The adverse health effects of cannabis use: What are they, and what are their implications for policy?

Purpose: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance and one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances in the world, preceded only by alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Recent changes in legislation regarding cannabis use in Canada and potential upcoming changes worldwide may have a further impact on the prevalence of cannabis use. Thus, it is critical to understand the risks and potential adverse health effects of acute and long-term cannabis use. Current literature is lacking in many areas surrounding cannabis use, and for the most part is unable to provide clear associations once confounding variables are considered. Here we provide a general overview of the history of cannabis, the physical and mental health consequences, and the risks to specific groups. Source: A scoping search of published articles in PubMed from the start date (1946) until 2018. Principal finding: Current evidence supports an association between cannabis use and mild respiratory and cardiac effects, but no clear increased risk of cancer. Psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and anxiety, show associations with cannabis use; however, a causal effect of cannabis use is unclear. While no evidence for increased risk in pregnancy has been found, risk is still undetermined. Youth may be at a greater risk as earlier initiation of use increases the risk of adverse health effects. Conclusion: Overall, evidence for direct and long-term adverse effects of cannabis use is minimal and additional longitudinal studies will be required to better delineate unidentified effects.

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Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use

The Lancet ◽

10.1016/s0140-6736(10)60087-6 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 375 (9710) ◽

pp. 196-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Preeti Parakh

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Medical Cannabis ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Adverse Health

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HUMAN EXPOSURE TO MERCURY: A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EVIDENCE OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A ◽

10.1080/009841096160817 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 221-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

Hope E. Ratcliffe, G. Marie Swanson, Law

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Human Exposure ◽

Critical Assessment ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Adverse Health

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169. Evaluating and Designing Exhaust Systems to Avoid Fume Reentry and Adverse Health Effects

10.3320/1.2763004 ◽

1999 ◽

Author(s):

R. Petersen ◽

B. Cochran ◽

J. Carter

Keyword(s):

Health Effects ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Adverse Health ◽

Exhaust Systems

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Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial examining the effect of blood and plasma donation on serum perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) levels in firefighters

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044833 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e044833

Author(s):

Gabriel Silver ◽

Yordanka Krastev ◽

Miriam K Forbes ◽

Brenton Hamdorf ◽

Barry Lewis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomised Controlled Trial ◽

Health Effects ◽

Whole Blood ◽

Sulfonic Acid ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Plasma Donation ◽

Adverse Health ◽

Study Results ◽

Randomised Controlled

IntroductionPerfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse group of compounds that have been used in hundreds of industrial applications and consumer products including aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for many years. Multiple national and international health and environmental agencies have accepted that PFAS exposures are associated with numerous adverse health effects. Australian firefighters have been shown to have elevated levels of PFAS in their blood, specifically perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), due to the historical use of AFFF. While PFAS concentrations decline over time once the source of exposure has been removed, their potential adverse health effects are such that it would be prudent to develop an intervention to lower levels at a faster rate than occurs via natural elimination rates.Methods and analysisThis is a randomised controlled trial of current and former Australian firefighters in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade/Fire Rescue Victoria, and contractors, with previous occupational exposure to PFAS and baseline elevated PFOS levels. The study is investigating whether whole blood donation every 12 weeks or plasma donation every 6 weeks will significantly reduce PFAS levels, compared with a control group. We have used covariate-adaptive randomisation to balance participants’ sex and blood PFAS levels between the three groups and would consider a 25% reduction in serum PFOS and PFHxS levels to be potentially clinically significant after 12 months of whole blood or plasma donation. A secondary analysis of health biomarkers is being made of changes between screening and week 52 in all three groups.Ethics and disseminationThis trial has been approved by Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (reference number: 3855), final protocol V.2 dated 12 June 2019. Study results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences.Trial registration numberAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619000204145).

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