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Piercey CJ, Mataczynski M, Stallsmith VT, Emery NN, Karoly HC. Examining Associations Between Cannabis Use Disorder and Measures of Weekly and Within-Day Cannabis Frequency, Quantity, and Potency in College Students. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:e917-e923. [PMID: 37699241 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: College student cannabis use has increased significantly in recent years, and individuals aged 18-25 are at elevated risk for development of cannabis use disorder (CUD). While weekly cannabis use frequency is a commonly used measure of cannabis consumption, there is increasing scientific interest in exploring more nuanced measures of cannabis use. Currently, limited research exists examining the clinical utility of cannabis quantity, within-day frequency, and potency variables. Methods: We used cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 617 undergraduate students in the state of Colorado. A two-part model-building approach was leveraged to examine whether within-session cannabis quantity and within-day cannabis use frequency were associated with odds of experiencing any CUD symptoms and total number of CUD symptoms endorsed. We also examined whether cannabis flower potency was associated with odds of experiencing any CUD symptoms and total number of CUD symptoms endorsed among a subset (N=288) of the sample who reported knowledge of the cannabinoid content of their most frequently used products. Results: Weekly flower use frequency (odds ratio [OR]=1.27, p<0.001) and weekly concentrate use frequency (OR=1.10, p=0.044) were positively associated with increased odds of experiencing any CUD symptoms, but cannabis quantity and within-day frequency variables were not. In addition, no association was found between flower potency and odds of endorsing any CUD symptoms. Among individuals endorsing at least one symptom, weekly flower use frequency (incident rate ratio [IRR]=1.06, p<0.001) was positively associated with total symptom count, but weekly concentrate use frequency, cannabis quantity variables, and within-day frequency variables were not. Among individuals endorsing symptoms, a positive association was found between flower potency and total symptom count (IRR=1.01, p=0.008). Conclusion: Current methods of assessing within-session cannabis quantity and within-day cannabis use frequency may lack clinical utility in examining college student CUD symptoms over and above weekly cannabis use frequency. Cannabis flower potency may prove useful in assessment of CUD symptom severity, but further research is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cianna J Piercey
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Maggie Mataczynski
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Vanessa T Stallsmith
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Noah N Emery
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Hollis C Karoly
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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2
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Kroon E, Cousijn J, Filbey F, Berchtold C, Binz TM, Kuhns L. Associations between hair-derived cannabinoid levels, self-reported use, and cannabis-related problems. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1237-1244. [PMID: 38407636 PMCID: PMC11106191 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06558-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE As cannabis potency and cannabis use are increasing in newly legalized markets, it is increasingly important to measure and examine the effects of cannabinoid exposure. OBJECTIVES The current study aims to assess how hair-derived cannabinoid concentrations - offering insight into three-month cumulative exposure - are associated with common self-report measures of cannabis use and cannabis use-related problems. METHODS 74 near-daily dependent cannabis users self-reported their quantity of cannabis use, cannabis use-related problems, and estimated cannabis potency. Hair samples were provided to quantify Δ9-THC, CBD, and CBN using LC-MS/MS and THC-consumption was verified by analyzing THC-COOH in hair using GC-MS/MS. RESULTS Cannabinoids were detectable in 95.95% of the hair samples from individuals who tested positive on a urine screen for cannabis. Δ9-THC concentrations were positively associated with measures of self-reported potency (relative potency, potency category, and perceived 'high'), but Δ9-THC, CBD, CBN concentrations and THC/CBD ratio were not associated with self-reported quantity of use. Self-reported potency, but not hair-derived concentrations, were associated with withdrawal and craving. Self-reported quantity of cannabis use, but not cannabinoid concentrations, were associated with cannabis use-related problems. CONCLUSIONS The use of hair-derived cannabinoid quantification is supported for detecting cannabis use in near-daily users, but the lack of associations between hair-derived cannabinoid concentrations and self-report measures of use does not support the use of hair analyses alone for quantification of cannabinoid exposure. Further research comparing hair-derived cannabinoid concentrations with other biological matrices (e.g. plasma) and self-report is necessary to further evaluate the validity of hair analyses for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emese Kroon
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Center for Substance Use and Addiction Research (CESAR), Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Center for Substance Use and Addiction Research (CESAR), Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Francesca Filbey
- Department of Psychology, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Christian Berchtold
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tina M Binz
- Center for Forensic Hair Analytics, Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lauren Kuhns
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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3
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Lees R, Lawn W, Petrilli K, Brown A, Trinci K, Borissova A, Ofori S, Mokrysz C, Curran HV, Hines LA, Freeman TP. Persistent increased severity of cannabis use disorder symptoms in adolescents compared to adults: a one-year longitudinal study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024:10.1007/s00406-024-01806-y. [PMID: 38709252 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-024-01806-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Adolescence is a developmental period characterised by increased vulnerability to cannabis use disorder (CUD). However, previous investigations of this vulnerability have relied on cross-sectional comparisons and lack a detailed assessment of cannabis quantity, a potentially important confounding factor. Here, we aimed to investigate the one-year course of CUD in adolescents compared to adults who currently use cannabis, adjusting for a comprehensive measure of cannabis quantity. Data are from a one-year observational longitudinal study (CannTeen) of adolescents and adults who currently used cannabis regularly with five waves of assessment at 3-monthly intervals, based in London, UK. Participants were n = 70 adults (26-29, 45.7% female), who did not regularly use cannabis when they were under age 18, and n = 76 adolescents (16-17, 50.0% female). The exposure was adolescent (compared to adult) frequent cannabis use. The primary outcome was CUD symptoms measured using the cannabis use disorder identification test revised (CUDIT-R) at five time points. Models were adjusted for cannabis quantity using mean weekly standard THC units (one unit = 5 mg THC). Other covariates included gender, and whether each session occurred before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. In models adjusted for pre-registered covariates, adolescents scored 3.7 points higher on the CUDIT-R compared to the adult group across the 5 assessment waves (3.66 95% CIs 1.99, 5.34). There was also evidence of a linear reduction in symptoms over time in both groups (-0.47, 95%CIs -0.67, -0.27). Adolescents had persistently increased CUD symptoms compared to adults across the 12-month period. This association was robust after adjusting for the quantity of cannabis consumed and other covariates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Lees
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | - Will Lawn
- Department of Psychology, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Kat Petrilli
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Amelia Brown
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Katie Trinci
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, UCL, London, UK
| | - Anya Borissova
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, UCL, London, UK
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Shelan Ofori
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, UCL, London, UK
| | | | | | - Lindsey A Hines
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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Guillem E, Baylé FJ. Greater vulnerability to cannabis dependence among heavy cannabis user French women. Am J Addict 2024; 33:320-326. [PMID: 38092565 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Between 1990 and the mid-2010s, France registered a sharp rise in the spread and consumption of cannabis. At the same time, there has been an increase in the concentration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol contained in cannabis. The aims of our study are to measure addictive and psychiatric comorbidities in cannabis users in France, and to compare characteristics between women and men. METHODS Three hundred and forty-two heavy cannabis users seen in a cannabis clinic between 2004 and 2014 were assessed during a 2-h clinical interview (DSM-IV, MINI). RESULTS 83.2% of users are currently cannabis dependent, 10.6% alcohol dependent, and 2.1% cocaine/crack dependent. 37.8% have a current mood disorder, 47.6% have a current anxiety disorder, and 8.8% are psychotic. Women suffer significantly more often than men from major depressive episodes, dysthymia, agoraphobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), both current and lifetime. Logistic regression shows that women have a significantly higher risk than men of suffering from PTSD over their lifetime (odds ratio [OR] = 5.48; p < 10-3). The vast majority of women suffering from PTSD report having been sexually assaulted in the course of their lives. In addition, women are at greater risk of cannabis dependence (OR = 3.87; p < .05) for lower cannabis consumption (grams smoked per week) (OR = 0.96; p < .05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS French women heavy cannabis users are particularly at risk of PTSD and are more likely than men to be dependent despite consuming fewer. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Further studies are needed to clinically quantify cannabis consumption and distinguish its impact on women and men.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Franck J Baylé
- INSERM U1153 CRESS, Paris, France
- Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris V-Descartes University, Paris, France
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5
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Petrilli K, Lawn W, Lees R, Mokrysz C, Borissova A, Ofori S, Trinci K, Dos Santos R, Leitch H, Soni S, Hines LA, Lorenzetti V, Curran HV, Freeman TP. Enhanced cannabis timeline followback (EC-TLFB): Comprehensive assessment of cannabis use including standard THC units and validation through biological measures. Addiction 2024; 119:772-783. [PMID: 38105033 DOI: 10.1111/add.16405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The aims of this study were to present an enhanced cannabis timeline followback (EC-TLFB) enabling comprehensive assessment of cannabis use measures, including standard tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) units, and to validate these against objectively indexed urinary 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) concentrations. DESIGN We used cross-sectional baseline data from the 'CannTeen' observational longitudinal study. SETTING The study was conducted in London, UK. PARTICIPANTS A total of 147 participants who used cannabis regularly took part in the study (n = 71 female, n = 76 male; mean age = 21.90, standard deviation = 5.32). MEASUREMENTS The EC-TLFB was used to calculate frequency of cannabis use, method of administration, including co-administration with tobacco, amount of cannabis used (measured with unaided self-report and also using pictorial aided self-report) and type of cannabis product (flower, hash) which was used to estimate THC concentration (both from published data on THC concentration of products and analysis of cannabis samples donated by participants in this study). We calculated total weekly standard THC units (i.e. 5 mg THC for all cannabis products and methods of administration) using the EC-TLFB. The outcome variable for validation of past week EC-TLFB assessments was creatinine-normalized carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) in urine. FINDINGS All measures of cannabis exposure included in this analysis were positively correlated with levels of THC-COOH in urine (r = 0.41-0.52). Standard THC units, calculated with average concentrations of THC in cannabis in the UK and unaided self-report measures of amount of cannabis used in grams showed the strongest correlation with THC-COOH in urine (r = 0.52, 95% bias-corrected and accelerated = 0.26-0.70). CONCLUSIONS The enhanced cannabis timeline followback (EC-TLFB) can provide a valid assessment of a comprehensive set of cannabis use measures including standard tetrahydrocannabinol units as well as and traditional TLFB assessments (e.g. frequency of use and grams of cannabis use).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kat Petrilli
