This is an extremely exciting time in the domain of adolescent and emerging adult prevention and intervention work for cannabis use and related CUD. At present, we are coming out from an era with limited prevention and treatment intervention options. To that end, the past few decades have been demarcated by addiction paradigms and related prevention and intervention approaches that were solely developed for and examined with adults. On that background, it is highly promising that the field is increasingly recognizing adolescence and emerging adulthood as a distinct neurodevelopmental period with its own unique needs and challenges that are also mirrored in the needs and challenges related to cannabis use . This review represents a comprehensive overview of how exciting advances in the domain of emergent cannabinoid treatment strategies may open a critical and important window for the abatement of youths’ struggles with cannabis.
With the increase in cannabis use observed throughout the pandemic , these steps could not be more timely.These studies have yielded promising findings regarding FAAH inhibitors and CBD,indoor cannabis grow system but large efficacy trials are still needed to replicate the first findings. The optimal duration of treatment with cannabinoid substitution treatment has also not yet been established and needs to be systematically investigated together with risk of relapse after cannabinoid treatment has been discontinued. This is of particular importance, because of the high price of some of the cannabinoid agonist compounds recently released to the market. With no studies to date having examined the potential of cannabinoid treatment in youth with CUD, the next critical steps include examining the impact of these novel intervention approaches in youth samples, in order to examine potential effects and side effects, and determine which elements in the approach are driving specific changes in youth behavior and brain.
To this end, translational approaches integrating examinations with behavioral, neurocognitive, and neuro imaging can be particularly useful in dis-aggregating potential impact and neural- as well as behavioral- mechanisms of change in this important population . Furthermore, examinations of potential gender differences are needed – both in youth and adult samples. Fewer females use cannabis, but cannabis use is linked to more health problems in young females compared to males . However, research in females and potential gender differences is lacking in cannabis research in general , including research on cannabinoid treatment,cannabis grow set up where previous studies have either examined 100 % males or mainly males. So far, no studies have examined potential gender differences in effects of cannabinoid treatment . Together, this work represents critical next steps in the important pathway toward improving the lives of young people struggling with CUD. In the longer run, once tolerability and safety of cannabinoid treatment strategies have been established in youth, more specific target groups and treatment strategies could be further explored. For example, the therapeutic effects of pharmacological treatment with CBD have the potential to guide the definition of CUD subgroups that might in particular benefit from this treatment strategy.
Since THC-based compounds seem rather efficient in reducing withdrawal symptoms, another approach might be to examine the efficacy of administering both THC and CBD in the beginning of treatment and then gradually phase out to end with CBD monotherapy. However, due to the discussed risks and concerns associated with THC administration, this approach requires careful ethical and clinical considerations. In recent years, several countries have modified their policies regarding use of cannabis, with changes including allowing cannabis use for medical purposes, decriminalization, or legalization for recreational use . Canada is one of the countries that has now legalized cannabis for recreational use, which has led to increased availability and prevalence of use . While policies have been made more liberal, it is still important to recognize that cannabis use has health and psychosocial risks . Further, the majority of risky cannabis users, including those meeting criteria for cannabis dependence, will never seek treatment if they become concerned about their use , often because of stigma or embarrassment – and this is unlikely to change with legalization .