Abstract Objective Previous cancer studies have indicated that medical marijuana addresses a significant unmet need, namely chronic pain treatment and conferring oncology supportive care. However, the clinical research evaluating medical marijuana is preliminary and requires further consideration. Data Sources We conducted a PubMed search primarily comprising retrospective and prospective studies, systematic reviews, and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from approximately 2020–2023. The search included specific terms that incorporated medical marijuana, cancer treatment, cancer-related symptoms, pain management, and side effects. Data Summary A total of 40 studies were included in the review, many of which were either of acceptable or good quality. Select investigations indicated that...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Introduction: The use of medical cannabis (MC) to treat a host of conditions has expanded considerably in the United States; however, precise quantitative assessments of purchasing characteristics are unknown. This study sought to characterize the trends in MC purchases, US dollars spent, and type and amount purchased by demographic and clinical characteristics. Materials and Methods: This descriptive exploratory association study examined statewide MC registry data in Arkansas linked at the person level with statewide transaction data documenting each MC purchase. MC transaction data (May 11, 2019–August 31, 2022) were assessed to identify persons who could be linked...

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 Background Wider availability of cannabis through medical and recreational legalization (MCL alone and RCL+MCL) has been hypothesized to contribute to reductions in opioid use, misuse, and related harms. We examined whether state adoption of cannabis laws was associated with changes in opioid outcomes overall and stratified by cannabis use. Methods Using National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data from 2015 to 2019, we estimated cannabis law associations with opioid (prescription opioid misuse and/or heroin use) misuse and use disorder. All logistic regression models (overall models and models stratified by cannabis use), included year...

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 Introduction: Cannabis is a widely used drug like tobacco and alcohol. In the meantime, it is also prescribed for medical treatment in some countries. Tobacco smoke contains chemical carcinogens and particulate matter (PM) that are both harmful to health. Method: In this study, we investigated PM levels in second-hand smoke (SHS) of hand-tamped cannabis cigarettes compared to cigarettes with tubing tobacco and the 3R4F reference cigarette. Results: It could be demonstrated that the largest proportion of the particle mass is attributable to particles with a diameter of less than 1μm and that every tested cigarette emitted more PM...

Abstract Background: Cannabis is associated with the onset and persistence of psychotic disorders. Evidence suggests that accessibility of substances is associated with an increased risk of use-related harms. We sought to examine the effect of residing in proximity to non-medical cannabis retailers on the prevalence of health service use for psychosis. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using linked health administrative data, and used geospatial analyses to determine whether people in Ontario, Canada (aged 14–60 years) resided within walking (1.6 km) or driving (5.0 km) distance of non-medical cannabis retailers (open as of February-2020). We identified outpatient visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for psychotic disorders...

Please use this link to access this publication. ABSTRACT Presently, 24 states have legalized adult use (recreational) cannabis, each following medical-only access. Although states that pass adult use laws report substantial declines in the number of registered medical patients, these laws expand the market, potentially enhancing patient benefits. However, research on federal adult use cannabis legislation in Canada suggests that adult use laws negatively impact medical patients. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine medical cannabis patients’ perceptions of the impact of adult use cannabis laws in the US. We conducted an online survey with forced choice and open-ended questions in a...

Abstract Background In Canada, cannabis legalization altered the way that the public can access cannabis for medical purposes. However, Canadians still struggle with finding healthcare professionals (HCPs) who are involved in medical cannabis counselling and authorization. This raises questions about the barriers that are causing this breakdown in care. Our study explored the perceptions of primary care providers regarding cannabis in their practice. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted by Zoom with HCPs in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) to discuss their experiences with medical and non-medical cannabis in practice. Family physicians and nurse practitioners who were practicing in primary care in NL were included. The...

Abstract Introduction Chronic pain (CP) affects 35.0%–51.3% of the UK population, with 67%–88% reporting sleep disturbances. Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) have shown therapeutic potential in managing CP. Evidence suggests poor sleep worsens pain perception; therefore, this study aimed to assess patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following CBMP treatment in CP patients with and without co-morbid sleep impairment. Methods A prospective cohort study of CP patients from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry was conducted. Participants were separated by baseline single-item sleep quality scale (SQS) score into sleep impaired (SQS ≤3) and unimpaired (SQS ≥4) cohorts. The primary outcome assessed changes in PROMs from baseline to 1-,...