Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background and Objectives Cannabis use is common in people with and mood and anxiety disorders (ADs), and rates of problematic use are higher than in the general population. Given recent policy changes in favor of cannabis legalization, it is important to understand how cannabis and cannabinoids may impact people with these disorders. We aimed to assess the effects of cannabis on the onset and course of depression, bipolar disorder, ADs, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and also to explore the therapeutic potential of cannabis and cannabinoids for these disorders. Methods A systematic review of the...

Abstract Objective The aim of this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was to identify associations between the doses of cannabinoids and terpenes administered, and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods Participants were adult patients licensed for medical cannabis (MC) treatment who also reported a diagnosis of ADHD by a physician. Data on demographics, ADHD, sleep, and anxiety were collected using self-report questionnaires. Data collected on MC treatment included administration route, cultivator, cultivar name, and monthly dose. Comparison statistics were used to evaluate differences in reported parameters between low (20–30 g, n=18) and high (40–70 g, n=35) MC monthly dose and low adult ADHD self-report scale (ASRS,...

Abstract Cannabis is widely used as a therapeutic drug, especially by patients suffering from psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the complex interplay between phytocannabinoids and their targets in the human receptome remains largely a mystery, and there have been few investigations into the relationship between the chemical composition of medical cannabis and the corresponding biological activity. In this study, we investigated 59 cannabis samples used by patients for medical reasons. The samples were subjected to extraction (microwave and supercritical carbon dioxide) and chemical analyses, and the resulting extracts were assayed in vitro using the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Using a partial least squares regression analysis, the...

Abstract The Cannabis sativa plant contains more than 120 cannabinoids. With the exceptions of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), comparatively little is known about the pharmacology of the less-abundant plant-derived (phyto) cannabinoids. The best-studied transducers of cannabinoid-dependent effects are type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R, CB2R). Partial agonism of CB1R by ∆9-THC is known to bring about the ‘high’ associated with Cannabis use, as well as the pain-, appetite-, and anxiety-modulating effects that are potentially therapeutic. CB2R activation by certain cannabinoids has been associated with anti-inflammatory activities. We assessed the activity of 8 phytocannabinoids at human CB1R, and CB2R in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing...

Abstract Background: Medical cannabis has been legally available in Canada since 2001, but its benefits and harms remain uncertain. We explored attitudes toward medical cannabis among family physicians practising in Ontario. Methods: Between January and October 2019, we conducted a qualitative study of Ontario family physicians using semistructured telephone interviews. We applied thematic analysis to interview transcripts and identified representative quotes. Results: Eleven physicians agreed to be interviewed, and 3 themes regarding medical cannabis emerged: reluctance to authorize use, concern over harms and lack of practical knowledge. Participants raised concerns about the limited evidence for, and their lack of education regarding, the therapeutic use of cannabis, particularly...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Previous research has reported increased risk for psychosis among individuals who use cannabis during adolescence. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the interaction between adolescent cannabis use and other factors in moderating risk for psychosis later in life. Method We searched four electronic databases in June 2020 for articles that assessed adolescent cannabis use, had psychosis as an outcome and analyzed for the association between adolescent cannabis use and psychosis. Analysis was done using random-effects meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. Results A total of 63 studies were included in the narrative review...

  ABSTRACT Cannabis use among pregnant women is common and has increased in recent years in the US, from an estimated 3.4% in 2002 to 7.0% in 2017.1 Pregnant women report using cannabis to relieve stress and anxiety,2 and prenatal cannabis use may have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic as pregnant women faced general and pregnancy-specific COVID-related stressors (eg, social isolation, financial and psychosocial distress, increased burden of childcare, changes in prenatal care, and concerns about heightened risks of COVID-19).3,4 Considered an essential business in California, cannabis retailers remained open during the pandemic with record sales in 2020.5 We used data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC),...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objectives: We investigated trends in cannabis-related hospitalizations among youth before and after legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada on October 17, 2018. Methods: We computed rates of cannabis-related hospitalizations and the proportion of substance-related hospitalizations involving cannabis by age and sex in the months before and after legalization in Quebec, Canada. Results: In boys aged 10 to 14 years, cannabis-related hospitalization rates increased from 5.2 per 100,000 one year before legalization [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9–9.3] to 9.5 per 100,000 after legalization (95% CI 6.2–14.6), although the increase was not statistically significant. Cannabis was reported...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objectives: With the recent legalization of cannabis there are more cannabis products available to consumers today than ever before. However, little is known about the relation of distinct modes of use to cannabis-related risks. The current study estimated the prevalence of different modes of use among a sample of university students, and quantified the magnitude of association between modes of use (type and number) and cannabis-related risks (i.e., dependence, negative consequences, simultaneous use with alcohol). Methods: The sample included 368 undergraduate students (71% female) who reported using cannabis in the last 6 months. Results: Joints were the most commonly reported primary...