Lead: Adolescent cannabis use disorder following recreational cannabis legalization in California, USA: A population-based interrupted time series studyLead: Adolescent cannabis use disorder following recreational cannabis legalization in California, USA: A population-based interrupted time series study
This Week in Addiction Medicine from ASAM
A news-style briefing reviews recent research on cannabis, alcohol, ADHD, opioid treatment, harm reduction, and in-hospital substance use. The episode focuses on measured findings and implications for clinical practice and public health around addiction.
7:50•29 Sept 2026
Cannabis, ADHD, and Harm Reduction: Fresh Research in Addiction Medicine
Episode Overview
- Adolescent cannabis use disorder in California shifted from declining to increasing after recreational cannabis legalisation, underscoring the need to monitor clinical outcomes as well as use rates.
- Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is linked to chronic heavy cannabis use and is reported to resolve after stopping cannabis, with management centred on supportive care and long-term abstinence.
- Cannabis use is associated with increased odds of sleep apnoea and loud snoring, though researchers stress these findings do not prove causality and call for further objective studies.
- Exposure to and engagement with alcohol-related user-generated social media content appears associated with alcohol use among young people, with patterns differing across age and use subgroups.
- A diagnosis of ADHD is associated with several substance use disorders and earlier onset of substance use, and patient-centred approaches to in-hospital substance use may improve trust and care quality.
“Authors note these findings highlight the importance of monitoring CUD outcomes along with use prevalence to assess public health impacts of cannabis legalization.”
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? This weekly briefing from "This Week in Addiction Medicine" gives you a fast, evidence-based snapshot of how substances affect people’s lives, from adolescents experimenting with cannabis to adults living with chronic conditions and complex social pressures. You’ll hear host Zach Caruso walk through several recent studies, starting with a headline piece on adolescent cannabis use disorder in California.
Researchers tracked trends from 2014 to 2020 and spotted a worrying change: rates of cannabis use disorder among adolescents had been going down, but started climbing again after recreational cannabis legalisation.
As Zach quotes, "Authors note these findings highlight the importance of monitoring CUD outcomes along with use prevalence to assess public health impacts of cannabis legalization." The episode then shifts to clinical complications of cannabis, including cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome – severe nausea and vomiting that can improve after stopping cannabis – and possible links between cannabis use and sleep-disordered breathing like sleep apnoea and loud snoring. Alcohol and social media also get serious attention.
A systematic review on user-generated content looks at how alcohol-related posts and self-made content are associated with drinking among young people, with different patterns across younger teens, university students, heavy social media users, and non-drinkers. For anyone interested in mental health and addiction, the section on ADHD and substance use disorders stands out. Data from the Yale-Penn cohort suggest people with ADHD have higher odds of several substance use disorders and tend to start using earlier.
Rounding things off, Zach covers research on medications for opioid use disorder and child removals, rapid extended-release buprenorphine in shelter-based harm reduction settings, and in-hospital substance use, highlighting how patient-centred responses can reduce mistrust and improve care. If you’re looking for concise science to inform treatment, policy, or your own recovery story, could this be your next go-to listen?
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