The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids

The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 487
Release: 2017-03-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309453070

Significant changes have taken place in the policy landscape surrounding cannabis legalization, production, and use. During the past 20 years, 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis and/or cannabidiol (a component of cannabis) for medical conditions or retail sales at the state level and 4 states have legalized both the medical and recreational use of cannabis. These landmark changes in policy have impacted cannabis use patterns and perceived levels of risk. However, despite this changing landscape, evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cannabis use remains elusive. While a myriad of studies have examined cannabis use in all its various forms, often these research conclusions are not appropriately synthesized, translated for, or communicated to policy makers, health care providers, state health officials, or other stakeholders who have been charged with influencing and enacting policies, procedures, and laws related to cannabis use. Unlike other controlled substances such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards for safe use or appropriate dose are available to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively. Shifting public sentiment, conflicting and impeded scientific research, and legislative battles have fueled the debate about what, if any, harms or benefits can be attributed to the use of cannabis or its derivatives, and this lack of aggregated knowledge has broad public health implications. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence related to the health effects and potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis. This report provides a research agendaâ€"outlining gaps in current knowledge and opportunities for providing additional insight into these issuesâ€"that summarizes and prioritizes pressing research needs.

Drugs, Brain, and Behavior

Drugs, Brain, and Behavior
Author: David M. Grilly
Publisher: Pearson Educacion
Total Pages: 448
Release: 2012
Genre: Psychopharmacology
ISBN: 9780205230372

The use and abuse of drugs, and their effects on behavior The book integrates information from the various fields, including pharmacology, neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry, to provide a broad perspective on how drugs affect behavioral processes. Drugs, Brain and Behavior describes the psychological effects of drugs, and how drug actions can be understood in terms of effects on the brain. This discussion includes drugs that are used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, as well as common drugs of abuse. Rather than simply focusing on drug dependence and addiction, this text also places considerable emphasis on drug treatments for various psychiatric disorders such as: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, parkinsonism, ADHD and Alzheimer's disease. It also combines neurotransmitter-based approaches to the field with perspectives that emphasize specific drugs and distinct drug categories. Intended for Undergraduate courses in Psychopharmacology and/or Drugs and Behavior, this new edition ofDrugs, Brain, and Behavior provides an overview of the field of psychopharmacology, which focuses on the behavioral effects of drugs. Teaching & Learning Experience Personalize Learning - The new MySearchLab with eText delivers proven results in helping students succeed and provides engaging experiences that personalize learning. Improve Critical Thinking - Content encourages students to consider the psychological effects of drugs and how drug actions can be understood in terms of effects on the brain. Engage Students - Updated references and figures reflect current trends and data. Explore Research - Discussions of pharmacotherapy in psychiatry, current neurochemical hypotheses, and general phenomena of drug dependence and use, among other topics. Support Instructors - MyTest, PowerPoints, and an instructor's manual offer additional support for instructors. Note: MySearchLab with eText does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySearchLab with eText, please visit: www.mysearchlab.com or you can purchase a valuepack of the text + MySearchLab with eText (at no additional cost). VP: 0205234992 / 9780205234998

Drugs and the Neuroscience of Behavior

Drugs and the Neuroscience of Behavior
Author: Adam Prus
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 1059
Release: 2020-08-01
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1544362595

Drugs and the Neuroscience of Behavior presents an introduction to the rapidly advancing field of psychopharmacology by examining how drug actions in the brain affect psychological processes. Author Adam Prus provides historical background to give readers an appreciation for the development of drug treatments and neuroscience over time, covering major topics in psychopharmacology including new drugs and recent trends in drug use. Empirically supported pedagogical features offer students the opportunity to reflect on what they read to ensure understanding before progressing to new content. The Third Edition includes a new chapter on depressants and discussions of major topics such as the opioid epidemic, the risks associated with vaping, and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. Included with this title: The password-protected Instructor Resource Site (formally known as SAGE Edge) offers access to all text-specific resources, including a test bank and editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides.

Small Clinical Trials

Small Clinical Trials
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2001-01-01
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0309171148

Clinical trials are used to elucidate the most appropriate preventive, diagnostic, or treatment options for individuals with a given medical condition. Perhaps the most essential feature of a clinical trial is that it aims to use results based on a limited sample of research participants to see if the intervention is safe and effective or if it is comparable to a comparison treatment. Sample size is a crucial component of any clinical trial. A trial with a small number of research participants is more prone to variability and carries a considerable risk of failing to demonstrate the effectiveness of a given intervention when one really is present. This may occur in phase I (safety and pharmacologic profiles), II (pilot efficacy evaluation), and III (extensive assessment of safety and efficacy) trials. Although phase I and II studies may have smaller sample sizes, they usually have adequate statistical power, which is the committee's definition of a "large" trial. Sometimes a trial with eight participants may have adequate statistical power, statistical power being the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when the hypothesis is false. Small Clinical Trials assesses the current methodologies and the appropriate situations for the conduct of clinical trials with small sample sizes. This report assesses the published literature on various strategies such as (1) meta-analysis to combine disparate information from several studies including Bayesian techniques as in the confidence profile method and (2) other alternatives such as assessing therapeutic results in a single treated population (e.g., astronauts) by sequentially measuring whether the intervention is falling above or below a preestablished probability outcome range and meeting predesigned specifications as opposed to incremental improvement.