Prevalence Of Cannabis Use Research Articles

Cannabis use, risk behaviours and harms in Brazil: A comprehensive review of available data indicators.

Cannabis use and related health/social outcome indicator data for Brazil-where non-medical cannabis is generally illegal-are limited. Towards a comprehensive overview of relevant indicators, we searched primary databases by combining MeSH-index terms related to cannabis, geographic location and subtopic terms (e.g., use, health, mortality) focusing on cannabis use and key outcome indicators in Brazil since 2010. In addition, relevant 'grey literature' (e.g., survey reports) was identified. Key indicator data were mainly narratively summarised. Overall, cannabis use has increased somewhat since pre-2010, with (past-year) use rates measured at 2-3% for general population adults, yet 5% or higher among youth and/or (e.g., post-secondary) student populations. For key risk behaviours, the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol-positivity among motor-vehicle drivers has been measured at <2%. While the prevalence of cannabis use disorder appears to have decreased, the relative proportion of treatment provided for cannabis-related problems increased. National- and local-based studies indicated an association of cannabis use with mental health harms, including depression and suicidality. Although some non-representative and/or local studies contain information, other monitoring data, including cannabis-related risks and harms (e.g., cannabis-related driving, mortality, hospitalisations), are limited in availability. The prevalence of cannabis use in Brazil is comparably low (e.g., relative to elsewhere in the Americas). Data on numerous key cannabis-related indicators is absent, or limited in scope for Brazil. Considering ongoing evolutions in cannabis control and its status as the most common illicit drug, more comprehensive surveillance of cannabis use and related outcomes is advised.

Thalamocortical functional connectivity and cannabis use in men with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Disruptions of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit has been implicated in both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder. Given the high prevalence of cannabis use among patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, we set out to investigate the relationship between the two in the thalamus. We analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from the Addiction Connectome Preprocessed Initiative Multimodal Treatment Study of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder database. Functional connectivity maps were extracted to compare thalamic connectivity among adults who had been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during childhood according to whether or not they used cannabis. The study participants included 18 cannabis users and 15 cannabis non-users with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Our results revealed that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who used cannabis (n = 18) had significantly decreased functional connectivity between the thalamus and parietal regions, which was particularly prominent in the inferior parietal areas, in comparison with those who did not use cannabis (n = 15). Left thalamic functional connectivity with the inferior parietal and middle frontal areas and right thalamic functional connectivity with the inferior parietal and superior frontal areas were increased in non-users of cannabis with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder compared with a local normative comparison group (n = 7). In conclusion, adults with a childhood history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who do not use cannabis often have relatively stronger thalamoparietal and thalamofrontal connectivity, which may help reduce the risk of cannabis use.

Cannabis use in pregnancy and maternal and infant outcomes: A Canadian cross-jurisdictional population-based cohort study.

With the recent legalization of cannabis in Canada, there is an urgent need to understand the effect of cannabis use in pregnancy. Our population-based study investigated the effects of prenatal cannabis use on maternal and newborn outcomes, and modification by infant sex. The cohort included 1,280,447 singleton births from the British Columbia Perinatal Data Registry, the Better Outcomes Registry & Network Ontario, and the Perinatal Program Newfoundland Labrador from April 1st, 2012 to March 31st, 2019. Logistic regression determined the associations between prenatal cannabis use and low birth weight, small-for-gestational age, large-for-gestational age, spontaneous and medically indicated preterm birth, very preterm birth, stillbirth, major congenital anomalies, caesarean section, gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension. Models were adjusted for other substance use, socio-demographic and-economic characteristics, co-morbidities. Interaction terms were included to investigate modification by infant sex. The prevalence of cannabis use in our cohort was approximately 2%. Prenatal cannabis use is associated with increased risks of spontaneous and medically indicated preterm birth (1.80[1.68-1.93] and 1.94[1.77-2.12], respectively), very preterm birth (1.73[1.48-2.02]), low birth weight (1.90[1.79-2.03]), small-for-gestational age (1.21[1.16-1.27]) and large-for-gestational age (1.06[1.01-1.12]), any major congenital anomaly (1.71[1.49-1.97]), caesarean section (1.13[1.09-1.17]), and gestational diabetes (1.32[1.23-1.42]). No association was found for stillbirth or gestational hypertension. Only small-for-gestational age (p = 0.03) and spontaneous preterm birth (p = 0.04) showed evidence of modification by infant sex. Prenatal cannabis use increases the likelihood of preterm birth, low birth weight, small-for-gestational age and major congenital anomalies with prenatally exposed female infants showing evidence of increased susceptibility. Additional measures are needed to inform the public and providers of the inherent risks of cannabis exposure in pregnancy.

