Tag: cannabis

Categories : Mental HealthTags :

Cannabis Use Linked to Increased Mental Health Risk

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Harrison Haines on Pexels

Individuals with a history of using cannabis have a much greater risk of developing mental health problems including anxiety and depression, as well as more severe mental illnesses, according to new research.

The findings indicate the need to emphasise the importance of general practitioners to continue enquiring about recreational drug use.

While there is extensive research linking cannabis use to severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and psychosis, associations are less clear between cannabis use as described in patient’s GP records and mental health problems such as anxiety.

In a new study, published in Psychological Medicine, researchers reported a strong link between general practice recorded cannabis use and mental ill health in one of the largest cohorts ever studied.

Senior author Dr Clara Humpston said: “Cannabis is often considered to be one of the ‘safer’ drugs and has also shown promise in medical therapies, leading to calls for it be legalised globally. Although we are unable to establish a direct causal relationship, our findings suggest we should continue to exercise caution since the notion of cannabis being a safe drug may well be mistaken.”

Dr Joht Singh Chandan said: “The research reaffirms the need to ensure a public health approach to recreational drug use continues to be adopted across the UK. We must continue to progress measures to improve the prevention and detection of drug use as well as implement the appropriate supportive measures in an equitable manner to prevent the secondary negative health consequences.”

Drawing on primary care data from the IQVIA Medical Research Database (IMRD-UK), analysis showed that following the first recorded use of cannabis, patients were three times more likely to develop common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. In addition, they were almost 7 times more likely to develop severe mental illnesses such as psychosis or schizophrenia.

The dataset included records from 787 GP practices gathered between 1995 and 2018. The researchers were able to include data from 28 218 patients with a recorded exposure to cannabis. These were matched to 56 208 patients who had not been using cannabis and controlled for factors such as sex and age.

The cannabis users also had much higher rates of having a recorded history of using other drugs such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines. The next steps will be to investigate levels of cannabis use or the potency of ingredients.

Source: University of Birmingham

Categories : GeneticsTags :

Briefly Quitting Cannabis Can Reduce its Genetic Effects in Sperm

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Grav on Unsplash

While cannabis use may impact some autism-linked genes in men’s sperm, briefly quitting cannabis over time may significantly lower many of those effects, according to a new study.

This study, published online in Environmental Epigenetics, followed several other studies at Duke University that linked cannabis use to epigenetic changes (alteration of expression without changing genes) present in sperm, including genes in early development.

This new study aimed to find out if cannabis abstinence could reduce such epigenetic changes. The results showed marijuana users who stopped using cannabis for 77 days produced sperm lacking most of the significant changes found when the men were actively using cannabis.
Study author Susan Murphy, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Duke University School of Medicine, said the results may suggest that marijuana abstinence could result in washout of sperm with the drug’s epigenetic effects. More research is needed for lingering epigenetic effects after abstinence, but there are immediate implications for some.

“Stopping cannabis use for as long as possible – at least for a 74-day period before trying to conceive – would be a good idea,” she said. “If someone is really serious about that, I would say to stop cannabis use for as long as possible prior to conception – meaning multiple spermatogenic cycles.”

“Is it going to fix everything? Probably not,” Prof Murphy said. “We know there are other epigenetic changes that emerged in the ‘after’ sample that we don’t understand yet – and some of those changes are troubling, like an enrichment of other genes related to autism. But it does appear that the things that were the most severely affected in the ‘before’ sample seem to be mitigated by the abstinence period in the ‘after’ samples.”

The study took a baseline sperm sample from marijuana users and non-marijuana users, then followed both groups as the marijuana-using group abstained from cannabis for 77 days – a period spanning the average time it takes for a sperm to mature, which is 74 days. Researchers collected a second sample from both groups after the 77-day period.

During baseline tests, the marijuana-consuming group produced sperm with changes in line with previous studies, which showed altered epigenetic information, including changes in genes linked to early development and neurodevelopmental disorders. With a 77-day abstinence period, this same group was able to produce sperm that had far less altered epigenetic information at the same genes.

The post-abstinence sample was also much more in line with the samples produced by the non-cannabis-using control group.

Prof Murphy says further research is needed to see if the remaining epigenetic changes observed in the sperm of cannabis consumers, when they abstain, carry over into development after fertilisation.

“We don’t know yet whether the alterations that we’re seeing are at genes that have a stable characteristic,” she said, “or if they are in genes that get reprogrammed and really are going to be of no consequence to the child.”

