NeuropsychopharmacologyJuly 21, 2026Alannah Miranda, Breanna M Holloway, Elizabeth Peek et al.
Cannabis use is highly prevalent among people with bipolar disorder, potentially due to a desire to self-medicate against symptoms, such as racing thoughts and poor concentration. Such symptoms are associated with attention and inhibitory control deficits, functions that are regulated in-part by temporal perception. Temporal perception is impaired in BD and is slowed by acute cannabis exposure....
Suicide remains a leading cause of premature mortality worldwide. Current treatments are limited by delayed onset, durability, or poor tolerability. This narrative review, informed by a structured literature search, summarises the last decade of evidence on pharmacological and neuromodulation interventions for suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide attempt (SA) that are not approved for these...
BACKGROUND Cannabidiol (CBD) is widely consumed in low-dose products. However, evidence for its psychotropic effects at non-clinical doses is sparse and inconsistent. AIMS To characterise the acute behavioural effects of low-dose synthetic CBD in healthy volunteers. We hypothesised that 200 mg of CBD would produce a greater peak pleasant drug effect than a placebo. METHODS In a triple-blind,...
Psychedelic retail stores illegally selling psilocybin, DMT and related substances have proliferated in Canada, with close to 60 brick-and-mortar shops documented in 2023. This echoes the pre-legalization and regulation cannabis landscape. Public responses have remained inconsistent, oscillating between de facto tolerance and enforcement of the law, raising concerns among public health...
While both cannabis and music have demonstrated significant independent impacts on emotional states, the synergies between these two modalities remain underexplored. This study investigates the interactions between cannabis consumption and music listening, focusing on their effects on emotional experiences, mood regulation, and sensory perceptions. An online cross-sectional survey consisting of...
Research on Schedule I substances in the United States remains heavily restricted by the regulatory structure imposed by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This regulatory system creates significant Research Harm, which can be defined as the restriction or deterrence of legitimate scientific inquiry arising from governmental actions, such as regulatory controls or criminal prohibitions that...
Forensic ToxicologyJuly 1, 2026Jay R Vargas, Laura L Hernandez, Leo H Lai et al.
PURPOSE: Freshwater planarians provide a rapid and scalable biological model for detecting drug-induced neurobehavioral effects. This study evaluated whether automated behavioral profiling in Dugesia dorotocephala could distinguish phytocannabinoid and synthetic cannabinoid exposure based on organism-level motor responses. METHODS: Planarians were acutely exposed to Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol...
Introduction: MDMA use among young people in Spain is shaped by psychosocial factors that guide consumption patterns, motivations, and risk-reduction strategies. Objective: To investigate consumption patterns, risk perception, and consumption management (strategies and practices aimed at regulating use) in recreational contexts among young people in Spain. Method: A mixed-methods design was...
Recent evidence reveals that several psychotropic compounds exert significant biological effects on the skin through neurochemical and immunomodulatory pathways. Cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) show potent anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, and anti-aging properties when applied topically, and may hold therapeutic potential. Antidepressants, particularly fluoxetine (Prozac), have...
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) represent a rapidly expanding and chemically diverse class of new psychoactive substances, deliberately designed to mimic the effects of natural cannabis. However, their high potency and full agonism at cannabinoid receptors lead to severe public health risks. The primary mechanism of SCBs' action involves the robust activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors, which in...