Journal of cannabis research最新文献

{"title":"Cannabis use and beliefs among people in recovery from substance use disorders.","authors":"Anthony N Nist, Christine E Sheffer, Ghada Nusair, Allison N Tegge","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00461-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00461-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cannabis use has increased dramatically in the past decade and is currently among the most commonly used drugs in the world. Among people in recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs), cannabis is sometimes put forward as a less harmful substitute for other drugs, conflicting with abstinence-based recovery approaches. We aimed to describe cannabis use among people in recovery, explore relations among cannabis use (CU) status (Current-CU, Former-CU, Never-CU) and beliefs about social acceptability, safety, benefits, risks, and addictiveness of cannabis, and compare beliefs about the addictiveness of cannabis with that of other substances.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was a cross-sectional, online survey of people in recovery (n = 507) from SUDs. Cannabis use and beliefs about acceptability, benefits, risks, safety, and addictiveness were assessed, and diagnostic criteria for SUDs, including cannabis use disorder (CUD).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants were, on average, 47.2 (SD = 12.2) years old, 67.3% female, 81.1% White, and 93.7% non-Hispanic/Latino; 35.9% and 51.3% indicated Current- or Former-CU, respectively. Current-CU was associated with use for therapeutic purposes, and more positive beliefs about the acceptability (ps ≤ .010), safety (ps < .001), and benefits of cannabis, and risks compared to Former- or Never-CU. Those who never used cannabis rated cannabis as the least socially acceptable (ps ≤ .015), least safe (ps ≤ .036), and were least likely to endorse potential benefits. Individuals who formerly used cannabis generally showed intermediate beliefs. All participants believed cannabis was less addictive than alcohol (ps < .001), cigarettes (ps < .001), and cocaine (ps < .001), but Current-CU believed cannabis was significantly less addictive (ps < .001) than Former- and Never-CU. Participants with mild CUD believed cannabis was less addictive than those with severe CUD. Among participants with other SUDs, beliefs about the addictiveness of the respective substance did not differ by SUD severity (ps ≥ .298).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings underscore the importance of recognizing heterogeneity in cannabis use among people in recovery. Those with mild CUD believed cannabis was the least addictive while those with severe CUD believed cannabis was most addictive. In contrast, beliefs about the addictiveness of other substances were independent of SUD severity. This pattern of beliefs about addictiveness appears to be specific to cannabis. Understanding beliefs about cannabis use among people in recovery may clarify its impact on recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632430/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148383434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-reported cannabis use to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms and reductions in opioid use among people who use unregulated opioids: a cross-sectional analysis.","authors":"Erica McAdam, Hudson Reddon, M Eugenia Socías, Stephanie Lake, Kanna Hayashi, Kora DeBeck, Zach Walsh, M-J Milloy","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00458-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00458-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Opioid withdrawal is a significant challenge for people seeking to reduce or eliminate opioid use, and unmanaged withdrawal increases the risk of relapse and overdose. Using cannabis to manage opioid withdrawal has been reported by people who use opioids, yet it is not clear whether this leads to reductions in opioid use. Moreover, because pain is prevalent among people who use unregulated opioids (PWUO) and may contribute to ongoing opioid use, the effects of cannabis use to manage withdrawal symptoms may differ among individuals experiencing moderate to severe pain. We investigated the relationship between cannabis use to manage unregulated opioid withdrawal and self-reported reductions in opioid use among PWUO.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were derived from a cross-sectional questionnaire administered to cannabis-using PWUO in Vancouver, Canada, between December 2019 and November 2021. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the associations between cannabis use for opioid withdrawal and self-reported reductions in opioid use. A sub-analysis explored if these associations varied among participants living with and without moderate to severe pain.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 197 participants, 89 (45.2%) reported cannabis use to manage symptoms of opioid withdrawal in the past six months. In multivariable analysis, cannabis use for opioid withdrawal was significantly associated with self-reported reductions in opioid use (adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.16, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.13-4.19) in the same time period. In a sub-analysis, this association was only significant among participants with moderate to severe pain (AOR = 6.55; 95% CI: 2.44-19.63).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We observed a significant association between self-reported use of cannabis to manage unregulated opioid withdrawal and reductions in opioid use among cannabis-using PWUO living with pain. Aligned with other studies, these findings support conducting experimental trials of cannabinoids to support individuals experiencing opioid withdrawal and living with pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13556097/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Signaling pathways of inflammation in CIA model of rheumatoid arthritis regulated by cannabichromene.","authors":"Michaela Sklenárová, Monika Šteigerová, Petr Jelínek, Mykhaylo Bazyuk, Sara Merdita, Baraa Chaban, Jan Hlaváč, Daniel Stránský, Markéta Fučíková, Miroslav Šoóš, Martin Šíma, Ondřej Slanař","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00464-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00464-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, cytokine imbalance, and progressive joint destruction. The endocannabinoid system has emerged as a potential therapeutic target; however, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as cannabichromene (CBC) remain insufficiently defined. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of CBC in vitro and in a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model, with a focus on key inflammatory signaling pathways.