Substance Abuse Research Articles

Investigation of the intrinsic cannabinoid activity of hemp-derived and semisynthetic cannabinoids with β-arrestin2 recruitment assays-and how this matters for the harm potential of seized drugs.

Cultivation of industrial low-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) hemp has created an oversupply of cannabidiol (CBD)-rich products. The fact that phytocannabinoids, including CBD, can be used as precursors to synthetically produce a range of THC variants-potentially located in a legal loophole-has led to a diversification of cannabis recreational drug markets. 'Hemp-compliant', 'hemp-derived' and 'semisynthetic' cannabinoid products are emerging and being advertised as (legal) alternatives for Δ9-THC. This study included a large panel (n = 30) of THC isomers, homologs, and analogs that might be derived via semisynthetic procedures. As a proxy for the abuse potential of these compounds, we assessed their potential to activate the CB1 cannabinoid receptor with a β-arrestin2 recruitment bioassay (picomolar-micromolar concentrations). Multiple THC homologs (tetrahydrocannabihexol, THCH; tetrahydrocannabiphorol, THCP; tetrahydrocannabinol-C8, THC-C8) and THC analogs (hexahydrocannabinol, HHC; hexahydrocannabiphorol, HHCP) were identified that showed higher potential for CB1 activation than Δ9-THC, based on either higher efficacy (Emax) or higher potency (EC50). Structure-activity relationships were assessed for Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC homologs encompassing elongated alkyl chains. Additionally, stereoisomer-specific differences in CB1 activity were established for various THC isomers (Δ7-THC, Δ10-THC) and analogs (HHC, HHCP). Evaluation of the relative abundance of 9(S)-HHC and 9(R)-HHC epimers in seized drug material revealed varying epimeric compositions between batches. Increased abundance of the less active 9(S)-HHC epimer empirically resulted in decreased potency, but sustained efficacy for the resulting diastereomeric mixture. In conclusion, monitoring of semisynthetic cannabinoids is encouraged as the dosing and the relative composition of stereoisomers can impact the harm potential of these drugs, relative to Δ9-THC products.

Negative Implications of Drug and Substance use on Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being, which encompasses aspects such as thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and the ability to cope with life's challenges. Several factors including drug abuse have been recognized to cause mental health disorders; hence, the urgent need to globally address these factors. Drug abuse emerges as a complex public health issue, involving the misuse of legal and illegal drugs, with consequences extending beyond individual health. The relationship between mental health and drug abuse intensifies challenges, as drug misuse contributes to the development or worsening of mental health disorders. This review examined biological, psychological, and social determinants, and advocate for a standardized approach to address the complex issue of drug abuse. Various electronic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Medline, and others, were used to access resources, in which thirty-three (33) literatures were reviewed. Results of the reviewed literatures revealed that the impact of drug abuse on mental health involves neurobiological alterations affecting neurotransmitter levels and structural changes in the brain. This does not only affect individuals, but also results in societal burdens, such as increased healthcare costs and criminal justice involvement, compounded by the stigma surrounding mental health and substance abuse. The classification of drugs into legal and illegal categories highlights the diversity of substances and emphasizes the need to understand their effects on mental well-being. Categories include legal drugs, prescription medications, socially accepted substances, and illegal drugs with varying dependency potentials. Addressing mental health disorders induced by drug abuse requires a comprehensive approach, involving strategies like Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment (IDDT), Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Peer Support, 12-Step Programs, and Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC). These methods guarantee a care continuum that centers on the individual and emphasizes recovery, acknowledging the relationship between mental health and drug abuse disorders. Nevertheless, the review highlights a research gap in that, in-depth research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the aforementioned interventions. Additionally, exploring innovative strategies to address challenges such as stigma, limited treatment accessibility, and the cyclical nature of addiction would enhance intervention effectiveness.

988 and crisis, suicide prevention, and substance use

Called the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, this three‐digit number was launched more than a year ago by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to great fanfare. It appeared to everyone to be mainly for suicide prevention. But it is in fact for every crisis, and substance use is included.

