Digital Commons Network^™

Patterns Of The Use And Perception Of Cannabis Among College Students In Tennessee, Jayla Ruffus-Milner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis has been historically difficult to research due to its federal scheduling. However, as legalization of cannabis medically, recreationally, or both in states across the country has increased, so has the need to address the research gaps that persist. The purpose of this study was to explore the patterns of cannabis use and perceptions of college students in Tennessee, which encompass a demographic of mainly young adults who are typically associated with high usage patterns. The study uses quantitative data collected from an online survey sent to a university in East Tennessee to evaluate associations between students’ age, gender, race/ethnicity, …

Neural Hyperactivity During Value-Based Decision-Making In People With Daily/Near Daily Cannabis Use, Miranda Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Value-based decision-making involves the coordinated effort of multiple brain regions to guide future choices based on past experiences. These processes are disrupted in cannabis use disorder, where individuals continue to use cannabis despite negative consequences. Reinforcement learning (RL) paradigms can be used to capture changes in the value of available options and may inform how the brain is impacted by frequent cannabis use. This study combined fMRI with behavioral modeling of probabilistic choice task data to compare value-based choices between young adults reporting daily/near daily cannabis use (CAN) and controls (CTRL). Participants selected one of two options reinforced ($0.25) at …

The Effects Of Full Spectrum Hemp Oil On Extinction Of Stress Enhanced Fear Learning In A Rodent Model Of Ptsd, Tiphanie Chanel

Psychology ETDs

There are only 2 FDA-approved treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) despite the overwhelming evidence of the need for safer and more effective treatments. For example, roughly 50% of treatment seeking patients with PTSD experience relief from conventional pharmaceutical medications and only one third experience full remission. The Cannabis plant is a promising novel treatment for PTSD for several reasons. The endocannabinoid system plays a role in stress, emotion, cognition, suicidal phenotypes, fear memory consolidation, retrieval and reconsolidation and extinction. Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the most widely studied phytocannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant, has both anxiolytic and antidepressant qualities. …

A Statewide Study Of Disparities In Local Policies And Tobacco, Vape, And Cannabis Retail Environments, Georgiana Bostean, William R. Ponicki, Alisa A. Padon, William J. Mccarthy, Jennifer B. Unger

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

The current study: (1) assesses sociodemographic disparities in local policies related to tobacco and cannabis retail, and (2) examines the cross-sectional association between policy strength and retailer densities of tobacco, e-cigarette (vape), and cannabis retailers within California cities and county unincorporated areas (N = 539). We combined (a) American Community Survey data (2019 5-year estimates), (b) 2018 tobacco, vape, and cannabis retailer locations from a commercial data provider, (c) 2017 tobacco and vape retail environment policy data from American Lung Association, and (d) 2018 cannabis policy data from California Cannabis Local Laws Database. Conditional autoregressive models examined policy strength associations …

Midweed: A Comparison Between Marijuana Laws, Regulations, And Social Attitudes In Cannabis-Legal Vs. Cannabis-Illegal Midwest States, Abagail Lim

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Professional Projects

This professional project is a series of three journalistic articles. Each article focuses on laws, regulations and social attitudes surrounding marijuana in the United States. These topics are explored primarily through the lenses of two Midwest states (Illinois & Nebraska), which have highly contrasting laws and regulations regarding marijuana. The state of Illinois legalized medical marijuana in January 2014 and recreational marijuana in January 2020, while in Nebraska, both medical and recreational use still remains illegal, though possession of up to one ounce has been decriminalized.

The purpose of choosing these two states is to show how stark a contrast …

A Scoping Review Of Risk And Protective Factors For Negative Cannabis Use Consequences, Timothy J. Grigsby, Andrea Lopez, Larisa Albers, Christopher J. Rogers, Myriam Forster

Social & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Objective:

Numerous reviews have examined risk and protective factors for alcohol-related negative consequences, but no equivalent review of risk and protective factors exists for cannabis-related negative consequences (CRNCs)-a gap filled by the present study. This scoping review examined survey-based research of risk and protective factors for CRNCs such as neglecting responsibilities, blacking out, or needing more cannabis.

