Publications by authors named "L C Bidwell"

The public is increasingly reporting using cannabis for anxiety relief. Both cannabis use and the endocannabinoid system have been connected with anxiety relief/anxiolytic properties, but these relationships are complex, and the underlying mechanisms for them are unclear. : Work is needed to understand how the endocannabinoid system, including the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), may be impacted by the main constituents of cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabidiol (CBD).

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Introduction: Cannabis, commonly known for both therapeutic and intoxicating effects, is gaining accessibility on legal markets and traction as a potential alternative therapy for pain mediation, particularly in those suffering from chronic low back pain. However, the effectiveness in this population of legal market forms of cannabis, particularly commonly used edibles, is unknown.

Methods: Therefore, this study utilized a naturalistic prospective design where participants with chronic low back pain with intentions to initiate cannabis use for treatment were recruited and self-selected edible cannabis products containing varying amounts of delta- 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

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Background: As cannabis legalization continues to spread across the United States, average Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentrations in recreational products have significantly increased, and no prior study has evaluated effective treatments to reduce cannabis use among high potency cannabis users. Some research has found that the non-intoxicating cannabinoid cannabidiol reduces cannabis use and cannabis use disorder-related symptoms, such as affective disturbance and withdrawal. Results of these studies are promising but limited to synthetic or isolated forms of cannabidiol.

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Cannabis use is increasingly common. There is a need for validated tools to meaningfully assess recreational, medical, and disordered cannabis use in both research and clinical contexts. Cannabis assessments were considered against pre-determined inclusion criteria within a comprehensive review.

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Cannabis has been touted for a host of pharmacological and therapeutic effects and users commonly report reduced symptoms of physical and mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. While there is existing empirical evidence supporting these effects of cannabis use, little is known about the extent to which these effects result from pharmacological versus expectancy factors. We evaluated the associations between participants' cannabis expectancies and their acute self-reported reactions after using legal market forms of cannabis with varying levels of cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in three domains: anxiety, depression, and pain.

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