Driving performance and ocular activity following acute administration of 10 mg methylphenidate: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Methylphenidate is a routinely prescribed treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with misuse potential owing to its perceived performance-enhancing and euphoric properties. Although clinically effective, there is limited understanding of how methylphenidate affects safety-sensitive tasks such as driving when used by healthy individuals.

Aim: Explore the acute effects of 10 mg methylphenidate on driving performance and gaze behaviour.

Medical cannabis use in Australia seven years after legalisation: findings from the online Cannabis as Medicine Survey 2022-2023 (CAMS-22).

Background: Cannabis was legalised for medical purposes in 2016. Uptake was initially slow, but since 2019 there has been a large increase in the number of Australians who have been prescribed cannabis for medical reasons. Yet a significant number of consumers continue to treat their medical conditions via illicitly-sourced cannabis.

Differences in prescribed medicinal cannabis use by cannabinoid product composition: Findings from the cannabis as medicine survey 2020 (CAMS-20) Australia-wide study.

Introduction: Prescribed medicinal cannabis (MC) is an increasingly common prescription in Australia for treating pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Prescribed MC products generally contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or cannabidiol (CBD) in a variety of dose levels and forms. It is unclear whether THC and CBD products are used by patients with different characteristics and for different conditions.

A semi-naturalistic open-label study examining the effect of prescribed medical cannabis use on simulated driving performance.

Background: Despite increasing medical cannabis use, research has yet to establish whether and to what extent products containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impact driving performance among patients. Stable doses of prescribed cannabinoid products during long-term treatment may alleviate clinical symptoms affecting cognitive and psychomotor performance.

Aim: To examine the effects of open-label prescribed medical cannabis use on simulated driving performance among patients.

A Semi-Naturalistic, Open-Label Trial Examining the Effect of Prescribed Medical Cannabis on Neurocognitive Performance.

Background And Objectives: Medical cannabis use is increasing in Australia and other jurisdictions, yet little is known about the effects of medical cannabis on cognitive function. Findings from studies of non-medical ('recreational') cannabis may not be applicable to patients using prescribed medical cannabis to manage a health condition.

Methods: In this semi-naturalistic, open-label trial, patients with various health conditions attended a single laboratory session in which they self-administered a standard dose of prescribed medical cannabis as per instructions on the pharmacy label.

Driving-related behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions among Australian medical cannabis users: results from the CAMS 20 survey.

Road safety is an important concern amidst expanding worldwide access to legal cannabis. The present study reports on the driving-related subsection of the Cannabis as Medicine Survey 2020 (CAMS-20) which surveyed driving-related behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions among Australian medical cannabis (MC) users. Of the 1063 respondents who reported driving a motor vehicle in the past 12 months, 28% (297/1063) reported driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC).

Assessment of Medical Cannabis and Health-Related Quality of Life.

Importance: The use of cannabis as a medicine is becoming increasingly prevalent. Given the diverse range of conditions being treated with medical cannabis, as well as the vast array of products and dose forms available, clinical evidence incorporating patient-reported outcomes may help determine safety and efficacy.

Objective: To assess whether patients using medical cannabis report improvements in health-related quality of life over time.

Medical Cannabis Use Patterns for Sleep Disorders in Australia: Results of the Cross-Sectional CAMS-20 Survey.

Introduction: Sleep disorders are the third most common indication for the prescription of medical cannabis products in Australia, after pain and anxiety. While the use of cannabis for medical purposes is growing in Australia, underlying consumer behaviours and patterns of use, particularly around sleep disorders, are poorly understood.

Methods: We conducted a subanalysis of the cross-sectional "Cannabis as Medicine Survey" 2020-2021 (CAMS-20) (N = 1600), to explore the characteristics of a sample of Australians who were using prescribed and/or illicit medical cannabis to treat a self-reported sleep disorder.

Cannabis containing equivalent concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) induces less state anxiety than THC-dominant cannabis.

Rationale: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active component of cannabis, can cause anxiety in some users during intoxication. Cannabidiol (CBD), another constituent of cannabis, has anxiolytic properties suggesting that cannabis products containing CBD in addition to THC may produce less anxiety than THC-only products. Findings to date around this issue have been inconclusive and could conceivably depend on moderating factors such as baseline anxiety levels in users.

Effects of psychotropic drugs on ocular parameters relevant to traffic safety: A systematic review.

Driving is a complex neurobehavioural task necessitating the rapid selection, uptake, and processing of visual information. Eye movements that are critical for the execution of visually guided behaviour such as driving are also sensitive to the effects of psychotropic substances. The Embase (via Ovid), EBSCOHost, Psynet, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were examined from January 01st, 2000 to December 31st, 2021.

Acute effects of amphetamine and related psychostimulants on impulsivity: a systematic review of clinical trials.

