Title : Trend of cannabis use during the covid-19 pandemic
Abstract:
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused enormous stress on the population and an increase in mental health needs. The demand for mental health treatment exceeded in many locations the availability of resources.
At the same time, marijuana has been gaining popularity. About 48.2 million people used the substance at least once in 2019, which is about 18% of the U.S. population. Throughout the pandemic, the use of cannabis and cannabis-products has further increased in the U.S. but also worldwide.
The current trend of legalization of marijuana and easy access causes people to have a false perception of marijuana as a natural and safe drug. Even amongst medical professionals, the opinions on safety, benefit and harm differ significantly.
Marijuana is a substance that contains more than 421 compounds and 60 pharmacologically active cannabinoids. The two best-described cannabinoids are THC and CBD. Most of the other compounds are not yet understood, their mental and physical effects are unknown.
Current available studies are limited by small sample sizes and short-term follow-ups but raise concerns regarding marijuana’s toxicity. Health risks associated with the use of marijuana range from physical diseases COPD, cancer, hormonal changes to psychiatric disorders mania, psychosis, ADHD- like symptoms and impaired cognition.?
Many states have proceeded towards legalization of marijuana, others have medical marijuana cards for debilitating medical or psychiatric conditions including AIDS/HIV, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s but also depression, anxiety, and Post-traumatic Stress-Disorder. For most users, the main barrier to obtaining a card is the financial expense and leads to purchasing marijuana off the streets. This exposes the user to the risk of legal consequences but also to intoxication with laced marijuana or high potency marijuana.?
What will the audience learn from this presentation?
This oral presentation will provide an overview on the current available data of marijuana use and associated risks and benefits during the Covid-19 pandemic. Utilized sources were PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid, Medline, Psych Info, EMBASE.
