Browsing by Subject "Marijuana"

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    Medicinal Marijuana: Therapeutic Criteria and Contraindications for Marginalized Populations of the Baby Boom Cohort
    (2017-04-25) Beck, Teresa A
    The purpose of this study is to present a systematic review of the available evidence-based literature to answer the question: What are the ways in which exposure to social change early in adulthood might enhance the likelihood that several marginalized groups within the Baby Boom cohort will accept medical marijuana as a viable therapeutic option as they age? In this paper, I review the shift in the legal, cultural and therapeutic landscapes regarding medicinal marijuana and the impact this will have on several marginalized groups of an aging US population: those suffering with mental illness, veterans, and substance abusers. The impact on an already over-burdened healthcare system will be significant as the US will be ill-prepared to respond to the needs of the Baby Boom generation. The Baby Boomers came of age during the 1960s and 1970s when disruption and social change were commonplace, and they participated in activities which initiated or encouraged such change. Studies in psychology and sociology have reached consensus that although medicinal marijuana has known therapeutic benefits, there are also considerable risks. However, legal field has less uniformity and displays considerable ambiguity in the laws in states where medical marijuana legalization has occurred. Politically motivated anti-drug campaigns may influence the perception of the dangers and risks, compromising efforts to change the public perception of marijuana as a legitimate therapeutic option. Conversely, that same perception may entice members of marginalized groups to experiment with marijuana without realizing the potential negatives.
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    Paternal Cannabis Exposure Prior to Mating, but Not Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Elicits Deficits in Dopaminergic Synaptic Activity in the Offspring.
    (Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology, 2021-09-30) Slotkin, Theodore A; Levin, Edward D; Seidler, Frederic J
    The legalization and increasing availability of cannabis products raises concerns about the impact on offspring of users, and little has appeared on the potential contribution of paternal use. We administered cannabis extract to male rats prior to mating, with two different 28-day exposures, one where there was a 56-day interval between the end of exposure and mating ("Early Cannabis"), and one just prior to mating ("Late Cannabis"); the extract delivered 4 mg/kg/day of the main psychoactive component, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. We then assessed the impact on dopamine (DA) systems in the offspring from the onset of adolescence (postnatal day 30) through middle age (postnatal day 150), measuring the levels of DA and its primary metabolite, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in various brain regions. Paternal cannabis with either regimen elicited a profound and persistent deficit in DA utilization (DOPAC/DA ratio) in the offspring, indicative of subnormal presynaptic activity. However, the two regimens differed in the underlying mechanism, with Early Cannabis reducing DOPAC whereas Late Cannabis increased DA and elicited a smaller reduction in DOPAC. Effects were restricted to male offspring. The effects of cannabis were not reproduced by equivalent exposure to its Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, nor did we see the effects with perinatal exposure to tobacco smoke or some of its fetotoxic contributors (benzo[a]pyrene without or with nicotine). Our studies provide some of the first evidence for adverse effects of paternal cannabis administration on neurodevelopment in the offspring, and reinforce the important consequences of paternal drug use in the preconception period.
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    The Impact of Marijuana Use on Memory in Patients with HIV/AIDS
    (2016) Skalski, Linda Marie

    The most robust neurocognitive effect of marijuana use is memory impairment. Memory deficits are also high among persons living with HIV/AIDS, and marijuana use among this population is disproportionately common. Yet research examining neurocognitive outcomes resulting from co-occurring marijuana and HIV is virtually non-existent. The primary aim of this case-controlled study was to identify patterns of neurocognitive impairment among HIV patients who used marijuana compared to HIV patients who did not use drugs by comparing the groups on domain T-scores. Participants included 32 current marijuana users and 37 non-drug users. A comprehensive battery assessed substance use and neurocognitive functioning. Among the full sample, marijuana users performed significantly worse on verbal memory tasks compared to non-drug users and significantly better on attention/working memory tasks. A secondary aim of this study was to test whether the effect of marijuana use on memory was moderated by HIV disease progression, but these models were not significant. This study also examined whether the effect of marijuana use was differentially affected by marijuana use characteristics, finding that earlier age of initiation was associated with worse memory performance. These findings have important clinical implications, particularly given increased legalization of this drug to manage HIV infection.