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Le K, Le KDR, Nguyen J, Hua J, Munday S. The Role of Medicinal Cannabis as an Emerging Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder. Pain Ther 2024; 13:435-455. [PMID: 38676910 PMCID: PMC11111657 DOI: 10.1007/s40122-024-00599-1] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
This narrative review explores current insights into the potential use of medicinal cannabis-related products as an emerging therapy for opioid use disorder in the landscape of increasing knowledge about medicinal cannabis-based products, commercialisation and global legalisation. Preclinical studies have provided preliminary insight into the putative neurobiological mechanisms that underpin the potential for medicinal cannabis to be considered a therapeutic in opioid use disorder and addiction. With the progressive legalisation of cannabis in many jurisdictions worldwide, contemporary research has highlighted further evidence that medicinal cannabis may have efficacy in reducing cravings and withdrawal effects, and therefore may be considered as an adjunct or standalone to current medications for opioid use disorder. Despite this potential, the landscape of research in this space draws from a large number of observational studies, with a paucity of rigorous randomised controlled trials to ascertain a true understanding of effect size and safety profile. With current challenges in implementation that arise from political and legal qualms about adopting medicinal cannabis on the background of associated social stigma, significant hurdles remain to be addressed by government, policy-makers, healthcare providers and researchers before medical cannabis can be introduced globally for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin Le
- Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Khang Duy Ricky Le
- Department of General Surgical Specialties, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan St., Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, 3050, Australia.
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Geelong Clinical School, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Johnny Nguyen
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Pharmacy, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jean Hua
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Pharmacy, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah Munday
- The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Monash Bioethics Centre, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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Pleasants E, Parham L, Karen W, Dolgins E, Upadhyay UD, Marshall C, Prata N. Waiting to start abortion: A qualitative exploration of narratives of waiting shared in a Reddit community for abortion post-Dobbs leak in 2022. Soc Sci Med 2024; 349:116877. [PMID: 38657319 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116877] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
With the Dobbs leak introducing uncertainty about access and the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June of 2022 overturning the US constitutional right to abortion, delays in accessing desired abortion care are likely growing longer and more common. Timely research on people's experiences waiting to access abortion care is needed. Using data from an abortion subreddit (r/abortion), we analyzed posts that described waiting after having decided to terminate the pregnancy, either by having an in-clinic appointment or ordering medication(s) online for self-managed abortion. Our analysis explored described 1) wait time length, 2) factors contributing to waiting, and 3) impacts of waiting. We used a hybrid inductive and deductive thematic qualitative coding approach to analyze a month-stratified 10% random sample of posts to the r/abortion community in 2022 surrounding the Dobbs leak and decision (May-December, n = 523 posts). Among posts to r/abortion that described waiting to start an abortion (n = 80), wait times ranged from one day to more than a month. Lack of appointment availability and waiting for mailed medications were commonly described as causing delays in accessing in-clinic abortion care and self-managed abortion, respectively. People shared challenges with pregnancy symptoms and feelings of anxiety, fear, isolation, and uncertainty. Posters also commonly described needing additional support while waiting. Overall, waiting to start an abortion was extremely stressful and isolating., with people often waiting weeks between ordering medication or scheduling an appointment and initiating the abortion process. Experiences of waiting to start an abortion and their impacts are of increasing concern as abortion access is further restricted. Additional targeted information and support are needed to mitigate these challenges. Providing timely access is imperative to quality care and overall abortion experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Pleasants
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, USA; Wallace Center for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Research, USA.
| | - Lindsay Parham
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, USA; Wallace Center for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Research, USA
| | - Weidert Karen
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, USA; Bixby Center for Population, Health, and Sustainability, USA
| | - Eliza Dolgins
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, USA; Wallace Center for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Research, USA
| | - Ushma D Upadhyay
- University of California, San Francisco Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, USA.
| | - Cassondra Marshall
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, USA; Wallace Center for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Research, USA.