Methods:

Three databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed manuscripts published between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2021. A qualitative synthesis was performed using the matrix method and the results were organized using the socioecological model as a framework. …

Examining The Relationship Between Outcome Expectancies And Anxiety Severity In Patients Using Medical Marijuana, Paulina Syracuse

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Many states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use despite it being classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Although research regarding its efficacy is limited, one of the most common medical marijuana referral reasons is anxiety and patients often report experiencing reductions in anxiety. Many patients have beliefs about the effects of medical marijuana, called outcome expectancies, which may differ based on previous recreational marijuana use. These beliefs may influence anxiety outcomes, but this relationship is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between patients’ medical marijuana outcome expectancies, previous recreational marijuana use, …

Cannabis, Communities, And Place: (Re)Constructing Humboldt’S Post-Prohibition Present, Josh Meisel, Dominic Corva, Ara Pachmayer

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Since 1990, many Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and students have made cannabis the focus of scholarship and learning. This work has been shaped by the political, economic, and cultural legacies of cannabis in Humboldt County. Scholarly interest spans multiple dimensions of cannabis cultivation, commerce, consumption, and related social issues. As a multidisciplinary team of scholars, Cal Poly Humboldt faculty affiliated with the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) have also shaped the Bachelor of Arts in Cannabis Studies that will launch in Fall 2023. This is the first social science degree program in the United States with this orientation. …

The Moderating Roles Of Racial Discrimination And Covid-19 Stress On The Association Between College Students’ Cannabis Use And Psychosocial Functioning, Shannique Richards

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

The Moderating Roles of Racial Discrimination and COVID-19 Stress on the Association between College Students’ Cannabis Use and Psychosocial Functioning

By

Shannique Richards, MA

Advisor: Sarah O’Neill, PhD

Greater use of cannabis is linked to poorer psychosocial outcomes. Rates of cannabis use are particularly high in racial/ethnic minoritized (REM) and socioeconomically disadvantaged college students. Cannabis use has been correlated with exposure to trauma. REM and socioeconomically disadvantaged college students report higher rates of trauma exposure, including discrimination and health and social disparities than their White peers. This study examined exposure to two types of potentially traumatic events (racial discrimination …

The Socio-Political History Of Cannabis In Costa Rica, Winston C. Grady

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The socio-political history of cannabis in Costa Rica is one of external global influence; from colonization to independence; from neocolonialism to neoliberalism. Cannabis in Costa Rica has gone from failed agricultural crop to non-indigenous intoxicant import to controversial cultural mainstay. As Mexico influenced cannabis prohibition in the United States, so too has the U.S. approach to cannabis prohibition influenced Costa Rica. Costa Rica now grapples with attempting to reorient its general anti-cannabis status quo to one of regulated marketplace acceptance. My research findings indicate that cannabis originally entered Costa Rica in the late 19^th century by way of imported …

Cannabis Cues And Effects On Social Anxiety, Erica Steinberg

All Master's Theses

Prior research has shown that individuals experiencing social anxiety may use cannabis for self-medication; therefore, the current study evaluated if viewing cannabis cues would reduce feelings of social anxiety. Central Washington University undergraduates enrolled in psychology courses (n = 124; 66.7% female; M_age = 19.8, SD_age = 4.7) were shown cannabis cues after viewing expressive facial images that prior research has shown induces feelings of social anxiety. Contrary to prior research, the current study found that emotional faces did not significantly affect state-trait anxiety as measured by the 6-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) but that trait social …

Examining Genetically-Informed Etiologic Models Of Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Recreational Cannabis Use Among College Students, Terrell A. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

The college years encompass a period of increased risk recreational cannabis use (RCU), as well as a time of increased risk for trauma exposure and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Given the high co-occurrence between RCU and PTSD, and the potentially negative consequences of the two (e.g., worse academic outcomes), there is a need to understand the etiologic mechanisms of these commonly co-occurring conditions. Two primary phenotypic models exist: self-medication model (i.e., PTSD to RCU) and the high-risk model (i.e., RCU to PTSD). To date, there are two existing studies longitudinally examining the etiologic models proposed to explain co-occurring RCU …

Highlighting The Disconnect Between Legislation And Sustainable Cannabis, Johnathon A. Macias

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Current legislation takes little regard for two major issues challenging the cannabis industry. The carbon footprint and legislation of cannabis are looked at where it is realized that neither is currently sustainable long-term. Solutions that require social responsibility from the legislation to preserve the culture and industry are delved into.

The Impact Of Cannabis On Motivational Processes For Smoked Tobacco And Cigarettes, Claire M. Gorey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis and tobacco are very commonly used across the United States. Given the high prevalence of their dual use, an important health consequence of cannabis is its impact on tobacco usage rates. After all, cigarettes are a leading cause of death in the United States. Theoretical models of drug abuse suggest that cannabis cues and intoxication may be responsible for enhanced smoked tobacco/cigarette motivation. Therefore, the present research sought to assess these routes via two studies. In study 1 (validation & cross-drug cue effects), researchers validated a set of realistic cannabis images among a sample of participants residing in the …

Associations Between Cannabis, Psychosis, And Schizophrenia In Adolescents, Lauren Moment

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research

The effects of cannabis use on the brain, mind, and body have been studied for decades. The developing brain, particularly the adolescent and young adult brain, undergoes critical development that makes it especially susceptible to the effects of cannabis use. Among the adverse effects of cannabis use in adolescence and young adulthood, psychosis and psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia) have been examined. The association of cannabis use with schizophrenia was first elucidated in a Swedish study of army conscripts. Specifically, conscripts reported their cannabis use exposure and were followed longitudinally to assess the emergence of schizophrenia. The authors found that those …