Developing and validating a scale to measure trauma-informed practices used by teachers in inclusive schools in Ghana and the United Arab Emirates

Research on trauma-informed practices is common in Western countries, but non-Western countries have made minimal contributions in this regard. This study aimed to develop an instrument which could be used to measure perceived competence of teachers in the implementation of trauma-informed practices for students with disabilities in Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Teacher Trauma Management Scale (TTMS), developed using the trauma framework by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration was used to collect data from 514 teachers in Ghana (n 270) and the UAE (n = 244). Data were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis) and a two-way factorial analysis of variance was conducted. While one hypothesis was supported by the study findings, the other was only partially supported. The findings provided theoretical and structural support for the newly developed TTMS in a non-Western context. This study highlights the need to develop contextual trauma management training models or a curriculum for training teachers.

Prevalence and Disparities in Telehealth Use Among US Adults Following the COVID-19 Pandemic: National Cross-Sectional Survey.

Telemedicine expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, though use differed by age, sex, race or ethnicity, educational attainment, income, and location. It is unclear if high telehealth use or inequities persisted late into the pandemic. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of, inequities in, and primary reasons for telehealth visits a year after telemedicine expansion. We used cross-sectional data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), the first cycle with data on telemedicine. In total, 4830 English- and Spanish-speaking US adults (aged ≥18 years) were included in this study. The primary outcomes were telehealth visit attendance in the 12 months before March 7, 2022, to November 8, 2022, and the primary reason for the most recent telehealth visit. We evaluated sociodemographic and clinical predictors of telehealth visit attendance and the primary reason for the most recent telehealth visit through Poisson regression. Analyses were weighted according to HINTS 6 standards. We included 4830 participants (mean age 48.3, SD 17.5 years; 50.28% women; 65.21% White). Among US adults, 38.78% reported having a telehealth visit in the previous year. Telehealth visit attendance rates were similar across age, race or ethnicity, income, and urban versus rural location. However, individuals with a telehealth visit were less likely to live in the Midwest (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 0.65, 95% CI 0.54-0.77), and more likely to be women (aPR 1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.38), college graduates or postgraduates (aPR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.46), covered by health insurance (aPR 1.56, 95% CI 1.08-2.26), and married or cohabitating (aPR 1.17, 95% CI 1.03-1.32), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of health care visits, and comorbidities. Among participants with a telehealth visit in the past year, the primary reasons for their most recent visit were minor or acute illness (32.15%), chronic disease management (21%), mental health or substance abuse (16.94%), and an annual exam (16.22%). Older adults were more likely to report that the primary reason for their most recent telehealth visit was for chronic disease management (aPR 2.08, 95% CI 1.33-3.23), but less likely to report that it was for a mental health or substance abuse issue (aPR 0.19, 95% CI 0.10-0.35), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of health care visits. Among US adults, telehealth visit attendance was high more than a year after telemedicine expansion and did not differ by age, race or ethnicity, income, or urban versus rural location. Telehealth could continue to be leveraged following COVID-19 to improve access to care and health equity.

NIDA starts new study, at infancy, complementary to ABCD

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a new study underway, designed to look at how environmental exposures, especially to opioids and other drugs, affect infant and child brain development. The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study recruits pregnant women to study their infants from birth. NIDA is conducting this study as part of the multi‐agency Helping to End Addiction Long‐term (HEAL) Initiative of the National Institutes of Health (see ADAW https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adaw.32345).

In Case You Haven't Heard…

Rapid induction with naltrexone, and children who lost parents to drug overdoses, are two important studies that were released last week in the midst of the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) annual meeting. Both studies were funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and will be covered in next week's issue. Meanwhile, reflecting at the APA's addiction‐themed conference covered in this issue, ADAW was reminded of another APA conference years ago, in which we were in the audience surrounded by psychiatrists who were listening, somewhat distractedly, to a presentation about addiction. “Why do we have to hear this addiction stuff,” we overheard one audience member say to another. So for those who think progress isn't taking place, it is. Kudos to outgoing APA president Petros Levounis, M.D., for his work on this and also to American Journal of Psychiatry editor Kathleen Brady for the current addiction‐themed issue. There are probably some psychiatrists who still wonder why they need to know about addiction. If they were at last week's conference, though, they don't have any more questions.

