9 Prescription Medications You Should Avoid Mixing With Cannabis
Do you take any of these nine types of prescription medications? If you’re feeling weird when you consume cannabis, this could be why. Medical cannabis is becoming increasingly more popular around the world. But, while the herb is proving to be a useful medical tool, researchers still know fairly little about how cannabis may interact […]
Cannabis as a substitute for alcohol and other drugs
Abstract Substitution can be operationalized as the conscious choice to use one drug (legal or illicit) instead of, or in conjunction with, another due to issues such as: perceived safety; level of addiction potential; effectiveness in relieving symptoms; access and level of acceptance. This practice of substitution has been observed among individuals using cannabis for […]
New study finds that medical marijuana may be helping to curb the opioid epidemic
After states pass laws permitting medical marijuana, drivers in those states become less likely to test positive for opioids after fatal car accidents, a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health has found. Researchers analyzed federal crash data in 18 states over the period from 1999 to 2013. States that passed a […]
CDC: More people are using marijuana, but fewer are abusing it
Marijuana abuse and dependency are becoming less common, even as states roll back restrictions on the use of the drug, according to a new federal report. In 2014, the number of Americans aged 12 and over meeting diagnostic criteria for marijuana abuse or dependency stood at 1.6 percent, a decline from 1.8 percent in 2002, according […]
The effects of dronabinol during detoxification and the initiation of treatment with extended release naltrexone
PMID: 26187456 PMCID: PMC4536087 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.05.013 Abstract Background: Evidence suggests that the cannabinoid system is involved in the maintenance of opioid dependence. We examined whether dronabinol, a cannabinoid receptor type 1 partial agonist, reduces opioid withdrawal and increases retention in treatment with extended release naltrexone (XR-naltrexone). Methods: Opioid dependent participants were randomized to receive dronabinol […]
Smoking cannabis ‘helps addicts give up heroin’, study finds
Researchers at Columbia University monitored patients undergoing treatment for opiate addiction – and found that patients who smoked weed were more able to sleep, less anxious, and more likely to complete their course. The researchers also found that dosing patients with dronabinol – a drug consisting of the ‘active’ ingredient in cannabis, THC – helped […]
Cannabinoid Therapeutics in Chronic Neuropathic Pain: From Animal Research to Human Treatment
Despite the importance of pain as a warning physiological system, chronic neuropathic pain is frequently caused by damage in the nervous system, followed by persistence over a long period, even in the absence of dangerous stimuli or after healing of injuries. Chronic neuropathic pain affects hundreds of millions of adults worldwide, creating a direct impact […]
Marijuana not a gateway drug, says UVic study
Cannabis ‘safer and less addictive than many substances,’ according to research A new study by researchers at the University of Victoria and UBC suggests pot is getting a bad rap as a gateway drug. The study indicates cannabis can actually be a safer substitute for potentially more dangerous drugs like prescription opiates, alcohol and illicit substances. […]
Cannabis and Cannabinoids (PDQ®)–Patient Version
Overview Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is a plant grown in many parts of the world. It makes a resin (thick substance) that contains compounds called cannabinoids (see Question 1). By federal law, possessing Cannabis is illegal in the United States outside of approved research settings. However, a growing number of states, territories, and the […]
Is Marijuana Addictive? It Depends How You Define Addiction
Does marijuana cause addiction? As Californians prepare to vote on Prop 19 — which would legalize recreational use of the drug, at least under state law — the question is more pertinent than ever. The answer, however, is less than clear: addiction experts tend to agree that pot is addictive, but nonspecialists and much of […]
