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Babalonis S, Walsh SL. Therapeutic potential of opioid/cannabinoid combinations in humans: Review of the evidence. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 36:206-216. [PMID: 32273144 PMCID: PMC7338254 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The endogenous opioid and cannabinoid receptor systems are widely distributed and co-localized throughout central and peripheral nervous system regions. A large body of preclinical evidence suggests that there are functional interactions between these two systems that may be leveraged to address various health conditions. Numerous animal studies have shown that cannabinoid agonists (e.g., delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [Δ9-THC]) enhance the analgesic effects of µ-opioid analgesics as evidenced by decreasing the opioid dose required for analgesia (i.e., opioid sparing) and extending the duration of the opioid analgesia. In contrast, controlled human laboratory studies and clinical trials have not demonstrated robust analgesic or opioid-sparing effects from opioid-cannabinoid combinations. Meta-analyses of the literature (clinical trials, controlled laboratory studies; some non-controlled studies/case reports) have examined the effects of cannabis/cannabinoids for pain relief in those taking a wide variety of analgesics, including prescription opioid medications. These data do not strongly support the use of cannabinoids for chronic pain nor do prospective studies demonstrate significant cannabinoid-mediated opioid-sparing effects. Preclinical studies have also suggested a role for cannabinoids for the treatment of opioid withdrawal. Controlled laboratory and clinical studies suggest that there may be a modest signal for Δ9-THC to suppress some opioid signs and symptoms but they are not completely ameliorated and there may also be concerns around safety of Δ9-THC administration in a state of heightened autonomic arousal as occurs with opioid withdrawal. Despite anecdotal and correlational reports suggesting a benefit of cannabis on reducing opioid overdose, there is no strong data supporting this contention and emerging reports have conflicting results. In summary, there is a groundswell of public advocacy supporting the use of cannabis and cannabinoids to replace opioid analgesics or to reduce opioid use; however, the extant controlled clinical data do not support the role of cannabinoids for opioid replacement or opioid-sparing effects when treating opioid use disorder or chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanna Babalonis
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, 845 Angliana Avenue, Lexington, KY 40508, United States; Department of the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, United States
| | - Sharon L Walsh
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, 845 Angliana Avenue, Lexington, KY 40508, United States; Department of Pharmacology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, United States; Department of the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40508, United States.
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102
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Wolf J, Urits I, Orhurhu V, Peck J, Orhurhu MS, Giacomazzi S, Smoots D, Piermarini C, Manchikanti L, Kaye AD, Kaye RJ, Viswanath O. The Role of the Cannabinoid System in Pain Control: Basic and Clinical Implications. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2020; 24:35. [PMID: 32506272 DOI: 10.1007/s11916-020-00873-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive update of the different known components of the endogenous cannabinoid system and the mechanisms of action, as it applies to analgesia. RECENT FINDINGS Following the discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid system in the early 1990s and the subsequent characterization of the cannabinoid receptor, there has been a renewed interest in cannabinoid research. Recent work has demonstrated its efficacy as a pharmacologic agent. There is limited evidence in the literature about the understanding of the endocannabinoid system and its role in the treatment and management of acute and chronic pain. Further work may elucidate additional roles for the endocannabinoid system within our nervous system and, moreover, additional subtypes of cannabinoid receptors have yet to be discovered. Cannabinoid compounds mediate their biological effects via binding and subsequent activation of cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are located throughout the body and make up the endocannabinoid system. These receptors are best understood and have been cloned, type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)] [ (1, 2)]. The CB2 receptor is located primarily in the immune system. CB1 receptors are primarily located in the nervous system with the highest concentrations in the brain and lower concentrations in the spine and peripheral nervous tissues. Cannabinoids may be promising treatments for neuropathic pain with limited evidence, whereas, the evidence for other uses is insufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Wolf
- Creighton University School of Medicine, Phoenix Regional Campus, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ivan Urits
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Vwaire Orhurhu
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacquelin Peck
- Department of Anesthesiology, Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida, Miami Beach, FL, USA
| | - Mariam Salisu Orhurhu
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen Giacomazzi
- Creighton University School of Medicine, Phoenix Regional Campus, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Daniel Smoots
- Creighton University School of Medicine, Phoenix Regional Campus, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - Alan D Kaye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Rachel J Kaye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Omar Viswanath
- Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA.,Valley Anesthesiology and Pain Consultants, Envision Physician Services, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
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103
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Bergeria CL, Dolan SB, Johnson MW, Campbell CM, Dunn KE. Evaluating the co-use of opioids and cannabis for pain among current users using hypothetical purchase tasks. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:654-662. [PMID: 32267192 PMCID: PMC7246164 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120914211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabinoids may potentiate opioid analgesia and therefore could be used to reduce reliance on opioids for analgesia. AIMS The current study evaluated whether the concurrent availability of cannabis influences opioid consumption using a behavioral economic demand framework. METHODS An online survey assessed cannabis and opioid use frequency and dependence measures, pain severity, and demand for both cannabis and opioids alone and when concurrently available using hypothetical purchase tasks. Adults reporting current use of opioids for pain management and past 30-day cannabis exposure (N=155) completed two hypothetical purchase tasks in which only grams of cannabis or units of participants' index opioids were available for purchase, and two hypothetical tasks in which both were concurrently available and the price of one drug increased whereas the other was kept constant. Paired-sample t-tests compared the demand of each drug alone with when it was available concurrently with an alternative. RESULTS Demand intensity was significantly reduced and demand elasticity was significantly increased for both cannabis and opioids when the alternate commodity was available, although the reductions in cannabis consumption were more pronounced than they were for opioid consumption in the presence of the alternate commodity. CONCLUSIONS These data provide behavioral economic evidence that cannabis access may modestly reduce demand for opioids in persons who have pain. Additional clinical studies that evaluate the analgesic effects of cannabis and cannabis-opioid effects on pain are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia L Bergeria
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Sean B Dolan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Matthew W Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Claudia M Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Kelly E Dunn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
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104
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Bergeria CL, Huhn AS, Dunn KE. The impact of naturalistic cannabis use on self-reported opioid withdrawal. J Subst Abuse Treat 2020; 113:108005. [PMID: 32359667 PMCID: PMC7212528 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Four states have legalized medical cannabis for the purpose of treating opioid use disorder. It is unclear whether cannabinoids improve or exacerbate opioid withdrawal. A more thorough examination of cannabis and its impact on specific symptoms of opioid withdrawal is warranted. METHOD Two hundred individuals recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk with past month opioid and cannabis use and experience of opioid withdrawal completed the survey. Participants indicated which opioid withdrawal symptoms improved or worsened with cannabis use and indicated the severity of their opioid withdrawal on days with and without cannabis. RESULTS 62.5% (n = 125) of 200 participants had used cannabis to treat withdrawal. Participants most frequently indicated that cannabis improved: anxiety, tremors, and trouble sleeping. A minority of participants (6.0%, n = 12) indicated cannabis worsened opioid withdrawal, specifically symptoms of yawning, teary eyes, and runny nose. Across all symptoms, more participants indicated that symptoms improved with cannabis compared to those that indicated symptoms worsened with cannabis. Women reported greater relief from withdrawal with cannabis use than men. DISCUSSION These results show that cannabis may improve opioid withdrawal symptoms and that the size of the effect is clinically meaningful. It is important to note that symptoms are exacerbated with cannabis in only a minority of individuals. Prospectively designed studies examining the impact of cannabis and cannabinoids on opioid withdrawal are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia L Bergeria
- Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States of America.