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>CBC effects were assessed in LPS-stimulated HUVEC cells by qPCR analysis of inflammatory markers. In vivo, female Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: CIA + saline (placebo), CIA + CBC, CIA + methylprednisolone, and non-immunized controls receiving saline. Disease progression was evaluated using clinical scoring, paw thickness, and body weight. Synovial tissues and serum were analyzed by qPCR, Western blotting, and ELISA to assess cytokines, inflammasome components, and signaling pathways, including NF-κB and JAK/STAT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CBC reduced TNF-α expression in vitro at low micromolar concentrations. In vivo, CBC significantly decreased arthritis scores compared to placebo and attenuated weight loss, although it did not significantly reduce paw swelling. Molecular analyses revealed downregulation of IL-6, STAT3, and IL-17 A, indicating suppression of the TNF-NF-κB-IL-6-STAT3-Th17 axis. CBC also significantly inhibited inflammasome components (NLRP3, NLRP1A, caspase-11). However, MMP-3 and MMP-9 levels were not significantly affected.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>CBC exhibits significant anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo by modulating key cytokine and inflammasome pathways. While its effects on structural joint damage markers were limited, CBC represents a promising candidate for inflammatory arthritis therapy, warranting further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13555878/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148321563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of oral cannabidiol supplementation on blood pressure in adults: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.","authors":"Albert Roberts, Solon Fountzopoulos, Terun Desai","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00463-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00463-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, particularly in ageing populations. While pharmacological interventions are common, issues with long-term adherence and side effects have prompted interest in alternative treatments. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa, has been proposed as a potential agent for blood pressure regulation due to its anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory properties. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of oral CBD supplementation on blood pressure in adults with normotension and hypertension.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline was conducted in September 2024. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving oral CBD administration in normotensive or hypertensive adults, with blood pressure as an outcome. Studies involving animals, inhaled CBD, or non-English texts were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Clinical heterogeneity was assessed by comparing study populations, CBD dosing regimens, outcome measures, and assessment conditions. Substantial variability in dosing and blood pressure outcome reporting precluded quantitative pooling; therefore, results were synthesised narratively due to clinical heterogeneity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four RCTs involving 120 participants met the inclusion criteria. Studies varied in CBD dose (225-600 mg/day), duration (two hours to 5 weeks), and participant health status. An association was observed between CBD dosage (mg/day) and reductions in blood pressure indicators, with greater reductions occurring at higher doses. All four studies reported statistically significant reductions in systolic blood pressure compared to placebo, particularly under stress or during sleep. Two studies reported lower diastolic pressure. The strongest effects were observed with acute administration of the highest-dose studies of 600 mg/day. Side effect severity was generally mild to moderate, including nausea, diarrhoea, and fatigue. No serious cardiovascular events were reported.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Oral CBD may reduce blood pressure amongst healthy and hypertensive individuals, particularly under stressful conditions and during sleep. Limitations included small sample sizes, short trial durations, variability in CBD matrices and dosages, lack of pharmacokinetic data, and uncertainty surrounding hepatic safety. Larger, longer-term trials with homogeneous supplementation strategies and bioavailability measures are needed to determine CBD's therapeutic role in blood pressure management.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13531894/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148285070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of vaporized Cannabidiol (CBD) on neuropathic pain and its potential implication for development of chronic lung inflammation in rats.","authors":"Priyadarshini Dutta, Ignacio Javier Novoa Cornejo, Vijaya Prakash Krishnan Muthaiah, Ravikumar Aalinkeel, Tracey A Ignatowski, Supriya D Mahajan","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00459-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00459-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cannabidiol (CBD) use in e-cigarettes is increasing, and its vaping involves using CBD in conjunction with other chemical additives such as propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG) and food flavorings, which help vaporize the CBD and enhance the vaping experience. Chronic neuropathic pain is challenging to treat with current medications, and there is growing interest in the use of medical cannabis for this condition. While the effects of vaping CBD could be beneficial for people with neuropathic pain, the potential detrimental effects on the lungs after continued exposure are not fully known. Whereas acute respiratory failure has been associated with vaping Cannabis, this study was undertaken to assess effects of CBD vaping on lung pathology and analgesic effectiveness in rats with sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury and examine potential mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology associated with CBD vaping.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used an in-house designed and assembled prototype of an automated vaping exposure system that enables precise quantitation of vaping for in-vivo exposure of rats with neuropathic pain.