Browse more cannabis research, findings, methods, and limitations.
JAMA study of 4,503 older veterans found 10.3% used cannabis monthly, with over a third of users screening positive for cannabis use disorder. Smoking was linked to 3.5x higher CUD odds than edibles.
In HIV-positive monkeys on ART, low-dose THC improved serotonin levels, gut health, cholesterol metabolism, and inflammation markers while maintaining viral suppression, published in Science Advances.
Narrative review challenged five assumptions about cannabis abuse potential, arguing that medically supervised use carries abuse liability comparable to other prescribed medications.
Systematic review of 49 studies found synthetic cannabinoids cause far more severe neurological and cardiovascular complications than cannabis, with seizures, altered consciousness, and cardiac symptoms being most common.
Seven patients, mostly teens, were hospitalized with agitation and psychosis after vaping products contaminated with the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA.
Study of 105 adolescent psychiatric patients found that distorted time perspective mediated the link between trauma and PTSD severity, with PTSD symptoms in turn predicting cannabis use.
Medical record audit found hospitals documented cannabis use in only 34% of ER visits and made substance support referrals in only 7% of admissions for pregnant women with known cannabis concerns.
Survey of 84 cancer patients found 15.5% believed cannabis can cure cancer, with Hispanic/Latino patients 6.5 times more likely to hold this belief. Patients wanted oncologist guidance but perceived them as unknowledgeable.
CDC surveillance across 22 states found smoking remains the dominant cannabis route (79%), followed by edibles (42%), vaping (30%), and dabbing (15%), with vaping concentrated among young adults.
Study found no consistent attentional bias toward cannabis images in people with moderate-to-severe cannabis use disorder, challenging a core theory of addiction.
In a tobacco cessation trial, cannabis co-users experienced significantly worse withdrawal during week 1 of quitting compared to tobacco-only users, with no difference at later timepoints.
Clinical review reports youth cannabis use has actually decreased over decades despite legalization trends, while providing pediatricians with updated screening and treatment guidance.
Among 173 Arab American college students, stronger ethnic identity and religiosity were linked to lower cannabis use, with particularly strong protective effects for those with Muslim upbringings.
College students with stronger parasympathetic nervous system responses to stress used cannabis more frequently, suggesting physiological stress sensitivity may drive substance use.
CBD improved spatial memory and simultaneously reduced amyloid plaques, tau tangles, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress in an Alzheimer's mouse model.
Longitudinal study of 2,015 individuals found heavy drinking, but not cannabis use, was associated with higher unintended pregnancy risk among those wanting to avoid pregnancy.
RCT found a culturally sensitive web-app prevention program reduced cannabis use and improved substance knowledge among 1,066 diverse college students, with effects lasting at 90-day follow-up.
Review found cannabis and exercise share overlapping effects on brain health through inflammation, blood flow, and neuroplasticity pathways, with potential for both beneficial and harmful interactions.
Men with PTSD showed depleted endocannabinoid levels while women showed elevated inflammatory markers, suggesting PTSD operates through different biological mechanisms by sex.
A rigorous review of 8 studies found THC linked to increased psychosis risk while CBD showed potential therapeutic effects—the two cannabinoids may work in opposite directions.
Systematic review of case reports found delta-8-THC is associated with psychosis and mood symptoms in young adults despite being marketed as a milder, legal alternative to regular cannabis.
In nearly 54,000 Nova Scotia pregnancies over two decades, cannabis use independently predicted prenatal anxiety, which rose from under 5% to over 20% prevalence.
Meta-analysis of 21 RCTs found pharmaceutical-grade CBD (SMD -0.61) and THC (SMD -0.65) showed moderate effects for anxiety disorders and PTSD, while CBD-THC mixtures did not reach significance.
Focus groups found cannabis users never notice current warning labels and want informative, attention-grabbing warnings that educate about specific risks rather than generic cautions.