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Will Lawn
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rachel Lees
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Claire Mokrysz
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anya Borissova
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Shelan Ofori
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Katie Trinci
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Harry Leitch
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Shilpa Soni
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lindsey A Hines
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Programme, the Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - H Valerie Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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6
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Borodovsky JT, Hasin DS, Shmulewitz D, Walsh C, Livne O, Aharonovich E, Struble CA, Habib MI, Budney AJ. Typical Hits, Grams, or Joints: Evaluating Cannabis Survey Measurement Strategies for Quantifying Consumption. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:646-658. [PMID: 36577020 PMCID: PMC10998027 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Standardized survey measures that capture diverse cannabis consumption patterns are needed to inform public health and policy. Our team is developing a flexible, personalized, low-burden survey item inventory to measure cannabis use patterns and estimate milligrams of THC (mgTHC) consumption in large samples. This study aimed to identify measurement gaps and analysis implications associated with an initial pool of candidate items that assessed use of cannabis flower and concentrate products (smoked and/or vaporized). Methods: Adult cannabis consumers (n=4247) completed an online survey assessing cannabis use frequency, quantity, product types, product potencies (%THC), and methods of administration. Participants chose to report their consumption quantities using one of three units: "hits per day," "grams per week," or "joints per week." Respondents also indicated whether their past 7-day consumption pattern represented their typical pattern. Results: Eighty-one percent had used cannabis daily in the past week. Thirty-two percent, 53%, and 15% chose to report flower and concentrate consumption quantity in hits, grams, and joints, respectively. Approximately 80-90% of responses for the number of hits, grams, and joints consumed were less than the maximum response option-suggesting that response options captured the full range of potential cannabis consumption behaviors. Those who chose grams or joints units were generally more likely to endorse higher risk cannabis use (e.g., morning use, high %THC products) in the past week than those who chose the hits unit (adjusted Odds Ratio range: 1.2-3.9). Among those who reported that the past week represented their typical behavior (83%), past 30-day and past 7-day frequencies were highly correlated (Spearman's Rho=0.77)-supporting the feasibility of using lower burden "typical week" items to extrapolate patterns beyond a 1-week time frame. Conclusion: Results from this online convenience sample of frequent cannabis consumers suggest that the current items yield coherent and expected response patterns. Although additional testing is required, a standardized, flexible survey instrument for large-scale assessment of cannabis patterns and calculation of mgTHC seems within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob T. Borodovsky
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Deborah S. Hasin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dvora Shmulewitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Claire Walsh
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ofir Livne
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Efrat Aharonovich
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cara A. Struble
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Mohammad I. Habib
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Alan J. Budney
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
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Lorenzetti V, Gaillard A, McTavish E, Grace S, Rossetti MG, Batalla A, Bellani M, Brambilla P, Chye Y, Conrod P, Cousijn J, Labuschagne I, Clemente A, Mackey S, Rendell P, Solowij N, Suo C, Li CSR, Terrett G, Thompson PM, Yücel M, Garavan H, Roberts CA. Cannabis Dependence is Associated with Reduced Hippocampal Subregion Volumes Independently of Sex: Findings from an ENIGMA Addiction Working Group Multi-Country Study. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024. [PMID: 38498015 DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0204] [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: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Males and females who consume cannabis can experience different mental health and cognitive problems. Neuroscientific theories of addiction postulate that dependence is underscored by neuroadaptations, but do not account for the contribution of distinct sexes. Further, there is little evidence for sex differences in the neurobiology of cannabis dependence as most neuroimaging studies have been conducted in largely male samples in which cannabis dependence, as opposed to use, is often not ascertained. Methods: We examined subregional hippocampus and amygdala volumetry in a sample of 206 people recruited from the ENIGMA Addiction Working Group. They included 59 people with cannabis dependence (17 females), 49 cannabis users without cannabis dependence (20 females), and 98 controls (33 females). Results: We found no group-by-sex effect on subregional volumetry. The left hippocampal cornu ammonis subfield 1 (CA1) volumes were lower in dependent cannabis users compared with non-dependent cannabis users (p<0.001, d=0.32) and with controls (p=0.022, d=0.18). Further, the left cornu ammonis subfield 3 (CA3) and left dentate gyrus volumes were lower in dependent versus non-dependent cannabis users but not versus controls (p=0.002, d=0.37, and p=0.002, d=0.31, respectively). All models controlled for age, intelligence quotient (IQ), alcohol and tobacco use, and intracranial volume. Amygdala volumetry was not affected by group or group-by-sex, but was smaller in females than males. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the relationship between cannabis dependence and subregional volumetry was not moderated by sex. Specifically, dependent (rather than non-dependent) cannabis use may be associated with alterations in selected hippocampus subfields high in cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors and implicated in addictive behavior. As these data are cross-sectional, it is plausible that differences predate cannabis dependence onset and contribute to the initiation of cannabis dependence. Longitudinal neuroimaging work is required to examine the time-course of the onset of subregional hippocampal alterations in cannabis dependence, and their progression as cannabis dependence exacerbates or recovers over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alexandra Gaillard
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Mental Health and Department of Health Sciences and Biostatistics, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, Australia
| | - Eugene McTavish
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sally Grace
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Maria Gloria Rossetti
- UOC Psichiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI), Verona, Italy
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Albert Batalla
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- UOC Psichiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI), Verona, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Yann Chye
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montreal, CHU Ste Justine Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Neuroscience of Addiction Lab, Center for Substance Use and Addiction Research (CESAR), Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Izelle Labuschagne
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Adam Clemente
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Scott Mackey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Peter Rendell
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Gill Terrett
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Department of Neurology, Imaging Genetics Center, Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, California, USA
| | - Murat Yücel
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Australia
| | - Hugh Garavan
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Carl A Roberts
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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8
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Cousijn J, Kuhns L, Filbey F, Freeman TP, Kroon E. Cannabis research in context: The case for measuring and embracing regional similarities and differences. Addiction 2024. [PMID: 38454627 DOI: 10.1111/add.16460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Janna Cousijn
- Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lauren Kuhns
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Emese Kroon
- Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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9
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Martin-Willett R, Elmore JS, Phillips PX, Bidwell LC. Meaningfully Characterizing Cannabis Use for Research and Clinical Settings: A Comprehensive Review of Existing Measures and Proposed Future Directions. PSYCHIAT CLIN PSYCH 2024; 34:82-93. [PMID: 38883882 PMCID: PMC11177636 DOI: 10.5152/pcp.2024.23645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use is increasingly common. There is a need for validated tools to meaningfully assess recreational, medical, and disordered cannabis use in both research and clinical contexts. Cannabis assessments were considered against pre-determined inclusion criteria within a comprehensive review. Measures were categorized as either (i) evaluating use frequency or quantity, (ii) measuring symptoms of disordered use and withdrawal, or (iii) assessing use motives, effects, and perceptions. The applications and validations for each assessment are summarized. Finally, recommendations for refining of existing measures or development of new measures are presented. The literature review resulted in 289 publications that were reviewed in detail, yielding 21 assessments that met inclusion criteria. The applications of these assessments are described here, in addition to the information about the validation studies of each assessment. Based on the complication of these tools, 5 areas of potential development are highlighted to guide future research, including (i) sensitivity to the mode of cannabis administration as well as sensitivity to (ii) potency of cannabis products alongside frequency and quantity, (iii) unit equivalence, (iv) aligning clinical measures consistently with cannabis use disorder (CUD) diagnostic criteria, and (v) creating measures specific to medical users, their motives for use, and their perceptions of therapeutic benefits or side effects. Clinicians and researchers can pragmatically benefit from this summary of validated measures of cannabis use, and future work could improve the study of and clinical care for cannabis use and CUD by pursuing one or more key areas of development described here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Martin-Willett
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Joshua S Elmore
