologic and toxicologic analyses of tissues, organs and body fluids samples. Autoptic examination revealed signs of previous endovenous drugs administration and a 0.5 cm deep intramyocardial bridging of a 1.5 cm long segment of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Histo-pathologic...
Abstract The purpose of laboratory testing in the cannabis industry is to ensure public safety by preventing products that exceed hazardous limits of contaminants from reaching consumers, and to provide consumers with transparent and accurate label information so that they can make informed decisions when purchasing and using products. However, cannabis testing does not exist in a vacuum of incentives—some incentives exist that are in direct conflict with what is best for consumers. For example, cultivators and distributors will prefer to use the services of laboratories that find the highest THC concentrations or lowest contaminant concentrations, regardless of the accuracy of their testing results....
Abstract Background: Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a childhood onset chronic disorder in which motor and vocal tics co-occur. Cannabinoids are a potential therapeutic option for otherwise treatment resistant patients. However, there is an ongoing debate regarding potential side effects. This is particularly important in relation to activities being necessary for daily life such as driving a car. Case presentation: We present the case of a 28-year-old male with TS and comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who was medicated by his treating physician with an extremely high dose of inhaled medicinal cannabis (MC) of up to 10 g/d. We were interested in the effects of MC...
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...
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...
