The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse
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Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse · Jan 2014
Self-reported cannabis use characteristics, patterns and helpfulness among medical cannabis users.
Little research has investigated the demographic and symptom profile of medical cannabis users in states in the USA that have legalized cannabis use. ⋯ Results are discussed in terms of future directions for research given the current debates regarding legalization of cannabis for medical purposes and, more generally, the lack of empirical data to inform such debates.
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Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialTreatment of cannabis dependence using escitalopram in combination with cognitive-behavior therapy: a double-blind placebo-controlled study.
Cannabis is the most frequently used illegal substance in the United States and Europe. There is a dramatic increase in the demand for treatment for cannabis dependence. Cannabis users frequently have co-morbid mood symptoms, especially depression and anxiety, and regular cannabis users may self-medicate for such symptoms. ⋯ Escitalopram treatment does not provide an additional benefit either for achieving abstinence, or for the treatment of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome. Due to limitations of our study, namely, a high dropout rate and effects of low abstinence rates on measures of anxiety, depression and withdrawal, it is premature to conclude that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are not effective for treatment of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome.
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Although many settings have recently documented a substantial increase in the use of methamphetamine-type stimulants, recent reviews have underscored the dearth of prospective studies that have examined risk factors associated with the initiation of crystal methamphetamine use. ⋯ We identified high rates of crystal methamphetamine initiation among this population. Males those involved in the drug trade, and those who used crack cocaine were more likely to initiate crystal methamphetamine use. Evidence-based strategies to prevent and treat crystal methamphetamine use are urgently needed.
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Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse · Sep 2013
Comparative StudyThe advent of a new pseudoephedrine product to combat methamphetamine abuse.
The personal and societal effects of methamphetamine abuse are well documented. The ease of accessibility to methamphetamine and the quality of the "high" it produces makes the drug highly desired by its abusers. Over time, many methamphetamine users will also become methamphetamine cooks, where pseudoephedrine in over-the-counter cold products is converted to methamphetamine through a simple, albeit extremely dangerous, process. New laws limiting access to these products have had limited success. No existing commercial pseudoephedrine products offer significant impediments to slow or limit the extraction and conversion of pseudoephedrine in clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. ⋯ With the advent of new pseudoephedrine products in the marketplace with features to limit the extraction and conversion of pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine, new tools are now available to minimize the clandestine manufacture of the drug and potentially limit its social impact.
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Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse · Sep 2013
Multiple fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks in a can (MFAC): an overlooked class of potentially harmful alcohol products.
This article examines an overlooked class of alcohol products, described herein as multiple fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks in a can (MFAC). The article describes how characteristics of these products likely contribute to hazardous alcohol consumption among youth. Government regulation of these products may be needed to protect adolescent and young adult populations. National substance abuse surveillance systems should consider immediate adoption of MFAC use indicators to determine use and harm associated with these products, and to assess the effectiveness of future regulatory actions.