Trends in Adolescent Substance Use: Analysis of HBSC Data for Four Eastern European Countries, 1994-2018.

Two decades (1993/1994-2017/2018) of repeated cross-sectional data from the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey were used. Data comprised 42,169 school children 15 years of age (9th grade). The following categories of substance use were included: regular alcohol consumption and drunkenness, tobacco smoking, electronic cigarette smoking, and cannabis use. Trends in substance use over time were tested using Jonckheere's trend test. Prevalence of substance use among adolescents over time revealed that the Baltic states and Poland have faced relatively different temporal trends. In the Baltic states, there was a general increase during the period of 1994-2002, which was followed by a period of peaking or stability between 2002-2010, and then decreasing trends of these risky behaviors from 2010 onwards. In Poland, the same period had less consistent patterns, with decreasing trends starting much earlier on. The prevalence of cannabis use, which had been measured since 2006, had its own unique pattern with many fluctuations within and between countries. The findings on the prevalence of substance use among adolescents from 1994 to 2018 revealed that the Baltic states and Poland have faced relatively different temporal trends. These countries might be facing new public health challenges in a near future, e.g., use of electronic cigarettes and cannabis use among adolescents.

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome complicated by pneumomediastinum: implications for pediatrics

Background. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome / CHS (prolonged and frequent use of high-dose cannabis) in the pediatric population has been increasingly reported over the last decade. CHS can lead to life-threatening complications such as pneumomediastinum, which warrant careful consideration for surgical intervention. Case Presentation. A 17-year-old female with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department with abdominal, chest and back pain (worse with deep inspiration), nausea, and vomiting for 24 hours. Upon further history, the patient reported a similar episode six months ago, being a cannabis smoker (at least once a day) in the last two years. Chest X-ray revealed a subtle abnormal lucency along the anteroposterior window and anterior mediastinum, consistent with a small amount of pneumomediastinum without any other acute intrathoracic abnormalities. Follow-up chest computed tomography with contrast showed multiple foci of air within the anterior and posterior mediastinum tracking up to the thoracic inlet. There was no evidence of contrast extravasation; however, small esophageal perforation could not be excluded. Given uncomplicated pneumomediastinum (without frank contrast extravasation) the patient was treated medically with piperacillin-tazobactam, metronidazole, and micafungin for microbial prophylaxis; hydromorphone for pain control; as well as with pantoprazole, ondansetron, and promethazine. Nutrition was provided via total parenteral nutrition. The evolution was favorable (no signs of occult esophageal perforation occurred), being advanced to a soft diet on hospital day eight, solid food diet on day nine, at which point antibiotics were discontinued, and the patient was subsequently discharged. Conclusion. CHS in increasingly encountered in the pediatric setting due to rising prevalence of cannabis use. The management of CHS and potentially life-threatening complications such as pneumomediastinum should be given careful consideration. Pneumomediastinum can be a harbinger of esophageal perforation that may warrant urgent surgical intervention.

Evaluation of Cannabis Use Among US Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic Within Different Legal Frameworks

This cross-sectional study analyzes the prevalence of cannabis use by US adults during the COVID-19 pandemic within different legal frameworks and evaluates differences in associated behaviors.