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Paige X Phillips
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - L Cinnamon Bidwell
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
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Fleming CB, Delawalla MLM, Rhew IC, Kilmer JR, Larimer M, Guttmannova K. Cross-Substance Associations With Transitions in Cannabis and Nicotine Use in a Statewide Sample of Young Adults in Washington State. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2024; 85:272-282. [PMID: 37917015 PMCID: PMC10941821 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.23-00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Understanding transitions in nicotine and cannabis use has implications for prevention and efforts to reduce harmful use. Focusing on cross-substance associations, we examined how use of one substance was associated with year-to-year transitions in frequency of use of the other among young adults in the context of legalized nonmedical cannabis. METHOD A statewide sample from Washington (N = 4,039; ages 18-25 at baseline) provided up to 3 years of annual data on past-month cannabis use and nicotine use (tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes/vaping). Manifest Markov models examined how use of each substance was associated with transitions in the other across categories of past-month no use, occasional use (1-19 days), and frequent use (≥20 days). RESULTS Occasional and frequent nicotine use (vs. no use) predicted higher probability of transitioning from no cannabis use to occasional or frequent cannabis use and from occasional use to frequent use, whereas associations with cessation and de-escalation were inconsistent in direction, small in magnitude, and not statistically significant. Cannabis use positively predicted onset of nicotine use, and associations of cannabis use with escalation from occasional to frequent nicotine use, de-escalation in use, and cessation in use were small and inconsistent in direction. CONCLUSIONS The findings corroborate prior research on cannabis and nicotine use as risk factors to address in prevention efforts. The findings do not provide strong support for prioritization of dual abstinence in efforts to encourage reductions in or cessation of cannabis or nicotine use among young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles B. Fleming
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Miranda L. M. Delawalla
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Isaac C. Rhew
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jason R. Kilmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Mary Larimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Katarina Guttmannova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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11
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Beyer E, Poudel G, Antonopoulos S, Thomson H, Lorenzetti V. Brain reward function in people who use cannabis: a systematic review. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 17:1323609. [PMID: 38379938 PMCID: PMC10877725 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1323609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Rationale Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances globally. Cannabis use can be associated with alterations of reward processing, including affective flattening, apathy, anhedonia, and lower sensitivity to natural rewards in conjunction with higher sensitivity to cannabis-related rewards. Such alterations have been posited to be driven by changes in underlying brain reward pathways, as per prominent neuroscientific theories of addiction. Functional neuroimaging (fMRI) studies have examined brain reward function in cannabis users via the monetary incentive delay (MID) fMRI task; however, this evidence is yet to be systematically synthesised. Objectives We aimed to systematically integrate the evidence on brain reward function in cannabis users examined by the MID fMRI task; and in relation to metrics of cannabis exposure (e.g., dosage, frequency) and other behavioural variables. Method We pre-registered the review in PROSPERO and reported it using PRISMA guidelines. Literature searches were conducted in PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, and Scopus. Results Nine studies were included, comprising 534 people with mean ages 16-to-28 years, of which 255 were people who use cannabis daily or almost daily, and 279 were controls. The fMRI literature to date led to largely non-significant group differences. A few studies reported group differences in the ventral striatum while participants anticipated rewards and losses; and in the caudate while participants received neutral outcomes. A few studies examined correlations between brain function and withdrawal, dosage, and age of onset; and reported inconsistent findings. Conclusions There is emerging but inconsistent evidence of altered brain reward function in cannabis users examined with the MID fMRI task. Future fMRI studies are required to confirm if the brain reward system is altered in vulnerable cannabis users who experience a Cannabis Use Disorder, as postulated by prominent neuroscientific theories of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emillie Beyer
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Govinda Poudel
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Braincast Neurotechnologies, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephanie Antonopoulos
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Hannah Thomson
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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12
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Chesney E, Lawn W, McGuire P. Assessing Cannabis Use in People with Psychosis. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:49-58. [PMID: 37971872 PMCID: PMC10874830 DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cannabis use is common in people with psychotic disorders and is associated with the exacerbation of symptoms, poor treatment adherence, and an increased risk of relapse. Accurate assessment of cannabis use is thus critical to the clinical management of psychosis. Discussion: Cannabis use is usually assessed with self-report questionnaires that were originally developed for healthy individuals or people with a cannabis use disorder. Compared to these groups, the pattern of cannabis use and the associated harms in patients with psychosis are quite different. Moreover, in people with psychosis, the accuracy of self-reported use may be impaired by psychotic symptoms, cognitive deficits, and a desire to conceal use when clinicians have advised against it. Although urinary screening for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is sometimes used in the assessment of acute psychotic episodes, it is not used in routinely. Cannabis use could be assessed by measuring the concentration of cannabinoids in urine and blood, but this is rarely done in either clinical settings or research. Conclusion: Using quantitative biological measures could provide a more accurate guide to the effects of use on the disorder than asking patients or using questionnaires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Chesney
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Will Lawn
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
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13
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Guttmannova K, Fleming CB, Rhew IC, Delawalla MLM, Fairlie AM, Larimer ME, Kilmer JR. Changes in Cannabis Use From 2014 to 2019 Among Young Adults in Washington State. Am J Prev Med 2024; 66:252-259. [PMID: 37793557 PMCID: PMC10842380 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Understanding changes in cannabis use in the legalized nonmedical cannabis context is critical. Washington State, one the earliest states to implement legalization, presents a unique opportunity to examine how cannabis use and its consequences changed after the implementation of legalization for adults. With a focus on Washington State young adults, this study conducted in 2022-2023 examined changes in (1) cannabis use by sex and age, (2) preferred mode of use, and (3) cannabis use disorder symptoms. METHODS Using repeated cross-sectional data on young adults aged 18-25 years in Washington State from 2014 (premarket opening) to 2019 (N=12,945), logistic regression models assessed trends over time in the prevalence of any and frequent (20+ days) past-month cannabis use. Among individuals reporting use, multinomial logistic regressions estimated trends over time in the preferred mode of use and negative binomial regressions examined trends in the count of cannabis use disorder symptoms. RESULTS From 2014 to 2019, the prevalence of cannabis use converged by sex, with females being equally likely as males to report both any and frequent use by 2019. Among young adults reporting past-month use, smoking as the preferred mode of use decreased relative to other modes. Number of cannabis use disorder symptoms reported increased, which was not accounted for by changes in preferred mode of use. CONCLUSIONS During the 5-year period following the implementation of legalization, patterns of young adult cannabis use shifted, including particularly sharp increases among females and increases in cannabis use disorder symptoms. Future studies should investigate underlying causes for these important changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Guttmannova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Charles B Fleming
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Isaac C Rhew
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Miranda L M Delawalla
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Anne M Fairlie
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Mary E Larimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jason R Kilmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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14
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Dawson D, Stjepanovic D, Lorenzetti V, Hall WD, Leung J. How much cannabis is used in a joint in Australia? An experimental investigation into use by potency and frequency. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:226-232. [PMID: 37717253 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cannabis use is highly prevalent in Australia, yet current survey metrics measure tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure with limited accuracy. Often survey items measure cannabis quantity by assuming specific modes of use (i.e., 'how many joints do you use?'), which fail to capture variations in cannabis use and the diverse modes of use (e.g., joints, cones, spliffs). This study investigated how much cannabis is used in these modes of administration in an Australian sample. METHODS Participants (N = 31, Mage = 25.77; 51% university students) completed the Roll a Joint Paradigm in which they rolled joints, spliffs and packed cones as they would typically, using oregano as 'cannabis.' Participants then prepared each again but with cannabis of higher or lower potency. RESULTS The amount of cannabis used across different modes of administration was variable: joints (range 0.10-1.25 g), spliffs (range 0.12-1.21 g) and cones (range 0.03-0.41 g). Participants who used cannabis daily rolled three times the amount of cannabis into a joint. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The amount of cannabis used in common modes of administration may be highly variable. Daily use may be associated using larger quantities of cannabis. Titration attempts based on potency were not proportional or consistent across modes of administration. The results indicate people may adjust the quantity of cannabis based on perceived potency, however, not proportional to THC concentration. Inconsistency in the amount of cannabis used based on potency and within different modes of administration may represent a problem for self-report metrics which ask participants to report cannabis use in joints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Dawson
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Daniel Stjepanovic
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Wayne D Hall
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Janni Leung