In any case, Prof Murphy says this work is not about legalisation, rather about giving people the power to make informed decisions for themselves.

“I think that we deserve to know what the biological consequences are so that if you are planning to have a child, or even for your own health, you can make an informed decision about whether you want to use it and when, and that’s not really an option right now because we don’t know what it does,” Prof Murphy said.

Source: Duke University

Categories : Diseases, Syndromes and Conditions Medical IndustryTags :

Review Looks at The Evidence for Cannabis in Paediatric Epilepsies

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Crystalweed Cannabis on Unsplash

A review published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology investigates the knowledge base of cannabis-based medicinal products in paediatric epilepsies, highlighting areas in need of additional research.

Following reports in the media of children with epilepsies apparently deriving benefits from medical marijuana (or cannabis-based medicinal products) accessed abroad, the UK government allowed clinicians to prescribe these products. A previous review found that there was some benefit in certain drug-resistant epilepsies in children.

In the review, the authors also looked at the prescribing environment surrounding these products. They found that the major obstacle to prescribing is a lack of quality evidence for efficacy and safety.
The authors stress that unlicensed cannabis-based medicinal products should not circumvent the usual regulatory requirements before being prescribed. They are also concerned that children with epilepsy are at risk of being exploited as a “Trojan horse” for the cannabis industry, with widespread acceptance of medicinal cannabis accelerating the wider legalisation of marijuana and opening up a highly lucrative commercial market.

Source: News-Medical.Net

Categories : Obstetrics & Gynaecology Substance UseTags :

Prenatal CBD and THC Stunts Prozac Responsiveness in Offspring

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Scientists have found that significant amounts of THC and CBD, the two main components of cannabis enter the embryonic brain of mice in utero and impair the mice’s ability as adults to respond to fluoxetine (Prozac).

The study suggests that when the developing brain is exposed to THC or CBD, normal interactions between endocannabinoid and serotonin signaling may be diminished as exposed individuals become adults.

“Hemp-derived CBD is a legal substance in the US, and we are in a time of increasing state-level legalisation of cannabis. Therefore, use of cannabis components have increased across most levels of society, including among pregnant women. The study marks the beginning of an effort to understand the effects of THC and CBD on the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) in the developing brain and body,” explained Hui-Chen Lu, director of the Linda and Jack Gill Center and professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences.

Researchers studied four groups of pregnant mice. Some received daily moderate doses of either THC, CBD, or a combination of equal parts THC and CBD; a control group had placebo injections throughout pregnancy. Using mass spectrometry, IU psychological and brain sciences professor Heather Bradshaw tested embryos and found that CBD and THC both could cross the placenta and reach the embryonic brain.

“The surprising part is that maternal exposure to CBD alone — a drug that is often considered as safe and harmless and is a popular ‘natural’ therapy for morning sickness — resulted in a lasting impact on adult mice offspring,” Lu said. “Both prenatal THC and CBD exposure impaired the adult’s ability to respond to fluoxetine. The results suggest taking a cautious approach to using CBD during pregnancy.”

There is however some evidence for CBD’s effectiveness in treating chronic pain and anxiety, though currently the only FDA-approved indication for CBD is the treatment of severe seizure disorders.

“We still know very little about the effects of CBD on the developing brain,” Prof Lu said.

The new paper is one of the first studies to see the potential negative impact of CBD on the developing brain and later behaviours. However observational studies in the 1980s saw increased anxiety and depression in offspring of mothers who used the lower-strength cannabis available at the time. Since women may take cannabis products for nausea and vomiting, this has relevance for public health awareness.

Study co-author Ken Mackie, Gill Chair of Neuroscience at IU Bloomington, said researchers know that prenatal cannabis exposure may increase the risk for anxiety and depression, so it is important to evaluate the response to a class of drug used to treat anxiety and depression.

Though normal mouse behaviours were seen in many tests, one test — to determine their response to stress — had a strongly atypical result. In all groups, the mice responded normally to a stressful situation. As expected, fluoxetine increased stress resilience in mice whose mothers had received the placebo. However, the drug was ineffective in mice whose mothers had received THC, CBD or their combination.

Fluoxetine works by increasing the amount of serotonin available at brain synapses, an effect known to require the endocannabinoid system. This internal system of receptors, enzymes and molecules both mediates the effects of cannabis and plays a role in regulating various bodily systems, such as appetite, mood, stress and chronic pain.