The prevalence of cannabis use reported among pregnant individuals in the United States is increasing, 2002-2020.

The prevalence of cannabis use reported among pregnant individuals in the United States is increasing, 2002-2020.

Cannabis use in Tunisian adolescents: Alarming trends from 2013 to 2021

Abstract Background Cannabis is the most widely used illicit psychoactive substance worldwide. In Tunisia, the prevalence of cannabis use and its association with other risky behaviours were reported in several publications interesting mainly early adolescence. However, no publications exploring trends based on national epidemiological data are available yet. Our purpose was to determine cannabis prevalence in Tunisian high school adolescents and assess significant trends from 2013 to 2021. Methods Pooled data from Mediterranean school surveys on alcohol and other drugs conducted in 2013, 2017, and 2021, were used. Based on three-stage stratification sampling method, first and second grade secondary education students were enrolled. Were not included students enrolled in vocational training centers and out-of-school adolescents. Self-administered standardized questionnaire was used in data collection. We studied weighted lifetime prevalence of cannabis use and chi square test for trend was used for global, by gender and by sector (private/public) trends assessement. STATA software was used for statistical analysis. Results A total of 14.723 students were enrolled with sex ratio (M/F) equal to 0.61 and mean age of 16.2±0.8 years. The prevalence of cannabis use increased from 1.4%, to 3.8% then to 7.9% for 2013, 2017 and 2021 respectively. Trend assessement concludes to significant increase in overall cannabis use (p &amp;lt; 10-3). Besides, there was a significant increase in both public and private schools, and among both boys and girls. However, the greatest increase was among male students (3.5% in 2013, 9.2% in 2017 and 16.1% in 2021) (p &amp;lt; 10-3). Conclusions Despite the reinforcement of restrictive legislative measures, the prevalence of cannabis use among Tunisian high school adolescents is significantly increasing. Moreover, it’s important to further investigate problematic cannabis use and its effects on adolescents’ physical and mental health. Key messages • Trend assessement confirmed the significant increase in lifetime cannabis use in high school adolescents in Tunisia, for both sexes and for both private and public sector. • This alarming public health issue requires urgent legislation review and close multisectoral collaboration to control supply and demand.

Prevalence of cannabis use in people with psychosis in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

There is a high prevalence of cannabis use in patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, with comorbid cannabis use in this population being associated with poorer long-term outcomes. To determine the prevalence of cannabis use in patients with a schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. The study was conducted at a psychiatric hospital in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. A review of clinical records of patients admitted to the hospital for the period, June 2018 to June 2020, was conducted. A total of 370 clinical records were reviewed, of which 48.9% reported current and 51.1% lifetime cannabis use. Being male was significantly associated with current and lifetime cannabis use (OR = 4.90, 95% CI 2.49-9.62 and OR = 6.27, 95% CI 3.28-11.95, respectively). Current alcohol use was also associated with current cannabis use (CCU) (OR = 3.06, 95% CI 1.78-5.28), and age 45 years and older was associated with a lower odds of cannabis use (OR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.09-0.96). Forty-eight per cent of participants were admitted three or more times, and readmission was associated with cannabis use (p = 0.01). There was a lack of association between cannabis use, readmission and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, after controlling for variables such as alcohol use and gender. Almost 50% of people admitted with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders have comorbid current and lifetime cannabis use. There is a need for dual diagnosis units to address comorbid substance use in people with psychotic disorders, as it leads to poorer outcomes. The study found that there is a high prevalence of cannabis use in people with psychosis. Therefore, it is imperative that we revise treatment programs in our psychiatric units and there is an urgent need for dual diagnosis programs that address substance use in this group of patients.

