Cannabinoids and Epilepsy

1. An exploratory study of the health harms and utilisation of health services of frequent legal high users under the interim regulated legal high market in central Auckland. Wilkins C(1), Prasad J, Wong KC, Rychert M, Graydon-Guy T.

 Author information:

(1)SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, PO Box 6137, Wellesley Street, Auckland. Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo..

AIMS: To explore health problems and the accessing of health services by frequent legal high users under an interim regulated legal market in central Auckland.

METHOD: Frequent legal high users (monthly+) were recruited from outside eight randomly-selected, licensed, legal high stores in central Auckland from 23 April-7 May, 2014. Eligible participants were emailed a unique invitation to complete an on-line survey; 105 completed the survey.

RESULTS: Twenty-seven percent had suffered mental illness during their lifetimes. Eighty percent used synthetic cannabinoids (SC), and 20% 'party pills'. Forty-seven percent of SC users used daily or more often. Other drugs used included alcohol (80%), cannabis (59%), 'ecstasy' (18%) and methamphetamine (15%). Fifty-eight percent of SC users were classified as SC dependent. The most common problems reported from SC use were: insomnia (29%); 'vomiting/nausea (25%); 'short temper/agitation' (21%); 'anxiety' (21%); 'strange thoughts' (16%); and 'heart palpitations' (14%). The health services most commonly accessed by SC users were: a 'doctor/GP' (9%); 'counsellor' (9%); 'DrugHelp/MethHelp' websites (7%); 'Alcohol & Drug Helpline' (4%); 'ambulance' (3%); 'A&E' (3%); and hospitalisation (3%).

CONCLUSIONS: Frequent use of interim licensed SC products was associated with health problems, including dependency. Further research is required to determine the health risks of these products.


2. Neurotherapeutics. 

Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders.

Devinsky O(1), Whalley BJ(2), Di Marzo V(3).

Author information:

(1)Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA. Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo..

(2)School of Pharmacy, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AP, UK.

(3)Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Comprensorio Olivetti, 80078, Pozzuoli, NA, Italy.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).