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Sumodhee D, Walsh H, Brose L, McNeill A, McEwen A, Duaso MJ. Support Provided by Stop-Smoking Practitioners to Co-users of Tobacco and Cannabis: A Qualitative Study. Nicotine Tob Res 2024; 26:23-30. [PMID: 37429576 PMCID: PMC10734383 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Co-use of tobacco and cannabis is highly prevalent among cannabis users and is associated with poorer tobacco cessation outcomes. This study explored the barriers and enablers influencing stop-smoking practitioners' ability to provide optimal support to co-users. AIMS AND METHODS Online semi-structured interviews were audio recorded. Interviewees (n = 20) were UK-based certified stop-smoking practitioners. An interview schedule informed by the "capability", "opportunity", "motivation" (COM-B) model was designed to explore participants' perceived barriers and enablers in better supporting co-users to achieve abstinence of both substances or tobacco harm reduction. The transcripts were analyzed using framework analysis. RESULTS Capability: Practitioners' lack of knowledge and skills undermines their delivery of smoking cessation interventions to co-users. Interestingly, when cannabis is used for medicinal reasons, practitioners feel unable to provide adequate support. Opportunity: Service recording systems play an important role in screening for co-use and supporting co-users. When responding to clients' specific needs and practitioners' uncertainties, a positive therapeutic relationship and a support network of peers and other healthcare professionals are needed. Motivation: supporting co-users is generally perceived as part of practitioners' roles but there are concerns that co-users are less likely to successfully stop smoking. CONCLUSIONS Practitioners are willing to support co-users, but their lack of knowledge and access to an appropriate recording system are barriers to doing so. Having a supportive team and a positive therapeutic relationship is perceived as important. Identified barriers can be mostly addressed with further training to improve tobacco cessation outcomes for co-users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayyanah Sumodhee
- Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care (FNMPC), King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Hannah Walsh
- Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care (FNMPC), King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Leonie Brose
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Ann McNeill
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Andy McEwen
- National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training, Dorchester, UK
| | - Maria J Duaso
- Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care (FNMPC), King’s College London, London, UK
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Bero L, Lawrence R, Oberste JP, Li T, Leslie L, Rittiphairoj T, Piper C, Wang GS, Brooks-Russell A, Yim TW, Tung G, Samet JM. Health Effects of High-Concentration Cannabis Products: Scoping Review and Evidence Map. Am J Public Health 2023; 113:1332-1342. [PMID: 37939329 PMCID: PMC10632847 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2023.307414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Background. The concentration of pharmacologically active tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis products has been increasing over the past decade. Concerns about potential harmful health effects of using these increasingly higher-concentration products have led some states to consider regulation of cannabis product THC concentration. We conducted a scoping review of health effects of high-concentration cannabis products to inform policy on whether the THC concentrations of cannabis product should be regulated or limited. Objectives. We conducted a scoping review to (1) identify and describe human studies that explore the relationship of high-concentration cannabis products with any health outcomes in the literature and (2) create an interactive evidence map of the included studies to facilitate further analyses. Search Methods. An experienced medical information specialist designed a comprehensive search strategy of 7 electronic databases. Selection Criteria. We included human studies of any epidemiological design with no restrictions by age, sex, health status, country, or outcome measured that reported THC concentration or included a known high-concentration cannabis product. Data Collection and Analysis. We imported search results into Distiller SR, and trained coders conducted artificial intelligence‒assisted screening. We developed, piloted, and revised data abstraction forms. One person performed data abstraction, and a senior reviewer verified a subset. We provide a tabular description of study characteristics, including exposures and outcomes measured, for each included study. We interrogated the evidence map published in Tableau to answer specific questions and provide the results as text and visual displays. Main Results. We included 452 studies in the scoping review and evidence map. There was incomplete reporting of exposure characteristics including THC concentration, duration and frequency of use, and products used. The evidence map shows considerable heterogeneity among studies in exposures, outcomes, and populations studied. A limited number of reports provided data that would facilitate further quantitative synthesis of the results across studies. Conclusions. This scoping review and evidence map support strong conclusions concerning the utility of the literature for characterizing risks and benefits of the current cannabis marketplace and the research approaches followed in the studies identified. Relevance of the studies to today's products is limited. Public Health Implications. High-quality evidence to address the policy question of whether the THC concentration of cannabis products should be regulated is scarce. The publicly available interactive evidence map is a timely resource for other entities concerned with burgeoning access to high-concentration cannabis. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(12):1332-1342. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307414).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bero
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Rosa Lawrence
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Jean-Pierre Oberste
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Tianjing Li
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Louis Leslie
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Thanitsara Rittiphairoj
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Christi Piper
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - George Sam Wang
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Ashley Brooks-Russell
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Tsz Wing Yim
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Gregory Tung
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Jonathan M Samet
- Lisa Bero and Rosa Lawrence are with the Department of General Internal Medicine, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Jean-Pierre Oberste, Tianjing Li, Louis Leslie, and Tsz Wing Yim are with Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Thanitsara Rittiphairoj is with Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Christi Piper is with Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. George Sam Wang is with Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Ashley Brooks-Russell is with Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Gregory Tung is with Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Jonathan M. Samet is with Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
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Kuhns L, Kroon E, Filbey F, Cousijn J. A cross-cultural fMRI investigation of cannabis approach bias in individuals with cannabis use disorder. Addict Behav Rep 2023; 18:100507. [PMID: 37485034 PMCID: PMC10359718 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction As cannabis policies and attitudes become more permissive, it is crucial to examine how the legal and social environment influence neurocognitive mechanisms underlying cannabis use disorder (CUD). The current study aimed to assess whether cannabis approach bias, one of the mechanisms proposed to underlie CUD, differed between environments with distinct recreational cannabis policies (Amsterdam, The Netherlands (NL) and Dallas, Texas, United States of America (TX)) and whether individual differences in cannabis attitudes affect those differences. Methods Individuals with CUD (NL-CUD: 64; TX-CUD: 48) and closely matched non-using controls (NL-CON: 50; TX-CON: 36) completed a cannabis approach avoidance task (CAAT) in a 3T MRI. The cannabis culture questionnaire was used to measure cannabis attitudes from three perspectives: personal, family/friends, and state/country attitudes. Results Individuals with CUD demonstrated a significant behavioral cannabis-specific approach bias. Individuals with CUD exhibited higher cannabis approach bias-related activity in clusters including the paracingulate gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex, and frontal medial cortex compared to controls, which was no longer significant after controlling for gender. Site-related differences emerged in the association between cannabis use quantity and cannabis approach bias activity in the putamen, amygdala, hippocampus, and insula, with a positive association in the TX-CUD group and a negative association in the NL-CUD group. This was not explained by site differences in cannabis attitudes. Conclusions Pinpointing the underlying mechanisms of site-related differences-including, but not limited to, differences in method of administration, cannabis potency, or patterns of substance co-use-is a key challenge for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Kuhns
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emese Kroon
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- The Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Center (ABC), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Francesca Filbey
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Substance use and Addiction Research (CESAR), Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Bonar EE, Goldstick JE, Tan CY, Bourque C, Carter PM, Duval ER, McAfee J, Walton MA. A remote brief intervention plus social media messaging for cannabis use among emerging adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial in emergency department patients. Addict Behav 2023; 147:107829. [PMID: 37598642 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Interventions addressing cannabis use among emerging adults (ages 18-25) are currently needed to prevent negative outcomes. Emergency Department (ED) visits provide an opportunity to initiate interventions. In this pilot study, we created a brief intervention (BI), extended with private social media messaging for emerging adult ED patients who use cannabis regularly. Study aims were to examine intervention feasibility, acceptability, and descriptive outcomes. METHODS We recruited and randomized N = 58 emerging adults (M age 21.5 years, 65.5% female) who used cannabis from an ED in-person and remotely after their ED visit (given COVID-19 restrictions). Participants randomized to the intervention (N = 30) received a Motivational Interviewing-based BI and 4 weeks of health coaching via private social media; control participants received a resource brochure and entertaining social media messaging. Follow-ups occurred at 1-month and 3-months. RESULTS Most intervention participants liked the BI (95.8%), found it helpful to discuss cannabis use in the BI (91.7%), and liked interacting with coaches on social media (86.3%). Social media content (e.g., video clips, images/still pictures/memes) were highly rated. Descriptively, the intervention group showed theory-consistent changes in importance of and intentions to change cannabis (increases vs. decrease/stability in control group), whereas findings for cannabis consumption/consequences were mixed. CONCLUSIONS This BI paired with social media messaging was acceptable in a sample of emerging adults from an ED who used cannabis regularly. Despite feasibility challenges due to COVID-19, this intervention warrants future investigation with a larger sample and longer follow-up period, with attention to the changing cannabis landscape when measuring outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Bonar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 10, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Jason E Goldstick
- Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 10, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 10, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Chiu Yi Tan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Carrie Bourque
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Patrick M Carter
- Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 10, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 10, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Emergency Medicine, Hurley Medical Center, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA.
