Cannabis: A self-medication drug for weight management? The never ending story

Francesco Saverio Bersani, Rita Santacroce, Marialuce Coviello, Claudio Imperatori, Marta Francesconi, Roberto Vicinanza, Amedeo Minichino, Ornella Corazza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In a society highly focused on physical appearance, people are increasingly using the so-called performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs) or life-style drugs as an easy way to control weight. Preliminary data from online sources (e.g. websites, drug forums, e-newsletters) suggest an increased use of cannabis amongst the general population as a PIED due to its putative weight-loss properties. The use of cannabis and/or cannabis-related products to lose weight may represent a new substance-use trend that should be carefully monitored and adequately investigated, especially in light of the well-known adverse psychiatric and somatic effects of cannabis, its possible interaction with other medications/drugs and the unknown and potentially dangerous composition of synthetic cannabimimetics preparations. Data from online sources suggest an increased use of cannabis amongst the general population as a "performance and image-enhancing drug" due to its putative weight-loss properties. The use of cannabis and/or cannabis-related products to lose weight may represent a new substance-use trend that should be carefully monitored and adequately investigated, especially in light of the well-known adverse psychiatric and somatic effects of cannabis, its possible interaction with other medications/drugs and the potentially dangerous composition of synthetic cannabimimetics preparations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)177-179
Number of pages3
JournalDrug Testing and Analysis
Volume8
Issue number2
Early online date12 Oct 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2016

Keywords

  • Cannabis
  • Image-enhancing drugs
  • Weight loss

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