Primate study found that adolescent THC exposure created lasting tolerance to cannabis cognitive effects that persisted at least a year after stopping, with higher doses needed to impair attention.
Including patients and carers in designing a cannabis trial for cancer anorexia improved study design, recruitment, and real-world relevance.
Six unique challenges of running cannabis trials in palliative care—from legislation to product variability to compassionate access—drawn from real trial experience.
Analysis of 1,344 cannabis edibles found CBD brands use health/wellness themes (45%) while THC brands emphasize cannabis culture and food, potentially shaping consumer risk perceptions.
Systematic review of 57 studies found prenatal cannabis consistently linked to lower birth weight across species, but not shorter pregnancies, with mixed results for other outcomes.
Among 1,962 cancer patients, higher CBD doses and swallowed products were associated with the best anxiety improvement—while depression responded mainly to how cannabis was taken.
Among 1,962 cancer patients in Minnesota's medical cannabis program, higher CBD doses were linked to better sleep improvement (1.87 points on 0-10 scale), while THC showed no consistent sleep benefit.
Review found promising preclinical evidence and limited clinical support for CBD in acne, dermatitis, psoriasis, and skin moisturizing, with several clinical trials ongoing.
Umbrella review of 22 systematic reviews found CBD alone is not effective for substance use disorders, but CBD+THC combination (nabiximols) helps cannabis withdrawal and craving.
About 12% of Utah medical cannabis patients bought from illicit sources, primarily due to cost (79%) and supply concerns, with access barriers nearly 5x increasing illicit use odds.
Real-time monitoring of 36 young adults found cannabis use happened mostly at home, during neutral moods, when craving, and with fewer people around, challenging emotional coping assumptions.
Rats exposed to cannabinoid receptor activation during adolescence showed lasting disruptions in hippocampal brain rhythms critical for memory—even in adulthood.
Preprint companion to RTHC-00197 with additional detail: sex-balanced cohorts and extended testing confirm lasting hippocampal theta disruptions from adolescent cannabinoid exposure.
A man experienced nine days of cognitive impairment after eating cookies containing HHC-C9, a semisynthetic cannabinoid sold legally as a "cannabis alternative."
Focus groups with 72 Canadians aged 60+ found older adults use cannabis for pain and mental health but lack guidance from healthcare providers about risks and drug interactions.
Cannabis-related ER visits among youth aged 12-21 nearly doubled from 2018 to 2023, with increases in younger teens and females, and a 19% one-year revisit rate.
Systematic review of 33 studies found prenatal cannabis exposure linked to emerging self-regulation problems in young children, becoming more apparent after age 2 through multiple neurobiological pathways.
Multicenter study of 551 children found purified CBD reduced seizures by 50%+ in half of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, with 14% becoming seizure-free and benefits sustained over 2+ years.
Pilot study found a neuroscience-based mobile app reduced cannabis use and improved executive function, metacognition, and decision-making in 68 college students after just four sessions.
CBG reduced nerve pain in rodent models through CB2 receptors and reduced spinal inflammation—a potential non-psychoactive alternative to THC for pain.
Among 4,407 young adults, loneliness predicted 20% higher cannabis use disorder risk and more frequent cannabis use, independent of depression and other risk factors.
Monthly monitoring of 772 young adults for 2 years found those who consistently used more cannabis during depressive episodes developed more hazardous use by 30-month follow-up.
Full-spectrum CBD reversed inflammation-induced depression in rats while CBD isolate did not, providing direct evidence for the "entourage effect" in mood disorders.
Clinical review finds rising pediatric cannabis edible ingestions driven by inconsistent regulation and candy-like products, providing clinical management and prevention recommendations.
A review of 60 studies mapped psychosis development: early symptoms are mostly depression and anxiety, with cannabis conferring 4-fold risk (10-fold with genetic vulnerability).
Review of 22 studies found daily high-potency cannabis tripled dissociation risk in first-episode psychosis, with worse functional outcomes, though 75% improved after stopping cannabis.