Short-Term Effects of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Youth Cannabis Initiation

PurposeAs recreational cannabis is legalized, it is critical to know the impacts of legalization on youth cannabis use. Existing research generates conflicting results and does not shed light on channels of effects. This study investigates the impacts of legalization on youth cannabis initiation and overall cannabis use prevalence. MethodsWe used Interrupted Time Series design and data from nationally-representative repeated cross-sectional Canadian surveys spanning 16 years. The primary outcomes were cannabis initiation rates and cannabis use prevalence among youths. The secondary outcomes were self-reported age of first cannabis use, ease of cannabis access, and perception of cannabis harm among youths. ResultsAfter legalization, cannabis initiation rate among youths was 2.7 percentage points (95% confidence interval: 1.7–3.7; p < .01) or 69% higher, although there was no significant increase in the overall prevalence of cannabis use. Furthermore, there was a 4-month delay in the average age of first cannabis use among youths aged 17–18 years (95% confidence interval: 2.6–5.5 months; p < .01). The legalization was associated with greater perception of cannabis harm but also easier access to cannabis. DiscussionThe impacts of legalization on youth cannabis use after 1 year are mixed. Although we observed an increase in cannabis initiation among youths who had never used cannabis, there was no change in the overall prevalence of cannabis use, implying a possible offsetting increase in cannabis cessation among existing users. To achieve legalization's goal of reducing youth cannabis use, policy measures are needed to curb youth cannabis access and initiation.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Evolution of Prevalence and Patterns of Cannabis Use among First-Year University Students in Spain-UniHcos Project.

Among university students there has been evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic increased their psychological distress, exacerbated by social restrictions. The main objective of this study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence and patterns of cannabis use among university students, in contrast to previous trends since 2012. Data from 10,522 first-year university students (73.3% female, Mage 19 (SD = 1.6)) from eleven Spanish universities collected between 2012 and May 2022 was analysed. Prevalences of cannabis use and their differences by sex were studied, as well as changes in patterns of use and its use for coping during the pandemic. It was found that during lockdown, all prevalence rates of cannabis use decreased in both sexes, showing no statistically significant differences and increasing again in the new normal period in both. Among regular cannabis users, 79.7% reported maintaining or increasing their cannabis use during the pandemic, and of these, half reported using cannabis to cope. Moreover, cannabis use in the usual household increased during the lockdown. These results show that although the overall prevalence of cannabis use was reduced during the lockdown, regular users tended to maintain or increase cannabis use. This could imply two different patterns of use among students, one social and occasional versus the other regular, providing new lines of research for prevention and the implementation of social policies.

Cannabis Use in Patients with Gastroparesis.

Aim: The primary aim was to determine the prevalence of cannabis use among patients hospitalized for gastroparesis. The secondary aim was to identify independent variables associated with cannabis use compared with noncannabis-related gastroparesis hospitalization. Methods: We use the nationwide inpatient sample database from January 2012 to December 2014. The patients included in this study were the ones with primary diagnosis of gastroparesis and cannabis use. The analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 27 (SPSS) and a multivariable regression was conducted to identify independent variables. Results: We found 50,170 patients with a primary diagnosis of gastroparesis. The prevalence of cannabis use among patients hospitalized for gastroparesis was 4.2%. Multivariate regression analysis was performed, adjusting for confounders. The variables found to increase the odds of cannabis use in gastroparesis populations independently were age interval of 18-35 and 36-50 years, male, Black and Asian, median household income 1-25th percentile, Medicaid insurance, no charge hospitalization, and smoking. Cannabis use was associated with lower odds of vomiting. Conclusion: Patients who used cannabis were younger and of African American, Asian, or Pacific Islander descent. They had Medicaid insurance and a lower median household income.

