Abstract Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions worldwide. Cannabinoids, particularly cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have demonstrated therapeutic potential in the treatment of epilepsy due to their interaction with the endocannabinoids system. Despite these developments, the use of medical cannabis is still complicated because of legal obstacles, the different psychoactive effects of different cannabinoid receptors, and concerns about long-term safety, especially in populations with young children. The development of new regulations will be essential to increasing access to patients' cannabis medications. Cannabis has the potential to change the therapeutic landscape for neurological illnesses like seizures, provided that science and regulation continue...

Abstract Importance  Cannabis use disorders (CUD) are associated with adverse health effects, including mental disorders and motor vehicle collision-related injuries. However, little is known about whether CUDs are associated with increased mortality risk. Objective  To examine whether individuals receiving incident hospital-based care (an emergency department visit or hospitalization) for a CUD is associated with increased risk of death. Design, Setting, and Participants  This population-based retrospective cohort study included all individuals aged 15 to 105 years living in Ontario, Canada, between 2006 and 2021 (n = 11 622 571 individuals). Overall and cause-specific mortality were compared between individuals with incident hospital-based CUD care and age- and sex-matched members of the general population...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction A clinical trial of Epidiolex®, the only US FDA-approved cannabis-derived consumer product (CDP), discovered an interaction with an immunosuppressant (tacrolimus) that led to drug toxicity, highlighting the unique intersection of prescription and commonly unregulated consumer products. Objective We aimed to identify if similar drug–drug interactions (DDIs) are occurring among the consumer CDP market, even though they cannot be identified through trials. Methods We searched Reddit for subreddits related to CDPs or health, resulting in 63,561,233 posts. From these, we identified 190 posts discussing both immunosuppressants and CDPs. Two blinded investigators evaluated the following. (1)...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Purpose Cannabis is commonly used among patients with cancer for palliative benefit. As the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer therapy increases, there is concern about potential interactions between ICIs and cannabis. Preclinical studies suggest that cannabis leads to immunosuppression, which could impair the function of ICIs. However, only a few clinical studies have investigated this relationship. The goal of this review is to synthesize reported immunomodulatory effects of cannabis in patients with and without cancer in order to better understand whether these preclinical findings translate to the clinical space. Methods A database...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Objective This meta-analysis aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of cannabis in the management of Crohn’s disease (CD) by synthesizing evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). By adhering to the 2020 PRISMA guidelines and registering the study protocol with PROSPERO, this research intends to offer robust, evidence-based recommendations for healthcare practitioners on the therapeutic potential and clinical implications of cannabis use in CD management. Methods A literature search encompassing PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library was conducted to identify relevant RCTs comparing cannabis to placebo or standard therapy in CD patients. Inclusion...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Neuropathic pain (NP) is a complex and debilitating condition that is often refractory to currently available analgesic medications. Cannabis sativa extract (CSE) has been reported to exhibit analgesic properties across various pain models; however, the underlying mechanisms of action are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of the cannabinoid CB2 receptor in mediating the analgesic effects of CSE in a rat model of NP, where NP was induced in male Wistar rats through chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Rats were randomly allocated into four groups: (1) Sham + vehicle, (2) CCI...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction Despite increases in the availability, potency, and consumption of cannabis, epidemiological data suggest decreases in the prevalence of cannabis use disorder (CUD) in some groups. Understanding mechanisms for these changes may help improve diagnostic tools for identifying disordered use. This analysis evaluates changes in CUD compared to a substance with comparably stable social and environmental context (alcohol use disorder [AUD]) as well as treatment engagement and need from 2002 to 2019. Methods Data were from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Outcomes included CUD and AUD symptoms, treatment engagement, and perceived need....

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction: Human breast milk macronutrients play a vital role in the development of breastfed infants and are known to be influenced by several factors. There is limited information on the influence of cannabis use during lactation on these macronutrients. Given the rising use of cannabis among lactating women with its widespread legalization, this study aimed to examine the association of cannabis use during lactation on breast milk macronutrients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used and 637 breast milk samples with measured macronutrients were utilized. Of these, 165 samples that had detectable cannabis metabolites were...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT Background Despite the association between depression symptoms and cannabis use, it is unknown how military affiliation may modify this relationship. Methods Patients reported frequency of cannabis use (past 30 days) and answered the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), as well as offered sociodemographic information (n = 484). Data were retrieved from a medical records database linked to a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program from three clinics in Alabama. With incomplete data for 89% of the sample for education, employment status, and income, we used multiple imputation with chained equations (MICE) to estimate a linear regression...

Abstract Importance  Cannabis use has increased globally, but its effects on brain function are not fully known, highlighting the need to better determine recent and long-term brain activation outcomes of cannabis use. Objective  To examine the association of lifetime history of heavy cannabis use and recent cannabis use with brain activation across a range of brain functions in a large sample of young adults in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants  This cross-sectional study used data (2017 release) from the Human Connectome Project (collected between August 2012 and 2015). Young adults (aged 22-36 years) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), urine toxicology, and cannabis use data were included...