Recreational and medicinal cannabinoid use
Transitions in cannabis use
There is a developing body of research looking at cannabis use opportunity, but little research examining timing of opportunity to use cannabis. This research uses data from a cross-sectional study of Australia twins and siblings to identify factors associated with earlier opportunity to use cannabis and faster progression to cannabis dependence. It also uses these data to determine the extent to which genetic influences on the development of cannabis abuse/dependence are correlated with those acting on the opportunity to use cannabis and frequency of use.
Impact of cannabinoid use on opioid substitution treatment
In the United States, rates of opioid related deaths are lower in those states where medical cannabis is available, raising the question of whether cannabis use has an impact on opioid substitution treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate whether service users receiving OST who also use cannabis have better treatment outcomes. We are using the SLaM NIHR Biomedical Research Centre electronic health record collection for this work.
Sensitivity to reward and cannabis use potency
Research has shown that adolescents who use substances have heightened sensitivity to the rewarding influence of drugs and show deficits in inhibitory control. However, no previous study has investigated whether impulsive decision making and anticipation of reward might be associated with a specific profile of cannabis use preference. The aim of the current study is to examine whether choosing to consume cannabis with a higher ratio of THC to CBD is associated with a specific profile of impulsive responding in young adults.