To test if maternal exposure to THC and/or CBD impaired endocannabinoid signaling in the adult offspring, the researchers tested whether boosting the ECS with a drug would restore fluoxetine’s effectiveness. They found that the ECS boosting restored normal fluoxetine responses in mice that had received THC or CBD while their brains were developing.

Source: Indiana University

Journal reference: de Sousa Maciel, I., et al. (2021) Perinatal CBD or THC Exposure Results in Lasting Resistance to Fluoxetine in the Forced Swim Test: Reversal by Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibition. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0015.

Categories : Mental Health Substance UseTags :

The Delicate Balance of the Endocannibinoid Pathway

On By ModernMedia
Photo by CRYSTALWEED cannabis on Unsplash

Scientists have uncovered an unexpected link between a synapse protein that has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders and the endocannabinoid pathway.

These findings suggest a role for the endocannabinoid system in conditions including bipolar disorder, according to Peter Penzes, PhD, the Ruth and Evelyn Dunbar Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, and senior author of the study.

“The endocannabinoid system could be disrupted in patients with bipolar disease, or it could be the opposite: medical marijuana could have therapeutic potential for these patients,” said Prof Penzes, who is also director of the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. “These are the questions that need to be answered.”

Cannabis mimics naturally occurring endocannabinoids in the brain, which is how it produces its effect in humans. Since the specific function of endocannabinoids is still not fully understood, the legalisation of marijuana in many US states has prompted more investigation into its biological pathways, Prof Penzes said. The endocannabinoid system is a widespread neuromodulatory system that plays important roles in central nervous system (CNS) development, synaptic plasticity, and the response to endogenous and environmental insults.

Endocannabinoids are produced by an enzyme known as diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DAGLA), which is concentrated in synapses. Endocannabinoids dampen synaptic strength, which is why marijuana has calming effects.

Prof Penzes and colleagues have previously studied ankyrin-G, another synapse protein which regulates transmission speed across synapses. Aberrant over- or under-expression of ankyrin-G has been associated with disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism.

Studying mice with ankyrin-G genetically deleted, they made a surprising discovery: Ankyrin-G seemed to stabilise DAGLA at synapses, increasing the efficiency of DAGLA.

“It’s a delicate mechanism that regulates dendritic spine morphology,” said lead author Sehyoun Yoon, PhD, research assistant professor of Physiology.

These findings comport with another recent study, led by investigators at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published in Nature Genetics. The study showed that both DAGLA and ankyrin-G (ANK3) are risk genes for bipolar disorder in a genome analysis of over 40,000 patients.

“It’s almost like somebody who is leading a double life, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Prof Penzes said. “Ankyrin-G has this entire separate function.”

The convergence of ankyrin-G with the endocannabinoid pathway opens up an entire new world of possibilities, both for investigating disease risk and possible therapies.

“Cannabis may contribute to increased risk for mental disorders, which has actually been shown in schizophrenia,” Prof Penzes said. “Conversely, cannabis could be beneficial in some brain disorders, which prompted trials of medical marijuana in patients with autism.”

Prof Penzes said in future he plans to examine the downstream effects of this biological pathway, both in normal subjects and in disease.

Source: Northwestern University

Journal information: Sehyoun Yoon et al, cAMP Signaling–Mediated Phosphorylation of Diacylglycerol Lipase α Regulates Interaction With Ankyrin-G and Dendritic Spine Morphology, Biological Psychiatry (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.023

Categories : Mental Health Substance UseTags :

Possible Cannabis Link to Suicidality in Young Adults

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Wesley Gibbs on Unsplash

Cannabis use among young adults was associated with increased risks of thoughts of suicide (suicidal ideation), suicide plan, and suicide attempt, according to a population analysis.

These associations remained regardless of whether someone was also experiencing depression, and the risks were greater for women than for men. The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

“While we cannot establish that cannabis use caused the increased suicidality we observed in this study, these associations warrant further research, especially given the great burden of suicide on young adults,” said senior author NIDA Director Nora Volkow, MD. “As we better understand the relationship between cannabis use, depression, and suicidality, clinicians will be able to provide better guidance and care to patients.”

The number of cannabis-using adults in the US more than doubled from 22.6 million in 2008 to 45.0 million in 2019. Over the same period the number of adults with depression also increased, as did those reported suicidal ideation or who committed suicide. However the link between cannabis and suicidality is not well understood. 

Setting out to address, NIDA researchers examined data from the 2008-2019 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH collects nationally representative data among the US civilian population age 12 or older on cannabis use and use disorder, depression, suicidality, and other behavioural health indicators. In addition to determining the associations between these factors, the researchers examined whether the associations varied by gender. They examined data from 281 650 young adults ages 18 to 35 years, the age range where most mood and substance use disorders emerge.

