Objectives This study aimed to characterize use and perceptions of cannabidiol (CBD) products. Materials and Methods Participants aged 16-65 years in Canada (n=15,042) and the United States (n=30,288) completed measures on prevalence and patterns of CBD product use and perceptions of CBD oil as part of the 2019 International Cannabis Policy Study online survey. Results Past 12-month CBD product use was significantly more prevalent among respondents in the United States (26.1%) than in Canada (16.2%). Consumers in the United States and Canada reported using a range of CBD products, including drops (46.3% vs. 47.3%, respectively), topicals (26.0% vs. 16.7%), edibles/foods (23.8% vs. 17.6%), vape oils (18.9% vs. 13.3%), capsules (13.3% vs. 16.7%), and dried flower (10.1% vs. 16.1%). CBD was most commonly reported for management of pain, anxiety, and depression. Over half of CBD consumers in both countries reported that CBD oil was beneficial for health. Conclusions Use of CBD products is common in both the United States and Canada, primarily to manage self-reported health conditions for which there is little or no evidence of efficacy. Clearer public health messaging regarding the therapeutic effects of CBD is warranted.Introduction Despite widespread use of cannabidiol (CBD), no lifelong toxicity study has been published to date. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/tak-875.html Caenorhabditis elegans is often used in preclinical lifelong toxicity studies, due to an estimated 60-80% of their genes having a human ortholog, and their short lifespan of ∼2-3 weeks. In this study, we examined both acute and long-term exposure studies of CBD at physiologically relevant concentrations. Materials and Methods Acute toxicity was determined by treating day 1 adults with a wide range of CBD concentrations (0.4 μM to 4 mM) and assessing mortality and motility compared to control animals. Thermotolerance was examined by treating adult animals with CBD (0.4 μM to 4 mM) and exposing them to 37°C for 4 h, and then scoring for the number of alive animals treated with CBD compared to controls. Long-term toxicity was assessed by exposing day 1 adults to 10, 40, and 100 μM CBD until all animals perished. Control animals had no active drug exposure. Results We report both acute and long-term exposure studies of CBD to adult C. elegans at physiologically relevant concentrations. Acute toxicity results showed that no animal died when exposed to 0.4-4000 μM CBD. The thermotolerance study showed that 40 μM CBD, but not other treatment levels, significantly increased resistance to heat stress by 141% compared to the untreated controls. Notably, whole-life exposure of C. elegans to 10-100 μM CBD revealed a maximum life extension of 18% observed at 40 μM CBD. In addition, motility analysis of the same groups revealed an increase in late-stage life activity by up to 206% compared to controls. Conclusion These results serve as the only CBD lifelong exposure data in an in vivo model to date. While further research into the lifelong use of CBD should be carried out in mammalian models, the C. elegans model indicates a lack of long-term toxicity at physiologically relevant concentrations.Introduction This article proposes a workplace cannabis policy paradigm that encompasses rapidly changing laws and regulations, legally defensible drug testing policies, and the needs of particular workplaces. Numerous states have now decriminalized medical or recreational use of cannabis, although U.S. federal law still defines cannabis as a Schedule I substance with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. For employers and employees, the confusion generated by this contradiction is exacerbated by the widely varying effects of the available cannabis delivery systems, the primitive and cumbersome drug testing protocols often used in workplace settings, difficulties in measuring cannabis-related workplace impairment, and a rapidly changing cultural ethos regarding cannabis. Although other articles have addressed many of the broad theoretical constructs, there exists little practical guidance on how workplace drug programs should address cannabis use by employees, both on the job and dolicy comply with relevant laws, protect workplace safety and productivity, and support employees while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changes in the legal environment.Introduction An escalating number of fatalities resulting from accidental opioid overdoses typically attributed to respiratory depression continue to define the opioid epidemic. Opioid respiratory depression results from a decrease in reflexive inspiration within the preBötzinger complex in the brainstem. Objective Cannabinoid receptor agonism is reported to enhance opioid analgesia, yet whether cannabinoids enhance or inhibit opioid-induced respiratory depression is unknown. Methods Studies herein sought to define the roles of cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) and cannabinoid-2 receptor (CB2R) on respiratory depression using selective agonists alone and in combination with morphine in male mice. Results Using whole body plethysmography, the nonselective CB1R and CB2R agonist (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and the CB1R synthetic cannabinoid, AM356, induced respiratory depression, whereas the well-published selective CB2 agonist, JWH 133, and the novel CB2 agonist (AM2301) did not. Moreover, a selective CB2R agonist (AM2301) significantly attenuated morphine sulfate-induced respiratory depression. Conclusion Notably, findings suggest that attenuation of opioid-induced respiratory depression relies on CB2R activation, supporting selective CB2R agonism as an opioid adjunct therapy.Background Cannabis use has increased among older adults. Few epidemiological studies have examined the medical diseases reported for cannabis use, routes of cannabis administration, and methods of consumption among older adults, and how they differ from younger adults. Methods We analyzed invoice data on purchases of cannabis products from a large medical cannabis dispensary in New York State between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017. Data came from n=11,590 patients stratified by ages 18-49 (n=4,606), 50-64 (n=3,993), and ≥65 years (n=2,991). We assessed differences in groups by demographic characteristics of patients, qualifying conditions and symptoms for cannabis use, cannabis product dosing of THC and CBD, THCCBD ratios, and cannabis delivery methods. Results Among cannabis patients, 25.8% were aged ≥65 years, and 34.5% were ages 50-64. Across all age groups, severe or chronic pain was the predominant symptom for cannabis use, although older patients were more likely to use cannabis for cancer and Parkinson's disease among other conditions.