| | - Elizabeth R Duval
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Jenna McAfee
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Burlington Building, 325 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA.
| | - Maureen A Walton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 16, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Injury Prevention Center, University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Rd. Building 10, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Borodovsky JT, Struble CA, Habib MI, Hasin DS, Shmulewitz D, Walsh C, Livne O, Aharonovich E, Budney AJ. Exploring survey methods for measuring consumption quantities of cannabis flower and concentrate products. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:733-745. [PMID: 37774316 PMCID: PMC10795727 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2246635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Background: Researchers need accurate measurements of cannabis consumption quantities to assess risks and benefits. Survey methods for measuring cannabis flower and concentrate quantities remain underdeveloped.Objective: We examined "grams" and "hits" units for measuring flower and concentrate quantities, and calculating milligrams of THC (mgTHC).Methods: Online survey participants (n = 2,381) reported preferred unit (hits or grams), past-week hits and grams for each product, and product %THC. Quantile regression compared mgTHC between unit-preference subgroups. Hits-based mgTHC calculations assumed a universal grams-per-hit ratio (GPHR). To examine individualized GPHRs, we tested a "two-item approach," which divided total grams by total hits, and "one-item approach," which divided 0.5 grams by responses to the question: "How many total hits would it take you to finish 1/2 g of your [product] by [administration method]?"Results: Participants were primarily daily consumers (77%), 50% female sex, mean age 39.0 (SD 16.4), 85% White, 49% employed full-time. Compared to those who preferred the hits unit, those who preferred the grams unit reported consuming more hits and grams, higher %THC products, and consequently, larger median mgTHC (flower-hits mgTHC: 32 vs. 91 (95%CI: 52-67); flower-grams mgTHC: 27 vs. 113 (95%CI: 73-95); concentrate-hits mgTHC: 29 vs. 59 (95%CI: 15-43); concentrate-grams mgTHC: 61 vs. 129 (95%CI: 43-94)). "Two-item" and "one-item" approach GPHRs were similar and frequently 50% larger or smaller than the universal GPHR.Conclusion: Allowing respondents to choose "hits" or "grams" when reporting cannabis quantities does not compromise mgTHC estimates. A low-burden, one-item approach yields individualized "hit sizes" that may improve mgTHC estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob T. Borodovsky
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, 46 Centerra Pkwy, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Cara A. Struble
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, 46 Centerra Pkwy, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Mohammad I. Habib
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, 46 Centerra Pkwy, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Deborah S. Hasin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dvora Shmulewitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Claire Walsh
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ofir Livne
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Efrat Aharonovich
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alan J. Budney
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, 46 Centerra Pkwy, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
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20
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Fleming CB, Walukevich-Dienst K, Calhoun BH, Lee CM. A Longitudinal Analysis of Monthly Changes in Substance Use in Relation to Negative Consequences From Alcohol and Cannabis Use in a Community Sample of Young Adults. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2023; 84:913-920. [PMID: 37650855 PMCID: PMC10765978 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.22-00431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Experiencing negative substance use consequences may deter future use, alter patterns of substance use (e.g., substituting one substance for another, combining substances), or point to a sustained pattern of engaging in heavy or frequent use. We used monthly data to examine relationships between negative alcohol and cannabis use consequences experienced in one month and changes in use the following month. METHOD Data were from 508 individuals (59% female; ages 18-23 years at enrollment) who were surveyed monthly for 2 years and used both alcohol and cannabis during the study period. Multilevel models assessed within-person associations between monthly fluctuations in substance-related negative consequences and the next month's substance use (i.e., typical drinks per week, cannabis use frequency, and simultaneous alcohol and cannabis/marijuana [SAM] use), controlling for the prior month's substance use. RESULTS Positive associations were found between alcohol consequences and the following month's alcohol use and between cannabis consequences and subsequent cannabis use, although only the cannabis association was statistically significant. There was little evidence of effects of cannabis consequences on the next month's alcohol use or alcohol consequences on the next month's cannabis use. Cannabis consequences had a positive and statistically significant association with the next month's SAM use. Within-substance positive associations were strongest for physical alcohol consequences and cannabis consequences of low motivation, memory problems, and trouble breathing. CONCLUSIONS Experiencing negative cannabis use consequences predicted more frequent cannabis use and greater chance of SAM use 1 month later. Results point to negative consequences, along with prior use, indicating risk for future use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles B. Fleming
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Brian H. Calhoun
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Christine M. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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21
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Manthey J, Pons‐Cabrera MT, Rosenkranz M, Lopez‐Pelayo H. Measuring cannabis quantities in online surveys: A rapid review and proposals for ways forward. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res 2023; 32:e1971. [PMID: 37089041 PMCID: PMC10485338 DOI: 10.1002/mpr.1971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cannabis use quantities are relevant for determining cannabis-related harms. This research aims to provide an overview of the available methods to assess quantities through self-report. METHODS A rapid review of various strategies to collect information on cannabis use quantities through self-report. Two independent literature searches resulted in n = 38 studies included for review. RESULTS A total of n = 14 studies employed methods for collecting cannabis use quantities that are not suitable for online surveys (e.g., rolling a fake joint). Of the remaining n = 24 studies with items that are suitable for online surveys, the quantity assessment was performed in three different ways. The data collection was either carried out by asking (a) for the total number of joints (i.e., crude joint method), (b) for the total weight (i.e., crude weight method), or (c) for specific products separately, for example, for the amount of flower and resin (i.e., product-specific method). In only n = 8 studies, cannabis use quantities were ascertained by providing visual aids (e.g., illustration of various amounts of flower). CONCLUSIONS The crude joint method and the product-specific method are the two most promising methods to collect information on cannabis use quantities. Using visual aids may potentially improve the accuracy of those methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Manthey
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyCenter for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS)University Medical Center Hamburg‐Eppendorf (UKE)HamburgGermany
- Department of PsychiatryMedical FacultyUniversity of LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Maria Teresa Pons‐Cabrera
- Grup de Recerca en Addicions ClínicInstitut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)Unitat de Conductes AddictivesServei de Psiquiatria Psicologia (ICN)Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Moritz Rosenkranz
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyCenter for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS)University Medical Center Hamburg‐Eppendorf (UKE)HamburgGermany
| | - Hugo Lopez‐Pelayo
- Grup de Recerca en Addicions ClínicInstitut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)Unitat de Conductes AddictivesServei de Psiquiatria Psicologia (ICN)Hospital Clínic de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd)BarcelonaSpain
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22
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Lorenzetti V, Freeman TP. Standardised cannabis metrics: Opportunities for tracking how cannabis use affects neurodevelopmental trajectories in youth cohorts worldwide. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13309. [PMID: 37500491 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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23
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Spillane NS, Schick MR, Hostetler KL, Trinh CD, Kahler CW. Results of a pilot study examining the effect of positive psychology interventions on cannabis use and related consequences. Contemp Clin Trials 2023; 131:107247. [PMID: 37263491 PMCID: PMC10875633 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Young adults experience high rates of cannabis use and consequences. Cross-sectional work has linked positive psychological constructs (e.g., savoring) to less cannabis use and consequences, and positive psychological interventions (PPIs) have shown promise in targeting other substance use behaviors. This pilot study sought to provide an initial test of PPIs to reduce young adult cannabis use and consequences. METHODS Adults (18-25 years old) who endorsed at least weekly past-month cannabis use (N = 59, 69.6% men, 41.1% White) reported their baseline cannabis use and consequences. Participants were randomized to complete one of three daily exercises (Savoring, Three Good Things, or a control) along with daily text message surveys for two weeks, then completed a follow-up survey at the end of the two weeks. RESULTS Paired samples t-tests indicated that participants in the Three Good Things group showed medium to large reductions in frequency of weekly cannabis use (p = .08, gav = -0.57) and cannabis-associated consequences (p = .08, gav = -0.57) from baseline to follow-up. In the Savoring and control groups, there were not significant changes in frequency of weekly cannabis use (Savoring: p = .39, gav = 0.20; Control: p = .96, gav = 0.01) nor cannabis-associated consequences (Savoring: p = .84, gav = 0.05; Control: p = .45, gav = -0.18). Participants in both positive psychology conditions reported the exercises were easy to complete, providing evidence for acceptability. DISCUSSION Results provide initial support for the feasibility and potential promise of a text-message based PPI as a harm reduction approach for cannabis users. A larger clinical trial is warranted to test the effects of such interventions with adequate statistical power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichea S Spillane
- PATHS Lab, University of Rhode Island Department of Psychology, Kingston, RI 02881, United States of America.