“In Bitcoin We Trust": An Anthropological Approach to Bitcoin as Algorithmic Utopia

The aim of this paper is to contextualize briefly the emergence and development of Bitcoin as well as to offer an anthropological analysis of one such "algorithmic utopia" known as Bitcoin. Bitcoin was officially "born" in 2009. Its foundation was laid by the so-called white paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" (2008), authored by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym for an individual or a group of individuals. In essence, the intention of its creator (or creators) was to solve the technical problem of so-called double-spending of money, aiming to avoid reliance on a third party or institution (such as a bank) and the consequent loss of privacy for its users, with the help of an algorithm called blockchain. Although Bitcoin can be viewed in continuity with movements such as crypto-anarchism and cypherpunk, whose roots trace back to the 1980s of the twentieth century, and although it is not the first cryptocurrency nor the first alternative to fiat money, Bitcoin is indeed the first cryptocurrency to have attracted broader attention in both public and academic discourse. This paper will shed light on the context in which Bitcoin was born and popularized, and will endeavor to defend the assumption that the popular imagination behind the Bitcoin currency is technoutopian. Finally, this paper will seek to demonstrate that the algorithm at the very core of Bitcoin is perceived not only as the fulfillment of an Enlightenment dream of a method itself as a non-cultural and supra-historical guarantor of objectivity (as the one) removed from politics, economy and ideology but also as a democratization method applicable to them all. Apart from the mentioned above, the paper concludes that Bitcoin is seen as the fulfillment of a modernist dream of efficient, formal, predictable, depersonalized bureaucracies in the context of the diminished legitimacy of centralized, hierarchically structured, sluggish, fallible, and abuse-prone economic and state institutions. The focus of trust shifts to technology: to an algorithm seen as self-regulating, efficient, free from ideology, subjective interests, and potential abuse, almost divinely infallible, decentralized, and democratic system that provides a group of individuals not only with the necessary tools to achieve their freedom and privacy, deprived from control and regulations, but also as a tool for reforming the political and economic system.

Apilot study evaluating stress factors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Viennese families who have the suspicion of child maltreatment or abuse.

The global population was affected by the unprecedented coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pandemic on children who suffer child maltreatment has not been explored sufficiently. Child abuse is known to increase in stressful circumstances, and therefore potentially during this pandemic.We aimed to identify and measure the impact of pandemic-related stress in families with asuspicion or confirmed child maltreatment. In addition, other parameters were determined, including resilience factors and family dynamics.We conducted apilot study at the Medical University of Vienna, Forensic Examination Centre for Children and Adolescents (FOKUS Safeguarding team). Parents, carers and legal guardians of children who were referred for potential child abuse (study group) participated by completing two questionnaires, one year apart, covering the following periods: pre-COVID, during-COVID and post-COVID. Simultaneously, acontrol group was devised with patients who presented to the Paediatric Emergency Department with unrelated conditions (other than child maltreatment concerns). The questionnaires addressed psychological stress factors and were completed face-to-face and/or via telephone. Atotal of 35carers participated, with almost equal numbers in both intervention and control groups.Results show that there was statistically significantly higher stress level perception before and during the pandemic period in the study group. Several families in this group commented on the positive effect of support received from health professionals, especially after the pandemic.

