Psychotic experiences are linked to cannabis use in adolescents in the community because of common underlying environmental risk factors.

Authors: Sania Shakoor, Helena M.S. Zavos, Philip McGuire, Alastair G. Cardno, et al
Psychiatry Research, 30 June 2015

Cannabis users are more likely to have psychotic experiences (PEs). The degree to which these associations are driven by genetic or environmental influences in adolescence is unknown. This study estimated the genetic and environmental contributions to the relationship between…

Cannabinoid Dose and Label Accuracy in Edible Medical Cannabis Products.

Authors: Ryan Vandrey, Jeffrey C. Raber, Mark E. Raber, Brad Douglass, Cameron Miller, Marcel O. Bonn-Miller
JAMA, 23 June 2015

As the use of cannabis (marijuana) for medical purposes has expanded, a variety of edible products for oral consumption has been developed. An estimated 16% to 26% of patients using medical cannabis consume edible products.1,2 Even though oral consumption lacks the harmful by-…

Medical Marijuana for Treatment of Chronic Pain and Other Medical and Psychiatric Problems: A Clinical Review.

Authors: Kevin P. Hill
JAMA, 23 June 2015

IMPORTANCE: As of March 2015, 23 states and the District of Columbia had medical marijuana laws in place. Physicians should know both the scientific rationale and the practical implications for medical marijuana laws. OBJECTIVE: To review the pharmacology, indications, and law…

Cannabinoids for Medical Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Authors: Penny F. Whiting, Robert F. Wolff, Sohan Deshpande, Marcello Di Nisio, Steven Duffy, et al
JAMA, 23 June 2015

IMPORTANCE: Cannabis and cannabinoid drugs are widely used to treat disease or alleviate symptoms, but their efficacy for specific indications is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events (AEs) of cannabinoids. DATA SOURCES: Twenty…

Medical Marijuana: Is the Cart Before the Horse?

Authors: Deepak Cyril D’Souza, Mohini Ranganathan
JAMA, 23 June 2015

There is a pressing need to develop new medications for many debilitating conditions. Novel approaches based on marijuana or its constituent cannabinoids, if proven, could be added to the armamentarium of available treatments. In this issue of JAMA, reviews by Whiting et al1 a…

Turning Over a New Leaf: Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Modulation of Immune Function.

Authors: Guy A. Cabral, Thomas J. Rogers, Aron H. Lichtman
Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, June 2015

Cannabis is a complex substance that harbors terpenoid-like compounds referred to as phytocannabinoids. The major psychoactive phytocannabinoid found in cannabis ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces the majority of its pharmacological effects through two cannabinoid recep…

Controlled Cannabis Vaporizer Administration: Blood and Plasma Cannabinoids with and without Alcohol.

Authors: Rebecca L. Hartman, Timothy L. Brown, Gary Milavetz, Andrew Spurgin, et al
Clinical Chemistry, June 2015

BACKGROUND: Increased medical and legal cannabis intake is accompanied by greater use of cannabis vaporization and more cases of driving under the influence of cannabis. Although simultaneous Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and alcohol use is frequent, potential pharmacokineti…