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Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Not Associated With Elevated Risk of Autism

Atlanta, GA: Children exposed to cannabis in utero possess no elevated risk of suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to data published in the journal Autism Research.

Researchers affiliated with Emory University, John Hopkins, and Harvard assessed the relationship between prenatal cannabis exposure and ASD in a sample of 11,570 children.

Investigators reported no link between cannabis exposure and ASD after controlling for relevant covariates, particularly tobacco consumption.

They concluded, “In a large sample and measuring ASD traits continuously, there was no evidence that prenatal cannabis exposure increases the risk for ASD. ... Although no associations were found with ASD outcomes, prenatal cannabis exposure may still be associated with other facets of child development and behavior that were outside of the scope of this study, such as attention and cognition.”

Studies assessing the relationship between in-utero cannabis exposure and various neonatal outcomes, such as birth weight, have yielded inconsistent results. However, longitudinal data suggests that cannabis exposure is rarely associated with adverse neurodevelopmental consequences, finding, “Although there is a theoretical potential for cannabis to interfere with neurodevelopment, human data drawn from four prospective cohorts have not identified any long-term or long lasting meaningful differences between children exposed in utero to cannabis and those not.”

Full text of the study, “Examining the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and child autism traits: A multi-cohort investigation in the environmental influences of child health outcome program,” appears in Autism Research.

Study: Consumers Report Improvements in Anxiety, Depression Following Cannabis Use

Fort Myers, FL: Consumers report reductions in their feelings of anxiety and depression immediately following their marijuana use, according to data published in the journal Cannabis.

Investigators affiliated with Florida Gulf Coast University assessed the short-term effects of cannabis on symptoms of anxiety and depression in a cohort of 418 subjects. Study participants self-administered cannabis at home and reported symptom changes in real-time on a mobile software application. Researchers evaluated data from 9,966 sessions.

The study’s authors determined, “[B]oth depression and anxiety symptoms significantly decreased after cannabis use in general; results at the user level of analysis showed that the majority of users experienced positive relief outcomes.”

They concluded: “[These results] replicate previous work which has shown decreases in depression and anxiety symptomatology following real-time cannabis consumption. ... Our results ... speak to the potential of cannabis to combat acute depression and anxiety with a rapid onset of self-reported relief.”

Survey data finds that those who consume cannabis for purposes of self-medication most frequently report doing so to address pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and depression.

Full text of the study, “Using smartphone technology to track real-time changes in anxiety/depression symptomatology among Florida cannabis users,” appears in Cannabis.

Meta-Analysis: Cannabis-Induced Psychosis Rare in Those Without Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions

Lausanne, Switzerland: Cannabis consumption rarely triggers episodes of acute psychosis in those who do not have a pre-existing psychiatric disorder, according to the results of a meta-analysis published in the journal Nature: Mental Health.

An international team of researchers from Switzerland and the United Kingdom reviewed the relationship between marijuana use and cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms (CAPS) in 162 studies involving over 210,000 cannabis consumers.

Researchers reported that the risk of psychosis “appears most amplified in vulnerable individuals,” particularly those with “pre-existing mental health problems” such as bipolar disorder. By contrast, they acknowledged, “[N]either young age of onset of cannabis use nor high-frequency use of cannabis or the preferred type of cannabis (strains high in THC, strains high in CBD) was associated with CAPS.”

Overall, they estimated that 0.5 percent of those who consume cannabis may experience a psychotic episode during their lifetime. That percentage mirrors estimates published in a prior study involving 233,000 European marijuana consumers. The authors of that study concluded, “Rates of CAPS as observed here are comparable to rates of other drug-induced psychosis, such as alcohol-associated psychosis (around 0.4 – 0.7 percent).”

The studies’ findings push back against claims that marijuana exposure is a frequent trigger for psychosis and other mental health disorders.

Full text of the study, “Assessing rates and predictors of cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms across observational, experimental, and medical research.

Survey: Patients Say Cannabis Effectively Treats Their Musculoskeletal Pain

Toronto, Canada: More than one in five patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (MSK) report having used cannabis to manage their symptoms and 90 percent of them perceive it to be effective, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Canadian researchers surveyed 629 patients with chronic MSK pain. Twenty-three percent acknowledged having used cannabis therapeutically. Over 90 percent of consumers said that it was either “very,” “somewhat,” or “slightly” effective at managing their pain, improving their sleep, and reducing anxiety-related symptoms. More than half (57 percent) perceived cannabis to be more effective than other analgesic medications, and 40 percent acknowledged decreasing their use of traditional pain medications following their use of cannabis.

The study’s authors concluded: “One in five patients presenting to an orthopaedic surgeon with chronic MSK pain are using or have used cannabis with the specific intent to manage their pain, and most report it to be effective. ... Future double-blind placebo-controlled trials are required to understand if this reported efficacy is accurate, and what role, if any, cannabis may play in the management of chronic MSK pain.”

Survey data published last month reported that one in four cannabis consumers use it primarily to achieve pain relief.

Full text of the study, “Understanding the epidemiology and perceived efficacy of cannabis use in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.