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Background and aims Prohibitions on producing, distributing and selling cannabis are loosening in various jurisdictions around the world. This paper describes the diversification of cannabis supply laws and discusses the challenges to and opportunities for learning from these changes. Methods We document changes in cannabis supply laws that de jure legalized cannabis production for medical and/or non-medical purposes (excluding industrial hemp) in Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. We also highlight challenges to evaluating these legal changes based on our experiences studying cannabis laws and policies in the United States. Findings As of August 2016, two countries have passed laws to legalize large-scale cannabis production for non-medical purposes at the national (Uruguay) or subnational level (four US states). At least nine other countries legally allow (or will soon allow) cannabis to be supplied for medicinal purposes. Most of the changes in cannabis supply laws have occurred since 2010. The data available in most countries are inadequate for rigorously evaluating the changes in cannabis supply laws. Conclusion The evidence base for assessing changes in cannabis supply laws remains weak. Efforts should focus upon collecting information about quantities consumed and market transactions as well as validating self-report surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to addiction as of 2016. The unregulated cannabidiol (CBD) market in Great Britain has been halted by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The public is supporting minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol products in Great Britain. A World Health Organization (WHO) report has found that the alcohol-attributable mortality burden has increased slightly in Europe since 1990.

Background and Aims: Adaptations with different modes of delivery and target addictions have found highly divergent rates of success for Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT). This study aims to clarify which (1) treatment components and (2) participant characteristics contribute to rates of identified patient (IP) treatment entry. Method: Systematic review of CRAFT evaluation studies of all designs (controlled and uncontrolled) with data synthesis and narrative analysis of addiction treatment services and university research departments in North America and Europe. Results: A total of 691 concerned significant others (CSOs), predominately female spouses/parents, participating in 20 distinct treatment conditions from 14 studies. The main outcome of IP treatment entry rate reported by CSOs up to 12 months after starting CRAFT with key predictors/correlates including IP addiction, IP–CSO relationship, CRAFT modality and integration of treatment for IP. Meta‐analysis found CRAFT to be twice as effective as controls/comparison groups. Multi‐modality treatment, including both individual and group sessions, yielded the highest IP treatment entry rates (77 and 86%), with progressively lower rates for individual (12.5–71%), group (60%) and self‐directed workbook (13.3–40%) modalities. While all five studies targeting gambling addiction had consistently low rates (12.5–23%), other treatment components, including therapist training, treatment fidelity and integrating treatment for the IP, were implicated. Conclusions: Adaptations of Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training for different delivery modalities and addictions have yielded widely varying rates of treatment engagement for the identified patient, with those offering the most comprehensive support to the concerned significant other, including individual and group sessions, having highest levels of engagement success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commentary to: Understanding and learning from the diversification of cannabis supply laws [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To examine cannabis use among mid-adolescents in 31 countries and associations with per-capita personal consumer expenditure (PCE), unemployment, peer factors and national rates of cannabis use in 1999. Design, participants and measurement Nationally representative, self-report, classroom survey with 22 223 male and 24 900 female 15-year-olds. Country characteristics were derived from publicly available economic databases and previously conducted cross-national surveys on substance use. Findings Cannabis use appears to be normative among mid-adolescents in North America and several countries in Europe. The life-time prevalence of cannabis use was 26% among males and 15% among females and was lowest for males and females in the former Yugoslav Republic (TFYR) of Macedonia: 2.5% and to 2.5%, respectively; and highest for males in Switzerland (49.1%) and in Greenland for females (47.0%). The highest prevalence of frequent cannabis use (more than 40 times in life-time) was seen in Canada for males (14.2%) and in the United States for females (5.5%). Overall, life-time prevalence and frequent use are associated with PCE, perceived availability of cannabis (peer culture) and the presence of communities of older cannabis users (drug climate). Conclusions As PCE increases, cannabis use may be expected to increase and gender differences decease. Cross-national comparable policy measures should be developed and evaluated to examine which harm reduction strategies are most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss aspects of the medical prescription use of opioid (PO) and PO-related harms in population heath. They highlight several factors contribute to the PO dependence including socio-demographic, education and socioeconomic status. The authors cites the impact of PO-related harms and the availability of clinical PO use guidelines in the healthcare system.