Syndrome coronarien aigu et consommation de cannabis ; étude monocentrique rétrospective au Centre Hospitalier de Troyes

IntroductionAcute coronary syndrome (ACS) is the usual clinical entry point for coronary heart disease. France is the European country with the highest prevalence of cannabis use and an increase in serious cardiovascular complications, including infarction, related to cannabis. The main objective was to compare the clinical and cardiological profile of patients with ACS according to exposure to cannabis use. Population and methodsWe conducted a retrospective, single-centre, exposure-non-exposure cohort study of all adult patients (> 18 years) admitted for ACS in the ICU between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2021 at the Centre Hospitalier de Troyes, with mention of cannabis use in the medical record. A matching was performed so that each patient identified in the exposed group was associated with a comparable unexposed patient on age, sex, period of hospitalisation and cardiovascular event typology (type of ACS and topography for ST+). Results2745 patients admitted to the ICU and the coronary angiography room presented an ST+ or ST− ACS from 01/01/2012 to 31/12/2021 at the CHT. For 31 patients of them (1.1%), we noted cannabis consumption, which concern 7,9% of SCA ST+ aged under 50. DiscussionThe link between cannabis use and ACS is established, but studies concerning the place of cannabis in the ACS pathway of an ICU are few in France. Our results show the interest of developing a specific pathway focused on the needs of patients and their specificities in post ACS management.

Attitudes Toward Cannabis Use Legalization and Openness to Legal Use Among Young Partygoers in Norway.

The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes toward legalization of cannabis use and openness to legal use among Norwegian partygoers. We examined a combined sample (N = 4,790; 46.2% female) of young partygoers (M age = 23.7, SD = 7.3) from three Norwegian studies on substance use in various settings: music festivals (n = 1,312), nightlife (n = 2,005), and high school graduation (n = 1,473). Through onsite surveys, the participants were asked if they thought cannabis use should be legal in Norway and whether they themselves would use the drug if legalized. These responses (yes/no/don't know) were examined in relation to participants' characteristics and cannabis use history using summary statistics and multinomial regression models. Although 46.1% of participants reported having used cannabis at least once, only 1/3 (32.6%) favored legalization and 1/4 (25.6%) stated they would themselves use cannabis if legalized. Yet, even among never-users, we observed non-opposition to legalization (16.4% in favor; 14.9% don't know) and openness to legal use (8.2% would use; 12.4% don't know). Histories of cannabis, tobacco, or any other drug use, sex (male), and age younger than 21 years (vs. 30 or older) were consistently associated with affirmative responses to both questions. Openness to legal use was strongly associated with favorable legalization attitudes and age younger than 21, even after accounting for lifetime cannabis use history. Favoring cannabis legalization and openness to legal use were relatively low in this sample of young Norwegian partygoers. Yet, prevalence of cannabis use may increase after legalization among its supporters and among those younger than 21, especially if "don't know" responses are considered.

The association of cannabis use with fast-food consumption, overweight, and obesity among adolescents aged 12-15 years from 28 countries

ABSTRACT Background Cannabis legalization and use have risen globally. However, the association between cannabis use, eating behaviors and body weight among adolescents is yet unexplored. Objectives This study examined the association between cannabis use, fast-food consumption, overweight and obesity in 28 countries using data from the 2010–2016 Global School-Based Student Health Survey. Methods Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis were performed among a sample of 83,726 adolescents (48.7% females) aged 12–15 years, mean (SD) age of 13.8 (0.9) years. Results The overall prevalence of cannabis use (in past 30 days) and fast-food consumption (in past 7 days) were 2.8% and 57.3% respectively. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 14.7% and 4.2%, respectively. Cannabis use was significantly associated with fast-food consumption (OR = 1.33; 95%CI = 1.13–1.57) but not with overweight (OR = 0.95; 95%CI = 0.80–1.14) or obesity (OR = 1.16; 95%CI = 0.85–1.59). For obesity, there was a moderate level of between-country heterogeneity (I2 = 51.9%) and significant positive associations with cannabis use were observed in Bahamas, Bangladesh, Namibia and Nepal. Conclusion The results highlight the association between cannabis use and dietary risks, providing evidence for public health interventions on the interrelated nature of cannabis use and fast-food consumption.