| | - Andrew S Huhn
- Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States of America
| | - Kelly E Dunn
- Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States of America
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105
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Clarke H, Roychoudhury P, Ladha KS, Leroux T, Fiorellino J, Huang A, Kotra LP. Daring discourse - yes: practical considerations for cannabis use in the perioperative setting. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2020; 45:524-527. [PMID: 32471923 DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2020-101521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hance Clarke
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada .,Anesthesia and Pain Management, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Priodarshi Roychoudhury
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Anesthesia and Pain Management, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karim S Ladha
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anesthesia, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy Leroux
- Centre for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,The Arthritis Program, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph Fiorellino
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Anesthesia and Pain Management, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Anesthesia and Pain Management, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Centre for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lakshmi P Kotra
- Centre for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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106
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Lake S, Nosova E, Buxton J, Walsh Z, Socías ME, Hayashi K, Kerr T, Milloy MJ. Characterizing motivations for cannabis use in a cohort of people who use illicit drugs: A latent class analysis. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233463. [PMID: 32437443 PMCID: PMC7241718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cannabis use is common among marginalized people who use illicit drugs (PWUD) but reasons for use remain poorly investigated. We sought to explore how different intentions for cannabis use relate to social, structural, and behavioural factors among PWUD in Vancouver, Canada. Methods We used data from cannabis-using participants in two community-recruited prospective cohort studies of PWUD. Using latent class analysis, we identified discrete cannabis-using groups based on self-reported intentions for use. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine correlates of class membership. Results Between June 2016 and December 2018, 2,686 observations from 897 participants cannabis-using PWUD were analyzed. Four latent classes of cannabis use emerged: Class 1 (31.6%), characterized by non-medical purposes; Class 2 (37.5%), characterized by non-pain therapeutic use (e.g., stress, nausea/loss of appetite, and insomnia); characterized by Class 3 (21.9%) predominantly pain relief; and Class 4 (9.0%), characterized by a wide range of therapeutic uses in addition to pain management, including insomnia, stress, nausea/loss of appetite, and harm reduction. Class-specific structural, substance-, and health-related differences were observed, including indicators of better physical and mental health among the “recreational” class, despite evidence of more structural vulnerabilities (e.g., homelessness, incarceration). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a wide spectrum of motivations for cannabis use among PWUD. We observed important health-related differences between latent classes, demonstrating possible unmet healthcare needs among PWUD reporting therapeutic cannabis use. These findings inform ongoing policy surrounding access to cannabis for harm reduction purposes and applications of medical cannabis for PWUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Lake
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Jane Buxton
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Zach Walsh
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - M. Eugenia Socías
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kanna Hayashi
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Thomas Kerr
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - M. J. Milloy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- * E-mail:
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107
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Vigil JM, Montera MA, Pentkowski NS, Diviant JP, Orozco J, Ortiz AL, Rael LJ, Westlund KN. The Therapeutic Effectiveness of Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Using a Chronic Neuropathic Pain Model. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E69. [PMID: 32443500 PMCID: PMC7281216 DOI: 10.3390/life10050069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few models exist that can control for placebo and expectancy effects commonly observed in clinical trials measuring 'Cannabis' pharmacodynamics. We used the Foramen Rotundum Inflammatory Constriction Trigeminal Infraorbital Nerve injury (FRICT-ION) model to measure the effect of "full-spectrum" whole plant extracted hemp oil on chronic neuropathic pain sensitivity in mice. METHODS Male BALBc mice were submitted to the FRICT-ION chronic neuropathic pain model with oral insertion through an incision in the buccal/cheek crease of 3 mm of chromic gut suture (4-0). The suture, wedged along the V2 trigeminal nerve branch, creates a continuous irritation that develops into secondary mechanical hypersensitivity on the snout. Von Frey filament stimuli on the mouse whisker pad was used to assess the mechanical pain threshold from 0-6 h following dosing among animals (n = 6) exposed to 5 μL of whole plant extracted hemp oil combined with a peanut butter vehicle (0.138 mg/kg), the vehicle alone (n = 3) 7 weeks post-surgery, or a naïve control condition (n = 3). RESULTS Mechanical allodynia was alleviated within 1 h (d = 2.50, p < 0.001) with a peak reversal effect at 4 h (d = 7.21, p < 0.001) and remained significant throughout the 6 h observation window. There was no threshold change on contralateral whisker pad after hemp oil administration, demonstrating the localization of anesthetic response to affected areas. CONCLUSION Future research should focus on how whole plant extracted hemp oil affects multi-sensory and cognitive-attentional systems that process pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M. Vigil
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.M.V.); (N.S.P.); (J.P.D.); (J.O.)
| | - Marena A. Montera
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Nathan S. Pentkowski
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.M.V.); (N.S.P.); (J.P.D.); (J.O.)
| | - Jegason P. Diviant
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.M.V.); (N.S.P.); (J.P.D.); (J.O.)
| | - Joaquin Orozco
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (J.M.V.); (N.S.P.); (J.P.D.); (J.O.)
| | - Anthony L. Ortiz
- Organic-Energetic Solutions, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA; (A.L.O.); (L.J.R.)
| | - Lawrence J. Rael
- Organic-Energetic Solutions, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA; (A.L.O.); (L.J.R.)
| | - Karin N. Westlund
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
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108
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Mallick-Searle T, St Marie B. Cannabinoids in Pain Treatment: An Overview. Pain Manag Nurs 2020; 20:107-112. [PMID: 31036325 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The current landscape contains conflicting reports regarding the use of medical marijuana, creating fields of misinformation and lack of understanding by health care providers about cannabinoids. In this article we provide a dispassionate look at medical marijuana, while providing a clinical overview focusing on pain management. We examine the mechanisms of the endocannabinoid system, along with the pharmacology of cannabinoids. Current research on the use of marijuana for the treatment of pain is reviewed. Finally, recommendations for pain management nurses on integrating research, clinical practice, and U.S. drug policy are made.
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109
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Siklos-Whillans J, Bacchus A, Manwell LA. A Scoping Review of the Use of Cannabis and Its Extracts as Potential Harm Reduction Strategies: Insights from Preclinical and Clinical Research. Int J Ment Health Addict 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11469-020-00244-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
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110
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Erridge S, Miller M, Gall T, Costanzo A, Pacchetti B, Sodergren MH. A Comprehensive Patient and Public Involvement Program Evaluating Perception of Cannabis-Derived Medicinal Products in the Treatment of Acute Postoperative Pain, Nausea, and Vomiting Using a Qualitative Thematic Framework. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2020; 5:73-80. [PMID: 32322678 DOI: 10.1089/can.2019.0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis-derived medicinal products (CDMPs) have antiemetic properties and in combination with opioids have synergistic analgesic effects in part signaling through the delta and kappa opioid receptors. The objective of this patient and public involvement program was to determine perception of perioperative CDMPs in our local population to inform design of a clinical trial. Methods: A qualitative evaluation was conducted utilizing a focus group, semistructured interviews and a community event. Analysis was conducted through the framework methodology. Verbatim transcriptions were coded categorically into analytical frameworks for thematic analysis. Emergent themes and associated degree of consensus/dissent were determined. The participant cohort was composed of a group of patients and relatives representative of the target population (M:F=1:1, age range 33-85). Results: Most common coding categories in thematic analysis framework included side-effect profile, trial schedule of events, and safety. Consensus was that potential benefits of CDMPs were attractive compared with the known risk profile of opioid use. Decrease in opioid dependence was agreed to be an appropriate clinical end-point for a randomized controlled clinical trial and there was concurrence of positive opinion of a therapeutic schedule of 5 days. Negative CDMP perceptions included addiction, dysphoria, and adverse effects in psychiatric subpopulations. Sublingual or oral administration was the most acceptable route of administration, with some expressing that inhalation delegitimizes therapeutic properties. Conclusions: The perception of postoperative CDMP therapy was overwhelmingly positive in this West London population. The data from this thematic analysis will inform protocol development of clinical trials to determine analgesic and antiemetic efficacy of CDMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Erridge
- Division of Surgery, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Miller
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tamara Gall
- Division of Surgery, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Mikael H Sodergren
- Division of Surgery, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Emmac Life Sciences, London, United Kingdom
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111
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Abstract
The opioid epidemic underscores the need for safer and more effective treatments for pain. Combining opioid receptor agonists with drugs that relieve pain through nonopioid mechanisms could be a useful strategy for reducing the dose of opioid needed to treat pain, thereby reducing risks associated with opioids alone. Opioid/cannabinoid mixtures might be useful in this context; individually, opioids and cannabinoids have modest effects on cognition, and it is important to determine whether those effects occur with mixtures. Delay discounting and delayed matching-to-sample tasks were used to examine effects of the mu-opioid receptor agonist morphine (0.32-5.6 mg/kg), the cannabinoid CB1/CB2 receptor agonist CP55940 (0.0032-0.1 mg/kg), and morphine/CP55940 mixtures on impulsivity (n = 3) and memory (n = 4) in rhesus monkeys. Alone, each drug decreased rate of responding without modifying choice in the delay-discounting task, and morphine/CP55940 mixtures reduced choice of one pellet in a delay dependent manner, with monkeys instead choosing delayed delivery of the larger number of pellets. With the exception of one dose in one monkey, accuracy in the delayed matching-to-sample task was not altered by either drug alone. Morphine/CP55940 mixtures decreased accuracy in two monkeys, but the doses in the mixture were equal to or greater than doses that decreased accuracy or response rate with either drug alone. Rate-decreasing effects of morphine/CP55940 mixtures were additive. These data support the notion that opioid/cannabinoid mixtures that might be effective for treating pain do not have greater, and might have less, adverse effects compared with larger doses of each drug alone.
