BACKGROUND AND AIMS Although many people who use cannabis report mood-enhancing effects, affective responses are thought to vary within and between individuals. This study examined the bidirectional associations between momentary affect and cannabis use and the potential moderating role of emotion regulation in this. DESIGN Intensive longitudinal observational study using experience sampling...
Background Prenatal cannabidiol (CBD) consumption is increasing, driven by a perception of safety relative to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, the neurodevelopmental risks of gestational CBD remain largely uncharacterized. Methods Using a sex-disaggregated framework, we investigated adult (P100–140) mouse offspring following in utero exposure (GD5-18; 3 mg/kg) to THC or CBD. Behavioral...
Cannabis use is frequently detected in motor vehicle crashes. While research has found an increased crash risk of driving under the influence of cannabis, research on the effects of cannabis, or THC, on driving behaviour seems to be somewhat limited to vehicle control. Our objectives were to map available research into the effects of THC on higher-order driving skills during actual driving. A...
BJPsych OpenJuly 1, 2026Chloe Hambly Lapointe, Lilith Nosko, C. Crocker et al.
Background Recently, there has been a significant rise in potency (% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) of cannabis products globally. As such, there is a need for a better understanding of the relationship between cannabis potency and mental health outcomes, especially in a developmentally vulnerable population such as adolescents and young adults. Aims The objective of this scoping review was to...
Background: Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit psychoactive substance in Europe, and Germany's landmark 2024 partial legalisation of recreational cannabis has made the clinical evidence base for cannabis-psychosis associations particularly relevant for German public health and forensic psychiatry policy. A growing body of evidence suggests that heavy cannabis use is associated with...
Cannabis use often begins in adolescence and young adulthood, when anxiety, depression, psychosis, and bipolar disorder typically first develop. Young people aged in their mid-teens to mid-twenties who engage in daily cannabis use and develop a cannabis use disorder have a higher prevalence of these mental disorders. We assessed the coherence of evidence from epidemiological, genetic,...
The presence of cannabidiol (CBD) in cannabis may alter cannabinoid pharmacokinetics, however previous research has produced mixed results. Furthermore, no prior research has explored how cannabinoid pharmacokinetics are moderated by age. Using vaporised and inhaled cannabis, we aimed to (1) examine the effect of CBD on the plasma concentration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its...
The growing perception that marijuana is safe during pregnancy has led to a marked increase in prenatal cannabis use, raising concerns about its long-term effects on brain development and cognition. This study investigated the consequences of prenatal delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure on hippocampal circuit function, synaptic plasticity, and memory in adolescent offspring using a...
Cannabis use is a recognised risk factor for psychotic disorders, particularly among young adults. We report a case of cannabisassociated psychosis in a 24-year-old man presenting with persistent somatic delusions and Koro-like symptoms. Despite normal neurological, ophthalmological, and urological evaluations, the patient developed a fixed belief of bodily “power” shifting sides, resulting in...
Some investigational compounds exist in both regulated clinical pipelines and unregulated street or online markets. Ketamine, psychedelics and cannabis are all under active clinical investigation while remaining accessible, in unregulated form, through illicit channels without clinician oversight. We propose the term parallel-access compounds for this category and argue that it deserves...
Journal of Drug IssuesJuly 1, 2026Haley M Hummel, Alexia N Obrochta, David C. R. Kerr et al.
Interest has grown in the effects of psilocybin on mental health, but little is known about its naturalistic use alongside alcohol and its relationship to depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Data from the nationally-representative 2024 National Survey Investigating Hallucinogenic Trends of participants who did ( n = 1234) or did not ( n = 1607) report past-year psilocybin and alcohol co-use...
bioRxivJune 30, 2026Filippo Pasqualitto, A. Tomassini, Angela Muscettola et al.
preprint
Background and Hypothesis Motor alterations represent an important component of psychotic disorders. Chronic cannabis use, a key risk factor for psychosis, is also associated with sensorimotor dysfunctions. Yet, the hypothesis of a common sensorimotor disturbance remains underinvestigated. Study Design. In this study, we examined submovements, elementary units of motor output, to search for...
As South Africa and the global community confront the changing dynamics of cannabis decriminalization and legalization, this article examines the intricate nexus between Cannabis sativa and religion. With evolving societal perspectives and legal paradigms, the study probes into the historical underpinnings of cannabis, its chemical structure, criminalization, medicinal uses, industrial...
PharmaceuticalsJune 29, 2026Dilorom Begmatova, Liudmila Vinnikova, Natalya Zemliana et al.
Background: Adolescence is a sensitive period for brain maturation during which exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can induce long-lasting neurobehavioral alterations. Yet, preclinical and clinical studies report inconsistent long-term outcomes of adolescent THC exposure, ranging from clear impairments to apparently normalizing effects. We hypothesize that these discrepancies reflect...
Abstract Cannabis use is linked to elevated psychosis risk, yet the neurobiological mechanisms that couple use to symptom expression remain unclear. Because glutamatergic dysregulation has been implicated in both cannabis effects and psychosis vulnerability, we examined whether brain glutamate relates to dimensional symptoms as a function of cannabis use across the psychosis spectrum....
Importance: Cannabis use (CU) in adolescence is linked to increased risk of developing psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) that can lead to lifelong impairment. A candidate mechanism may be disruptions in reward processing supported by dopamine but this association has not yet been tested in adolescents with CU and PLEs. The objective of the study was to assess the interrelation between CU, PLEs,...
Abstract In this paper, I critically engage with Becker’s seminal work on marijuana consumption, challenging the notion of “becoming” a user as a straightforward process of taste acquisition. Drawing on the personal narratives of 38 current and former marijuana users, I show that “becoming” a marijuana user constitutes a dynamic state of tension rather than a linear trajectory with a terminal...
bioRxivJune 19, 2026Zhong Chen, Wanqiu Chen, Yun Seok Lee et al.
preprint
Prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) is increasingly prevalent and has been associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, yet its molecular impact on brain reward circuitry remains poorly defined. Here, we investigated transcriptional and epigenomic alterations in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) following prenatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in a rat model using snRNA-seq and snATAC-seq...
Nature Mental HealthJune 19, 2026A. Hyatt, M. Flores, Lindsay N. Overhage et al.
Recreational cannabis legalization and commercialization are expanding rapidly in the USA, with potential negative effects for individuals with psychotic disorders. Here, to assess potential health risks associated with the opening of cannabis retail outlets, we conducted a longitudinal cohort study using a nationally representative survey to evaluate trends in emergency department utilization...
Journal of Women's HealthJune 19, 2026Michelle Nazareth, Victoria Paone, Mary Elizabeth Yaden et al.
Despite increasing interest in the medical use of substances such as cannabis and psychedelics, little is known about their use to manage premenstrual symptoms. This study assessed self-reported use of substances to manage premenstrual mood and physical symptoms, including among those with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and in perimenopause. Inclusion criteria were age 18 and older with...