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The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report

Cannabis (September/October) | 2022

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Currently Available Cannabis Products

September 1, 2022

The sale of medical and recreational cannabis products has become big business as the prevalence of cannabis use increases across the country. There has been an explosion in the number of available products and their potency. Here, we go over what sorts of products are on the market now and what the implications for our patients.

Cannabis Use Disorder and Withdrawal

September 1, 2022

Denise Walker, PhD

Dr. Walker reviews the clinical features of cannabis use disorder, who is most at risk, how it is similar and how it differs from other addictions, and treatment approaches. She also describes cannabis withdrawal, a syndrome that can pose a barrier to treatment, but frequently goes unrecognized.

Medicinal Cannabis

September 1, 2022

Deepak Cyril D’Souza, MD

Laws permitting the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes are being passed around the country, but what are we to make of this new and evolving legal patchwork? Dr. D’Souza describes the process and implications of state-specific legislation, and reviews the evidence, or lack thereof, for cannabis treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Can Smoking Marijuana Reduce PTSD Symptoms?

September 1, 2023

Gregory Lande, MD.

Many states have passed laws allowing the prescription of cannabis as a treatment for PTSD in spite of the absence of high-quality evidence. In this prospective, double-blinded trial, researchers failed to find evidence that either THC or CBD is an effective treatment for PTSD.

Sublocade vs SL Buprenorphine after Release from Jail

September 1, 2022

Peter J. Farago, MD.

The period immediately following release from incarceration is associated with an elevated risk of overdose among those with opioid use disorder. In this randomized trial, researchers were able to show that long-acting injectable buprenorphine (Sublocade) is a feasible and effective treatment for this high-risk population.

Internet-Based Approaches for Gambling Issues

September 1, 2022

Amy Ton, MD, and Deepti Anbarasan, MD.

Problematic gambling is quite common, but many patients never receive any treatment. Hypothesizing that part of the reason for this is a lack of accessibility, researchers investigated the utility of internet-based gambling treatments. While not as effective as in-person treatment, the results were promising.

Computer-Based Training for CBT for Women in Residential Treatments

September 1, 2022

Deepti Anbarasan, MD. and Kristyn Lao, MD

Numerous studies have established the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for a variety of psychiatric diagnoses. How effective CBT can be when delivered on a computer is an ongoing area of study. Here, researchers find that an internet-based CBT protocol was a helpful adjunctive treatment in a residential setting.