Substance Addiction Rehabilitation Drugs

The relapse rate of substance abusers is high, and addiction rehabilitation adjunct drugs need to be developed urgently. There have been numerous reports on blocking the formation of substance addiction, but studies on drugs that can alleviate withdrawal symptoms are very limited. Both the dopamine transporter (DAT) hypothesis and D3 dopamine receptor (D3R) hypothesis are proposed. DAT activators reduce the extracellular dopamine level, and D3R antagonists reduce the neuron’s sensitivity to dopamine, both of which may exacerbate the withdrawal symptoms subsequently. The D3R partial agonist SK608 has biased signaling properties via the G-protein-dependent pathway but did not induce D3R desensitization and, thus, may be a promising drug for the withdrawal symptoms. Drugs for serotoninergic neurons or GABAergic neurons and anti-inflammatory drugs may have auxiliary effects to addiction treatments. Drugs that promote structural synaptic plasticity are also discussed.

APA says methadone should be more widely prescribed an OTP

It's news, and it's worth restating, even though many have said it: he National Institute on Drug Abuse Director, Nora D. Volkow, M.D., said that even primary care physicians should be able to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD). She made this remarkable statement in response to ADAW's question during a press briefing at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting last week in New York City.

Examining the Associations Between Substance Misuse and Suicide Bereavement.

Focusing on the understudied question of substance misuse among suicide bereaved adults we investigated patterns of binge drinking and non-prescribed drug use among a recently bereaved sample (n = 1,132). Comparing our respondents to the non-bereaved, those in the 2022 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (n = 71,369), we did not find heightened problematical substance misuses among our respondents. With t-tests and multiple regression analyses we examined whether binge drinkers and non-prescribed drug users had heightened levels of grief difficulties, PTSD, self-blaming and depression compared to others not bingeing or using non-prescribed drugs. Results showed binge drinkers had more of all these grieving problems when important confounding variables were also considered. Analysis of the demographic correlates of bingeing showed them dimly aware of their own additional grieving and substance misusing problems. Since 75% indicated being under the care of counseling professionals, this represents an important opportunity for psycho-educational helping.

Hepatitis B virus infection among illegal drug users in Enugu State, Nigeria: prevalence, immune status, and related risk factors

IntroductionHepatitis B virus infection poses a global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income African countries. Illicit drug use exacerbates the problem, with drug users having a higher HBV infection risk and maintaining a quiet transmission pool. This study aimed to determine HBV infection prevalence, immune status, and risk factors among illegal drug users in Enugu State, Nigeria.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Enugu State, using privileged access interviewer methods to enroll drug users. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were administered after informed consent was obtained. Blood samples were tested for HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, and HBcAb using immunochromatographic rapid test kits. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.ResultsOne hundred drug users were recruited into the study. Overall, 7% of the drug users had HBV infection. 61% were found to be susceptible to HBV infection, 15% showed serological evidence of immunity from HBV vaccination and 1% developed natural immunity from HBV exposure. Significant risk factors for HBV infection were age less than 20 years, young age (≤ 20 years) at drug initiation, being single, injecting drugs more than or equal to 20 times per month and injecting with used syringes.ConclusionThis study shows high intermediate endemicity of HBV infection among drug users, low vaccination uptake, and high susceptibility to HBV infection. This calls for the urgent inclusion of drug users in national HBV vaccination campaigns and the adoption of the World Health Organization’s recommendations on the prevention of viral hepatitis among people who inject drugs.

