Ryan D Assaf1,2, Pamina M Gorbach1,2,3, Ziva D Cooper1,4,5. 1. UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 2. Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 3. Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 5. Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
Background: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, cannabis dispensaries in the United States (US) reported increased sales. Objectives: This study assessed changes in cannabis use before to during the pandemic; it was hypothesized that cannabis use increased during the pandemic. Methods: A US-based survey of adults assessed patterns of use before and during the pandemic. Participants recruited via social media from 8/2020 to 9/2020 self-reported medical and non-medical cannabis use. Use was categorized as ≤ monthly, weekly, and daily/almost daily; adjusted logistic regressions determined associations between cannabis use before the pandemic with change in frequency during the pandemic. Results: Of 1,886 respondents (63% male),1,113 reported non-medical and 603 medical use of cannabis. Those reporting ≤monthly non-medical use before the pandemic had higher odds of increasing use during the pandemic than those using weekly before the pandemic (AOR 3.2 [95% CI 2.2-4.5]). Those reporting ≤ monthly and daily medical cannabis use before the pandemic had higher odds of increasing use during the pandemic than those using weekly before the pandemic (AOR 2.3 [95% 1.3, 3.9]; AOR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2, 5.1] respectively).Conclusions: The most notable increases in cannabis use during the pandemic were among those who reported using cannabis least frequently before the pandemic (two to three times odds of increased use among ≤ monthly use compared to weekly). These findings have important implications for potential health consequences related to increased cannabis use both during and after the pandemic, even in populations thought to be protected by minimal use prior to the pandemic.
Background: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, cannabis dispensaries in the United States (US) reported increased sales. Objectives: This study assessed changes in cannabis use before to during the pandemic; it was hypothesized that cannabis use increased during the pandemic. Methods: A US-based survey of adults assessed patterns of use before and during the pandemic. Participants recruited via social media from 8/2020 to 9/2020 self-reported medical and non-medical cannabis use. Use was categorized as ≤ monthly, weekly, and daily/almost daily; adjusted logistic regressions determined associations between cannabis use before the pandemic with change in frequency during the pandemic. Results: Of 1,886 respondents (63% male),1,113 reported non-medical and 603 medical use of cannabis. Those reporting ≤monthly non-medical use before the pandemic had higher odds of increasing use during the pandemic than those using weekly before the pandemic (AOR 3.2 [95% CI 2.2-4.5]). Those reporting ≤ monthly and daily medical cannabis use before the pandemic had higher odds of increasing use during the pandemic than those using weekly before the pandemic (AOR 2.3 [95% 1.3, 3.9]; AOR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2, 5.1] respectively).Conclusions: The most notable increases in cannabis use during the pandemic were among those who reported using cannabis least frequently before the pandemic (two to three times odds of increased use among ≤ monthly use compared to weekly). These findings have important implications for potential health consequences related to increased cannabis use both during and after the pandemic, even in populations thought to be protected by minimal use prior to the pandemic.
Authors: Margriet W van Laar; Pieter E Oomen; Charlotte J A van Miltenburg; Eefje Vercoulen; Tom P Freeman; Wayne D Hall Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2020-12-21 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Deborah S Hasin; Bradley T Kerridge; Tulshi D Saha; Boji Huang; Roger Pickering; Sharon M Smith; Jeesun Jung; Haitao Zhang; Bridget F Grant Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2016-03-04 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Mark É Czeisler; Rashon I Lane; Emiko Petrosky; Joshua F Wiley; Aleta Christensen; Rashid Njai; Matthew D Weaver; Rebecca Robbins; Elise R Facer-Childs; Laura K Barger; Charles A Czeisler; Mark E Howard; Shantha M W Rajaratnam Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2020-08-14 Impact factor: 17.586