Prevalence of Cannabis Use and Factors Related to Hospitalizations in the United States: A Population-Based Study Using National Inpatient Sample Between 2012 and 2018

Introduction: Cannabis use has been associated with adverse outcomes among adults and adolescents. As more states legalize or consider legalization, it is imperative to understand cannabis-related hospitalizations among the US population. This study is aimed at understanding the prevalence of cannabis-related hospitalizations using a nationally representative sample.Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) available through the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), we included all hospitalizations that met the inclusion criteria of documented history of cannabis use and those with any cannabis diagnosis as the reason for hospitalization between 2012 and 2014, and 2016 and 2018 using listwise deletion methods. Cannabis use was identified based on International Classification of Disease (ICD 9 & 10) codes (304.3X, 305.2X) (F12.XXX) for 2012-2014 and 2016-2018, respectively. We included both primary and secondary diagnoses among hospitalized patients. We further analyzed the relationship between cannabis-related diagnoses, race and ethnicity cases, household income, region, age group, rural-urban demographics, and sex.Results: A weighted total of 2,099,665 and 1,023,325 patients with a history of cannabis use were identified for the period of 2012-2014 and 2016-2018, respectively. The primary reason for presentation among a majority of patients was related to mental health, alcohol, HIV, trauma, burns, and toxic effects of drugs for all included years. The rate of the presentation was highest among individuals 12-24-years-old (351, 846) and 25-34-years-old (255 and 563) per 10,000 presentations between 2012-2014 and 2016-2018, respectively. The highest rate of increase by race and ethnicity was observed among Native Americans (227 and 457), Black (287 and 468), and others (125 and 214) during 2012-2014 and 2016-2018, respectively. The highest observations were in the East North Central, West North Central, Mountain, and Pacific Regions of the United States. The highest presentation rates were observed among males with no insurance coverage and populations in the lowest income quartiles.Conclusion: Cannabis-related hospitalization increased significantly over the years, and presentations are not isolated to areas with cannabis legalization. The high presentation rate among individuals with mental and alcohol necessitates the development of strategies to educate and mitigate potential causes of hospitalization among all age groups and races or ethnicity.

Which factors are associated with cannabis use among adolescents in Andalusia? An application of the I-Change model.

Cannabis use is increasing among Andalusian adolescents, causing health, social and financial problems. School nurses visit schools and provide health promotion to adolescents in Andalusia. In order to better tailor health promotion programs, it is important to understand the sociodemographic and motivational factors related to cannabis use in Andalusian adolescents. In this cross-sectional study, 369 students (aged 15-18 years) from secondary schools in Andalusia were involved. An anonymous questionnaire based on the I-Change Model was self-administered during school hours. Cannabis users were compared with non-cannabis users regarding sociodemographic and motivational factors. Contingency tables, mean comparison tests, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. The prevalence of cannabis use in the last year was 21.6%. Non-cannabis users had a few positive beliefs toward cannabis use (e.g. the ability to relax or medical benefits), as well as users. Users recognized some disadvantages of cannabis use but played down their importance and mentioned more advantages. Moreover, social influence, especially from peers, plays a critical role in cannabis use. Specific social situations and moods seemed to be special risk factors for cannabis use, such as being at a celebration or feeling good. Results of regression analysis showed that cannabis use is mainly associated with age, low family function, low family affluence, high pocket money, perceiving few disadvantages of cannabis use, much social modeling of cannabis use, social norm and pressure favoring cannabis, low self-efficacy to resist using cannabis and positive intentions to use cannabis. Based on our results, prevention programmes lead by nurses can be tailored to the factors important to prevent cannabis use, focusing on outlining the disadvantages of cannabis use, alternatives for using cannabis when feeling good, increasing salience of healthy social influences and reinforcing self-efficacy to resist temptations to use cannabis are recommended. Nurses need to know the sociodemographic factors and motivations associated with the use of cannabis in adolescents in order to establish effective preventive interventions at school.