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112
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Pawasarat IM, Schultz EM, Frisby JC, Mehta S, Angelo MA, Hardy SS, Kim TWB. The Efficacy of Medical Marijuana in the Treatment of Cancer-Related Pain. J Palliat Med 2020; 23:809-816. [PMID: 32101075 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2019.0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The opioid epidemic has spurred investigations for nonopioid options, yet limited research persists on medical marijuana's (MMJ) efficacy in managing cancer-related symptoms. Objective: We sought to characterize MMJ's role on symptomatic relief and opioid consumption in the oncologic population. Design: Retrospective chart review of MMJ-certified oncology patients was performed. Divided patients into MMJ use [MMJ(+)] versus no use [MMJ(-)], and Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS)-reported pain cohorts: "mild-moderate" versus "severe." Measurements: Medical records were reviewed for ESAS, to measure physical and emotional symptoms, and opiate consumption, converted into morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Minimal clinically important differences were determined. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests determined statistical significance between MMJ-certification and most recent palliative care visit. Results: Identified 232 patients [95/232 MMJ(-); 137/232 MMJ(+)]. Pain, physical and total ESAS significantly improved for total MMJ(-) and MMJ(+); however, only MMJ(+) significantly improved emotional ESAS. MMJ(-) opioid consumption increased by 23% (97.5-120 mg/day MME, p = 0.004), while it remained constant (45-45 mg/day MME, p = 0.522) in MMJ(+). Physical and total ESAS improved in mild-moderate-MMJ(-) and MMJ(+). Pain and emotional symptoms worsened in MMJ(-); while MMJ(+)'s pain remained unchanged and emotional symptoms improved. MMJ(-) opioid consumption increased by 29% (90-126 mg/day MME, p = 0.012); while MMJ(+)'s decreased by 33% (45-30 mg/day MME, p = 0.935). Pain, physical, emotional, and total ESAS scores improved in severe-MMJ(-) and MMJ(+); opioid consumption reduced by 22% in MMJ(-) (135-106 mg/day MME, p = 0.124) and 33% in MMJ(+) (90-60 mg/day MME, p = 0.421). Conclusions: MMJ(+) improved oncology patients' ESAS scores despite opioid dose reductions and should be considered a viable adjuvant therapy for palliative management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Samir Mehta
- Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mark A Angelo
- MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper University Health Care, Camden, New Jersey, USA
| | - Samuel S Hardy
- MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper University Health Care, Camden, New Jersey, USA
| | - Tae Won B Kim
- Cooper Bone and Joint Institute, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey, USA
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113
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Abstract
Developing effective analgesics with fewer unwanted side effects is a pressing concern. Due to a lack of effective nonopioid options currently available, an alternative approach termed opioid-sparing evaluates the ability of a coadministered drug to reduce the amount of opioid needed to produce an antinociceptive effect. Opioids and benzodiazepines are often coprescribed. Although this approach is theoretically rational given the prevalent comorbidity of chronic pain and anxiety, it also has inherent risks of respiratory depression, which is likely responsible for the substantial percentage of fatal opioid overdoses that have involved benzodiazepines. Moreover, there have been no clinical trials to support the effectiveness of this drug combination nor has there been corroborative preclinical evidence using traditional animal models of nociception. The present studies examined the prescription µ-opioid analgesic oxycodone (0.003-0.1 mg/kg) and the prototypical benzodiazepine anxiolytic diazepam (0.03-1.0 mg/kg), alone and in combination, using an animal model of pain that examines the restoration of conflict-related operant behavior as evidence of analgesia. Results documented significant dose-related increases in thermal threshold following oxycodone treatment. Diazepam treatment alone did not produce significant antinociception. In combination, diazepam pretreatment shifted oxycodone functions upward in a dose-dependent manner, but the additive effects were limited to a narrow dose range. In addition, combinations of diazepam and oxycodone at higher doses abolished responding. Taken together, though intriguing, these findings do not provide sufficient evidence that coadministration of an anxiolytic will result in clinically relevant opioid-sparing for pain management, especially when considering the inherent risks of this drug class combination.
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114
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Schurman LD, Lu D, Kendall DA, Howlett AC, Lichtman AH. Molecular Mechanism and Cannabinoid Pharmacology. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2020; 258:323-353. [PMID: 32236882 PMCID: PMC8637936 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Since antiquity, Cannabis has provoked enormous intrigue for its potential medicinal properties as well as for its unique pharmacological effects. The elucidation of its major cannabinoid constituents, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), led to the synthesis of new cannabinoids (termed synthetic cannabinoids) to understand the mechanisms underlying the pharmacology of Cannabis. These pharmacological tools were instrumental in the ultimate discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid system, which consists of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors and endogenously produced ligands (endocannabinoids), which bind and activate both cannabinoid receptors. CB1 receptors mediate the cannabimimetic effects of THC and are highly expressed on presynaptic neurons in the nervous system, where they modulate neurotransmitter release. In contrast, CB2 receptors are primarily expressed on immune cells. The endocannabinoids are tightly regulated by biosynthetic and hydrolytic enzymes. Accordingly, the endocannabinoid system plays a modulatory role in many physiological processes, thereby generating many promising therapeutic targets. An unintended consequence of this research was the emergence of synthetic cannabinoids sold for human consumption to circumvent federal laws banning Cannabis use. Here, we describe research that led to the discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid system and show how knowledge of this system benefitted as well as unintentionally harmed human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley D Schurman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Dai Lu
- Rangel College of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Debra A Kendall
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Allyn C Howlett
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Center for Research on Substance Use and Addiction, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Aron H Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
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Sleep deficiency and chronic pain: potential underlying mechanisms and clinical implications. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:205-216. [PMID: 31207606 PMCID: PMC6879497 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0439-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pain can be both a cause and a consequence of sleep deficiency. This bidirectional relationship between sleep and pain has important implications for clinical management of patients, but also for chronic pain prevention and public health more broadly. The review that follows will provide an overview of the neurobiological evidence of mechanisms thought to be involved in the modulation of pain by sleep deficiency, including the opioid, monoaminergic, orexinergic, immune, melatonin, and endocannabinoid systems; the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis; and adenosine and nitric oxide signaling. In addition, it will provide a broad overview of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches for the management of chronic pain comorbid with sleep disturbances and for the management of postoperative pain, as well as discuss the effects of sleep-disturbing medications on pain amplification.
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Abstract
Given the aging Baby Boomer generation, changes in cannabis legislation, and the growing acknowledgment of cannabis for its therapeutic potential, it is predicted that cannabis use in the older population will escalate. It is, therefore, important to determine the interaction between the effects of cannabis and aging. The aim of this report is to describe the link between cannabis use and the aging brain. Our review of the literature found few and inconsistent empirical studies that directly address the impact of cannabis use on the aging brain. However, research focused on long-term cannabis use points toward cumulative effects on multimodal systems in the brain that are similarly affected during aging. Specifically, the effects of cannabis and aging converge on overlapping networks in the endocannabinoid, opioid, and dopamine systems that may affect functional decline particularly in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which are critical areas for memory and executive functioning. To conclude, despite the limited current knowledge on the potential interactive effects between cannabis and aging, evidence from the literature suggests that cannabis and aging effects are concurrently present across several neurotransmitter systems. There is a great need for future research to directly test the interactions between cannabis and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Bin Yoo
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer DiMuzio
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Francesca M Filbey
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Dichotomic effects of clinically used drugs on tumor growth, bone remodeling and pain management. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20155. [PMID: 31882872 PMCID: PMC6934511 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56622-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Improvements in the survival of breast cancer patients have led to the emergence of bone health and pain management as key aspects of patient’s quality of life. Here, we used a female rat MRMT-1 model of breast cancer-induced bone pain to compare the effects of three drugs used clinically morphine, nabilone and zoledronate on tumor progression, bone remodeling and pain relief. We found that chronic morphine reduced the mechanical hypersensitivity induced by the proliferation of the luminal B aggressive breast cancer cells in the tumor-bearing femur and prevented spinal neuronal and astrocyte activation. Using MTT cell viability assay and MRI coupled to 18FDG PET imaging followed by ex vivo 3D µCT, we further demonstrated that morphine did not directly exert tumor growth promoting or inhibiting effects on MRMT-1 cancer cells but induced detrimental effects on bone healing by disturbing the balance between bone formation and breakdown. In sharp contrast, both the FDA-approved bisphosphonate zoledronate and the synthetic cannabinoid nabilone prescribed as antiemetics to patients receiving chemotherapy were effective in limiting the osteolytic bone destruction, thus preserving the bone architecture. The protective effect of nabilone on bone metabolism was further accompanied by a direct inhibition of tumor growth. As opposed to zoledronate, nabilone was however not able to manage bone tumor-induced pain and reactive gliosis. Altogether, our results revealed that morphine, nabilone and zoledronate exert disparate effects on tumor growth, bone metabolism and pain control. These findings also support the use of nabilone as an adjuvant therapy for bone metastases.
