Abstract Objective: Rates of chronic pain are higher among rural versus urban individuals and rural individuals experience higher levels of socioeconomic disadvantage, poor or no health insurance coverage, and unmet treatment need. Medical cannabis is legal in Oklahoma. With 40% of Oklahoma’s population living in rural areas, and nearly 17% uninsured, the medical legalization of cannabis may present as an accessible and relatively low-cost alternative treatment, particularly for those with chronic pain. This study investigated differences in cannabis use by rural (vs. urban) status and unmet (vs. met) treatment need among adults with and without chronic pain living in Oklahoma. Method: To be eligible, participants...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Despite advancements in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, effective pain management remains challenging, with many patients also experiencing insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Cannabis, with its analgesic properties, offers a promising nonopioid alternative. This study evaluated outcomes in hospitalized RA patients using cannabis through the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Methods This retrospective study analyzed NIS data (2016–2021) using ICD-10 codes to identify RA patients. Demographic and clinical characteristics and inpatient outcomes were compared between cannabis users and nonusers. Results RA patients using cannabis (n = 42,415) were younger (mean age 51.8 vs 67.8 years), less likely to...

Abstract Cannabis consumption among aging adults in Canada is increasing. The aims of the study were to examine cannabis consumption patterns before and after non-medical cannabis legalization and assess whether these patterns differ between men and women. Data were analyzed from Canadian respondents in a repeat cross-sectional survey conducted in 2018–2021. Analyses were conducted among adults aged 55–65 (n = 18,177) who had consumed cannabis in the past 12-month (n = 4119). Past 12-month cannabis consumption significantly increased among 55–65-year-olds from 2018 (19.3%) to the first-year post-legalization in 2019 (24.5%; p < .001), but remained stable thereafter (24.3%, and 25.6% in 2020 and 2021). More men reported past...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Many medical conditions are accompanied by severe pain. Acute pain refers to the experience of pain that lasts for only a few hours, whereas chronic pain is the ongoing emergence of pain signals over an extended period. Since ancient times, cannabis has been utilized for medical purposes. This article demonstrates the medicinal importance of cannabinoids through their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, the mechanisms of cannabinoid-induced analgesia have been interpreted via preclinical investigations in animals. Cannabinoid extracts were formulated into gel and cream at concentrations of 2.5% and 5%. The cannabis cream showed the highest...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objective: Previous research has demonstrated different cannabis-related outcomes depending on the goal of cannabis use (i.e., recreational, medical, a hybrid of both), underscoring the need to identify variables associated with specific goals of use, particularly in understudied populations. Method: This report used data from a national survey of menopausal individuals using nonprobability sampling. Respondents reporting current regular (≥1x/month) cannabis use (medical n = 35; recreational n = 61; and hybrid n = 102) were included in multivariate logistic regression analyses examining demographic, clinical (e.g., menopause-related symptomatology), and cannabis-related variables associated with the goal of cannabis use. Results: Overall, an increased number...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction Cannabis is increasingly available to individuals in the United States, with the majority of states legalizing medical or recreational cannabis use. Cannabis expectancies (e.g., positive expectations from cannabis use) are related to more frequent cannabis use and associated with greater odds of lapse following a cessation attempt. Methods To evaluate the relationship between expectancies and cannabis- and health-related outcomes, we surveyed adults who used medical cannabis for chronic pain (n = 633; 52.2 % female; 82.1 % white) over a two-year period. Then, we performed a principal components analysis (PCA) on the Cannabis Expectancies Questionnaire to derive components...

Abstract Introduction: As the medically prescribed use of cannabis flower continues to increase, there is a need to understand how vaporized cannabis can acutely affect driving-related skills and risk-taking behaviors in medicinal populations. Method: Given this, the present study examined the acute effects of vaporized cannabis flower on measures of hazard perception, driving-related risk-taking behaviors, and subjective perceptions of driving skills in a sample of adult medicinal cannabis patients. Participants (N = 38, M age = 43) attended both a baseline (no cannabis) and intervention appointment (with cannabis consumption), where they completed video-based tasks and self-report measures of driving ability. Results: After vaporizing one dose of their prescribed cannabis flower, participants exhibited no...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT Sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) individuals in high-stigma areas may use cannabis to cope with unmet healthcare needs and elevated stress. Adults in Oklahoma (Mage = 43.9[SD = 16.8], 54.5% female, 71.4% non-Hispanic White) completed a cross-sectional survey (August-September 2022). Logistic regression examined the association of SGM identity (SGM or non-SGM) with past-year unmet healthcare need (yes/no). Logistic and linear regressions also examined main and interactive effects of SGM identity and unmet healthcare needs on past-month medical cannabis use and number of relaxation/tension-reduction reasons for cannabis use endorsed. Analyses were unadjusted and adjusted for sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics. In...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Background Driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) poses a significant public health threat. This study explores DUIC through a multifaceted lens, examining correlates of various wait times between cannabis use and driving, subjective perceptions of impairment, and differences between medical and non-medical cannabis users. Method Cross-sectional data from 979 cannabis users in Israel were collected through an online survey. DUIC risk was measured using reported wait times (categorized as low, moderate, and high risk) and driving while feeling cannabis effects. Logistic and multinomial regression identified correlates of DUIC risk. Results 23 % of the...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Purpose of Review Sleep impairment due to chronic pain is linked to functional impairment and often inadequately addressed with current treatments leading some to seek alternative therapies, including cannabis. The factors associated with chronic pain and sleep impairments are disproportionately experienced by individuals from racial/ethnic minorities, of low socioeconomic status, who live in noisy, chaotic neighborhoods, and who have poor health care access. Recent Findings First, we describe the limited evidence for cannabis to manage pain and pain-related sleep impairment. Second, we highlight how research might exacerbate health inequities due to systematic biases in the...