| | - Ndola Prata
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, USA; Bixby Center for Population, Health, and Sustainability, USA
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Le K, Au J, Hua J, Le KDR. The Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol in Revolutionising Opioid Use Disorder Management. Cureus 2023; 15:e50634. [PMID: 38226097 PMCID: PMC10789504 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is linked to a complex interplay of biopsychosocial factors as well as the increasing overprescription and availability of opioid medications. Current OUD management relies on the controlled provision of opioid medications, such as methadone or buprenorphine, known as opioid replacement therapy. There is variable evidence regarding the long-term efficacy of these medications in improving the management of OUD, thereby necessitating an exploration into innovative approaches to complement, or even take the place of, existing treatment paradigms. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound derived from the cannabis plant, has garnered attention for its diverse pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects. Preliminary studies suggest that CBD may target opioid withdrawal pathways that make CBD a potential therapeutic option for OUD. This narrative review synthesises current literature surrounding OUD and offers a nuanced review of the current and future role of CBD in managing this condition. In doing so, we highlight the potential avenues to explore with respect to CBD research for the guidance and development of further research opportunities, framework and policy development, and clinical considerations before medicinal CBD can be integrated into evidence-based clinical guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin Le
- Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AUS
| | - Joanne Au
- Department of Anaesthesia & Pain Management, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, AUS
| | - Jean Hua
- Department of Pharmacy, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, AUS
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, AUS
| | - Khang Duy Ricky Le
- Geelong Clinical School, Deakin University, Geelong, AUS
- Department of General Surgical Specialties, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, AUS
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, AUS
- Department of Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AUS
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Chi Y, Chen HY. Investigating Substance Use via Reddit: Systematic Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e48905. [PMID: 37878361 PMCID: PMC10637357 DOI: 10.2196/48905] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reddit's (Reddit Inc) large user base, diverse communities, and anonymity make it a useful platform for substance use research. Despite a growing body of literature on substance use on Reddit, challenges and limitations must be carefully considered. However, no systematic scoping review has been conducted on the use of Reddit as a data source for substance use research. OBJECTIVE This review aims to investigate the use of Reddit for studying substance use by examining previous studies' objectives, reasons, limitations, and methods for using Reddit. In addition, we discuss the implications and contributions of previous studies and identify gaps in the literature that require further attention. METHODS A total of 7 databases were searched using keyword combinations including Reddit and substance-related keywords in April 2022. The initial search resulted in 456 articles, and 227 articles remained after removing duplicates. All included studies were peer reviewed, empirical, available in full text, and pertinent to Reddit and substance use, and they were all written in English. After screening, 60 articles met the eligibility criteria for the review, with 57 articles identified from the initial database search and 3 from the ancestry search. A codebook was developed, and qualitative content analysis was performed to extract relevant evidence related to the research questions. RESULTS The use of Reddit for studying substance use has grown steadily since 2015, with a sharp increase in 2021. The primary objective was to identify tendencies and patterns in various types of substance use discussions (52/60, 87%). Reddit was also used to explore unique user experiences, propose methodologies, investigate user interactions, and develop interventions. A total of 9 reasons for using Reddit to study substance use were identified, such as the platform's anonymity, its widespread popularity, and the explicit topics of subreddits. However, 7 limitations were noted, including the platform's low representativeness of the general population with substance use and the lack of demographic information. Most studies use application programming interfaces for data collection and quantitative approaches for analysis, with few using qualitative approaches. Machine learning algorithms are commonly used for natural language processing tasks. The theoretical, methodological, and practical implications and contributions of the included articles are summarized and discussed. The most prevalent practical implications are investigating prevailing topics in Reddit discussions, providing recommendations for clinical practices and policies, and comparing Reddit discussions on substance use across various sources. CONCLUSIONS This systematic scoping review provides an overview of Reddit's use as a data source for substance use research. Although the limitations of Reddit data must be considered, analyzing them can be useful for understanding patterns and user experiences related to substance use. Our review also highlights gaps in the literature and suggests avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chi
- School of Information Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Huai-Yu Chen
- Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Fernandes JAB, Filev R, Fidalgo TM. Cannabinoids for Substance Use Disorder Treatment: What Does the Current Evidence Say? Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023; 8:703-715. [PMID: 37262132 DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0065] [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: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The prevalence of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is increasing along with the need to develop approaches to reduce the harm associated with substance use, including investigating alternatives such as cannabinoids, which show promising results, although the current evidence is limited. This scoping review focuses on the limitations and potentials of cannabinoid-based treatments for SUDs. Methods: We examined between-subject randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the use of CBD and THC as pharmacological treatment for SUDs in adults, with the procedures attending the expectations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for Scoping Reviews guidelines and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool 2. Results: Ten RCTs were included, with six demonstrating low risk of bias, and positive results were found for treating Cannabis Use Disorder, while contradictory results were found for Opioid Use Disorder, and inconclusive results for treating Cocaine Use Disorder. Conclusions: CBD and THC demonstrate potential for treating some SUDs, but evidence is limited. Robust RCTs with larger samples and longer follow-up periods are necessary to assess carefully developed outcomes for different SUD patients. New cannabinoid-based medications and scientific-based policies may advance SUD treatment. A comprehensive approach to treatment and careful methodological choices may benefit patients with SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Ariel Bonar Fernandes