Four levels of past-year cannabis use were compared: no cannabis use; nondaily cannabis use; daily cannabis use (use on at least 300 days per year); and presence of cannabis use disorder, assessed on specific criteria for a pattern of continued cannabis misuse. The prevalence of major depressive episodes based on specific diagnostic criteria measured through the survey was used to measure depression. To identify suicidality trends, the tean separately assessed the trends in the prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt as reported in the 2008-2019 NSDUH surveys.

The study found that even nondaily cannabis users were more likely to have suicidal ideation and to plan or attempt suicide than complete non-users. These associations remained regardless of comorbid depression. In people without a major depressive episode, about 3% of those who did not use cannabis had suicidal ideation, compared with about 7% of those with nondaily cannabis use, about 9% of those with daily cannabis use, and 14% of those with a cannabis use disorder. In people with depression, 35% of non-users had suicidal ideation, compared to 44% of nondaily cannabis users, 53% of daily cannabis users, and 50% of those with cannabis use disorder. Similar trends existed for the associations between different levels of cannabis use and suicide plan or attempt.

Additionally, the researchers found that women with any cannabis use were more likely to have suicidal ideation or report a suicide plan or attempt than men with the same levels of cannabis use. For example, among individuals without major depressive episode, the prevalence of suicidal ideation for those with vs without a cannabis use disorder was 13.9% vs. 3.5% among women and 9.9% vs. 3.0% among men. In individuals with both cannabis use disorder and major depressive episode, the prevalence of past-year suicide plan was 52% higher for women (23.7%) than men (15.6%).

“Suicide is a leading cause of death among young adults in the United States, and the findings of this study offer important information that may help us reduce this risk,” explained lead author Beth Han, MD. PhD, MPH, from NIDA. “Depression and cannabis use disorder are treatable conditions, and cannabis use can be modified. Through better understanding the associations of different risk factors for suicidality, we hope to offer new targets for prevention and intervention in individuals that we know may be at high-risk. These findings also underscore the importance of tailoring interventions in a way that take sex and gender into account.”

Source: National Institutes of Health

Categories : Substance UseTags :

Cannabis Vaping Soared in High School Students Before COVID

On By ModernMedia
Man vaping. Photo by Nery Zarate on Unsplash

With reports of severe lung illnesses related to vaping making headlines in 2019, cannabis use skyrocketed among high school students were soaring.

Cannabis vaping involves inhaling evaporated oils, or vapours from heated concentrates known as dabs. Joseph J Palamar, PhD, of New York University reported on his study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The long-running Monitoring the Future study results showed that 4.9% (95% CI 4.3%-5.5%) of high school students reported “frequent” vaping of cannabis products — 10 times or more in the previous month — up from 2.1% in 2018 (95% CI 1.7%-2.6%). Rates of any cannabis vaping in the previous month also rose significantly, from 7.5% in 2018 (95% CI 6.7%-8.4%) to 14.0% in 2019 (95% CI 13.1%-14.9%).

These increases accompanied an unsettling outbreak of respiratory illnesses, until it was eclipsed by the COVID pandemic. Nearly 3000 Americans, mostly young adults, fell ill with EVALI — e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury — and 68 died, noted Dr Palamar. Epidemiological and lab research eventually identified vitamin E acetate as the likely cause. The substance is a common component of illicit cannabis vaping products, even though a substantial minority of victims denied use of such products.

Dr Palamar’s study drew on Monitoring the Future data on 4072 students in 10th and 12th grades in 2018 and 8314 in 2019. The study also highlighted other trends.

Cannabis vaping in the past month nearly tripled among female students from 2018 to 2019, while rates for students in general age 18 and older rose 2.5-fold. Social activity, as indicated by reports of “going out” four to seven times a week, was linked to increased rates of cannabis vaping. There were also small increases in cannabis vaping among students reporting other psychoactive drug use including opioids, cocaine, “tranquilisers”, and non-LSD hallucinogens.

The study did not address the extent to which school closures and social restrictions resulting from the COVID pandemic affected these trends, and it will be some before data from Monitoring the Future can answer this as the survey was stopped in March 2020 when the pandemic closed schools.

Nevertheless, the available 2020 data showed that the number of 10th graders saying cannabis was “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain had dropped sharply, accelerating a trend underway for more than 20 years. This was despite the spread of legal marijuana.

