M Eugenia Socías1, Thomas Kerr1, Evan Wood1, Huiru Dong2, Stephanie Lake2, Kanna Hayashi1, Kora DeBeck3, Didier Jutras-Aswad4, Julio Montaner1, M-J Milloy5. 1. British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada. 2. British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada. 3. British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada; School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University, 515 West Hastings Street - Suite 3271, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K3, Canada. 4. Research Center, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada. 5. British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada. Electronic address: uhri-mjsm@cfenet.ubc.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: No effective pharmacotherapies exist for the treatment of crack cocaine use disorders. Emerging data suggests that cannabinoids may play a role in reducing cocaine-related craving symptoms. This study investigated the intentional use of cannabis to reduce crack use among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD). METHODS: Data were drawn from three prospective cohorts of PWUD in Vancouver, Canada. Using data from participants reporting intentional cannabis use to control crack use, we used generalized linear mixed-effects modeling to estimate the independent effect of three pre-defined intentional cannabis use periods (i.e., before, during and after first reported intentional use to reduce crack use) on frequency of crack use. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2015, 122 participants reported using cannabis to reduce crack use, contributing a total of 620 observations. In adjusted analyses, compared to before periods, after periods were associated with reduced frequency of crack use (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.89, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.02-3.45), but not the intentional use periods (AOR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.51-1.41). Frequency of cannabis use in after periods was higher than in before periods (AOR=4.72, 95% CI: 2.47-8.99), and showed a tendency to lower frequency than in intentional cannabis use periods (AOR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: A period of intentional cannabis use to reduce crack use was associated with decreased frequency of crack use in subsequent periods among PWUD. Further clinical research to assess the potential of cannabinoids for the treatment of crack use disorders is warranted.
BACKGROUND: No effective pharmacotherapies exist for the treatment of crack cocaine use disorders. Emerging data suggests that cannabinoids may play a role in reducing cocaine-related craving symptoms. This study investigated the intentional use of cannabis to reduce crack use among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD). METHODS: Data were drawn from three prospective cohorts of PWUD in Vancouver, Canada. Using data from participants reporting intentional cannabis use to control crack use, we used generalized linear mixed-effects modeling to estimate the independent effect of three pre-defined intentional cannabis use periods (i.e., before, during and after first reported intentional use to reduce crack use) on frequency of crack use. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2015, 122 participants reported using cannabis to reduce crack use, contributing a total of 620 observations. In adjusted analyses, compared to before periods, after periods were associated with reduced frequency of crack use (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.89, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.02-3.45), but not the intentional use periods (AOR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.51-1.41). Frequency of cannabis use in after periods was higher than in before periods (AOR=4.72, 95% CI: 2.47-8.99), and showed a tendency to lower frequency than in intentional cannabis use periods (AOR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.32-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: A period of intentional cannabis use to reduce crack use was associated with decreased frequency of crack use in subsequent periods among PWUD. Further clinical research to assess the potential of cannabinoids for the treatment of crack use disorders is warranted.
Authors: Louisa Degenhardt; Jessica Singleton; Bianca Calabria; Jennifer McLaren; Thomas Kerr; Shruti Mehta; Gregory Kirk; Wayne D Hall Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2010-09-15 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Louisa Degenhardt; Amanda J Baxter; Yong Yi Lee; Wayne Hall; Grant E Sara; Nicole Johns; Abraham Flaxman; Harvey A Whiteford; Theo Vos Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2014-01-27 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Kate Shannon; Melanie Rusch; Robert Morgan; Megan Oleson; Thomas Kerr; Mark W Tyndall Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2008 Impact factor: 2.164
Authors: Hudson Reddon; Kora DeBeck; M Eugenia Socias; Stephanie Lake; Huiru Dong; Mohammad Karamouzian; Kanna Hayashi; Thomas Kerr; M-J Milloy Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2020-08-20 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Cecilia T Costiniuk; Zahra Saneei; Syim Salahuddin; Joseph Cox; Jean-Pierre Routy; Sergio Rueda; Sara J Abdallah; Dennis Jensen; Bertrand Lebouché; Marie-Josée Brouillette; Marina Klein; Jason Szabo; Charles Frenette; Andreas Giannakis; Mohammad-Ali Jenabian Journal: Cannabis Cannabinoid Res Date: 2019-09-23
Authors: Jenna Valleriani; Rebecca Haines-Saah; Rielle Capler; Ricky Bluthenthal; M Eugenia Socias; M J Milloy; Thomas Kerr; Ryan McNeil Journal: Int J Drug Policy Date: 2020-04-11