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Filev
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago M Fidalgo
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Szlyk HS, Constantino-Pettit A, Li X, Kasson E, Maranets E, Worku Y, Montayne M, Banks DE, Kelly JC, Cavazos-Rehg PA. Self-Identified Stage in Recovery and Substance-Use Behaviors among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and People with Opioid Use Disorder. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2392. [PMID: 37685426 PMCID: PMC10486579 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11172392] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid use among pregnant and postpartum women and people (PPWP) has significant health repercussions. This study explores how substance-use behaviors may vary by stage in recovery among PPWP with opioid use disorder (OUD). We recruited 29 PPWP with OUD. "High-risk" participants self-identified as "not being engaged in treatment" or "new or early in their recovery" (n = 11); "low-risk" participants self-identified as being "well-established" or "in long-term recovery" (n = 18). Participants were queried regarding sociodemographic, mental health, and drug-misuse factors; urine drug screens were collected at baseline. Univariate group comparisons between high-risk and low-risk PPWP were conducted. High-risk PPWP were more likely to self-identify as non-Hispanic African American and more likely to report current opioid use, other illicit drugs, and tobacco. High-risk PPWP had higher opioid cravings versus low-risk PPWP. High-risk PPWP were more likely to screen positive on urine tests for non-opioid drugs and on concurrent use of both non-opioid drugs and opioids versus low-risk participants. PPWP earlier in recovery are at higher-risk for opioid and other illicit drug misuse but are willing to disclose aspects of their recent use. PPWP early in recovery are an ideal population for interventions that can help facilitate recovery during the perinatal period and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah S. Szlyk
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
| | - Anna Constantino-Pettit
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
- Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
| | - Erin Kasson
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
| | - Emily Maranets
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
| | - Yoseph Worku
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
| | - Mandy Montayne
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
| | - Devin E. Banks
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri–St. Louis, One University Blvd., 325 Stadler Hall, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA;
| | - Jeannie C. Kelly
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
| | - Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.C.-P.); (X.L.); (E.K.); (E.M.); (Y.W.); (M.M.); (P.A.C.-R.)
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Elkrief L, Bastien G, McAnulty C, Bakouni H, Hébert FO, Socias ME, Le Foll B, Lim R, Ledjiar O, Marsan S, Brissette S, Jutras-Aswad D. Differential effect of cannabis use on opioid agonist treatment outcomes: Exploratory analyses from the OPTIMA study. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 149:209031. [PMID: 37003540 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Conflictual evidence exists regarding the effects of cannabis use on the outcomes of opioid agonist therapy (OAT). In this exploratory analysis, we examined the effect of recent cannabis use on opioid use, craving, and withdrawal symptoms, in individuals participating in a trial comparing flexible buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP/NX) take-home dosing model to witnessed ingestion of methadone. METHODS We analyzed data from a multi-centric, pragmatic, 24-week, open label, randomized controlled trial in individuals with prescription-type opioid use disorder (n = 272), randomly assigned to BUP/NX (n = 138) or methadone (n = 134). The study measured last week cannabis and opioid use via timeline-follow back, recorded at baseline and every two weeks during the study. Craving symptoms were measured using the Brief Substance Craving Scale at baseline, and weeks 2, 6, 10, 14, 18 and 22. The study measured opioid withdrawal symptoms via Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale at treatment initiation and weeks 2, 4, and 6. RESULTS The mean maximum dose taken during the study was 17.3 mg/day (range = 0.5-32 mg/day) for BUP/NX group and 67.7 mg/day (range = 10-170 mg/day) in the methadone group. Repeated measures generalized linear mixed models demonstrated that cannabis use in the last week (mean of 2.3 days) was not significantly associated with last week opioid use (aβ ± standard error (SE) = -0.06 ± 0.04; p = 0.15), craving (aβ ± SE = -0.05 ± 0.08, p = 0.49), or withdrawal symptoms (aβ ± SE = 0.09 ± 0.1, p = 0.36). Bayes factor (BF) for each of the tested models supported the null hypothesis (BF < 0.3). CONCLUSIONS The current study did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect of cannabis use on outcomes of interest in the context of a pragmatic randomized-controlled trial. These findings replicated previous results reporting no effect of cannabis use on opioid-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Elkrief
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Gabriel Bastien
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Christina McAnulty
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Hamzah Bakouni
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - François-Olivier Hébert
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - M Eugenia Socias
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6Z 2A9, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue, 5th floor, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1V7, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th floor, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada; Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, 500 Church Street, Penetanguishene, Ontario L9M 1G3, Canada
| | - Ron Lim
- Department of Medicine and Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Omar Ledjiar
- Unité de recherche clinique appliquée, Centre hospitalier universitaire Ste-Justine, 3175 chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Marsan
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Suzanne Brissette
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Didier Jutras-Aswad
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boul. Edouard-Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Québec H2X 0A9, Canada.