Dr Palamar noted several limitations to his study and to Monitoring the Future in general. Data on drug use was self-reported, and the survey took place at schools, meaning that students “chronically absent or who dropped out are underrepresented,” he wrote. There were also some subgroups such as those vaping cannabis daily, that were too small for analysis.

Source: MedPage Today

Journal information: Palamar J “Increases in frequent vaping of cannabis among high school seniors in the United States, 2018-2019” J Adolesc Health 2021; DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.03.034.

Categories : Ageing Pain ManagementTags :

Cannabis Use Screening in Older People Urged

On By ModernMedia
Cannabis plants. Photo by Harrison Haines from Pexels

Older people who use cannabis to relieve or treat health conditions generally don’t discuss their substance use with doctors, according to a new study. 

In this study of over 17 000 people aged 50 and over in the US, some use cannabis daily and others have mental health problems. The findings were published in peer-reviewed The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

The research is the first to identify where older users obtain cannabis, with the majority saying obtaining it was easy. Those who use cannabis for health reasons are more likely than non-medical (recreational) users to buy it at a medical dispensary (20% vs 5%) and less likely to get it for free (25% vs 46%) or from other sources such as parties (49% vs 56%).

According to the authors, the findings have significant clinical and policy implications especially as more US states are legalising cannabis, which is leading to a rapid rise in uptake among older people. This has implications for other countries such as South Africa, which has recently decriminalised it for personal use.

They urge that doctors should be routinely screening older people for cannabis and other substance use, as well as checking cannabis users for mental health problems, and recommending treatment when necessary. They add that education on the risks of obtaining cannabis and cannabis products from unregulated sources is also vital for this group.

“Cannabis is readily available and accessible to older cannabis users for medical or non-medical purposes,” said Namkee G Choi from University of Texas.

“The findings suggest that some medical users may be self-treating without healthcare professional consultation.

“All older people who take cannabis should consult healthcare professionals about their use. As part of routine care, healthcare professionals should screen for cannabis and other substance use, and for mental health problems.

“They should also recommend services or treatment when indicated. Given the increase in THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) potency, healthcare professionals should educate older cannabis users, especially high-frequency users, on potential safety issues and adverse effects.”

THC content has increased significantly over the past decades. Since 1995, the potency of illicit cannabis plant material seized in the US has consistently increased over time, from approximately 4% in 1995 to approximately 12% in 2014. Among older US adults, cannabis has more than doubled between 2008 and 2019. Reasons include pain relief and treating health issues. However, not much is known about where they obtain cannabis and how much they discuss their use with doctors.

Data for the research was drawn responses from the 2018 and 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), with 17 685 men and women aged 50 and older. This annual national survey measures substance use and misuse and mental illness across the US.

The researchers analysed responses including those on frequency of cannabis use, reasons for taking it, where it was obtained, and how much they utilised healthcare services.

The study found that, overall, 9% used cannabis over the past year and of these, 19% used cannabis for a medical purpose to some extent, eg, to treat chronic pain, depression or diseases like arthritis, while the rest (81%) were recreational (non-medical) users.

The authors also found that people who reported cannabis use as being for medical reasons were over four times as likely than non-medical users to discuss their use with a healthcare professional. Nevertheless, only a minority of medical users did so, which implies that some are self-treating without consulting a doctor.

Medical users were also more likely than non-medical users to more frequently take cannabis, with 40% using it between 200 and 365 days a year.

A higher proportion of older cannabis users had mental illness, alcohol use disorder, and nicotine dependence compared with non-users of the same age, although medical users were less likely to have alcohol problems compared to recreational users.

As well as calling on doctors to do more, the study authors say the NSDUH needs updating to “reflect changing cannabis product commercialization”, such as including products available to older people like cannabidiols, topical solutions and edibles.

Limitations of the study included the relatively small number of medical users and the fact some respondents may have under-reported their cannabis and other substance use.

Source: Medical Xpress

Journal information: The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1 … 0952990.2021.1908318

Categories : NeurologyTags :

Impairment Lasts up to 10 Hours After Cannabis

On By ModernMedia

A comprehensive analysis of 80 scientific studies has identified a ‘window of impairment’ of between three and 10 hours caused by moderate to high doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabis component that causes intoxication. According to the researchers, these results have consequences for drug-driving laws around the world.

