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Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
Loading articles data…
Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
29 articles
Newest firstABSTRACTIntroductionMedicinal cannabis prescribing in Australia has increased markedly, including for psychiatric indications where evidence of benefit is limited and of low certainty. The rise of highly commercialised prescribing models has raised concerns regarding patient safety, particularly for those with pre‐existing psychiatric or addiction vulnerabilities.Case PresentationThis case series describes three y…
Open article record in new tab ↗INTRODUCTION: In the Australian 2001-2013 National Drug Strategy Household Surveys (NDSHS), frequent cannabis use declined among higher socioeconomic groups while remaining stable among lower socioeconomic groups, suggesting a widening socio-demographic gap. This study examined trends in cannabis use frequency and sociodemographic disparities in Australia up to 2022/23. METHODS: Data were from eight waves of the N…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction Washington state's adult use cannabis market operates under regulations by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board to restrict access and promotion among young people. Cannabis edibles sold in the state are required to contain specific labels that inform consumers that the product contains cannabis and provide contact information for Poison Control. However, it is unclear how teens perceive suc…
Introduction Changes in regulatory policies regarding cannabis have led to a rapid expansion of the cannabis market and a substantial increase in cannabis sales. This study examined medicinal and recreational cannabis demand in a hypothetical legalisation scenario in Spain among people who use over-the-counter CBD, THC only and CBD + THC. Methods A cross-sectional study comprising 1492 participants aged 16-30. The…
ABSTRACTIntroductionIn October 2023, the Australian Capital Territory became the first Australian jurisdiction to decriminalise possession of small quantities of multiple illicit drugs by law, introducing an alternative, legislated pathway enabling police to divert individuals to a health education and information session or issue a $100 expiation fine. This study examined awareness and understanding of this refor…
Introduction Among young adults, intertwined tobacco and cannabis use is a major concern, being linked to poorer cessation outcomes than exclusive use. However, little is known about the shared and simultaneous determinants of motivation to quit both substances, and how the use of one influences readiness to quit the other. We aimed to examine these relationships, focusing particularly on the role of low socioecon…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction Use of cannabis vaping products has been increasing in Canada. This study examined the prevalence and patterns of use of cannabis vaping products, including higher-risk use, by sex and age. Methods Data were from four cycles of the Canadian Cannabis Survey, an annual web-based survey of people aged ≥ 16 years in Canada. Past 12-month consumers of cannabis for non-medical purposes were analysed (n2020…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction People who inject drugs (PWID) face a high risk for serious infections, yet International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes fail to identify this population. Large language models (LLM) offer a promising alternative by extracting information from unstructured clinical text. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of off-the-shelf LLMs in identifying PWID and related attributes from hospit…
Introduction As cannabis policies become more liberal, and products increasingly potent, it is important to monitor changes in rates of cannabis use and those at risk of harm. We used data from the largest national mental health survey in Australia to examine changes in prevalence, associations and comorbidity of past 12-month cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) from 2007 to 2020-22. Methods Data were dra…
ABSTRACTIntroductionOlder adults exhibit unique risks associated with poor mental health and substance use. The Beyond 50 study is a longitudinal cohort investigating the determinants of healthy ageing, including relationships between physical and psychosocial health and substance use. We aim to characterise the Beyond 50 cohort and explore patterns of physical and psychosocial health and substance use.MethodsBase…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction Driving under the influence of drugs is a major risk factor for road traffic collisions. While increasing harms are observed in relation to polydrug use, evidence is needed about this issue in the context of road safety. We examined polydrug use patterns in drivers providing samples for toxicological analysis in Ireland between 2019 and 2020. Methods A cross-sectional study using LC-MS toxicology resu…
Introduction The Australian Treatment Outcomes Profile (ATOP) is a brief clinical tool assessing substance use, health and well-being used in Australian alcohol and other drug treatment services. It is validated for use with clients using alcohol, opioids and cannabis, but not yet for clients who primarily use methamphetamine. Methods An embedded validation study was undertaken in treatment-seeking adults enrolled…
Introduction Non-medical use of prescription stimulants is increasing globally, yet Australian population-level data on its prevalence and associated sociodemographic and substance use correlates remain limited. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from the 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (n = 21,663). Logistic regression models estimated associations between non-medical use of prescription s…
Introduction We are at a critical juncture for drug policy reform. Toxic drug supply is driving unprecedented deaths in North America, with countries calling for decriminalisation. Policy reform in Australia has occurred in some states (e.g., decriminalisation in the Australian Capital Territory), stalling in others (e.g., the second supervised injecting facility [SIF] in Victoria). The objectives of this paper ar…
Open article record in new tab ↗ABSTRACTIntroductionCo‐use of tobacco and cannabis is common among young adults and is associated with higher dependence and quitting difficulties. Little is known about the preference for simultaneous or sequential dual cessation in this population. We aimed to explore preferences for the timing of dual cessation and the methods most likely to be used by young adults who co‐use.MethodsData came from an online nat…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction We aimed to determine whether the trend in the rate of drug-induced hospitalisations and deaths changed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Methods Data comprised crude monthly rates (per 1,000,000 persons) of hospitalisations and deaths directly attributable to illicit drugs, prescription medicines, or medicines available without a prescription, nationally from 2011 to 2021.…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction There is considerable interest in whether individuals substitute cannabis for alcohol and in legalisation's potential to reduce or increase alcohol-attributable harms. This study aimed to determine whether non-medical cannabis legalisation in Canada was associated with initial changes in population-level alcohol consumption. Methods This observational population-based study described changes in alcoho…
Introduction Residential clients frequently report high psychological distress at intake, but little is known about changes in distress throughout treatment. This study aimed to identify in-treatment trajectories for psychological distress and factors associated with trajectory classes. Methods A retrospective cohort of adults attending Australian non-government residential substance use treatment between 2012 and…
Introduction Assessing unmet demand for alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment requires accurately counting those in treatment and determining those in need of treatment. Using updated epidemiological and treatment data, this study sought to provide an updated estimate of the unmet demand for AOD treatment in Australia. Methods Australian prevalence rates for alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamine and opioid use disor…
Open article record in new tab ↗Introduction Women are emerging as a key demographic for medicinal cannabis (MC) use in countries that have implemented MC reforms. However, research on mothers' experiences of consuming MC remains limited beyond studies on perinatal outcomes. This study explores mothers' diverse experiences of consuming MC in New Zealand under the legal MC scheme. Methods Interviews with 15 mothers using MC via prescriptions, the…
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