What if youth is not enough? Acute coronary syndrome in young patients

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Background Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) are the leading cause of mortality in Spain. Further research is needed in order to know risk factors and outcomes in young patients so that medicians could optimize their management and prevention. Purpose Identifying risk factors, clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome in patients aged 40 and under. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients under 40 years of age who were admitted for ACS, out of 3,859 ACS admissions in Cardiology Intensive Care Unit (CICU) in our hospital between 2012 and 2022. Results 67 patients (1.73%) were included, most of them were males (83.6%). Baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. 77.6% had hypertension (HTA), 22.4% had diabetes (DM) and 34.3% had dyslipidemia (DLP). 79.1% were smokers, 9.1% had a history of alcoholism and 29.9% were cocaine users. None of them had a history of stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF). Only 3% had ischemic heart disease. 68.7% of them were ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and inferior STEMI was the most common (38.7%). In anterior STEMI (22 patients), 15 had a severe lesion in the mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD), and 6 in the left main stem (LM). Single-vessel disease was the most common (70.8%), with 3-vessel disease in 4.6%. 75.8% received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and 3% underwent bypass surgery. During admission, 10.5% progressed to Killip class III-IV. The ICU mortality was 1.5%. 9% received vasoactive drugs and 4.5% were intubated. Non-invasive ventilation was used in 3% and high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy in 5.3%. 3% received intra-aortic balloon pump support and 1.5% underwent dialysis or ultrafiltration. 4.5% received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), although none of them developed bundle branch block or atrioventricular node block, nor AF. After discharge, 11.1% had recurrent ACS, and up to 5.6% underwent PCI again, with a mortality rate of 11.8%. Conclusion Approximately 2% of ACS occur in people younger than 40 years of age. Substance abuse (smoking, cocaine and alcoholism) becomes more prevalent in this group. Prevalence of comorbidities (such as diabetes and nephropathy) are lower, making them less prone to short-term heart failure. However, they are more susceptible to recurrent ischemic events. There is a high incidence of inferior STEMI and LM-STEMI. For these reasons, medicians may need to find out a substance abuse in this group and further research into other risk factors, such as coronary disease family history.Basal characteristicsClinical evolution of patients

Yoga Exercises as a Therapeutic Approach for Adults with Insomnia to Promote better Sleep: A Randomized Control Trial

Background: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life and is associated with various health complications, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. Traditional treatments for insomnia often involve pharmacological interventions, but there is growing interest in alternative therapies such as yoga. This study investigates the efficacy of yoga as a therapeutic approach to improving sleep quality in adults with insomnia. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a structured yoga program on sleep quality and sleep latency in adults diagnosed with insomnia. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional design conducted at multiple healthcare facilities, including the Physiotherapy Outpatient Department at Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and District Headquarters Hospital in Rawalpindi. The study duration was four months, involving 54 participants selected through random sampling techniques. Inclusion criteria included adults aged 18 to 65 years diagnosed with insomnia according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Exclusion criteria included severe medical or psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, pregnancy, or recent changes in sleep medication. Participants in the intervention group engaged in a standardized yoga program consisting of gentle yoga postures, controlled breathing techniques, and mindfulness meditation, conducted twice weekly for eight weeks, with each session lasting 60 minutes. The control group received standard care for insomnia. Data collection involved subjective assessments of sleep quality using validated questionnaires and objective measures through polysomnography. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, with independent sample t-tests comparing means between groups and repeated measures ANOVA for within-group analysis. Results: The yoga group showed significant improvements in subjective sleep quality and sleep latency. The mean sleep quality score improved from 2.18 ± 0.66 pre-intervention to 0.92 ± 0.37 post-intervention (p=0.0001), while the control group showed a less marked improvement from 2.37 ± 0.48 to 2.03 ± 0.18 (p=0.0012). Sleep latency in the yoga group decreased from 3.00 ± 0.00 to 1.29 ± 0.40 (p=0.0002), whereas the control group showed a reduction from 2.44 ± 0.49 to 2.11 ± 0.31 (p=0.0013). ANOVA results confirmed the statistical significance of these findings, with an F-value of 69.897 for sleep quality (p=0.0001) and 361.947 for sleep latency (p=0.0002). Conclusion: The findings indicate that a structured yoga program significantly improves sleep quality and reduces sleep latency in adults with insomnia. Yoga appears to be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for managing insomnia, offering a viable alternative to traditional treatments.