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Khademi S, Hallinan CM, Conway M, Bonomo Y. Using Social Media Data to Investigate Public Perceptions of Cannabis as a Medicine: Narrative Review. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e36667. [PMID: 36848191 PMCID: PMC10012004 DOI: 10.2196/36667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use and acceptance of medicinal cannabis is on the rise across the globe. To support the interests of public health, evidence relating to its use, effects, and safety is required to match this community demand. Web-based user-generated data are often used by researchers and public health organizations for the investigation of consumer perceptions, market forces, population behaviors, and for pharmacoepidemiology. OBJECTIVE In this review, we aimed to summarize the findings of studies that have used user-generated text as a data source to study medicinal cannabis or the use of cannabis as medicine. Our objectives were to categorize the insights provided by social media research on cannabis as medicine and describe the role of social media for consumers using medicinal cannabis. METHODS The inclusion criteria for this review were primary research studies and reviews that reported on the analysis of web-based user-generated content on cannabis as medicine. The MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched from January 1974 to April 2022. RESULTS We examined 42 studies published in English and found that consumers value their ability to exchange experiences on the web and tend to rely on web-based information sources. Cannabis discussions have portrayed the substance as a safe and natural medicine to help with many health conditions including cancer, sleep disorders, chronic pain, opioid use disorders, headaches, asthma, bowel disease, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. These discussions provide a rich resource for researchers to investigate medicinal cannabis-related consumer sentiment and experiences, including the opportunity to monitor cannabis effects and adverse events, given the anecdotal and often biased nature of the information is properly accounted for. CONCLUSIONS The extensive web-based presence of the cannabis industry coupled with the conversational nature of social media discourse results in rich but potentially biased information that is often not well-supported by scientific evidence. This review summarizes what social media is saying about the medicinal use of cannabis and discusses the challenges faced by health governance agencies and professionals to make use of web-based resources to both learn from medicinal cannabis users and provide factual, timely, and reliable evidence-based health information to consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sedigh Khademi
- Department of General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Health Analytics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christine Mary Hallinan
- Department of General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Health & Biomedical Research Information Technology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mike Conway
- School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yvonne Bonomo
- Department of General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Addiction Medicine, St Vincent's Health, Melbourne, Australia
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Hallinan CM, Khademi Habibabadi S, Conway M, Bonomo YA. Social media discourse and internet search queries on cannabis as a medicine: A systematic scoping review. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0269143. [PMID: 36662832 PMCID: PMC9858862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has increased globally over the past decade since patient access to medicinal cannabis has been legislated across jurisdictions in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Yet, evidence relating to the effect of medical cannabis on the management of symptoms for a suite of conditions is only just emerging. Although there is considerable engagement from many stakeholders to add to the evidence base through randomized controlled trials, many gaps in the literature remain. Data from real-world and patient reported sources can provide opportunities to address this evidence deficit. This real-world data can be captured from a variety of sources such as found in routinely collected health care and health services records that include but are not limited to patient generated data from medical, administrative and claims data, patient reported data from surveys, wearable trackers, patient registries, and social media. In this systematic scoping review, we seek to understand the utility of online user generated text into the use of cannabis as a medicine. In this scoping review, we aimed to systematically search published literature to examine the extent, range, and nature of research that utilises user-generated content to examine to cannabis as a medicine. The objective of this methodological review is to synthesise primary research that uses social media discourse and internet search engine queries to answer the following questions: (i) In what way, is online user-generated text used as a data source in the investigation of cannabis as a medicine? (ii) What are the aims, data sources, methods, and research themes of studies using online user-generated text to discuss the medicinal use of cannabis. We conducted a manual search of primary research studies which used online user-generated text as a data source using the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in October 2022. Editorials, letters, commentaries, surveys, protocols, and book chapters were excluded from the review. Forty-two studies were included in this review, twenty-two studies used manually labelled data, four studies used existing meta-data (Google trends/geo-location data), two studies used data that was manually coded using crowdsourcing services, and two used automated coding supplied by a social media analytics company, fifteen used computational methods for annotating data. Our review reflects a growing interest in the use of user-generated content for public health surveillance. It also demonstrates the need for the development of a systematic approach for evaluating the quality of social media studies and highlights the utility of automatic processing and computational methods (machine learning technologies) for large social media datasets. This systematic scoping review has shown that user-generated content as a data source for studying cannabis as a medicine provides another means to understand how cannabis is perceived and used in the community. As such, it provides another potential 'tool' with which to engage in pharmacovigilance of, not only cannabis as a medicine, but also other novel therapeutics as they enter the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Mary Hallinan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Practice, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Practice, Health & Biomedical Research Information Technology Unit (HaBIC R2), Melbourne Medical School, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sedigheh Khademi Habibabadi