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118
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Ulker E, Del Fabbro E. Best Practices in the Management of Nonmedical Opioid Use in Patients with Cancer-Related Pain. Oncologist 2019; 25:189-196. [PMID: 31872911 DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2019-0540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nonmedical opioid use (NMOU) in patients with cancer is a term covering a spectrum of nonprescribed opioid use. The extent to which an individual uses opioids in a nonprescribed manner will influence propensity for adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, substance use disorder, overdose, and death. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to (A) evaluate current literature regarding management of NMOU in patients with cancer-related pain; (B) provide best practice recommendations based on evidence; and (C) integrate practices derived from the management of noncancer pain, where clinically appropriate or when the oncology literature is limited. METHODS This study is a narrative review. IMPLICATIONS Although harm from NMOU was thought to be rare among oncology patients, about one in five patients with cancer is at risk of adverse outcomes including prolonged opioid use, high opioid doses, and increased health care utilization. The management of NMOU can be challenging because pain is a multidimensional experience encompassing physical, psychological, and spiritual domains. An interdisciplinary team approach is most effective, and management strategies may include (A) education of patients and families; (B) harm reduction, including opioid switching, decreasing the overall daily dose, avoiding concurrent sedative use, and using adjuvant medications for their opioid-sparing potential; (C) managing psychological and spiritual distress with an interdisciplinary team and techniques such as brief motivational interviewing; and (D) risk mitigation by pill counts, frequent clinic visits, and accessing statewide prescription drug monitoring plans. CONCLUSION Although many of the management strategies for NMOU in patients with cancer-related pain are modeled on those for chronic non-cancer-related pain, there is emerging evidence that education and harm-reduction initiatives specifically for cancer-related pain are effective. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Nonmedical opioid use (NMOU) in patients with cancer is a term covering a broad spectrum of nonprescribed opioid use. The extent to which an individual uses opioids in a nonprescribed manner will influence propensity for adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, substance use disorder, overdose, and death. This review evaluates the evidence for best practices in oncology and addresses limitations in the literature with supplemental evidence from noncancer chronic pain. Management recommendations for NMOU are provided, based on a combination of literature-based evidence and best clinical practice. Effective management of NMOU in oncology has the potential to improve quality of life, decrease health utilization, and improve survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esad Ulker
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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119
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Pratt M, Stevens A, Thuku M, Butler C, Skidmore B, Wieland LS, Clemons M, Kanji S, Hutton B. Benefits and harms of medical cannabis: a scoping review of systematic reviews. Syst Rev 2019; 8:320. [PMID: 31823819 PMCID: PMC6905063 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-019-1243-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been increased interest in the role of cannabis for treating medical conditions. The availability of different cannabis-based products can make the side effects of exposure unpredictable. We sought to conduct a scoping review of systematic reviews assessing benefits and harms of cannabis-based medicines for any condition. METHODS A protocol was followed throughout the conduct of this scoping review. A protocol-guided scoping review conduct. Searches of bibliographic databases (e.g., MEDLINE®, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library) and gray literature were performed. Two people selected and charted data from systematic reviews. Categorizations emerged during data synthesis. The reporting of results from systematic reviews was performed at a high level appropriate for a scoping review. RESULTS After screening 1975 citations, 72 systematic reviews were included. The reviews covered many conditions, the most common being pain management. Several reviews focused on management of pain as a symptom of conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), injury, and cancer. After pain, the most common symptoms treated were spasticity in MS, movement disturbances, nausea/vomiting, and mental health symptoms. An assessment of review findings lends to the understanding that, although in a small number of reviews results showed a benefit for reducing pain, the analysis approach and reporting in other reviews was sub-optimal, making it difficult to know how consistent findings are when considering pain in general. Adverse effects were reported in most reviews comparing cannabis with placebo (49/59, 83%) and in 20/24 (83%) of the reviews comparing cannabis to active drugs. Minor adverse effects (e.g., drowsiness, dizziness) were common and reported in over half of the reviews. Serious harms were not as common, but were reported in 21/59 (36%) reviews that reported on adverse effects. Overall, safety data was generally reported study-by-study, with few reviews synthesizing data. Only one review was rated as high quality, while the remaining were rated of moderate (n = 36) or low/critically low (n = 35) quality. CONCLUSIONS Results from the included reviews were mixed, with most reporting an inability to draw conclusions due to inconsistent findings and a lack of rigorous evidence. Mild harms were frequently reported, and it is possible the harms of cannabis-based medicines may outweigh benefits. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION The protocol for this scoping review was posted in the Open Access (https://ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/37247).
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Affiliation(s)
- Misty Pratt
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 L6 Canada
| | - Adrienne Stevens
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 L6 Canada
- TRIBE Graduate Program, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
| | - Micere Thuku
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 L6 Canada
| | - Claire Butler
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 L6 Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4 Canada
| | | | - L. Susan Wieland
- Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Mark Clemons
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 M5 Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology and Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Salmaan Kanji
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 M5 Canada
- Department of Pharmacy, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Brian Hutton
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Ottawa Methods Centre, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 L6 Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8 M5 Canada
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120
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Cannabis in primary care. Br J Gen Pract 2019; 69:594-595. [DOI: 10.3399/bjgp19x706673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
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122
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Lake S, Walsh Z, Kerr T, Cooper ZD, Buxton J, Wood E, Ware MA, Milloy MJ. Frequency of cannabis and illicit opioid use among people who use drugs and report chronic pain: A longitudinal analysis. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002967. [PMID: 31743343 PMCID: PMC6863529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ecological research suggests that increased access to cannabis may facilitate reductions in opioid use and harms, and medical cannabis patients describe the substitution of opioids with cannabis for pain management. However, there is a lack of research using individual-level data to explore this question. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between frequency of cannabis use and illicit opioid use among people who use drugs (PWUD) experiencing chronic pain. METHODS AND FINDINGS This study included data from people in 2 prospective cohorts of PWUD in Vancouver, Canada, who reported major or persistent pain from June 1, 2014, to December 1, 2017 (n = 1,152). We used descriptive statistics to examine reasons for cannabis use and a multivariable generalized linear mixed-effects model to estimate the relationship between daily (once or more per day) cannabis use and daily illicit opioid use. There were 424 (36.8%) women in the study, and the median age at baseline was 49.3 years (IQR 42.3-54.9). In total, 455 (40%) reported daily illicit opioid use, and 410 (36%) reported daily cannabis use during at least one 6-month follow-up period. The most commonly reported therapeutic reasons for cannabis use were pain (36%), sleep (35%), stress (31%), and nausea (30%). After adjusting for demographic characteristics, substance use, and health-related factors, daily cannabis use was associated with significantly lower odds of daily illicit opioid use (adjusted odds ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.34-0.74, p < 0.001). Limitations of the study included self-reported measures of substance use and chronic pain, and a lack of data for cannabis preparations, dosages, and modes of administration. CONCLUSIONS We observed an independent negative association between frequent cannabis use and frequent illicit opioid use among PWUD with chronic pain. These findings provide longitudinal observational evidence that cannabis may serve as an adjunct to or substitute for illicit opioid use among PWUD with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Lake
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zach Walsh
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Thomas Kerr
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ziva D. Cooper
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jane Buxton
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Evan Wood
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mark A. Ware
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - M. J. Milloy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Smart R, Pacula RL. Early evidence of the impact of cannabis legalization on cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, and the use of other substances: Findings from state policy evaluations. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2019; 45:644-663. [PMID: 31603710 PMCID: PMC6934162 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2019.1669626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background: The past decade has seen unprecedented shifts in the cannabis policy environment, and the public health impacts of these changes will hinge on how they affect patterns of cannabis use and the use and harms associated with other substances.Objectives: To review existing research on how state cannabis policy impacts substance use, emphasizing studies using methods for causal inference and highlighting gaps in our understanding of policy impacts on evolving cannabis markets.Methods: Narrative review of quasi-experimental studies for how medical cannabis laws (MCLs) and recreational cannabis laws (RCLs) affect cannabis use and use disorders, as well as the use of or harms from alcohol, opioids, and tobacco.Results: Research suggests MCLs increase adult but not adolescent cannabis use, and provisions of the laws associated with less regulated supply may increase adult cannabis use disorders. These laws may reduce some opioid-related harms, while their impacts on alcohol and tobacco use remain uncertain. Research on RCLs is just emerging, but findings suggest little impact on the prevalence of adolescent cannabis use, potential increases in college student use, and unknown effects on other substance use.Conclusions: Research on how MCLs influence cannabis use has advanced our understanding of the importance of heterogeneity in policies, populations, and market dynamics, but studies of how MCLs relate to other substance use often ignore these factors. Understanding effects of cannabis laws requires greater attention to differences in short- versus long-term effects of the laws, nuances of policies and patterns of consumption, and careful consideration of appropriate control groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Smart
- Economics, Sociology, and Statistics Department, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Rosalie Liccardo Pacula
- Economics, Sociology, and Statistics Department, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA
- Health Policy and Management, Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Abstract
This article reports a case of pronounced, chronic lumboischialgia, which was not satisfactorily controlled by conventional analgesic treatment. The level of pain under high-dose dronabinol treatment with oral and inhalative administration as well as the way to reimburse the cost of medicinal cannabis flowers, the treatment success and criteria of the economic prescription procedure are presented.
