There has been concern about the impact of cannabis use on the onset, course and relapse of psychosis. Evidence from retrospective and a small number of prospective studies has suggested that cannabis use may precipitate a latent psychosis, exacerbate psychotic symptoms and increase the likelihood of psychotic relapse. The purpose of the current study was to examine the influence of cannabis use on psychotic symptom exacerbation and relapse within the stress vulnerability-coping model of psychosis. Two studies were conducted. The influence of cannabis use on the onset and course of psychosis was retrospectively examined in the first study. The second study prospectively examined the influence of cannabis use on psychotic symptom exacerbation and relapse over a 6-month period. The influence of the severity of psychotic symptoms on a relapse in cannabis use was also explored. Eighty-four participants were assessed at admission, 81 of whom were followed up for a 6-month period. Measures consisted of structured diagnostic interviews and self-report measures of stress, medication compliance, family functioning, premorbid adjustment, quality of life, substance use and psychotic symptoms. The onset of cannabis use clearly preceded the onset of psychosis. Cannabis use was predictive of the severity of psychotic and general psychopathology symptoms at admission. Both the frequency and quantity of cannabis use was predictive of time to psychotic relapse over the 6-month follow up period. Psychotic symptom severity was predictive of a substantial increase in the quantity but not the frequency of cannabis use. Cannabis use was related to the onset, course and relapse of psychosis.

The increasing use of toxic substances is one of the most serious problems in today’s society. Recent tendencies such as widening of the variety of drugs available, intensity of drug circulation, and the decrease in age for first time users indicates that drug abuse is becoming one of the most alarming problems globally. Marijuana use remains the most widely used drug among the world population, and the number of cannabis users is increasing every year. The major focus of this research is on the young adolescents’ social environment and the risk factors for marijuana use that it produces. The influence of such elements of social environment as family, school, and peers is examined in this study. Evaluating the applicability of some theories, such as social control theory (Hirschi, 1969) and peer cluster theory (Oetting and Beauvais, 1986), to marijuana use of Russian and Canadian samples of adolescents between the ages of 14-16, this research employs the risk-focused approach. This approach requires the identification of risk factors for marijuana use for its prevention. The study involves making a comparative analysis of risk factors for marijuana use produced by social environment of the Canadian and Russian adolescents. The analysis is based on the data obtained within a World Health Organization Cross-National Study “Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children” in 2001/02. The method of logistic regression modeling is applied in order to examine which aspects of social environment of adolescents produce greater risks for marijuana use. The results shows that in spite of the differences between countries, peers have the strongest influence on adolescent marijuana use, which supports peer cluster theory. In addition, the study shows that young people’s own use of licit drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, significantly increase risks of getting involved in marijuana use, which supports the major gateway hypothesis. Although these variables are not in the major research interest, they have strong predictive power, which can be discussed and examined in detail in future research.

The Shackleford Marijuana Perception Survey is a series survey conducted on criminal justice students at Georgia State University. The current survey design is targeted towards determining perceptions of marijuana related issues at GSU related to the theoretical concepts of Social Learning Theory and the Gateway process of substance use escalation. The currentfindings will include the responses of 163 students in three criminal justice related classes. The major focus of the analysis will be the comparison of the results of the “marijuana knowledge test” section to the likert scale opinion section and the overall positive or negative opinion score for each respondent. It is the goal of this research is to measure and eventually tack changes in the opinions of students taking criminal justice themed classes at GSU as they pertain to marijuana and related issues. This research is called for by the increasing interest by State Legislations, and recently the federal government, in the reform of marijuana laws and policing practices. Understanding this, and other, samples’ level of knowledge and their relative opinions about this topic is needed in order to help formulate effective and efficient policy reform.

The increasing use of toxic substances is one of the most serious problems in today’s society. Recent tendencies such as widening of the variety of drugs available, intensity of drug circulation, and the decrease in age for first time users indicates that drug abuse is becoming one of the most alarming problems globally. Marijuana use remains the most widely used drug among the world population, and the number of cannabis users is increasing every year. The major focus of this research is on the young adolescents’ social environment and the risk factors for marijuana use that it produces. The influence of such elements of social environment as family, school, and peers is examined in this study. Evaluating the applicability of some theories, such as social control theory (Hirschi, 1969) and peer cluster theory (Oetting and Beauvais, 1986), to marijuana use of Russian and Canadian samples of adolescents between the ages of 14-16, this research employs the risk-focused approach. This approach requires the identification of risk factors for marijuana use for its prevention. The study involves making a comparative analysis of risk factors for marijuana use produced by social environment of the Canadian and Russian adolescents. The analysis is based on the data obtained within a World Health Organization Cross-National Study “Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children” in 2001/02. The method of logistic regression modeling is applied in order to examine which aspects of social environment of adolescents produce greater risks for marijuana use. The results shows that in spite of the differences between countries, peers have the strongest influence on adolescent marijuana use, which supports peer cluster theory. In addition, the study shows that young people’s own use of licit drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, significantly increase risks of getting involved in marijuana use, which supports the major gateway hypothesis. Although these variables are not in the major research interest, they have strong predictive power, which can be discussed and examined in detail in future research.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Marc Lewis and Clayton Shorkey. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed December 12, 2006). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 112-129).