How long the impairment lasts depends on the THC dose, whether it is taken orally or inhaled, on the usage habits of the cannabis user and the demands of the task. The psychoactive THC component of cannabis has potential medical applications in treating nausea, sleep apnoea, fibromyalgia and chronic pain, though these applications are controversial and currently difficult to study due to legal issues, though off-label use is common. 
Previous research by Dr Arkell and colleagues has shown that cannabidiol (CBD), one of the medically active components of cannabis, does not cause impairment in driving. CBD has analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions, as well as anxiolytic, antiemetic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective antioxidant properties

Medical and non-medical legal cannabis use is on the rise worldwide.
THC causes acute impairment in driving and cognitive performance, but there is uncertainty among users about the duration of this impairment and when they can start tasks such as driving after consuming cannabis.
“Our analysis indicates that impairment may last up to 10 hours if high doses of THC are consumed orally,”  said lead author Dr Danielle McCartney, Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney. “A more typical duration of impairment, however, is four hours, when lower doses of THC are consumed via smoking or vaporization and simpler tasks are undertaken (eg, those using cognitive skills such as reaction time, sustained attention and working memory). This impairment may extend up to six or seven hours if higher doses of THC are inhaled and complex tasks, such as driving, are assessed.”

A moderate THC dose is considered about 10 milligrams in this study, but could be higher for a regular user, said the researchers.

Co-author Dr Thomas Arkell, also from the Lambert Initiative, said: “We found that impairment is much more predictable in occasional cannabis users than regular cannabis users. Heavy users show significant tolerance to the effects of cannabis on driving and cognitive function, while typically displaying some impairment.”

Regular cannabis users might consume more to get the same effect, resulting in equivalent impairment, the authors noted.

In the case of oral use as in medical cannabis drops, tablets etc, the impairment takes longer to manifest and has a longer duration than the inhalation route.

The findings have implications for so-called drug-driving laws, the researchers said.

Professor Iain McGregor, Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative, said: “THC can be detected in the body weeks after cannabis consumption while it is clear that impairment lasts for a much shorter period of time. Our legal frameworks probably need to catch up with that and, as with alcohol, focus on the interval when users are more of a risk to themselves and others. Prosecution solely on the basis of the presence of THC in blood or saliva is manifestly unjust.

“Laws should be about safety on the roads, not arbitrary punishment. Given that cannabis is legal in an increasing number of jurisdictions, we need an evidence-based approach to drug-driving laws,” Prof McGregor said.

Source: News-Medical.Net

Journal information: McCartney, D., et al. (2021) Determining the magnitude and duration of acute Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)-induced driving and cognitive impairment: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.003.

Categories : Pain ManagementTags :

Cannabinoid Effectiveness in Pain Management Questioned

On By ModernMedia

The effectiveness of cannabinoids as pain management has been brought into question by experts reviewing clinical evidence.

Researchers from the University of Bath’s Centre for Pain Research leading experts from around the world reviewed existing data into cannabinoids, including that on so-called ‘medicinal cannabis’ and ‘medicinal cannabis extracts’.

Their findings suggest that while preclinical data supports the hypothesis of cannabinoid analgesia, uncertainties especially in clinical evidence do not reach the certainty in efficacy and safety necessary for the IASP to endorse their general use for pain control.
 The studies and the statement from the IASP are limited to the use of cannabinoids to treat pain, and not for other conditions for which cannabinoids are used.

Dr Emma Fisher who led the review of the clinical evidence said: “Cannabis, cannabinoids, and cannabis-based medicines are becoming an increasingly popular alternative to manage pain. However, our review shows that there is limited evidence to support or refute their use for the management of any pain condition. The studies we found were poor quality (high risk of bias) and the evidence was of very low-certainty, meaning that we are very uncertain of the findings and more research is needed.”

Professor Christopher Eccleston, Director of the Centre for Pain Research / Department for Health, said: “Cannabis seems to attract strong opinions. If ever a field needed evidence and a rigorous scientific opinion it is this one. For many this will be an unpopular conclusion, but we need to face up to the fact that the evidence is simply lacking. Science is not about popularity but keeping people safe from false claims. The challenge in this field will be for governments to fund independent research, and to ensure balance and equipoise.

“Coming close on the heels of The Lancet Commission on children’s pain and the WHO guidelines on treating chronic pain, this further contribution also found no evidence to support the use of cannabis, cannabinoids, and cannabis-based medicines for children with chronic pain. We need to invest in real solutions to the very real problem of chronic pain in children.”

Source: Medical Xpress

Journal information: IASP Presidential Task Force on Cannabis and Cannabinoid Analgesia. Pain. journals.lww.com/pain/pages/co … picalCollectionId=23