Marijuana

Medical Marijuana Laws and Opioid Overdose Rates

A new study underscores the need for additional research on the effect of medical marijuana laws on opioid overdose deaths and cautions against drawing a causal connection between the two.

Nicotine and Cannabis Have Offsetting Effects on Resting Brain Connectivity

This research: Adds to research showing that nicotine and cannabis have interactive effects on brain structure and function. Suggests that specialized treatment interventions may be appropriate for people who use both drugs. A recent NIDA-supported study underlines the fact that drugs used in combination can produce effects that differ from the sum of the drugs' individual effects. Researchers showed that users of either nicotine or cannabis had reduced connectivity in several brain networks, but that users of both drugs had connectivity similar to that of users of neither. Dr. Francesca

Cannabis Dependence Is Associated With Changes in Neural Circuitry That May Contribute to Psychopathology

People with cannabis dependence have changes in neural circuitry in brain regions related to reward processing, habit formation, and psychopathology. These changes in neural circuitry may provide a useful marker for tracking psychopathology associated with cannabis misuse.

Research Links Adolescent Substance Use to Adult Brain Volumes

This research: Revealed associations between nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana use during two periods of adolescence and smaller gray matter volume in two brain areas at age 25. Supports a hypothesis that as the brain matures during adolescence, it passes through stages in which it is particularly sensitive to substance exposure. Dr. Michael Windle at Emory University and colleagues from other institutions performed magnetic resonance imaging of the brains of 110 25-year-old African Americans. The young men and women had participated in a study of Strong African American Families, a program

A whole new view of CB2

NIDA-funded scientists have recently identified the crystal structure of the CB1 receptor and have some understanding of how it modulates the system.

Stopping marijuana use improves memory

A new study suggests that one month of abstinence from cannabis improves working memory in adolescents and young adults, with most of the improvement happening in the first week.

How cannabis use disorder affects working memory

Using imaging technologies, NIDA-funded scientists peered into the brains of people with cannabis use disorder to test their working memory, compared to a control group.

Adolescent Marijuana Use Is Linked to Altered Neural Circuitry and Mood Symptoms

Some teens's marijuana use has been linked to disrupted communication between two key regions in the brain's reward circuitry at age 20. Disrupted communication between the regions was associated with poorer psychosocial functioning at age 22.

What science says about Tobacco + Marijuana + Pregnancy

A NIDA-funded study suggests that pregnant women who smoke both marijuana and cigarettes have a higher likelihood of smaller babies and increased maternal stress and aggression.

Full survey of annual teen drug use now available with additional data

The complete volume of the 2017 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) teen drug use and behavior survey results is now available online with never before seen highlights about drug use and attitudes among the nation’s eighth, 10th and 12th graders.

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