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Practice, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mike Conway
- Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yvonne Ann Bonomo
- St Vincent’s Health—Department of Addiction Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent’s Clinical School, Melbourne Medical School, Dentistry & Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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De Aquino JP, Bahji A, Gómez O, Sofuoglu M. Alleviation of opioid withdrawal by cannabis and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol: A systematic review of observational and experimental human studies. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 241:109702. [PMID: 36434879 PMCID: PMC9772106 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109702] [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: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While six U.S. states have already officially authorized cannabinoids to substitute opioids and treat opioid use disorder, the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids remain unclear, especially when weighted against their adverse effects. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of studies examining the association between opioid withdrawal and cannabis use or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration. We searched multiple databases from inception to July 30, 2022, and assessed study quality. RESULTS Eleven studies were identified, with a total of 5330 participants, of whom 64 % were male. Nine observational studies examined the association between cannabis use and opioid withdrawal. Two randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials (RCTs) investigated the withdrawal-alleviating effects of dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC. Four observational studies found an association between cannabis use and the alleviation of opioid withdrawal; one reported exacerbation of opioid withdrawal symptoms; and four reported no association. RCTs reported that THC alleviated opioid withdrawal, albeit with dose-dependent increases in measures of abuse liability, dysphoria, and tachycardia. There was high heterogeneity in measurements of opioid withdrawal and the type and dose of opioid at baseline. CONCLUSIONS Although there is preliminary evidence that cannabis and its main psychoactive constituent, THC, may alleviate opioid withdrawal, these effects are likely to have a narrow therapeutic window. Further, the potential of cannabinoids to alleviate opioid withdrawal is determined by complex interactions between patient characteristics and pharmacological factors. Collectively, these findings have clinical, methodological, and mechanistic implications for treating opioid withdrawal during cannabinoid use, and for efforts to alleviate opioid withdrawal using non-opioid therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao P De Aquino
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 300 George St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue (151D), West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU), Conneticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park St, 3rd Floor, New Haven, CT, 06519.
| | - Anees Bahji
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Department of Psychiatry, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alb., Canada
| | - Oscar Gómez
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 7th Street, 40-02, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 300 George St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue (151D), West Haven, CT 06516, USA
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11
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Kepner W, Meacham MC, Nobles AL. Types and Sources of Stigma on Opioid Use Treatment and Recovery Communities on Reddit. Subst Use Misuse 2022; 57:1511-1522. [PMID: 35815614 PMCID: PMC9937434 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2091786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: Digitally-mediated peer support may improve opioid use disorder (OUD) recovery. Our objective was to examine the types and sources of stigma that people seek support for in online OUD recovery communities (subreddits) on Reddit. Methods: We extracted all posts containing stigma keywords from three subreddits as well as a random sample that do not contain stigma keywords. We conducted deductive content analysis to confirm that the post self-described an experience of stigma and identify the type (condition, intervention) and source (provider-based, public, self, structural) of stigma. Results: Two-hundred and fifty-nine posts self-reported a stigmatizing experience. The majority of posts described an intervention stigma associated with medications for OUD. Posts discussing intervention stigma acknowledged the role of stigma in their treatment decision-making and quality of their treatment program. The most frequent sources of stigma were the public (including family members), provider-based (healthcare and pharmacy workers), structural (workplace, law enforcement, child protective services, and abstinence-based self-help groups), and self. No posts mentioned courtesy stigma. Posts sought assistance in navigating their experiences and participating in advocacy to counter stigmatized narratives. Conclusions: Our study indicates that people in online communities seek support to disclose and manage experiences of stigma on Reddit in similar ways to people in offline communities with the noted exception of an absence of discussions of courtesy stigma. Since each subreddit is a microcosm of varying needs, we suggest areas of future work for collaborative resources developed between stakeholders of these subreddits and public health that work within the preexisting Reddit social norms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne Kepner
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, California
| | - Meredith C Meacham
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alicia L Nobles
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, California
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