Testing the level of response to alcohol-based model of heavy drinking and alcohol problems in offspring from the San Diego Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE: The low level of response (LR) to alcohol, an endophenotype related to heavy drinking and alcohol problems, influences the risk for alcoholism in the context of additional life domains. This article evaluates an LR-based model of drinking patterns in 113 drinking offspring, ages 12 to 24 years, from the San Diego Prospective Study. METHOD: Correlations and structural equation models (SEMs) were evaluated using LR as measured from the Self-Report of the Effects of Alcohol questionnaire in the offspring. The expectations of the effects of alcohol (EXPECT), the perception of drinking in peers (PEER), the use of alcohol to cope with stress (COPE), and the drinking quantities and alcohol-related problems (ALCOUT) were evaluated in the SEM. RESULTS: The LR-based model worked well, with good fit characteristics and 78% of the variance of outcome explained. LR related directly to ALCOUT, with additional mediation of that relationship through EXPECT and COPE. CONCLUSIONS: The LR-based model performed well in adolescents from the San Diego Prospective Study. Knowledge of which domains mediate how LR impacts alcohol-related outcomes may be useful in developing more focused and potentially more effective prevention approaches.     

Efficacy and safety of paediatric medicinal cannabis use: A scoping review

IntroductionThe use of medicinal cannabis in the paediatric age group is increasing despite the lack of evidence for its efficacy or safety.ObjectiveTo map the available evidence on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis in children and adolescents.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review and searched six electronic databases and grey literature. A study was eligible for inclusion when it investigated the efficacy or safety of medicinal cannabis for any condition, more than half of the participants were 0 to 18 years old, and had any study design except single case reports.ResultsWe included 36 studies in our final analysis, 32 of which investigated the efficacy or safety of cannabis in treatment-resistant epilepsy. The remaining 4 studies examined patients with cancer, dysautonomia, Epidermolysis Bullosa, and motor disorders.ConclusionsThere is a lack of evidence on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis in most paediatric conditions.