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results showed that CBD vapor exposure significantly alleviated pain, and modulation of cytokines and the NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3) inflammasome pathway may underlie the CBD-induced effects in lung tissue, thereby affecting lung pathophysiology. Further, exposure to chemical additives like PGVG (Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin) resulted in a substantial inflammatory response indicating that these substances are by no means safe additives in e-cigarettes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Thus, while CBD vaping may be beneficial in the management of neuropathic pain, it may cause substantial lung injury by promoting significant inflammatory changes in the lung.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13531760/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148285048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cannabis tourism in transition: operators' perspectives on regulatory change and governance in Bangkok, Thailand.","authors":"Patreeya Kitcharoen, Shinnawat Saengungsumalee, Pattarachit Choompol Gozzoli","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00462-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00462-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study examines the perceptions and lived experiences of cannabis business operators in Bangkok as they navigated Thailand's rapid transition from decriminalization in 2022 to a subsequent medical-only regulatory reversal.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a qualitative design, the researchers conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 13 key informants in Bangkok between 2024 and 2025. Participants included retail shop operators (n = 8), farm operators (n = 3), and policy advocates (n = 2). Data were analyzed using the six-phase Thematic Analysis framework supported by ATLAS.ti Version 21.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five primary themes emerged: (1) Navigating Regulatory Unpredictability and Legal Uncertainty; (2) Structural Inequity and Enforcement Disparities; (3) Market Segmentation and Economic Drivers; (4) Adaptation and Survival Strategies; and (5) Socio-Cultural Perceptions and Public Health. Analysis revealed that while international tourists comprise approximately 60% of the market, domestic customers (40%) are primarily motivated by therapeutic needs. Furthermore, the study synthesized six domains for evidence-based policy, including regulatory formalization, equity promotion, and sustainable cannabis tourism development.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings highlight that regulatory instability and the absence of a comprehensive Cannabis and Hemp Act place a disproportionate burden on small Thai operators, creating structural inequities. Additionally, in the absence of formal public health infrastructure, operators have emerged as informal harm reduction actors through proactive customer education and safety guidance. These results offer actionable insights for other jurisdictions navigating similar cannabis policy transitions.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13531752/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148267780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety of Co-Administered Cannabidiol (CBD) and alcohol: a Phase I study.","authors":"David Wolinsky, Sara Blaine, Justin C Strickland, Erica N Peters, Amy Harrison, Elise M Weerts, Marcel O Bonn-Miller","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00457-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00457-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This Phase I randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the safety and tolerability of cannabidiol (CBD) and alcohol co-administration among moderate alcohol consumers in acute laboratory and chronic outpatient settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Healthy adults ages 21-65 with moderate alcohol use completed three acute dosing sessions where they received either placebo, 50 mg CBD, or 100 mg CBD along with alcohol dosed to achieve peak blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of 0.06 g/100 mL. Sessions were randomly ordered, and participants and outcome assessors were blinded to study drug during these laboratory sessions. Breath alcohol content (BrAC) and measures of subjective effects and impairment were collected from participants throughout each session. Participants then consumed 50 mg CBD twice daily for four weeks as outpatients while reporting alcohol use, craving, and adverse effects via a smartphone app. Metabolic labs and CBD content were measured from blood samples collected at four-week follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-nine participants were enrolled and nineteen participants completed the study. CBD was well-tolerated in both acute and chronic dosing sessions. Acute CBD-alcohol use was not associated with significant differences in subjective responses or breath alcohol content (BrAC) peak or time course compared to placebo for either CBD condition. Acute CBD-alcohol use was not associated with impairment 4 h after dosing. CBD use was not associated with significant changes in alcohol cravings or drinks per day, nor significant lab changes outside of decreases in protein and globulin, across the chronic dosing period.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>CBD co-administration with alcohol was not associated with significant changes in subjective or physiologic effects among moderate alcohol consumers in acute laboratory and naturalistic outpatient settings. The safety of CBD use in patients with more severe alcohol use should be examined in future studies.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on April 7th, 2022 under the code NCT05317507 .</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13352867/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148255387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gender identity and cannabis use in Canada and the United States: cross-sectional analysis of the International Cannabis Policy Study.","authors":"Anastasia Marquette, Lorraine Greaves, Maryam Iraniparast, Samantha Rundle, Ava Kucera, David Hammond","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00452-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00452-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Gender identity influences patterns of substance use; however, few population-level studies have included transgender and gender-diverse identities when examining patterns of cannabis use by gender identity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data are from the International Cannabis Policy Study's national, repeat cross-sectional surveys conducted annually between 2018-2023 in Canada and the United States. Weighted logistic and linear regression models examined differences by gender identity among 281 533 respondents aged 16-65 (including 2 445 transgender respondents and 783 with gender-diverse