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Boehnke KF, Scott JR, Litinas E, Sisley S, Williams DA, Clauw DJ. High-Frequency Medical Cannabis Use Is Associated With Worse Pain Among Individuals With Chronic Pain. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2019; 21:570-581. [PMID: 31560957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is widely used for chronic pain. However, there is some evidence of an inverse dose-response relationship between cannabis effects and pain relief that may negatively affect analgesic outcomes. In this cross-sectional survey, we examined whether daily cannabis use frequency was associated with pain severity and interference, quality of life measures relevant to pain (eg, anxiety and depressive symptoms), and cannabis use preferences (administration routes and cannabinoid ratio). Our analysis included 989 adults who used cannabis every day for chronic pain. Participant use was designated as light, moderate, and heavy (1-2, 3-4, and 5 or more cannabis uses per day, respectively). The sample was also subgrouped by self-reported medical-only use (designated MED, n = 531, 54%) versus medical use concomitant with a past-year history of recreational use (designated MEDREC, n = 458, 46%). In the whole sample, increased frequency of use was significantly associated with worse pain intensity and interference, and worse negative affect, although high-frequency users also reported improved positive affect. Subgroup analyses showed that these effects were driven by MED participants. Heavy MED participant consumption patterns showed greater preference for smoking, vaporizing, and high tetrahydrocannabinol products. In contrast, light MED participants had greater preference for tinctures and high cannabidiol products. Selection bias, our focus on chronic pain, and our cross-sectional design likely limit the generalizability of our results. Our findings suggest that lower daily cannabis use frequency is associated with better clinical profile as well as lower risk cannabis use behaviors among MED participants. Future longitudinal studies are needed to examine how high frequency of cannabis use interacts with potential therapeutic benefits. PERSPECTIVE: Our findings suggest that lower daily cannabis use frequency is associated with better clinical profile as well as safer use behaviors (eg, preference for cannabidiol and noninhalation administration routes). These trends highlight the need for developing cannabis use guidelines for clinicians to better protect patients using cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin F Boehnke
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
| | - J Ryan Scott
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - David A Williams
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Daniel J Clauw
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Piomelli
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
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127
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Hutchison KE, Hagerty SL, Galinkin J, Bryan AD, Bidwell LC. Cannabinoids, Pain, and Opioid Use Reduction: The Importance of Distilling and Disseminating Existing Data. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2019; 4:158-164. [PMID: 31579833 PMCID: PMC6757236 DOI: 10.1089/can.2018.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The high prevalence of chronic pain conditions combined with an over-reliance on opioid prescriptions has resulted in an opioid epidemic and a desperate need for solutions. There is some debate about whether cannabis might play a role in addressing chronic pain conditions as well as the opioid epidemic. Recent surveys suggest that a large number of people are using cannabis as a treatment for pain and to reduce use of opioids, and cannabis-derived products demonstrate at least modest efficacy in the treatment of pain in randomized controlled trials. In addition, surveillance studies from countries that have approved the use of Sativex, which is a cannabis-based product, have demonstrated that a combination of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol has low potential for harm, is well tolerated, and is helpful to patients. Given the number of people in the United States who are already using cannabis to manage pain and opioid use in state-regulated markets, it is imperative to conduct additional research in these areas, and to disseminate information on how to minimize harm and maximize any benefits of using cannabinoids to mitigate pain and reduce opioid use. The purpose of this article is to call attention to the fact that cannabis is being used in the management of chronic pain. Thus, this article also provides a set of guidelines on how to approach using cannabis to treat pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent E. Hutchison
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Sarah L. Hagerty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Jeffrey Galinkin
- Pediatric Anesthesiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Angela D. Bryan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - L. Cinnamon Bidwell
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
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Shaikh A, Money S. Cannabinoids and Pain Management: an Insight into Recent Advancements. CURRENT EMERGENCY AND HOSPITAL MEDICINE REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40138-019-00199-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Chen X, Cowan A, Inan S, Geller EB, Meissler JJ, Rawls SM, Tallarida RJ, Tallarida CS, Watson MN, Adler MW, Eisenstein TK. Opioid-sparing effects of cannabinoids on morphine analgesia: participation of CB 1 and CB 2 receptors. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 176:3378-3389. [PMID: 31218677 PMCID: PMC6692585 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Much of the opioid epidemic arose from abuse of prescription opioid drugs. This study sought to determine if the combination of a cannabinoid with an opioid could produce additive or synergistic effects on pain, allowing reduction in the opioid dose needed for maximal analgesia. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Pain was assayed using the formalin test in mice and the carrageenan assay in rats. Morphine and two synthetic cannabinoids were tested: WIN55,212-2 (WIN), which binds to both CB1 and CB2 receptors, and possibly TRPV1 channels; and GP1a, which has activity at CB2 receptors and is reported to inhibit fatty acid amide hydrolase, thus raising levels of endogenous cannabinoids. KEY RESULTS Morphine in combination with WIN in the formalin test gave synergistic analgesia. Studies with selective antagonists showed that WIN was acting through CB1 receptors. Morphine in combination with GP1a in the formalin test was sub-additive. In the carrageenan test, WIN had no added effect when combined with morphine, but GP1a with morphine showed enhanced analgesia. Both WIN and Gp1a used alone had analgesic activity in the formalin pain test, but not in the carrageenan pain test. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The ability of a cannabinoid to produce an additive or synergistic effect on analgesia when combined with morphine varies with the pain assay and may be mediated by CB1 or CB2 receptors. These results hold the promise of using cannabinoids to reduce the dose of opioids for analgesia in certain pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Alan Cowan
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Saadet Inan
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Ellen B. Geller
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Joseph J. Meissler
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Scott M. Rawls
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Ronald J. Tallarida
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Christopher S. Tallarida
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Mia N. Watson
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Martin W. Adler
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Toby K. Eisenstein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Substance Abuse ResearchLewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
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Kleckner AS, Kleckner IR, Kamen CS, Tejani MA, Janelsins MC, Morrow GR, Peppone LJ. Opportunities for cannabis in supportive care in cancer. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2019; 11:1758835919866362. [PMID: 31413731 PMCID: PMC6676264 DOI: 10.1177/1758835919866362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis has the potential to modulate some of the most common and debilitating symptoms of cancer and its treatments, including nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and pain. However, the dearth of scientific evidence for the effectiveness of cannabis in treating these symptoms in patients with cancer poses a challenge to clinicians in discussing this option with their patients. A review was performed using keywords related to cannabis and important symptoms of cancer and its treatments. Literature was qualitatively reviewed from preclinical models to clinical trials in the fields of cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and others, to prudently inform the use of cannabis in supportive and palliative care in cancer. There is a reasonable amount of evidence to consider cannabis for nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and pain as a supplement to first-line treatments. There is promising evidence to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, gastrointestinal distress, and sleep disorders, but the literature is thus far too limited to recommend cannabis for these symptoms. Scant, yet more controversial, evidence exists in regard to cannabis for cancer- and treatment-related cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Adverse effects of cannabis are documented but tend to be mild. Cannabis has multifaceted potential bioactive benefits that appear to outweigh its risks in many situations. Further research is required to elucidate its mechanisms of action and efficacy and to optimize cannabis preparations and doses for specific populations affected by cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber S Kleckner
- Cancer Control and Survivorship, University of Rochester Medical Center, CU 420658, 265 Crittenden Blvd., Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Ian R Kleckner
- Cancer Control and Survivorship, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Charles S Kamen
- Cancer Control and Survivorship, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Mohamedtaki A Tejani
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Michelle C Janelsins
- Cancer Control and Survivorship, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Gary R Morrow
- Cancer Control and Survivorship, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Luke J Peppone
- Cancer Control and Survivorship, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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Baron EP. Medicinal Properties of Cannabinoids, Terpenes, and Flavonoids in Cannabis, and Benefits in Migraine, Headache, and Pain: An Update on Current Evidence and Cannabis Science. Headache 2019; 58:1139-1186. [PMID: 30152161 DOI: 10.1111/head.13345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comprehensive literature reviews of historical perspectives and evidence supporting cannabis/cannabinoids in the treatment of pain, including migraine and headache, with associated neurobiological mechanisms of pain modulation have been well described. Most of the existing literature reports on the cannabinoids Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), or cannabis in general. There are many cannabis strains that vary widely in the composition of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds. These components work synergistically to produce wide variations in benefits, side effects, and strain characteristics. Knowledge of the individual medicinal properties of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids is necessary to cross-breed strains to obtain optimal standardized synergistic compositions. This will enable targeting individual symptoms and/or diseases, including migraine, headache, and pain. OBJECTIVE Review the medical literature for the use of cannabis/cannabinoids in the treatment of migraine, headache, facial pain, and other chronic pain syndromes, and for supporting evidence of a potential role in combatting the opioid epidemic. Review the medical literature involving major and minor cannabinoids, primary and secondary terpenes, and flavonoids that underlie the synergistic entourage effects of cannabis. Summarize the individual medicinal benefits of these substances, including analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. CONCLUSION There is accumulating evidence for various therapeutic benefits of cannabis/cannabinoids, especially in the treatment of pain, which may also apply to the treatment of migraine and headache. There is also supporting evidence that cannabis may assist in opioid detoxification and weaning, thus making it a potential weapon in battling the opioid epidemic. Cannabis science is a rapidly evolving medical sector and industry with increasingly regulated production standards. Further research is anticipated to optimize breeding of strain-specific synergistic ratios of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other phytochemicals for predictable user effects, characteristics, and improved symptom and disease-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric P Baron