This study examines the effects of more lenient marijuana policy on recidivism rates. Using data of prisoners by state it examined the effect that more lenient drug laws by state on that state's recidivism rates.

This dissertation examines the various ways in which the experience of psychoactive drugs such as marijuana, LSD, and other substances influenced the development of psychedelic music on the West Coast during the Sixties. The first chapter of this work chronicles the evolution of mainstream America's understanding of psychoactive drugs. It focuses, in particular, on the role of mid-century figures such as Aldous Huxley, Ken Kesey, and Timothy Leary in disseminating the psychedelic paradigm, which held that certain psychoactive substances were capable of helping individuals gain a greater understanding of themselves, others, and the nature of existence. The second chapter of this work explores how the term "psychedelic," and the experiences the term espouses, came to be used as musical descriptors. It specifically details the various ways that amateur participation, musical eclecticism, and technological advances resulted in highly innovative works that provided surreal experiences similar to the drugs that shared their name. Chapter three explores self-report and laboratory research concerning the subjective effects of marijuana and LSD on the experience of sound, music, and creativity. It also presents new findings from a self-report study of 181 participants, which examined the various ways that marijuana affects the appreciation of specific musical sounds. The fourth and final chapter performs a psycho-aesthetic analysis of three examples of psychedelic music using the findings discussed in chapter three and theories from the field of music cognition. It posits various ways in which a direct relationship can be appreciated between the subjective effects of certain psychedelic substances and the experience of psychedelic music. In some instances, it asserts that psychedelic music can be understood to be emulating the effects of substances through its incorporation of sounds and musical structures that are emblematic of the specific effects of these drugs. In others, it suggests that these drugs enhance the experience of psychedelic music by playing upon the altered sensibilities of listeners who were experiencing its sounds under their effects. / 2017-05-01T00:00:00Z

Skin conductance responses were used to assess the effects of THC on conditioned fear response amplitude and extinction using a fear conditioning and extinction paradigm that paired an aversive unconditioned stimulus (shock) with a conditioned stimulus (angry face). Participants (N = 10 males) exhibited conditioning to the CS+, as indicated by a larger CR to the CS+ than to the CS-. THC did not have a significant effect on extinction of the CR across trials, but there was a significant interaction of social anxiety with drug that suggests that THC may facilitate extinction of CR to fear-conditioned stimuli in more socially anxious individuals. These results provide support for the hypothesis that THC may act as an anxiolytic in fear-eliciting situations. The current study was limited by a small sample size and a potential confound that may have influenced the SCL during conditioned responding.

Background: Smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the United States attributing to more than 480,000 deaths every year. An estimated 36.5 million US adults (15% of US population) currently smoke, and more than 16 million live with a smoking-related disease. Since recent years, there has been a surge of alternate tobacco products in the US markets, and one such product that has gained importance was electronic cigarettes. Studies have demonstrated a rapid increase in e-cigarette use among US adults. However, research is limited on the effects of e-cigarette on human health. Thus, using a nationally representative sample of US adults, we investigated the association of e-cigarette use with coronary heart disease (CHD) among adults aged ≥18-years in the US. Methods: Data from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to conduct this study. BRFSS is a cross-sectional survey administered to 486,303 adults in all 50 states to collect information about their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions and the use of preventive services. Participants’ self-reported responses were used to define study outcome (CHD), exposure (current e-cigarette use) and covariates (demographics [sex and race], behaviors [cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, marijuana use, physical activity], and physical conditions [overweight or obesity]). Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between e-cigarette use and CHD. Adjusted odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were presented. Results: Approximately 6.19% of US adults reported CHD events and 3.1% of US adults were current e-cigarette users. Approximately 5.42% of e-cigarette smoking US adults reported CHD outcomes in 2016. Overall, the odds of CHD events was 34.9% less among e-cigarette users than those who were not e-cigarette users (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60-0.70, p Conclusion: The study found out that e-cigarette user was less likely associated with CHD outcomes in US adults. Given the limitations of cross-sectional study nature and self-reported bias of responses, longitudinal studies with objective measures are needed to further investigate the association between e-cigarette use and CHD.