identities) for three primary outcomes: patterns of cannabis use, personal effects from cannabis, and comfort consuming cannabis across social settings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Daily consumption was reported by approximately 14% of cisgender men, transgender men, and people with gender-diverse identities, with less cisgender women (12%, OR = 0.74, CI95 = 0.72,0.77; p < .001) and transgender women (12%, OR = 0.76, CI95 = 0.59,1.00; p = .047) reporting daily consumption. Approximately 12% of cisgender men, transgender men, and transgender women reported being 'very addicted' to cannabis. Transgender women (6%, OR = 0.57, CI95 = 0.53,0.62; p < .001) and people with gender-diverse identities (6%, OR = 0.47, CI95 = 0.24,0.91; p = .025) were less likely to report being 'very addicted' compared to cisgender men. People with gender-diverse identities reported greater positive personal effects from cannabis compared to cisgender men (β=0.53, CI95 = 0.21,0.86, p = .001), with no differences between cisgender men, cisgender women, transgender men, and transgender women. Comfort consuming cannabis across social settings was lower among cisgender women than cisgender men (β=-0.21, CI95 = -0.23,-0.19; p < .001), with no differences between cisgender men, transgender men, and transgender women.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Frequent and problematic patterns of cannabis use were more common among cisgender men, transgender men, and transgender women. These disparities warrant further consideration in both research and policy settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13501832/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148240936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge about the health effects of cannabis before and after legalization of 'recreational' cannabis in Canada: findings from the International Cannabis Policy Study, 2018-2024.","authors":"Wilson Tong, David Hammond","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00428-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00428-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although prior research has examined how cannabis legal status relates to psychosocial predictors of use, less is known about whether recreational legalization influences public knowledge of specific cannabis-related health effects. This study addresses this gap by analyzing trends in knowledge of health effects of cannabis consumption following the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected from repeated cross-sectional national surveys conducted in the year prior to legalization of 'recreational' cannabis in Canada (2018), and five years post-legalization (2019-2023) among 93,933 respondents aged 16-65. Regression models examined differences pre vs. post-legalization in health knowledge, assessed as agreement with each of 7 health effects from cannabis and a composite Health Knowledge Index, adjusting for cannabis consumption, mental health history, and sociodemographics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Across all years, agreement was highest for the risks of impaired driving (79-81%) and lowest for psychosis and schizophrenia risk (34-38%). Health knowledge was highest among non-consumers, those without mental illness history, and youth aged 16-25 (p < .001, all contrasts). No changes were observed in the Health Knowledge Index pre vs post-legalization; however, significant decreases were observed for harms during pregnancy or breastfeeding (p < .001), danger while driving or operating machinery (p = 0.015), risk of psychosis and schizophrenia (p = 0.003), and risk of diabetes (p = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, only modest differences in knowledge of cannabis health effects were observed in the 5 years following cannabis legalization in Canada; however, persistent gaps in health knowledge remained, particularly among frequent consumers.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13483551/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148221503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High stakes: how legal cannabis pricing impacts the illicit market.","authors":"Rebecca Hebert, Kevin F Boehnke, Spruha Joshi","doi":"10.1186/s42238-026-00455-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42238-026-00455-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although nearly 80% of Americans reside in a county with a legal, regulated cannabis dispensary, the majority of cannabis consumed in the U.S. is still obtained from unregulated, illicit sources. Illicit cannabis carries greater health risks and is generally less preferred than regulated cannabis, yet its lower price makes it attractive to many customers. However, comparative research on price differentials between the legal and illicit markets across states is scarce. Establishing cannabis price benchmarks is essential to ensure that legal markets are competitively priced and can effectively displace the illicit trade.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used crowdsourced data from PriceofWeed.com to estimate the cost of illicit cannabis in 2018-2024 and data from state government websites to estimate the cost of legal cannabis in Colorado, Oregon, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Illinois, Maine, and Connecticut. We compared illicit prices by recreational dispensary status in all 50 states and D.C. and examined legal vs. illicit prices within the eight aforementioned recreational states.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median price per gram of illicit cannabis was significantly lower in recreational states, compared to non-recreational states ($7.10 vs. $8.90, p < 0.001). While illicit and legal prices were not significantly different over the entire study period, there were significant differences within years and within states. In Colorado, California, and Michigan, legal cannabis was significantly less expensive than illicit cannabis, while in Massachusetts, Illinois, Maine, and Connecticut, illicit cannabis was significantly less expensive than legal cannabis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We saw lower illicit market prices in states with recreational dispensaries. Our results suggest that the price ranking of legal versus illicit cannabis within a given state differs depending on the state's recreational market maturity, with states with older markets - all of which also had more flexible licensing policies - having a legal cannabis price advantage.</p>","PeriodicalId":101310,"journal":{"name":"Journal of cannabis research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13471419/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148177526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}