Examining motivational pathways from adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms to cannabis use: Results from a prospective study of veterans

Cannabis use and its association with psychopathological symptoms in a Swiss adult population: a cross-sectional analysis

Background

As the most commonly used illicit substance, cannabis is gaining global acceptance through increasing legalization efforts. This shift intensifies the need for research to guide policymakers and healthcare providers in harm reduction and treatment strategies. Nonetheless, the relationship between psychopathological symptoms and cannabis use remains inadequately understood.

Methods

A sample of regular cannabis consumers completed self-reported assessments for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale V1.1), and psychosis (Early Recognition Inventory based on IRAOS) as well as previous black-market cannabis use patterns. Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test Revised (CUDIT-R) was used to identify cannabis use disorder (CUD). To understand psychopathological symptom load related to cannabis consumption as well as cannabis use motives, multiple regression models were performed to identify psychopathological variables predicting cannabis use frequency and quantity. Linear regression and correlation analyses were conducted, adjusting for relevant covariates (age, gender, education, alcohol, other substance use).

Results

Three-hundred-sixty regular cannabis users interested in a study on regulated cannabis access in Basel, Switzerland were examined. In bivariate analysis, cannabis use frequency correlated with depressive (r(358) = 0.16, p = 0.003) and anxiety symptom load (r(358) = 0.11, p = 0.034). Cannabis quantity correlated with depressive (r(358) = 0.15, p = 0.005), ADHD (r(358) = 0.14, p = 0.008), and psychosis symptom load (r(358) = 0.16, p = 0.002). However, in the adjusted regression models only depressive and ADHD symptom loads were significantly associated with cannabis use frequency (p = 0.006 and p = 0.034, respectively) and quantity (p = 0.037 and p = 0.019, respectively). No significant correlations between cannabis consumption and anxiety or psychosis remained after adjustment.

Conclusion

ADHD and depressive symptoms correlate with increased cannabis use in a cohort of regular users, suggesting potential self-medication in nonclinical populations. With the rising availability of cannabis worldwide, these results highlight the necessity for longitudinal studies to disentangle the complex dynamics between cannabis consumption and mental health symptoms.

Evaluation of Efficacy of Cannabis Use in Patients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review

Cannabis is frequently used by people who self-medicate for the signs of mental health conditions. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental illness, has been linked to increased cannabis use. However, compared to other mental disorders, cannabis use by people with ADHD has received much less research. The main goal of this systematic review was to understand the nature of the relationships between cannabis use and ADHD symptoms. We used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to conduct the systematic review. We included papers published within the previous ten years from online searches on PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect until January 1st, 2023. The inclusion-exclusion criteria led to the initial selection of 136 studies. We selected twenty research articles after screening and assessing them using quality assessment techniques. These articles included two non-randomized control trials, one cross-sectional study, one meta-analysis, and sixteen observational cohorts. It can be advantageous for people with ADHD and their medical professionals to understand better how ADHD patients use cannabis and its potential risks and advantages on cannabis use disorder, ADHD symptoms, and executive dysfunction. This article further emphasizes the necessity of thorough research to comprehend cannabis use in ADHD patients.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Therapeutic Cannabis Use Motives

Rates of cannabis use have been rising in the US due to the increasing legalization/decriminalization of cannabis products for medical and recreational use. Individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at an increased risk of experiencing cannabis use problems due to deficits in self-regulation. This article explores motivations for cannabis use in ADHD populations. Research on the neural correlates and therapeutic potential of cannabis use are reviewed.

Drinking less on cannabis use days: The moderating role of UPPS-P impulsive personality traits

Objective: Several studies suggest that alcohol and cannabis co-users are heavier drinkers and experience more alcohol-related consequences. However, day-level associations between co-use and drinking levels are mixed. One reason may be that individual characteristics moderate the daily impact of using alcohol alone or in conjunction with cannabis. The theory would suggest that highly impulsive individuals may drink more on co-use days, yet this assertion remains untested. Therefore, the current study tested whether impulsivity moderated the effect of co-use on same-day drinking quantity within veterans, a high-risk sample for substance use and impulsivity. Method: In a longitudinal observational study, co-using veterans (N = 139) completed three semi-annual assessments reporting on their daily drinking quantity and cannabis use via Timeline Followback (Observations = 19,245) and impulsivity via the UPPS-P. Mixed effect modeling was used to test hypotheses that co-use (compared to alcohol-only) days would be associated with heavier drinking for those high (but not low) in positive and negative urgency. Results: Significant interactions were found for positive urgency (PU) and lack of perseverance (LP), such that individuals at mean and low levels of PU and LP drank less on co-use (compared to alcohol-only) days. There were no significant interactions for other UPPS-P impulsivity facets. Conclusion: Findings are consistent with a substitution/compensatory effect for individuals at mean and low levels of both UPPS-P facets, and may be a byproduct of frequent cannabis use in veterans. In contrast, findings suggest that co-use and alcohol-only days may be characterized by similarly high levels of drinking for highly impulsive individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).