Cannabis use and effect of cannabis abstinence on cognitive functioning in young people — an observational case-control follow-up study from rehabilitation centre in Andhra Pradesh

BackgroundCannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance globally, in India particularly. In recent times, younger people started abusing cannabis, resulting in academic decline and psychological disorders. Research from developed countries had shown that abstinence from cannabis reverses cognitive decline in the young population to a certain extent. Studies on this topic have been very few in India. We intended to assess the effects of cannabis use and abstinence from cannabis on the cognitive functioning of young adults.The study was an observational study including 50 consecutive young male patients, who got admitted to our rehabilitation centre with cannabis use disorder (group A). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test was used to assess the baseline cognitive functioning of these patients initially after 1 week of abstinence and compared with 50 graduate students with no history of cannabis use (group B). The MoCA test was re-administered to group A subjects after 3 months of strict abstinence from cannabis use.ResultsThere was a statistically significant difference between the baseline MoCA score of cannabis users and the controls (P < 0.001). Both the duration (r = −0.296, P = 0.036) and the quantity (r= −0.491, P < 0.001) of cannabis use had a negative correlation with the MoCA score. When the MoCA test was re-administered after 3 months of abstinence, we found a statistically significant improvement in cognitive functioning in cannabis users (P < 0.001), but the mean score was still less than the mean score of the control group (24.08 ± 2.66 vs 28.62 ± 0.85, P < 0.001) showing only partial improvement.ConclusionThis study showed that cognitive deficits were seen in cannabis users as compared to nonusers. It also had shown that abstinence from cannabis had partially reversed the impairment, but still some deficits were remaining. There is an urgent need for primary prevention strategies at community level to decrease the prevalence of cannabis use.

A Review of Historical Context and Current Research on Cannabis Use in India.

The cultivation and use of cannabis is historically rooted in the Indian subcontinent and this rich heritage of cannabis use dates back to at least two thousand years. Cannabis remains an illicit substance in India despite its changing status globally with many countries legalizing cannabis use in recent years. Scientific research on cannabis use in India has also been sparse. Extensive search of online databases resulted in the identification of 29 original research studies pertaining to one of three areas of cannabis research; a) prevalence of cannabis use b) psychological correlates of cannabis use, c) cannabis use in substance use treatment settings. We found that most Indian studies used very basic quantitative research designs and had poor scientific rigor. Samples were small, region specific and included only males. Data analyses were limited to descriptive methods. The criteria for cannabis use in most of the reviewed studies were not rigorous and prone to biases. With changing attitudes and loosening of restrictions on cannabis use, the prevalence of new users is rising dramatically particularly in the college going population. This presents a strong need for research on motivations and attitudes to cannabis use and how those can influence patterns of use, and also the short- and long-term effects of use. More studies with stronger research designs (both cross sectional and longitudinal) are required for the study of cannabis use and this knowledge will be critical for managing the growing substance epidemic, generating public health solutions as well as formulating effective policy frameworks.

The Use of Psychoactive Substances in Germany.

Monitoring the use of psychoactive substances and substance-related problems in the population allows for the assessment of prevalence and associated health and social consequences. The data are derived from the Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) 2021 (n = 9046, 18-64 years). We estimated prevalence rates of the use of tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, and psychoactive medications, as well as the prevalence rates of their problematic use (indicating dependence) using screening instruments, and extrapolated the results to the resident population (N = 51 139 451). Alcohol was the most frequently used substance, with a 30-day prevalence of 70.5% (36.1 million people), followed by non-opioid analgesic drugs (47.4%; 24.2 million) and conventional tobacco products (22.7%; 11.6 million). E-cigarettes were used by 4.3% (2.2 million) and heat-not-burn products by 1.3% (665 000). Among illegal drugs (12-month prevalence), cannabis was the most frequently used (8.8%; 4.5 million), followed by cocaine/crack (1.6%; 818 000) and amphetamine (1.4%; 716 000). Rates of problematic use among the study participants were 17.6% for alcohol (9.0 million), 7.8% for tobacco (4.0 million), 5.7% for psychoactive medications (2.9 million), and 2.5% for cannabis (1.3 million). The consumption of psychoactive substances continues to be widespread in Germany. In view of the imminent legal changes, the high prevalence of cannabis use and its problematic use need to be taken into consideration.