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurological Restoration - Headache and Chronic Pain Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
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132
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Creighton DW, Kumar AH, Grant SA. Perioperative Multimodal Pain Management: an Evidence-Based Update. CURRENT ANESTHESIOLOGY REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40140-019-00340-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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133
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Weaver MS, White AG, Robinson J. Crossing the Line: Care of a Pediatric Patient with Intractable Seizures and Severe Neuropathic Pain in Absence of Access to Medical Marijuana. J Palliat Med 2019; 22:1232-1235. [PMID: 31184974 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2019.0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: A reality of the current political and legal environment is that while marijuana and cannabis-based products remain not approved for human consumption at the federal level in the United States, several states have authorized use for constituents. While state lines represent meaningful cultural and geographical identity markers, the reality is that patients and families readily cross state lines to access medical interventions and care. Methods: We present the case of a six-year-old child with intractable seizures and severe neuropathic pain managed on medical marijuana (MM) in her home state of Colorado; where medicinal use of marijuana is authorized at the state level; traveling across state lines to access surgical care in Nebraska where MM is prohibited. Conclusion: The case report shares the communication and creativity invested in adequate symptom management for this child weaned off of MM perioperatively. The case recognizes the unique complexities of shared symptom management goals within state-specific care models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghann S Weaver
- Children's Hospital and Medical Center Omaha, Division of Pediatric Palliative Care, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Adam G White
- Children's Hospital and Medical Center Omaha, Office of the General Counsel, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Jacob Robinson
- Children's Hospital and Medical Center Omaha, Division of Pediatric Palliative Care, Omaha, Nebraska
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134
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Dvorácskó S, Keresztes A, Mollica A, Stefanucci A, Macedonio G, Pieretti S, Zádor F, Walter FR, Deli MA, Kékesi G, Bánki L, Tuboly G, Horváth G, Tömböly C. Preparation of bivalent agonists for targeting the mu opioid and cannabinoid receptors. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 178:571-588. [PMID: 31220675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In order to obtain novel pharmacological tools and to investigate a multitargeting analgesic strategy, the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist JWH-018 was conjugated with the opiate analgesic oxycodone or with an enkephalin related tetrapeptide. The opioid and cannabinoid pharmacophores were coupled via spacers of different length and chemical structure. In vitro radioligand binding experiments confirmed that the resulting bivalent compounds bound both to the opioid and to the cannabinoid receptors with moderate to high affinity. The highest affinity bivalent derivatives 11 and 19 exhibited agonist properties in [35S]GTPγS binding assays. These compounds activated MOR and CB (11 mainly CB2, whereas 19 mainly CB1) receptor-mediated signaling, as it was revealed by experiments using receptor specific antagonists. In rats both 11 and 19 exhibited antiallodynic effect similar to the parent drugs in 20 μg dose at spinal level. These results support the strategy of multitargeting G-protein coupled receptors to develop lead compounds with antinociceptive properties.
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MESH Headings
- Analgesics, Opioid/chemical synthesis
- Analgesics, Opioid/chemistry
- Analgesics, Opioid/pharmacology
- Animals
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Enkephalins/chemistry
- Enkephalins/pharmacology
- Indoles/chemistry
- Indoles/pharmacology
- Mice
- Molecular Structure
- Naphthalenes/chemistry
- Naphthalenes/pharmacology
- Oxycodone/chemistry
- Oxycodone/pharmacology
- Rats
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Structure-Activity Relationship
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Affiliation(s)
- Szabolcs Dvorácskó
- A Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Attila Keresztes
- A Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Adriano Mollica
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara "G. d'Annunzio", Via dei Vestini 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Azzurra Stefanucci
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara "G. d'Annunzio", Via dei Vestini 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giorgia Macedonio
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Chieti-Pescara "G. d'Annunzio", Via dei Vestini 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy
| | - Stefano Pieretti
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Centro Nazionale Ricerca e Valutazione Preclinica e Clinica dei Farmaci, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Ferenc Zádor
- Laboratory of Opioid Research, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Fruzsina R Walter
- Biological Barriers Research Group, Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Mária A Deli
- Biological Barriers Research Group, Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Kékesi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720, Szeged, Dóm tér 10., Hungary
| | - László Bánki
- Department of Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6725, Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6., Hungary
| | - Gábor Tuboly
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6725, Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6., Hungary
| | - Gyöngyi Horváth
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6720, Szeged, Dóm tér 10., Hungary
| | - Csaba Tömböly
- A Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., 6726, Szeged, Hungary.
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135
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De Aquino JP, Sofuoglu M, Stefanovics E, Rosenheck R. Adverse Consequences of Co-Occurring Opioid Use Disorder and Cannabis Use Disorder Compared to Opioid Use Disorder Only. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2019; 45:527-537. [PMID: 31112429 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2019.1607363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background: While there is growing interest in the possibility that cannabis may be a partial substitute for opioids, studies have yet to examine whether individuals with co-occurring opioid and cannabis use disorders (OUD and CUD) have less risk of negative outcomes than those with OUD only. Objective: This study sought to compare the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with co-occurring OUD and CUD to patients with OUD only, CUD only, and patients with any other drug use disorders. We hypothesized that co-occurring OUD and CUD would be associated with lower risk of inpatient admissions and emergency department (ED) visits, lower rates of homelessness, and fewer opioid prescriptions. Methods: Comparisons were based on bivariate analyses, logistic and linear multiple regression models of National Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data from Fiscal Year 2012. Results: Of the 234,181 (94% male) patients diagnosed with drug use disorders, 8.6% were diagnosed with co-occurring OUD and CUD; 33.3% with OUD only; 26.5% with CUD only; and 31.6% with other drug use disorders. Compared to the OUD only group (Mean = 4.8 (SD = 8.84)), the group with co-occurring OUD and CUD was associated with a lower number of opioid prescriptions (Mean = 3.79 (SD = 8.22)) (d = -0.16), but higher likelihood of inpatient psychiatric admission (RR = 1.95) and homelessness (RR = 1.52), and no significant difference in ED visits. Conclusions: These data highlight the need to further investigate whether the complex effects of cannabis use on patients with OUD are counterbalanced by potential benefits of reduced in opioid prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao P De Aquino
- a Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- a Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA.,b U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New England Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System , West Haven , CT , USA
| | - Elina Stefanovics
- a Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA.,b U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New England Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System , West Haven , CT , USA
| | - Robert Rosenheck
- a Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA.,b U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New England Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System , West Haven , CT , USA
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136
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Banister SD, Arnold JC, Connor M, Glass M, McGregor IS. Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:2160-2175. [PMID: 30689342 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis ( Cannabis sativa) is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, with an estimated 192 million users globally. The main psychoactive component of cannabis is (-)- trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), a compound with a diverse range of pharmacological actions. The unique and distinctive intoxication caused by Δ9-THC primarily reflects partial agonist action at central cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors. Δ9-THC is an approved therapeutic treatment for a range of conditions, including chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and multiple sclerosis, and is being investigated in indications such as anorexia nervosa, agitation in dementia, and Tourette's syndrome. It is available as a regulated pharmaceutical in products such as Marinol, Sativex, and Namisol as well as in an ever-increasing range of unregistered medicinal and recreational cannabis products. While cannabis is an ancient medicament, contemporary use is embroiled in legal, scientific, and social controversy, much of which relates to the potential hazards and benefits of Δ9-THC itself. Robust contemporary debate surrounds the therapeutic value of Δ9-THC in different diseases, its capacity to produce psychosis and cognitive impairment, and the addictive and "gateway" potential of the drug. This review will provide a profile of the chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutic uses of Δ9-THC as well as the historical and societal import of this unique, distinctive, and ubiquitous psychoactive substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. Banister
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Faculty of Science and School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jonathon C. Arnold
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- School of Medical Science and Discipline of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Mark Connor
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Michelle Glass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Iain S. McGregor
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Faculty of Science and School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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137
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Mendoza Temple
- Integrative Medicine Program, Illinois Department of Public Health, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Chicago, IL, USA
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Medical Cannabis Advisory Board, Illinois Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jerrold B. Leikin
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Northshore University HealthSystem - OMEGA Glenbrook Hospital Glenview, IL, USA
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138
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Combining opioids and non-opioids for pain management: Current status. Neuropharmacology 2019; 158:107619. [PMID: 31029588 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Pain remains a global health challenge. For decades, clinicians have been primarily relying on μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain management. MOR agonists remain the most efficacious analgesics available; however, adverse effects related to MOR agonists use are severe which often lead to forced drug discontinuation and inadequate pain relief. The recent opioid overdose epidemic urges the development of safer analgesics. Combination therapy is a well-established clinical pharmacotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of various clinical disorders. The combination of MOR agonists with non-MOR agonists may increase the analgesic potency of MOR agonists, reduce the development of tolerance and dependence, reduce the diversion and abuse, overdose, and reduce other clinically significant side effects associated with prolonged opioid use such as constipation. Overall, the combination therapy approach could substantially improve the therapeutic profile of MOR agonists. This review summarizes some recent developments in this field. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'New Vistas in Opioid Pharmacology'.