| | - Melissa R Schick
- PATHS Lab, University of Rhode Island Department of Psychology, Kingston, RI 02881, United States of America; Division of Prevention and Community Research, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America
| | - Katherine L Hostetler
- PATHS Lab, University of Rhode Island Department of Psychology, Kingston, RI 02881, United States of America; Health Services Research & Development, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI 02908, United States of America
| | - Catherine D Trinh
- PATHS Lab, University of Rhode Island Department of Psychology, Kingston, RI 02881, United States of America
| | - Christopher W Kahler
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02903, United States of America
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Alvarez-Roldan A, García-Muñoz T, Gamella JF, Parra I, Duaso MJ. Differentiating people who use cannabis heavily through latent class analysis. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2023; 18:31. [PMID: 37264404 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-023-00540-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who use cannabis daily or near-daily vary considerably in their daily dosage and use frequency, impacting both experienced effects and adverse consequences. This study identified heavy cannabis user groups according to consumption patterns and factors associated with class membership. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 380 Spanish residents (61.8% male; average age = 30.3 years) who had used cannabis ≥ 3 days/week throughout the past year. Participants were recruited through chain referral and cannabis social clubs. We applied latent class analysis (LCA) to cluster participants according to use intensity. LCA indicators included frequency of weekly cannabis use, joints smoked each day, cannabis dosage, and if cannabis was consumed throughout the day or only at specific times. Associations between class membership and socio-demographics, use patterns, motives, supply sources, adverse outcomes, and use of other substances were measured using ANOVA and chi-squared tests. Multinomial regression identified the factors associated with latent class membership. RESULTS Three latent classes (moderately heavy: 21.8%, heavy: 68.2%, very heavy: 10%) had average weekly cannabis intakes of 2.4, 5.5, and 18.3 g, respectively. Very heavy users were older ([Formula: see text]=17.77, p < 0.01), less educated [Formula: see text]=36.80, p < 0.001), and had used cannabis for longer (F = 4.62, p = 0.01). CAST scores (F = 26.51, p < 0.001) increased across the classes. The prevalence of past-month alcohol use was lower among the heaviest users ([Formula: see text]=5.95, p = 0.05). Cannabis was usually obtained from a club by very heavy users ([Formula: see text]=20.95, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS People who use cannabis heavily present three groups according to frequency and quantity of cannabis consumption. Use intensity is associated with increased cannabis-related problems. Differences among heavy users must be considered in harm reduction interventions in cannabis clubs and indicated prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juan F Gamella
- Department of Social Anthropology, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Iván Parra
- Department of Social Anthropology, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Maria J Duaso
- Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King's College London, London, UK
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Walsh CA, Struble CA, Aharonovich E, Shmulewitz D, Borodovsky J, Habib MI, Budney A, Livne O, Hasin DS. Evaluating cannabis exposure in survey items: Insights, strategies, and remaining challenges identified from cognitive interviewing. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2023; 7:100161. [PMID: 37179574 PMCID: PMC10173391 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Background The diversity in characteristics of cannabis products and behavior patterns make evaluation of cannabis exposure in population-based, self-report surveys challenging. Accurate identification of cannabis exposure and related outcomes necessitates a thorough understanding of participants' interpretations of survey questions assessing cannabis consumption behaviors. Objectives The current study utilized cognitive interviewing to gain insight on participants' interpretation of items in a self-reported survey instrument used to estimate the quantity of THC consumed in population samples. Methods Cognitive interviewing was used to evaluate survey items assessing cannabis use frequency, routes of administration, quantity, potency, and perceived "typical patterns" of use. Ten participants ≥18 years (n = 4 cisgender-men; n = 3 cisgender-women; n = 3 non-binary/transgender) who had used cannabis plant material or concentrates in the past week were recruited to take a self-administered questionnaire and subsequently answer a series of scripted probes regarding survey items. Results While most items presented no issues with comprehension, participants identified several areas of ambiguity in question or response item wording or in visual cues included in the survey. Generally, participants with irregular use patterns (i.e., non-daily use) reported more difficulty recalling the time or quantity of cannabis use. Findings resulted in several changes to the updated survey, including updated reference images and new quantity/frequency of use items specific to the route of administration. Conclusion Incorporating cognitive interviewing into cannabis measurement development among a sample of knowledgeable cannabis consumers led to improvements in assessing cannabis exposure in population surveys, which may otherwise have been missed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire A. Walsh
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Cara A. Struble
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Efrat Aharonovich
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dvora Shmulewitz
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Jacob Borodovsky
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Mohammad I. Habib
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Alan Budney
- Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Ofir Livne
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Deborah S. Hasin
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722W 168th St, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Galvin SL, Coulson CC. Addressing cannabis consumption among patients with hyperemesis gravidarum. AJOG GLOBAL REPORTS 2023; 3:100180. [PMID: 36911236 PMCID: PMC9992753 DOI: 10.1016/j.xagr.2023.100180] [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: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum affect up to 3% of all pregnant people, causing substantial maternal and neonatal morbidity, suffering, and financial cost. Evidence supports the association of cannabis consumption with symptoms of severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy or hyperemesis gravidarum as the general public has come to believe that cannabis is a natural, safe antiemetic. Cannabis consumption in pregnancy is discouraged strongly by the Surgeon General of the United States and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists because of evidence of potential harms. Symptoms of intractable, severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy or hyperemesis gravidarum associated with cannabis consumption may be unrecognized cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and this syndrome may be more common than previously thought. Cannabis consumption is especially detrimental when causing or exacerbating debilitating symptoms such as the intense, persistent, recurrent, or cyclic vomiting and associated dehydration and other sequelae of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Open discussion of cannabis consumption during pregnancy is very challenging for patients and maternity care providers in our current environment of variable legal status across states and variable degrees of personal and societal acceptance. Evidence-based medical knowledge, guidance, tools, and skills are needed to differentially diagnose and treat cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome in pregnancy. Researchers, clinicians, and medical specialty organizations must work together to strengthen the evidence base and develop or refine the necessary guidelines and tools for maternity care provider skill development, and to increase public and patient awareness of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, specifically during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley L Galvin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Asheville, NC.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Carol C Coulson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Asheville, NC.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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Petrilli K, Hines L, Adams S, Morgan CJ, Curran HV, Freeman TP. High potency cannabis use, mental health symptoms and cannabis dependence: Triangulating the evidence. Addict Behav 2023; 144:107740. [PMID: 37121087 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis potency (concentration of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol) has been associated with risks of adverse mental health outcomes and addiction but no studies have triangulated evidence from self-report and objective measures of cannabis potency. We hypothesised that users of high potency cannabis would have higher levels of (a) anxiety, (b) depression and (c) psychosis-like symptoms (d) cannabis dependence than users of lower potency cannabis. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 410 participants donated a sample of cannabis for analysis of THC concentration and reported their cannabis potency preference. These two exposure measures were investigated for their association with cannabis dependence, depression, anxiety, and psychosis-like symptoms in separate linear/logistic regression models. RESULTS High potency cannabis preference was associated with a slight increased risk of cannabis dependence after adjusting for confounding, with the exception of cannabis use frequency (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.04-1.28). No association was found between THC concentration in cannabis and cannabis dependence. There was weak evidence of a small association between cannabis potency and depression and anxiety. There was no association between high potency cannabis preference or THC concentration in cannabis and psychosis-like symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Users of cannabis who preferred high potency types might be at increased risk of problematic cannabis use. This should be considered with caution as we were not able to triangulate these results with an objective measure of cannabis potency. More research is needed to understand the association between high potency cannabis use and depression and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kat Petrilli
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | - Lindsey Hines
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK; Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sally Adams
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Celia J Morgan
