Abstract Background and Objectives Public opinion about cannabis as a medical treatment is generally favorable. As many as 35% of primary care patients report medical use of cannabis, most commonly for pain treatment. We designed a way to test whether cannabis helps chronic pain. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore whether daily long-term cannabis use was associated with increased pain sensitivity using the cold pressor test (CPT) to measure pain tolerance. Patients who used cannabis every day were compared to patients who inhaled tobacco and control patients who never used tobacco or cannabis. The effect of cannabis use on CPT was...

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to explore the incidence of adverse events (AEs) reported by patients when initiating medicinal cannabis treatment for chronic pain, and the association of cannabis constituents, dose and concomitant medicines with AE incidence. Methods Patient demographics, cannabis products and AE data were collected as part of the Cannabis Access Clinics Observational Study, and concomitant medicines were obtained from patient health summaries provided by referring doctors. Cannabis products were grouped by their constituents as either cannabidiol-only or containing both cannabidiol and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Key findings From a total of 275 patients, each had a median of six concomitant medicines, with opioids (n =...

Abstract The increasing prevalence and burden of suicide have led to numerous studies to identify its risk factors. Cannabis is the most common illicit substance detected in suicide victims’ toxicology tests. This study aims to identify and appraise systematic reviews investigating suicidality after using cannabis and cannabinoids. Seven databases and two registries were searched without restrictions for systematic reviews investigating cannabis effects on suicidality. AMSTAR-2 was used for quality assessment and corrected covered area and citation matrix were used to determine overlap. Twenty-five studies were included, of which 24 were on recreational use and one was on therapeutic use. Only three of the studies...

Abstract Cannabis use during pregnancy is becoming increasingly common despite a lack of knowledge regarding its long-term effects on developing offspring. Determining effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on cannabis use later in life has been especially difficult given the problems inherent to traditional models of cannabinoid self-administration. Thus, we adopted a model of response-contingent cannabis vapor delivery in pregnant rat dams to investigate impacts of maternal cannabis use on reinforcing properties of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-rich cannabis vapor in offspring. Rat dams were trained to self-administer a vaporized cannabis extract or vehicle vapor in 1-hr sessions twice daily until 24-48 hr prior to parturition, while a third group...

Abstract Cannabis has been used for decades as a palliative therapy in the treatment of cancer. This is because of its beneficial effects on the pain and nausea that patients can experience as a result of chemo/radiotherapy. Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol are the main compounds present in Cannabis sativa, and both exert their actions through a receptor-mediated mechanism and through a non-receptor-mediated mechanism, which modulates the formation of reactive oxygen species. These oxidative stress conditions might trigger lipidic changes, which would compromise cell membrane stability and viability. In this sense, numerous pieces of evidence describe a potential antitumor effect of cannabinoid compounds in different types of...

Abstract Rheumatoid diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia, are characterized by progressive inflammation in the musculoskeletal system, predominantly affecting the joints and leading to cartilage and bone damage. The resulting pain and ongoing degradation of the musculoskeletal system contribute to reduced physical activity, ultimately impacting quality of life and imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden. Unfortunately, current therapeutics have limited efficacy in slowing disease progression and managing pain. Thus, the development of novel and alternative therapies is imperative. Cannabinoids possess beneficial properties as potential treatments for rheumatoid diseases due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Preclinical studies have demonstrated promising results in halting disease...

ABSTRACT Introduction There is growing evidence on the efficacy of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) for chronic pain (CP). Due to the interaction between CP and anxiety, and the potential impact of CBMPs on both anxiety and CP, this article aimed to compare the outcomes of CP patients with and without co-morbid anxiety following CBMP treatment. Methods Participants were prospectively enrolled and categorized by baseline General Anxiety Disorder-7(GAD-7) scores, into ‘no anxiety’(GAD-7 < 5) and ‘anxiety’(GAD-7 ≥ 5) cohorts. Primary outcomes were changes in Brief Pain Inventory Short-Form, Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2, Pain Visual Analogue Scale, Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), GAD-7 and EQ-5D-5L index values at 1, 3 and...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-20014-001 Abstract As recreational and medical cannabis use increases in the U.S., the proliferation of novel cannabis products is expected to continue. Understanding cannabis product preferences and use patterns may inform public health and policy decisions. This study investigated similarities and differences in cannabis use patterns, product preferences, and beliefs about cannabis’ subjective effects and therapeutic benefits among individuals with and without a medical cannabis card (MCC). Participants with an MCC completed individual interviews (N = 25; 40% male). Participants without an MCC completed focus groups (N = 31; 6–7 participants/group; 72% male). All sessions followed a semistructured agenda....

Please use this link to access this publication: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/can.2022.0091 Abstract Background: The number of effective evidence-based treatment options for patients with Tourette syndrome (TS) is limited. Emerging evidence shows cannabinoids as promising for the treatment of tics. Objectives: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of single doses of three vaporized medical cannabis products and placebo in reducing tics in adults with TS. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, each participant received a vaporized single 0.25 g dose of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 10%, THC/cannabidiol (CBD) 9%/9%, CBD 13%, and placebo at 2-week intervals. Our primary outcome was the Modified Rush Video-Based Tic Rating Scale (MRVTRS), taken at baseline and at...

Simple Summary The survival rate of head and neck cancer has only improved slightly over the last quarter century, raising the need for novel therapies to better treat this disease. This research examined the anti-tumor effects of 24 different types of cannabis extracts on head and neck cancer cells. Type III decarboxylated extracts with high levels of Cannabidiol (CBD) were the most effective in killing cancer cells. From these extracts, the specific active molecules were recognized. Combining CBD with Cannabichromene (CBC) in a 2:1 ratio made the effect even stronger. These findings can help doctors match cannabis extracts to treat head and neck cancer....