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Inhaling THC through vaping poses serious health risks that are often downplayed by proponents of cannabis legalisation. Recent evidence underscores the dangers associated with this method of consumption, making a strong case for stringent preventive measures. Legalising without addressing these risks is both irresponsible and dangerous.
Respiratory Damage: Vaping THC introduces harmful substances into the lungs, leading to severe respiratory issues. Chemicals found in vaping products can cause lung inflammation, chronic bronchitis, and even acute lung injury. Legalising THC vaping products without considering these significant health risks is reckless. A focus on prevention and regulation is essential to protect public health from these damaging effects.
Mental Health Concerns: THC is linked to various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and psychosis, which can be exacerbated by vaping due to the rapid delivery of the substance to the brain. These mental health risks underscore the need to prevent teen and adult use through comprehensive education and strict regulation. Legalisation without these safeguards is a recipe for increased mental health crises.
Addiction and Behavioural Issues: Vaping THC is highly addictive and can lead to significant behavioural problems. The concentrated forms of THC in vaping products increase the risk of dependency, particularly among young users. Legalising without implementing robust preventive measures will result in a surge of addiction and related behavioural issues. Emphasising prevention and control strategies is crucial to mitigate these risks.
Source: Dr Jeremy London
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Risk of Adverse Neonatal Outcomes After Combined Prenatal Cannabis and Nicotine Exposure
Key Points
Question: Is in utero exposure to cannabis and nicotine in combination associated with greater adverse outcomes than exposure to either substance alone during pregnancy?
Findings: In this population-based cohort study of more than 3.1 million pregnant individuals, combined use of cannabis and nicotine products in pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity compared with use of either substance alone, including infant and neonatal death, infants small for gestational age, and preterm delivery.
Meaning: These findings suggest that more effective public health measures and counseling prior to conception and during pregnancy are warranted to mitigate the potential for adverse offspring outcomes from combined prenatal cannabis and nicotine use.
Abstract
Importance: The prevalence of cannabis use in pregnancy is rising and is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. In parallel, combined prenatal use of cannabis and nicotine is also increasing, but little is known about the combined impact of both substances on pregnancy and offspring outcomes compared with each substance alone.
Objective: To assess the perinatal outcomes associated with combined cannabis and nicotine exposure compared with each substance alone during pregnancy.
Main Outcome and Measures: The main outcomes were infant and neonatal death, infants small for gestational age, and preterm delivery. Results were analyzed by multivariable Poisson regression models.
Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that co-occurring maternal use of cannabis and nicotine products in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of infant and neonatal death and maternal and neonatal morbidity compared with use of either substance alone. Given the increasing prevalence of combined cannabis and nicotine use in pregnancy, these findings can help guide health care practitioners with preconception and prenatal counseling, especially regarding the benefits of cessation.
(Source: Substance Use and Addiction Medicine | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network )
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Published in Neurology Journal Scan / Research · June 29, 2024 Epilepsia
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
- Cannabidiol-enriched oil (CBDO) can reduce the risk of seizures in some patients with drug-resistant epilepsy but may worsen seizure control in others. In this study involving 19 patients treated with ≈260-mg CBDO and ≈12-mg THC daily, pre- and post-treatment evaluations for seizures, gait, cognition, mood, sleep, and electrophysiological changes were performed. Overall, 43.75% of the patients responded to CBDO, with an average reduction of 82.4% in seizure frequency, and 56.25% noted an average seizure frequency increase of 30.1%. Response to CBDO was associated with no clear baseline clinical or electrophysiological characteristics. Responders showed improved dual-task walking and MoCA scores.
- Multiple forms of cannabidiol are available, and questions about their use are common in epilepsy practice. This small trial provides some insights into CBDO use, suggesting that it could improve seizures but also has the potential of worsening the seizure control. Based on these initial data and lack of other evidence regarding CBDO use in patients with epilepsy, probably avoiding CBDO use may be the best approach till more controlled trials are available.
Commentary: Of course, this above recorded experimenting with this revisiting of non-trialled self-medicating ‘Charlotte’s Web’ tinctures in a non-pharmaceutical configuration is not necessary as GW Pharma (now JAZZ Pharmaceutical) conducted the thorough and exhaustive clinical trials, manufactured and had registered their product for a genre of non-cannabis drug resistance epilepsy labelled Epidiolex ® In this context, these new ‘trials’ are not only redundant, but a little concerning if best-practice pharmaceutical health is still valued.
(For complete research - Source: Practice Update)
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A Guide for Employers – Marijuana in the Workplace (DFAF) PDF filesize 3mb)
Marijuana & The Workplace Webinar – NDASA
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Intoxication due to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol is characterized by disrupted prefrontal cortex activity
Conclusions: In summary, we used portable fNIRS to demonstrate that acute THC intoxication causes significant changes in brain activity within the prefrontal cortex that include (a) reduced correlations and anticorrelations at rest that correlated with severity of intoxication, indicating reduced top-down attention control and engagement of compensatory mechanisms, (b) more variability in dRSFC over time, that may contribute to a disruption of executive function by reducing the ability of cortical networks to efficiently adapt or reconfigure to salient stimuli, and (c) reduced spectral power, indicating THC disrupts the brain’s normal function in this area, as decreased power is generally associated with neural suppression or inhibition. These neurobiological correlates of THC intoxication severity were measurable using fNIRS and could potentially be incorporated into objective roadside impairment testing. Future study is warranted to investigate how these brain effects of acute THC intoxication relate to cognitive performance and operational impairment. (Source Neuropsychopharmacology (nature.com)
A new study led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital reveals that the main psychoactive component in cannabis or marijuana disrupts the normal connections and activity of the brain's prefrontal cortex, a region that is crucial for decision-making and self-control.
THC was associated with decreased functional connectivity within the prefrontal cortex relative to placebo, with the weakest connections among those who reported greater severity of intoxication.
Also, THC was associated with increased variability (or reduced stability) of functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex, which could indicate a reduced ability of the brain to efficiently adapt or reconfigure to changing stimuli. Finally, THC was associated with lower overall activity within the prefrontal cortex.
"We were able to measure these effects of THC intoxication using portable imaging, which could potentially be incorporated in impairment testing scenarios, for example at the roadside," (Source: Medical Xpress Neuroscience 5th June 2024thMedical Xpress Neuroscience 5th June 2024)
Also see
- McLean Hospital Study Finds Marijuana Use Impacts Driving Even When Sober
- 'Medicinal’ Cannabis & Driving – Is it an Issue? (DRR)
- Victorian government to trial the impacts of medicinal cannabis use on driving – Hmmm, but who is overseeing the trial, and what outcomes will emerge?