The Impact Of Cannabis Use On Neuropsychological And Neural Biomarkers Of Treatment Response In Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Melanie B. Thies

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cannabis use among patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD) is at significantly greater levels than in healthy populations but the impact of cannabis on neural mechanisms of clinical improvement is poorly understood. Cognitive functioning and neural connectivity are disrupted as a result of both SSD and cannabis use, and research indicates that neuropsychological capacity and connectivity of the striatum, a region involved in salience and reward processing, may be integral to effective antipsychotic drug (AP) treatment response. Despite this overlap, no previous research has investigated the effect of cannabis on the brain functions implicated in AP treatment response. The present study …

The Nonprofit Sector And Cannabis Industry: Creating Cross-Sector Partnerships For A Sustainable And Equitable Future In New Jersey And Beyond, Abigail Rose Perl

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Cannabis industry is currently rolling out a legal industry, medical and recreational, across the United States. While some state legislators are celebrating legalization as a success alongside Multi-State Operators (MSOs), Legacy operators, or those involved in the Cannabis industry prior to legalization, have yet to bask in the benefits of legalizations as their corporate successors. Even more so, those who have faced adversities or have been criminalized by Cannabis have yet to see the benefit of Cannabis than many MSOs do. While legislators try to reverse the wrongdoings of the War On Drugs set out by our own government, …

Cannabis Sleep Aid Use In Daily College Life: An Intensive Longitudinal Assessment Approach, Patricia A. Goodhines

Dissertations - ALL

Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that college cannabis sleep aid use may increase vulnerability to diurnal impairment, despite proximal sleep-related benefits. In contrast, relatively little is known about proximal precipitants of cannabis sleep aid use in daily college life. The identification of modifiable, situational intervention points preceding cannabis sleep aid use in daily college life is critical to accelerate the development of college harm reduction efforts. This 14-night mixed methods study tested temporal associations of THC-based cannabis sleep aid use with cognitive arousal-based precipitants (consistent with cognitive theory of insomnia) and sleep outcomes.

Method: Daily diary (pre-sleep and waking) and actigraphy …

Review Of Cannabis Use Among Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People, Julia Butt, Mandy Wilson, Jocelyn Jones, Simon Lenton

Journal of the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

The health effects of cannabis use may not always be seen as a high priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. However, the impact of cannabis use on physical and mental health can have significant consequences. It is known that the use of high potency cannabis has increased over the last two decades, with a corresponding increased risk to health. In particular, young people are at increased risk of experiencing harms to mental health. Physical harms to health include effects on the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, an increased risk of cancer, and in-utero effects from maternal use. The review …

Externalizing Behavior Predicts Differential Patterns Of Substance Use Among Adolescents By Race, Andrea Palacios

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Externalizing Behavior Predicts Differential Patterns of Substance Use among Adolescents by Race

Early substance use is associated with negative developmental outcomes and chronic disease. Adolescent externalizing behavior (e.g., rule-breaking, lying, aggression) is a consistent predictor of adolescent substance use. However, the association between externalizing behavior and different substances (e.g., alcohol, cannabis, nicotine) is unclear. It is important to clarify these relationships by race as previous research has demonstrated that substance use risk factors for Black youth differ from those for White youth, with whom much research has been conducted.

Non-Hispanic Black (n=16) and White (n = 20) adolescents ages 14-18 …

Devil’S Lettuce Or Heaven Sent? How The Legalization Of Recreational Cannabis Impacts Rates Of Schizophrenia In Washington State., Elizabeth C. Lucas

Honors Projects

Washington State legalized the manufacturing, processing, and distribution of recreational cannabis with the passing of Initiative 502 in November of 2012. As of 2021, there are over 500 retail stores with active licenses to sell (Cannabis License Applicants, 2021). Since then, public opinion polls and state-wide surveys have found a steady increase in the percentage of the population using cannabis, including children under the age of 18. Schizophrenia is a complex disease thought to be influenced by several genetic and environmental factors. The association between cannabis use and the development of schizophrenia has been well documented (Marconi et al., 2016 …

Provincial Cannabis Legislation, Regulation, And Licensing: Its Effectiveness And Impacts On Municipalities In Ontario, Rami Farag

Major Papers

The legalization of cannabis has been a controversial topic within the last two decades in many developed states. The legalization brought medicinal benefits, economic opportunity, and a projected decrease in organized crime. It has, however, also prompted new challenges for different levels of government. In Canada, legalization was a federal decision that was then regulated by provincial governments. However, local governments were on the receiving end of both federal and provincial legislation and regulations that often restricted municipal autonomy with respect to cannabis.

