Currently, there is scant policy or guidance when it comes to either smoking or vaping cannabis. Similarly there is no uniform policy as to the potency levels of products available in today’s public market; nor a complete understanding how the two administration methods (smoking v. vaping) can affect the user. [Read More…]
Tag: cannabis
THC and Its Effect on Driving
Date: January 22, 2021 The December 1st, 2020 edition of JAMA (Vol. 324, No. 21) released the results of a study into impaired driving from the Netherlands titled, “Effect of Cannabidiol and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Driving Performance” by T. Arkell (et.al.). The near year-long study examined the effects of vaporized cannabis[Read More…]
Marijuana Use and Older Adults
January 19, 2021 With the advent of the legalization of marijuana by some U.S. states, there has been a noted increase in use rates in recent years. One subgroup that has received attention is the use rates in older adults, ages 60 and older. The Journal of the American Geriatrics[Read More…]
Marijuana’s Impact on California 2020
In 1996, California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes with the passage of Proposition 215. Now, in 2020, recreational marijuana use is fully legal within California for individuals 21 years of age and over. This report will outline the current and potential impacts of these policies.[Read More…]
Substance Use and COVID Outcome Risks
Psychiatry Online released a study on November 3rd, 2020 concerning the negative impacts that substance use disorders (SUD) has on adults that have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The authors (Baillargeon, J. et.al.) provide information on over 54,000 COVID-19 patients as it relates to the outcomes of (1) hospitalization, (2) ventilator[Read More…]
Cannabis use disorders among people who use cannabis: Potential Risks
Read Time: <10 minutes Date: November 5, 2020 The journal “Addictive Behaviors” (109, (2020), 106479, May 2020) released a study, “What is the prevalence and risk of cannabis use disorders among people who use cannabis? A systematic review and meta-analysis” by authors J. Leung (et.al.). The recent meta-analysis sought to[Read More…]
The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact
The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) program has published annual reports every year since 2013 tracking the impact of legalizing recreational marijuana in Colorado. The purpose is to provide data and information so that policy makers and citizens can make informed decisions on the issue of marijuana[Read More…]
Substance Use Disorders and Increased Risks from COVID-19
September 24, 2020 According to a recent study (Wang, Kaelber, Xu and Volkow) published in Molecular Psychiatry, nearly 11 percent of the U.S. population has a substance use disorder (SUD). Additionally, those individuals with a current SUD are at increased risks for COVID-19 as well as its adverse outcomes. This study examined[Read More…]
Marijuana Most Common Drug Detected in Workplace Testing
Date: August 25, 2020 Read time: 5 Minutes Quest Diagnostics, a leader in workplace drug testing, reported that positive drug tests reached a 16-year high in 2019. Notable increases were seen in positive test results for cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Marijuana continues to be the most commonly detected drug in[Read More…]
Depression and Marijuana Use in Adults
Date: 08-19-2020 A new report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Network) examined the changes in marijuana use rates in adults with depression from 2005 to 2016. The study, “Association of Depression With Past-Month Cannabis Use Among US Adults, Aged 20 to 59 years, 2005 to[Read More…]