Preparatory Students' Knowledge Regarding Drug abuse in Mosul City

Preparatory Students' Knowledge Regarding Drug abuse in Mosul City

A Concurrent Analysis of Drug Relapse Risk, Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy, and Aftercare Experiences among Aftercare Program Clients

The cases of drug use and abuse have predominantly increased globally. This issue has become the most significant challenge among mental health professionals, the national government, and the general population. With the absence of substantial research about drug relapse and avoidance in the Philippines, this mixed-method research seeks to find out the relationship between drug relapse risk and drug avoidance self-efficacy among substance users who participated in the aftercare program. This study employed a concurrent mixed method design, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative phase, the Advance Warning of Relapse (AWARE) Questionnaire and Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale (DASES) were administered to 66 participants from the Aftercare Program (ACP) at the Department of Health Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Eastern Visayas. The aim was to establish a correlation between the risk of drug relapse and drug avoidance self-efficacy. In the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with five participants who met the study's inclusion criteria. Purposive sampling was used to select these participants. Quantitative findings revealed that ACP clients had low drug relapse risk and high drug avoidance self-efficacy. Moreover, Pearson product-moment correlation shows an inverse relationship between lower drug relapse risk and high drug avoidance self-efficacy, and vice-versa. However, the correlation between these variables is weak, indicating that drug avoidance self-efficacy is not a strong predictor of relapse risk in aftercare program clients. Similarly, qualitative results exposed the client’s experiences in the After Care Program. Six themes emerge from their experiences, such as their various reasons for taking the drugs, the effects of substance use, their effective coping mechanisms, the treatment of their communities, their accomplishment of recovery goals, and overcoming challenges in their recovery. The study suggests that individuals who participate in the aftercare programs are trying their best to recover and increase their self-efficacy to avoid using drugs. This strong self-efficacy, in combination with various factors such as family support, the acceptance of the community, and continued reminders of the consequences of substance abuse, decreased their vulnerability to use drugs in high-risk situations. The findings will increase the awareness of Filipinos in the prevention and treatment of substance use among their loved ones, relatives, and friends. Likewise, the findings recommend improving the aftercare program to increase its effectiveness and efficiency in preventing relapse among individuals in recovery.

Association of Cannabinoid-receptor 1 gene with Chronic Polysubstance Use among Nigerian Male Commercial Motor Vehicle drivers

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of psychoactive substance abuse and association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in Cannabinoid-Receptor 1 (CNR1) gene with chronic polysubstance use among the Nigerian male commercial vehicle drivers selected from the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. A-10-Panel Generic Multi Drug Urine Dip Card Test Kit was used in the study and four SNPs (rs2023239, rs806378, rs806379 and rs806381)in CNR1 were genotyped in 60 subjects (20 drivers from each ethnic group) by using Sequenom MassARRAY Genotyping System. The four target SNPs revealed the following genotypes namely rs2023239: CC (20%), CT (40%), TT (40%); rs806378: CC (100%); rs806379: AA (20%), AT (50%), TT (30%); rs806381: AA (50%), GA (50%) in cases among the Hausa drivers. However, among the Igbo drivers, the four target SNPs showed the following genotypes namely rs2023239: CC (20%), CT (40%), TT (40%); rs806378: CC (80%) CT (20%); rs806379: AA (10%), AT (50%), TT (40%) and rs806381: AA (30%), GA (70%) in cases. Additionally, the target SNPs also revealed the following genotypes namely rs2023239: CC (30%), CT (30%), TT (40%); rs806378: CC (90%), CT (10%); rs806379: AA (10%), AT (60%), TT (30%) and rs806381: AA (70%), GA (20%), GG (10%) in cases among the Yoruba drivers. The SNPs rs2023239, rs806378 and rs806381 were significantly linked with polysubstance and chronic cannabis use in the sample population (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba) (p˂0.05). The SNP rs806379 associated significantly with polysubstance and chronic cannabis use in the Igbo drivers only (p˂0.05). Conclusively, this study provides probably the first data on the association of CNR1genetic polymorphism with chronic polysubstance use among Nigerian male commercial motor vehicle drivers.

Apply Health Beliefs Model Towards of Substance Abuse

Apply Health Beliefs Model Towards of Substance Abuse

Rethinking agrarian livelihoods affected by narcotic drug abuse on China’s Southeast Asian borders: a typological perspective

Rethinking agrarian livelihoods affected by narcotic drug abuse on China’s Southeast Asian borders: a typological perspective