This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the legal and regulatory framework of retail cannabis …

The Effects Of Cannabis On Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, And Cognition In Young Adults, Catharine Trice

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Cannabis legalization is increasing steadily in the United States, coinciding with an increase in recreational use and THC potency. Chronic cannabis use is associated with altered sleep structure and mild cognitive deficits in learning and memory compared to non-users. Researchers have found evidence that chronic administration of THC disrupts circadian signaling on the molecular level (Lafaye et al., 2019), while others propose that chronic cannabis use may act as a signaling cue for rhythmicity (Whitehurst et al., 2015). This conceptual replication of Whitehurst’s study investigates the effects of chronic cannabis use on sleep, circadian rhythm, and cognitive performance of young …

Exploring Parent And Peer Support As A Predictor Of Adolescent Adjustment During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Madeleine M. Macdonald

Undergraduate Honours Theses

Research has demonstrated that adolescents’ social relationships have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Ayers et al., 2021). Considering adolescence is characterized by a need for peer belonging and autonomy from parents, isolation from peers has been particularly challenging (Magson et al., 2021). Prior literature has noted the ability of parent connectedness to promote resiliency and instill self-care practices (Bender & Ingram, 2018), and for peers to provide additional necessary support and feelings of belongingness (Brown & Larson, 2009). Information on whether the same outcomes can result during the pandemic remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to …

Examining The Influence Of A Negative Affect Induction Task On Self-Reported Cannabis Use, Expectancies, And Problems, Brianna Rose Altman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Substance use disorders and affective disturbances often covary. One commonly endorsed expectancy for substance use is stress relief, and using substances to cope with negative affect (NA) often covaries with greater use and problems. While strong evidence of these relations exists, NA might bias reporting of substance use due to hindered recall processes. This hypothesis warrants further research, as accurate reporting of substance-related variables is crucial in both research and treatment settings. The present study examined the influence of NA on reporting of cannabis variables using an affect-induction paradigm. Over 1,000 individuals recruited from Amazon’s MTurk participated. After reporting demographics …

Impact Of Far-Red Light Supplementation On Yield And Growth Of Cannabis Sativa, Thomas Benjamin Carter

Masters Theses

Far-red light(700-780nm) induces shade avoidance response in many different species of plants. The shade avoidance response triggers a number of changes in the plant such as cell expansion and stem elongation. This cell expansion has shown to increase yields in leafy greens and increase flower set in tomatoes. Despite there being a void in the literature for Cannabis sativa, far-red lights are often advertised to provide several benefits. This study will evaluate the effects of far-red light supplementation on the yield and height of Cannabis sativa. Five cannabis clones were grown under white (410-730nm) light emitting diodes (LED’s) at …

Cannabigerol Causes A Cb1 Receptor-Dependent Reduction In Food Consumption And Weight Gain, Jack Jones, Josh Kaplan

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Slides describing work leading up to a professional scientific poster, created and presented at psych fest depicting my last two years of work in Dr. Kaplan's BNS lab. I included a reflection paper discussing my time at Western.

At The End Of The Day We All Want To Get High, Karolina Barrientos

Senior Theses and Projects

The consumption of cannabis is nothing new to college campuses and with the legalization of cannabis in Connecticut, it will for certain continue at Trinity College. However historically research centered on cannabis has focused on its negative impacts and not on its benefits or its impact on positive experiences. In examining my habitus, Trinity College, through a sociological lens, I wanted to examine the interactions once builds on campus in relation to cannabis and uncover is it is racialized in any way. Trinity as inherent white supremacist institution, and the experiences of students of color often differ from their white …

The Green Wave: Effects Of Legal Marijuana On The Labor Market., Sara Varon

Honors Theses

In this paper I examine the relationship between the introduction of recreational marijuana laws and the labor market. First, using Google Trends data I find evidence that states that undergo the treatment of recreational marijuana legalization will likely experience a large and significant increase in search volume terms related to marijuana demand following the implementation of marijuana regulations. Using this same data set, I find support for the theory that as marijuana legalization becomes more entrenched within each individual state, public interest for marijuana also increases which allows for the use of Google Trends data as a proxy for legalization …

Hemp In The United States: An Analysis Of Policy And Consumption, Amanda Falkner

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

As highlighted by its history, the association between hemp and marijuana has proven to be a barrier to success for industrial hemp production for decades. Once a prevalent agricultural crop in the United States, prohibitive legislation discouraged its production and formally made hemp an illegal crop in 1970. Consequently, hemp and its myriad applications remained underutilized by the United States for over forty years. It wasn’t until the 2014 Farm Bill that hemp production was reintroduced as an option for farmers. This hemp hiatus has created the need for interdisciplinary research in order for the market for the crop to …