- Washington Singer Laboratories, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - H Valerie Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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Robinson EA, Gleeson J, Arun AH, Clemente A, Gaillard A, Rossetti MG, Brambilla P, Bellani M, Crisanti C, Curran HV, Lorenzetti V. Measuring white matter microstructure in 1,457 cannabis users and 1,441 controls: A systematic review of diffusion-weighted MRI studies. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 2:1129587. [PMID: 37554654 PMCID: PMC10406316 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2023.1129587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cannabis is the most widely used regulated substance by youth and adults. Cannabis use has been associated with psychosocial problems, which have been partly ascribed to neurobiological changes. Emerging evidence to date from diffusion-MRI studies shows that cannabis users compared to controls show poorer integrity of white matter fibre tracts, which structurally connect distinct brain regions to facilitate neural communication. However, the most recent evidence from diffusion-MRI studies thus far has yet to be integrated. Therefore, it is unclear if white matter differences in cannabis users are evident consistently in selected locations, in specific diffusion-MRI metrics, and whether these differences in metrics are associated with cannabis exposure levels. METHODS We systematically reviewed the results from diffusion-MRI imaging studies that compared white matter differences between cannabis users and controls. We also examined the associations between cannabis exposure and other behavioral variables due to changes in white matter. Our review was pre-registered in PROSPERO (ID: 258250; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/). RESULTS We identified 30 diffusion-MRI studies including 1,457 cannabis users and 1,441 controls aged 16-to-45 years. All but 6 studies reported group differences in white matter integrity. The most consistent differences between cannabis users and controls were lower fractional anisotropy within the arcuate/superior longitudinal fasciculus (7 studies), and lower fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum (6 studies) as well as higher mean diffusivity and trace (4 studies). Differences in fractional anisotropy were associated with cannabis use onset (4 studies), especially in the corpus callosum (3 studies). DISCUSSION The mechanisms underscoring white matter differences are unclear, and they may include effects of cannabis use onset during youth, neurotoxic effects or neuro adaptations from regular exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which exerts its effects by binding to brain receptors, or a neurobiological vulnerability predating the onset of cannabis use. Future multimodal neuroimaging studies, including recently developed advanced diffusion-MRI metrics, can be used to track cannabis users over time and to define with precision when and which region of the brain the white matter changes commence in youth cannabis users, and whether cessation of use recovers white matter differences. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: 258250.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Anne Robinson
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - John Gleeson
- Digital Innovation in Mental Health and Well-Being Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Arush Honnedevasthana Arun
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Adam Clemente
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexandra Gaillard
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Mental Health and Brain Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Maria Gloria Rossetti
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Camilla Crisanti
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - H. Valerie Curran
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Stith S, Pearson J, Brockelman F, Keeling K, Hall B, Friedman A. Nationally Representative Surveys on Cannabis Use Lack Product Details Relevant to Public Health. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2023; 6:100134. [PMID: 36994372 PMCID: PMC10040319 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Many annual, nationally representative US surveys that assess cannabis use do not collect information on product characteristics despite varying health risks and benefits. Capitalizing on a rich dataset of primarily medical users, the purpose of this study was to describe the degree of potential misclassification in clinically relevant cannabis use measures when primary mode of use is recorded but not product type. Methods Analyses consider user-level data from the Releaf App™ database on product types, consumption modes, and potencies in a non-nationally representative sample of 26,322 cannabis administration sessions occurring in 2018, across 3,258 users. Proportions, means, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and compared across products and modes. Results Primary consumption modes were smoking (47.1%), vaping (36.5%), and eating/drinking (10.4%), with 22.7% of users reporting multiple modes of use. Moreover, mode of use did not signify a single product type: users reported vaping both flower (41.3%) and concentrates (68.7%). Of those who smoked cannabis, 8.1% reported smoking concentrates. Concentrates averaged 3.4 times higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) potency and 3.1 times higher cannabidiol (CBD) potency than flower. Conclusions Cannabis consumers employ multiple consumption modes, and product type cannot be inferred from mode of use. With THC potencies markedly higher in concentrates, these findings underscore the importance of including information on cannabis product types and mode of use in surveillance surveys. Clinicians and policymakers need these data to inform treatment decisions and assess cannabis policies' implications for population health.
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Sznitman SR, Meiri D, Amit BH, Rosenberg D, Greene T. Posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep and medical cannabis treatment: A daily diary study. J Anxiety Disord 2022; 92:102632. [PMID: 36182689 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2022.102632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite increasing use of Medical Cannabis (MC) among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, research is lacking on how MC treatment relates to PTSD symptomatology, in particular sleep disturbances. This study examines the time gap between MC use and sleep onset and its association with (1) number of awakenings throughout the night, (2) early awakenings, (3) nightmares. Each morning over a two week period, 77 licensed MC patients suffering from PTSD reported on the timing of previous night MC use and sleep disturbances. Within-person analyses found that shorter time gaps between previous night MC use and sleep start time was associated with lower likelihood of experiencing nightmares throughout the night, but it was not associated with nightly awakenings or waking up too early. Between-person analyses showed that individuals who used MC products with higher CBD concentrations reported fewer early awakenings. These preliminary results indicate that future research should test causal relations between MC use and sleep problems in PTSD patients. Future research is warranted in order to explore causal relationships between MC use, nightmares and insomnia in PTSD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Meiri
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ben H Amit
- Reuth Rehabilitation Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | | | - Talya Greene
- Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Israel
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31
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Wilson J, Mills KL, Freeman TP, Sunderland M, Visontay R, Marel C. Response to Bahji et al.: Limitations of the available evidence that restrict our interpretation of the transition from cannabis to opioid use. Addiction 2022; 117:2754-2755. [PMID: 35792056 DOI: 10.1111/add.15993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jack Wilson
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine L Mills
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Matthew Sunderland
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachel Visontay
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christina Marel
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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32
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Reddy AC. Future Directions for the International Cannabis Toolkit (iCannToolkit). Addiction 2022; 117:2557-2558. [PMID: 35257440 DOI: 10.1111/add.15867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva C Reddy
- University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI, USA
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33
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Petrilli K, Ofori S, Hines L, Taylor G, Adams S, Freeman TP. Association of cannabis potency with mental ill health and addiction: a systematic review. Lancet Psychiatry 2022; 9:736-750. [PMID: 35901795 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(22)00161-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis potency, defined as the concentration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has increased internationally, which could increase the risk of adverse health outcomes for cannabis users. We present, to our knowledge, the first systematic review of the association of cannabis potency with mental health and addiction (PROSPERO, CRD42021226447). We searched Embase, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE (from database inception to Jan 14, 2021). Included studies were observational studies of human participants comparing the association of high-potency cannabis (products with a higher concentration of THC) and low-potency cannabis (products with a lower concentration of THC), as defined by the studies included, with depression, anxiety, psychosis, or cannabis use disorder (CUD). Of 4171 articles screened, 20 met the eligibility criteria: eight studies focused on psychosis, eight on anxiety, seven on depression, and six on CUD. Overall, use of higher potency cannabis, relative to lower potency cannabis, was associated with an increased risk of psychosis and CUD. Evidence varied for depression and anxiety. The association of cannabis potency with CUD and psychosis highlights its relevance in health-care settings, and for public health guidelines and policies on cannabis sales. Standardisation of exposure measures and longitudinal designs are needed to strengthen the evidence of this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kat Petrilli
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | - Shelan Ofori
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Clinical Educational and Health Psychology Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lindsey Hines
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gemma Taylor
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Sally Adams
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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34
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Measurement of public health impacts of cannabis legalization in Canada to reflect policy maker priorities: A rapid scoping review of instruments and content domains. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 236:109463. [PMID: 35594643 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We were engaged by policy stakeholders to undertake a scoping review of cannabis measurement instruments to inform the evaluation of cannabis legalization impacts. We identified instruments employed in population-based or clinical research to screen and assess cannabis use, including measurement properties. We also identified the content domains included in each instrument and gaps in the measurement of key priority areas as established by policy stakeholders. METHODS We followed PRISMA and conducted searches on MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, EMBASE, HAPI, Scopus and grey literature. We included publications from the past 15 years that reported the use of an instrument to measure cannabis use. Six study team members calibrated screening and data abstraction, independently identified records and abstracted data. RESULTS Across 915 included publications, we identified 187 unique instruments covering seven content domains and 35 subdomains. The most identified instruments were the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, the Timeline Follow-Back and the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (109/915; 91/915; 64/915). The Canadian Cannabis Survey addressed the most subdomains (22/35). Frequency of use, prevalence of use, and mental health impacts were the most addressed subdomains (110/187; 94/187; 67/187) and storage, growing cannabis, and second-hand exposure were the least addressed (1/187; 4/187; 6/187). CONCLUSION This research identified instruments and domains critical to the assessment of public health impacts of cannabis legalization, which can facilitate the harmonization of measures to inform policy development. Future research should develop new instruments for less commonly-addressed constructs and thoroughly explore psychometric properties of existing instruments.