Evidence for acute amphetamine effects on behavioural impulsivity in healthy populations remains elusive and, at times, mixed. This review collates and reviews the clinical literature on the acute effects of amphetamines on measures of behavioural impulsivity in healthy adults. Randomised and placebo-controlled clinical trials that assessed behavioural impulsivity following the administration of an acute dose of amphetamine or a related psychostimulant (including amphetamine analogues and methylphenidate) were eligible for inclusion.

Sex differences in acute cannabis effects revisited: Results from two randomized, controlled trials.

Some evidence suggests that males and females may differ in their responses to acute cannabis effects, including subjective drug effects and behavioural effects, and cannabinoid pharmacokinetics. This is significant given current changes to cannabis-related policies and, in consequence, increased cannabis accessibility. The present study combines data from two randomized controlled trials to investigate possible differences among males (n = 21) and females (n = 19) in the acute effects of vaporized cannabis containing 13.

Are blood and oral fluid Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and metabolite concentrations related to impairment? A meta-regression analysis.

Blood and oral fluid Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations are often used to identify cannabis-impaired drivers. We used meta-analytic techniques to characterise the relationships between biomarkers of cannabis use, subjective intoxication, and impairment of driving and driving-related cognitive skills. Twenty-eight publications and 822 driving-related outcomes were reviewed.

Medical cannabis and driving.

Background: Medical cannabis use is increasingly common in Australia. Patients and physicians need to be aware of the important implications that such use may have for driving.

Objective: The aim of this article is to briefly review the scientific evidence regarding cannabis and driving impairment and discuss current legal issues affecting patients, as well as to update physicians on relevant issues and the best guidance to offer their patients.

The failings of limits to detect cannabis-induced driving impairment: Results from a simulated driving study.

Objective: Many jurisdictions use limits to define cannabis-impaired driving. Previous studies, however, suggest that THC concentrations in biological matrices do not reliably reflect cannabis dose and are poorly correlated with magnitude of driving impairment. Here, we first review a range of concerns associated with limits for THC.

Determining the magnitude and duration of acute Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC)-induced driving and cognitive impairment: A systematic and meta-analytic review.

The increasing legal availability of cannabis has important implications for road safety. This systematic review characterised the acute effects of Δ-THC on driving performance and driving-related cognitive skills, with a particular focus on the duration of Δ-THC-induced impairment. Eighty publications and 1534 outcomes were reviewed.

Effect of Cannabidiol and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on Driving Performance: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Cannabis use has been associated with increased crash risk, but the effect of cannabidiol (CBD) on driving is unclear.

Objective: To determine the driving impairment caused by vaporized cannabis containing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A double-blind, within-participants, randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University in the Netherlands between May 20, 2019, and March 27, 2020.

The effect of daily aerobic cycling exercise on sleep quality during inpatient cannabis withdrawal: A randomised controlled trial.

Sleep disturbance is a common symptom encountered by cannabis-dependent individuals abstaining from cannabis use. In the present study, we investigated the effect of daily aerobic cycling exercise versus control stretching on sleep quality during inpatient cannabis withdrawal in treatment-seeking dependent cannabis users. The protocol incorporated three consecutive phases: a 4-Day (4-Night) (at-home) 'Baseline' phase, a 6-Day (5-Night) 'Treatment' phase (within a 7-Day inpatient hospital stay) and a 3-Day (4-Night) (at-home) 'Post-Treatment' phase.

Driving-Related Behaviours, Attitudes and Perceptions among Australian Medical Cannabis Users: Results from the CAMS 18-19 Survey.

As the use of cannabis for medical purposes becomes increasingly prevalent, driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) is emerging as a major public health issue. Understanding current behaviours, attitudes and perceptions around DUIC in medical cannabis users is an important first step in addressing this issue. Here we present the results from the driving-related subsection of the Cannabis as Medicine 2018-2019 Survey (CAMS18) of current Australian medical cannabis users (n = 1388).

The effect of cannabidiol on simulated car driving performance: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, dose-ranging clinical trial protocol.

Objective: Interest in the use of cannabidiol (CBD) is increasing worldwide as its therapeutic effects are established and legal restrictions moderated. Unlike Δ -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ -THC), CBD does not appear to cause cognitive or psychomotor impairment. However, further assessment of its effects on cognitively demanding day-to-day activities, such as driving, is warranted.

Medical cannabis use in the Australian community following introduction of legal access: the 2018-2019 Online Cross-Sectional Cannabis as Medicine Survey (CAMS-18).

Background: In 2016, the Australian federal government passed legislation enabling a range of cannabis-based products to be prescribed to patients by registered healthcare professionals. An online survey conducted immediately prior to these legislative changes found that the vast majority of respondents at the time were illicitly sourcing cannabis plant matter, smoking was the preferred route of administration and mental health, chronic pain, and sleep conditions were the most frequently cited reasons for medical cannabis use. This manuscript reports the results of a follow-up survey conducted in 2018-2019, the Cannabis As Medicine Survey (CAMS-18).