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139
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Sabioni P, Le Foll B. Psychosocial and Pharmacological Interventions for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder. FOCUS: JOURNAL OF LIFE LONG LEARNING IN PSYCHIATRY 2019; 17:163-168. [PMID: 32021586 DOI: 10.1176/appi.focus.17202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
(Reprinted with permission from Sabioni P and Le Foll B. Psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for the treatment of cannabis use disorder [version 1; referees: 3 approved]. F1000Research 2018, 7(F1000 Faculty Rev):173 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.11191.1)).
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140
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Impact of recreational and medicinal marijuana on surgical patients: A review. Am J Surg 2019; 217:783-786. [DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2018.10.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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141
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Campbell G, Hall WD, Peacock A, Lintzeris N, Bruno R, Larance B, Nielsen S, Cohen M, Chan G, Mattick RP, Blyth F, Shanahan M, Dobbins T, Farrell M, Degenhardt L. Effect of cannabis use in people with chronic non-cancer pain prescribed opioids: findings from a 4-year prospective cohort study. LANCET PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 3:e341-e350. [PMID: 29976328 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(18)30110-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interest in the use of cannabis and cannabinoids to treat chronic non-cancer pain is increasing, because of their potential to reduce opioid dose requirements. We aimed to investigate cannabis use in people living with chronic non-cancer pain who had been prescribed opioids, including their reasons for use and perceived effectiveness of cannabis; associations between amount of cannabis use and pain, mental health, and opioid use; the effect of cannabis use on pain severity and interference over time; and potential opioid-sparing effects of cannabis. METHODS The Pain and Opioids IN Treatment study is a prospective, national, observational cohort of people with chronic non-cancer pain prescribed opioids. Participants were recruited through community pharmacies across Australia, completed baseline interviews, and were followed up with phone interviews or self-complete questionnaires yearly for 4 years. Recruitment took place from August 13, 2012, to April 8, 2014. Participants were asked about lifetime and past year chronic pain conditions, duration of chronic non-cancer pain, pain self-efficacy, whether pain was neuropathic, lifetime and past 12-month cannabis use, number of days cannabis was used in the past month, and current depression and generalised anxiety disorder. We also estimated daily oral morphine equivalent doses of opioids. We used logistic regression to investigate cross-sectional associations with frequency of cannabis use, and lagged mixed-effects models to examine temporal associations between cannabis use and outcomes. FINDINGS 1514 participants completed the baseline interview and were included in the study from Aug 20, 2012, to April 14, 2014. Cannabis use was common, and by 4-year follow-up, 295 (24%) participants had used cannabis for pain. Interest in using cannabis for pain increased from 364 (33%) participants (at baseline) to 723 (60%) participants (at 4 years). At 4-year follow-up, compared with people with no cannabis use, we found that participants who used cannabis had a greater pain severity score (risk ratio 1·14, 95% CI 1·01-1·29, for less frequent cannabis use; and 1·17, 1·03-1·32, for daily or near-daily cannabis use), greater pain interference score (1·21, 1·09-1·35; and 1·14, 1·03-1·26), lower pain self-efficacy scores (0·97, 0·96-1·00; and 0·98, 0·96-1·00), and greater generalised anxiety disorder severity scores (1·07, 1·03-1·12; and 1·10, 1·06-1·15). We found no evidence of a temporal relationship between cannabis use and pain severity or pain interference, and no evidence that cannabis use reduced prescribed opioid use or increased rates of opioid discontinuation. INTERPRETATION Cannabis use was common in people with chronic non-cancer pain who had been prescribed opioids, but we found no evidence that cannabis use improved patient outcomes. People who used cannabis had greater pain and lower self-efficacy in managing pain, and there was no evidence that cannabis use reduced pain severity or interference or exerted an opioid-sparing effect. As cannabis use for medicinal purposes increases globally, it is important that large well designed clinical trials, which include people with complex comorbidities, are conducted to determine the efficacy of cannabis for chronic non-cancer pain. FUNDING National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Government.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Campbell
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Wayne D Hall
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; National Addiction Centre, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Amy Peacock
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas Lintzeris
- Discipline of Addiction Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; The Langton Centre, South East Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) Drug and Alcohol Services, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Raimondo Bruno
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Briony Larance
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Suzanne Nielsen
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Milton Cohen
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gary Chan
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Richard P Mattick
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fiona Blyth
- Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, University of Sydney, Concord Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marian Shanahan
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy Dobbins
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Farrell
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Louisa Degenhardt
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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142
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Shover CL, Humphreys K. Six policy lessons relevant to cannabis legalization. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2019; 45:698-706. [PMID: 30870053 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2019.1569669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Background: Cannabis (marijuana) has been legalized for recreational and/or medicinal use in many US states, despite remaining a Schedule-I drug at the federal level. As legalization regimes are established in multiple countries, public health professionals should leverage decades of knowledge from other policy areas (e.g., alcohol and tobacco regulation) to inform cannabis policy.Objectives: Identify policy lessons from other more established policy areas that can inform cannabis policy in the United States, Canada, and any other nations that legalize recreational cannabis.Methods: Narrative review of policy and public health literature.Results: We identified six key lessons to guide cannabis policy. To avoid the harms of "a medical system only in name," medical cannabis programs should either be regulated like medicine or combined with the recreational market. Capping potency of cannabis products can reduce the harms of the drug, including addiction. Pricing policies that promote public health may include minimum unit pricing or taxation by weight. Protecting science and public health from corporate interest can prevent the scenarios we have seen with soda and tobacco lobbies funding studies to report favorable results about their products. Legalizing states can go beyond reducing possession arrests (which can be accomplished without legalization) by expunging prior criminal records of cannabis-related convictions. Finally, facilitating rigorous research can differentiate truth from positive and negative hype about cannabis' effects.Conclusion: Scientists and policymakers can learn from the successes and failures of alcohol and tobacco policy to regulate cannabis products, thereby mitigating old harms of cannabis prohibition while reducing new harms from legalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L Shover
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Keith Humphreys
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Veterans Affairs Health Care System and Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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143
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Christensen A, Pruskowski J. The Role of Cannabidiol in Palliative Care #370. J Palliat Med 2019; 22:337-338. [DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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144
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Campbell G, Stockings E, Nielsen S. Understanding the evidence for medical cannabis and cannabis-based medicines for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 269:135-144. [PMID: 30635715 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-018-0960-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The use of medical cannabis and cannabis-based medicines has received increasing interest in recent years; with a corresponding surge in the number of studies and reviews conducted in the field. Despite this growth in evidence, the findings and conclusions of these studies have been inconsistent. In this paper, we outline the current evidence for medical cannabis and cannabis-based medicines in the treatment and management of chronic non-cancer pain. We discuss limitations of the current evidence, including limitations of randomised control trials in the field, limits on generalisability of previous findings and common issues such as problems with measurements of dose and type of cannabinoids. We discuss future directions for medicinal cannabinoid research, including addressing limitations in trial design; developing frameworks to monitor for use disorder and other unintended outcomes; and considering endpoints other than 30% or 50% reductions in pain severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Campbell
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, 22-32 King Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.