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35
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Wadsworth E, Craft S, Calder R, Hammond D. Prevalence and use of cannabis products and routes of administration among youth and young adults in Canada and the United States: A systematic review. Addict Behav 2022; 129:107258. [PMID: 35124565 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current systematic review aimed to summarize the literature on the prevalence of routes of administration and cannabis products used among youth and young adults in Canada and the United States (US). METHODS Five academic databases were searched in April 2020 and February 2021. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they were a population-based quantitative observational study describing the prevalence of a cannabis product or route of administration among youth and young adults in Canada or the US. Risk of bias was assessed using Hoy and colleagues' risk of bias assessment tool. A narrative review was conducted. RESULTS Twenty-six studies were identified for the following routes of administration: smoking (n = 16), vaping (n = 21), dabbing (n = 3), oral (n = 13), topical (n = 1); and products: dried flower (n = 2), and concentrates (n = 8). Smoking had the highest prevalence rates among youth and young adults; however, rates of use appeared to reduce over time. Conversely, prevalence of vaping appeared to increase over time. Fewer studies focused on oral or dabbed cannabis but those that did reported prevalence estimates of approximately a third among recent cannabis consumers. DISCUSSION The heterogeneity of cannabis routes of administration restricted our ability to collate average prevalence estimates. In jurisdictions where non-medical cannabis is legal, policymakers should provide guidance and education to youth on each type of product and routes of administration. OTHER Funding for this study was provided by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (PJT-153342). The current review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020169275).
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36
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Kuhns L, Kroon E. The need to calibrate standardized cannabis measurements across cultures. Addiction 2022; 117:1518-1519. [PMID: 34850480 PMCID: PMC9299906 DOI: 10.1111/add.15744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Kuhns
- Developmental PsychologyUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamNoord‐HollandThe Netherlands
| | - Emese Kroon
- Developmental PsychologyUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamNoord‐HollandThe Netherlands
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37
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Weiss SRB, Volkow ND. Coordinating cannabis data collection globally: Policy implications. Addiction 2022; 117:1520-1521. [PMID: 34888981 PMCID: PMC9300157 DOI: 10.1111/add.15751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan R. B. Weiss
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
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38
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Jesseman R. We need convincing data to support a public health approach to cannabis regulation. Addiction 2022; 117:1521-1523. [PMID: 34888966 PMCID: PMC9300097 DOI: 10.1111/add.15752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Betz LT, Penzel N, Kambeitz J. A network approach to relationships between cannabis use characteristics and psychopathology in the general population. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7163. [PMID: 35504926 PMCID: PMC9065088 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11092-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use characteristics, such as earlier initiation and frequent use, have been associated with an increased risk for developing psychotic experiences and psychotic disorders. However, little is known how these characteristics relate to specific aspects of sub-clinical psychopathology in the general population. Here, we explore the relationships between cannabis use characteristics and psychopathology in a large general population sample (N = 2,544, mean age 29.2 years, 47% women) by employing a network approach. This allows for the identification of unique associations between two cannabis use characteristics (lifetime cumulative frequency of cannabis use, age of cannabis use initiation), and specific psychotic experiences and affective symptoms, while controlling for early risk factors (childhood trauma, urban upbringing). We found particularly pronounced unique positive associations between frequency of cannabis use and specific delusional experiences (persecutory delusions and thought broadcasting). Age of cannabis use initiation was negatively related to visual hallucinatory experiences and irritability, implying that these experiences become more likely the earlier use is initiated. Earlier initiation, but not lifetime frequency of cannabis use, was related to early risk factors. These findings suggest that cannabis use characteristics may contribute differentially to risk for specific psychotic experiences and affective symptoms in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda T Betz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Nora Penzel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
- Group of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', Bari, Italy
| | - Joseph Kambeitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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40
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Lawn W, Fernandez-Vinson N, Mokrysz C, Hogg G, Lees R, Trinci K, Petrilli K, Borissova A, Ofori S, Waters S, Michór P, Wall MB, Freeman TP, Curran HV. The CannTeen study: verbal episodic memory, spatial working memory, and response inhibition in adolescent and adult cannabis users and age-matched controls. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1629-1641. [PMID: 35486121 PMCID: PMC9110435 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06143-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical and human studies suggest that adolescent cannabis use may be associated with worse cognitive outcomes than adult cannabis use. We investigated the associations between chronic cannabis use and cognitive function in adolescent and adult cannabis users and controls. We hypothesised user-status would be negatively associated with cognitive function and this relationship would be stronger in adolescents than adults. METHODS As part of the 'CannTeen' project, this cross-sectional study assessed cognitive performance in adolescent cannabis users (n = 76; 16-17-year-olds), adolescent controls (n = 63), adult cannabis users (n = 71; 26-29-year-olds) and adult controls (n = 64). Users used cannabis 1-7 days/week. Adolescent and adult cannabis users were matched on cannabis use frequency (4 days/week) and time since last use (2.5 days). Verbal episodic memory (VEM) was assessed using the prose recall task, spatial working memory (SWM) was assessed using the spatial n-back task, and response inhibition was assessed with the stop-signal task. Primary outcome variables were: delayed recall, 3-back discriminability, and stop signal reaction time, respectively. RESULTS Users had worse VEM than controls (F(1,268) = 7.423, p = 0.007). There were no significant differences between user-groups on SWM or response inhibition. Null differences were supported by Bayesian analyses. No significant interactions between age-group and user-group were found for VEM, SWM, or response inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with previous research, there was an association between chronic cannabis use and poorer VEM, but chronic cannabis use was not associated with SWM or response inhibition. We did not find evidence for heightened adolescent vulnerability to cannabis-related cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Lawn
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK.
- Department of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - N Fernandez-Vinson
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - C Mokrysz
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - G Hogg
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - R Lees
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - K Trinci
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - K Petrilli
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - A Borissova
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, University College Hospital, London, UK
| | - S Ofori
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - S Waters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - P Michór
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - M B Wall
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Invicro London, Hammersmith Hospital, Burlington Danes Building, Du Cane Road, London, UK
| | - T P Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - H V Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
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41
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Sznitman SR, Shochat T, van Rijswijk L, Greene T, Cousijn J. Cannabis and Alcohol Use and Their Associations with Sleep: A Daily Diary Investigation of Single-Use and Co-Use in College Students. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2021. [PMID: 34935467 DOI: 10.1089/can.2021.0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Sleep continuity problems are widespread among college students and may be influenced by single-use and co-use of alcohol and cannabis. We examined the within-person associations of alcohol and cannabis use with subsequent sleep experiences in the everyday life of college students. Materials and Methods: A sample of 80 college students reported prior-night alcohol and cannabis use and sleep experiences for 14 consecutive days. Mixed-effects models examined the within-person relationships between alcohol and cannabis use (single- and co-use) and subsequent (1) sleep-onset latency, (2) total sleep time, (3) number of awakenings, and (4) early awakenings that night. Results: Compared to no-use evenings, alcohol and cannabis, used separately or together (co-use), were associated with shorter sleep-onset latency and longer total sleep time. Students reported more nightly awakenings after alcohol-only use compared to no-use and after co-use, and they reported fewer early awakenings after no-use and co-use. Conclusions: In line with previous experimental findings, we found that alcohol and cannabis use in the everyday life of college students were associated with sleep-inducing effects, and that alcohol use was associated with disturbed sleep continuity. The results suggest that cannabis may curb alcohol's detrimental effect on the number of awakenings and may reduce the incidence of early awakenings. Yet, due to lack of control for potentially important confounders (e.g., quantity of cannabis/alcohol consumed, withdrawal) the current results may be best seen as preliminary and further research is needed before causal inferences can be reached.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tamar Shochat
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lukas van Rijswijk
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Talya Greene
- Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Janna Cousijn
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience of Addiction (NofA) Lab, Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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