| | - Emily Stockings
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, 22-32 King Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Suzanne Nielsen
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 2, 5 Arnold Street, Box Hill, VIC, 3128, Australia
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145
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Boehnke KF, Scott JR, Litinas E, Sisley S, Williams DA, Clauw DJ. Pills to Pot: Observational Analyses of Cannabis Substitution Among Medical Cannabis Users With Chronic Pain. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2019; 20:830-841. [PMID: 30690169 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is common, costly, and challenging to treat. Many individuals with chronic pain have turned to cannabis as an alternative form of pain management. We report results from an ongoing, online survey of medical cannabis users with chronic pain nationwide about how cannabis affects pain management, health, and pain medication use. We also examined whether and how these parameters were affected by concomitant recreational use, and duration of use (novice: <1 year vs experienced: ≥1 year). There were 1,321 participants (59% female, 54% ≥50 years old) who completed the survey. Consistent with other observational studies, approximately 80% reported substituting cannabis for traditional pain medications (53% for opioids, 22% for benzodiazepines), citing fewer side effects and better symptom management as their rationale for doing so. Medical-only users were older (52 vs 47 years old; P < .0001), less likely to drink alcohol (66% vs 79%, P < .0001), and more likely to be currently taking opioids (21% vs 11%, P < .0001) than users with a combined recreational and medical history. Compared with novice users, experienced users were more likely to be male (64% vs 58%; P < .0001), take no concomitant pain medications (43% vs 30%), and report improved health (74% vs 67%; P = .004) with use. Given that chronic pain is the most common reason for obtaining a medical cannabis license, these results highlight clinically important differences among the changing population of medical cannabis users. More research is needed to better understand effective pain management regimens for medical cannabis users. Perspective: This article presents results that confirm previous clinical studies suggesting that cannabis may be an effective analgesic and potential opioid substitute. Participants reported improved pain, health, and fewer side effects as rationale for substituting. This article highlights how use duration and intentions for use affect reported treatment and substitution effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin F Boehnke
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan..
| | - J Ryan Scott
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | | | - David A Williams
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Daniel J Clauw
- Anesthesiology Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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146
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Khan SP, Pickens TA, Berlau DJ. Perspectives on cannabis as a substitute for opioid analgesics. Pain Manag 2019; 9:191-203. [PMID: 30681029 DOI: 10.2217/pmt-2018-0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
With the opioid epidemic reaching new heights in the USA, it has become critical to find suitable alternatives to opioids. Cannabis, an antinociceptive, is a strong contender to help patients reduce their opioid usage. A growing literature has been examining the complex effects cannabis has on pain relief and on opioid usage; whether it is a substitute for opioids or increases their use. This review explores the studies that compare cannabis-opioid interactions and presents some challenges of cannabis research and usage. The practical clinical pharmacology of cannabis as an analgesic, including the route of administration, safety and pharmacokinetics, are discussed to address the concerns, as well as possible solutions, of cannabis as a pain reliever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara P Khan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Regis University School of Pharmacy, 3333 Regis Blvd. H-28, Denver, CO 80221, USA
| | - Thomas A Pickens
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Regis University School of Pharmacy, 3333 Regis Blvd. H-28, Denver, CO 80221, USA
| | - Daniel J Berlau
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Regis University School of Pharmacy, 3333 Regis Blvd. H-28, Denver, CO 80221, USA
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147
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Socías ME, Wood E, Lake S, Nolan S, Fairbairn N, Hayashi K, Shulha HP, Liu S, Kerr T, Milloy MJ. High-intensity cannabis use is associated with retention in opioid agonist treatment: a longitudinal analysis. Addiction 2018; 113:2250-2258. [PMID: 30238568 PMCID: PMC6226334 DOI: 10.1111/add.14398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cannabis use is common among people on opioid agonist treatment (OAT), causing concern for some care providers. However, there is limited and conflicting evidence on the impact of cannabis use on OAT outcomes. Given the critical role of retention in OAT in reducing opioid-related morbidity and mortality, we aimed to estimate the association of at least daily cannabis use on the likelihood of retention in treatment among people initiating OAT. As a secondary aim we tested the impacts of less frequent cannabis use. DESIGN Data were drawn from two community-recruited prospective cohorts of people who use illicit drugs (PWUD). Participants were followed for a median of 81 months (interquartile range = 37-130). SETTING Vancouver, Canada. PARTICIPANTS This study comprised a total of 820 PWUD (57.8% men, 59.4% of Caucasian ethnicity, 32.2% HIV-positive) initiating OAT between December 1996 and May 2016. The proportion of women was higher among HIV-negative participants, with no other significant differences. MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was retention in OAT, defined as remaining in OAT (methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone-based) for two consecutive 6-month follow-up periods. The primary explanatory variable was cannabis use (at least daily versus less than daily) during the same 6-month period. Confounders assessed included: socio-demographic characteristics, substance use patterns and social-structural exposures. FINDINGS In adjusted analysis, at least daily cannabis use was positively associated with retention in OAT [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-1.41]. Our secondary analysis showed that compared with non-cannabis users, at least daily users had increased odds of retention in OAT (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.02-1.43), but not less than daily users (aOR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.87-1.14). CONCLUSIONS Among people who use illicit drugs initiating opioid agonist treatment in Vancouver, at least daily cannabis use was associated with approximately 21% greater odds of retention in treatment compared with less than daily consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Eugenia Socías
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 1Y6
| | - Evan Wood
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 1Y6
| | - Stephanie Lake
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
| | - Seonaid Nolan
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 1Y6
| | - Nadia Fairbairn
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 1Y6
| | - Kanna Hayashi
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Blusson Hall, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, CANADA, V5A 1S6
| | - Hennady P Shulha
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
| | - Seagle Liu
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
| | - Thomas Kerr
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 1Y6
| | - M-J Milloy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 2A9
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V6Z 1Y6
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148
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De Aquino JP, Ross DA. Cannabinoids and Pain: Weeding Out Undesired Effects With a Novel Approach to Analgesia. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:e67-e69. [PMID: 30360776 PMCID: PMC6697049 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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149
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Vučković S, Srebro D, Vujović KS, Vučetić Č, Prostran M. Cannabinoids and Pain: New Insights From Old Molecules. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:1259. [PMID: 30542280 PMCID: PMC6277878 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The prohibition of cannabis in the middle of the 20th century has arrested cannabis research. In recent years there is a growing debate about the use of cannabis for medical purposes. The term ‘medical cannabis’ refers to physician-recommended use of the cannabis plant and its components, called cannabinoids, to treat disease or improve symptoms. Chronic pain is the most commonly cited reason for using medical cannabis. Cannabinoids act via cannabinoid receptors, but they also affect the activities of many other receptors, ion channels and enzymes. Preclinical studies in animals using both pharmacological and genetic approaches have increased our understanding of the mechanisms of cannabinoid-induced analgesia and provided therapeutical strategies for treating pain in humans. The mechanisms of the analgesic effect of cannabinoids include inhibition of the release of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides from presynaptic nerve endings, modulation of postsynaptic neuron excitability, activation of descending inhibitory pain pathways, and reduction of neural inflammation. Recent meta-analyses of clinical trials that have examined the use of medical cannabis in chronic pain present a moderate amount of evidence that cannabis/cannabinoids exhibit analgesic activity, especially in neuropathic pain. The main limitations of these studies are short treatment duration, small numbers of patients, heterogeneous patient populations, examination of different cannabinoids, different doses, the use of different efficacy endpoints, as well as modest observable effects. Adverse effects in the short-term medical use of cannabis are generally mild to moderate, well tolerated and transient. However, there are scant data regarding the long-term safety of medical cannabis use. Larger well-designed studies of longer duration are mandatory to determine the long-term efficacy and long-term safety of cannabis/cannabinoids and to provide definitive answers to physicians and patients regarding the risk and benefits of its use in the treatment of pain. In conclusion, the evidence from current research supports the use of medical cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain in adults. Careful follow-up and monitoring of patients using cannabis/cannabinoids are mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Vučković
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragana Srebro
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Katarina Savić Vujović
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Čedomir Vučetić
- Clinic of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Prostran
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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150
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Campbell G, Hall W, Nielsen S. What does the ecological and epidemiological evidence indicate about the potential for cannabinoids to reduce opioid use and harms? A comprehensive review. Int Rev Psychiatry 2018; 30:91-106. [PMID: 30522342 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2018.1509842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pre-clinical research supports that cannabinoids reduce opioid dose requirements, but few studies have tested this in humans. This review evaluates ecological and epidemiological studies that have been cited as evidence that medical cannabis use may reduce opioid use and opioid-related harms. Medline and Embase were searched for relevant articles. Data were extracted on study setting, analyses approach, covariates, and outcomes. Eleven ecological and 14 epidemiological studies were found. In ecological studies, states that allow medical cannabis laws have reported a slower rate of increase in opioid overdose deaths compared with states without such laws. These differences have increased over time and persisted after controlling for state sociodemographic characteristics and use of prescription monitoring programmes. Few studies have controlled for other potential confounders such as opioid dependence treatment and imprisonment rates. Some epidemiological studies provide evidence that cannabis availability may reduce opioid use, but are limited by selection bias, cross-sectional designs, and self-reported assessments of the opioid-sparing effects of cannabis. Some epidemiological and ecological studies suggest that cannabis may reduce opioid use and harms, although important methodological weaknesses were identified. Well-designed clinical studies may provide more conclusive evidence on whether cannabinoids can reduce opioid use and related harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Campbell
- a National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre , UNSW Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Wayne Hall
- b Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research , University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.,c National Addiction Centre , Kings College , London , UK
| | - Suzanne Nielsen
- a National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre , UNSW Sydney , Sydney , Australia.,d Monash Addiction Research Centre , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia
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