Healio (1/28, Mahoney ) reports, “Adults aged 18 to 49 years who used cannabis for medical reasons had higher rates of cannabis use disorder [CUD] compared with adults who only used cannabis recreationally, according to a research letter.” The investigators said, “Clinicians should consider addiction risk before recommending medical cannabis and, if they do, should monitor for CUD emergence.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Medical cannabis use still linked to addiction,”Moira Mahoney, Healio, January 28, 2025

Cardiovascular Business (1/27, Walter ) reports that “according to a new in-depth analysis…regular cannabis use increases a person’s risk of multiple adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including myocardial infarction, arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy.” The data indicated that the “risks appear to become more severe depending on how often the drug is used.” The findings were published in Nature Reviews Cardiology.

Related Links:

— “Yes, physicians warn, cannabis is bad for the heart,”Michael Walter, Cardiovascular Business, January 27, 2025

The AP (1/27, Stobbe ) reports, “More adults are being diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.” Diagnoses have been increasing “for decades but seem to have accelerated in the last few years.” One study published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report “suggested that more than 15 million U.S. adults – roughly 1 in 17 – have been diagnosed with ADHD.” ADHD “always starts in childhood, but about half of adults with it are diagnosed when they are 18 or older.” Some physicians “say the number of people coming in for evaluation is skyrocketing.”

Related Links:

— “Rise in diagnoses is prompting more US adults to ask: ‘Do I have ADHD?’,”Mike Stobbe , AP, January 27, 2025

HCPlive (1/25, Derman) reported, “A new study found women experience more severe early PTSD symptoms than men, with re-experiencing and avoidance symptoms identified as the strongest and most interconnected symptom clusters.” The researchers said their “findings underscore the importance of understanding both gender similarities and possible differences in the development of early PTSD symptoms.” The investigators added, “Such understanding may provide valuable insights into the mechanisms driving later development of PTSD.” The findings were published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology.

Related Links:

— “Study Identifies Gender Differences in Early PTSD Symptoms,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, January 25, 2025

The AP (1/22, Stobbe , Aleccia , Perrone ) reports, “federal health agency communications with the public” have been put on a freeze “through at least the end of the month.” According to the Associated Press, agency staff leaders were told in a Tuesday memo that “an ‘immediate pause’ had been ordered.” In addition to public communications, the pause “also applies to anything intended to be published in the Federal Register, where the executive branch communicates rules and regulations, and the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientific publication.”

Related Links:

— “Trump administration freezes many health agency reports and online posts,”Mike Stobbe and Jonel Aleccia , AP, January 22, 2025

HealthDay (1/23, Thompson ) reports research indicates that “pregnancy increases the risk of mental illness among women with multiple sclerosis (MS).” Investigators found that “pregnant MS patients have a higher risk of mental illness both during gestation and in the first years after they give birth, researchers” found. The data indicated that “overall, women with MS have a 26% increased risk of mental illness during pregnancy and a 33% increased risk after giving birth, compared to women without” MS. The research was published in Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Pregnancy Increases Mental Health Risk in MS Patients,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 23, 2025

HCPlive (1/23, Derman) reports, “A recent study reported that sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic use disorders diagnoses increased 3- to 5-fold between 2001 and 2019 for adolescents and young adults.” Researchers found that “the prevalence of these diagnoses was low in adolescents.” The findings were published in Addiction.

Related Links:

— “Sedative, Hypnotic, Anxiolytic Use Disorders Rose from 2001 to 2019 in Young Adults,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, January 23, 2025

MedPage Today (1/22, Smyth) reports, “Intermittent explosive disorder (IED), characterized by impulsive aggression and poorly regulated emotional control, was associated with multiple classes of comorbidities, an analysis of 117.7 million healthcare records showed.” Out “of 30,000 individuals with an IED diagnosis during their lifetime, 95.7% had at least one other psychiatric diagnosis.” Researchers found that “all psychiatric subcategories and 92% of psychiatric diagnoses were significantly associated with IED, with hazard ratios ranging from 2.1 for substance use disorder to 76.6 for disorders of adult personality and behavior.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

USA Today (1/21, Snider ) reports, “Nearly half of Americans (49%) say they plan to drink less [alcohol] in 2025 – up from 41% who said that was their plan in 2024, according to a new survey, released Tuesday, commissioned by advertising and sales measurement technology firm NCSolutions.” The survey found that Generation Z, made up of “adults ages 18 to 28,” is “leading the way,” as almost two-thirds of them “(65%) say they plan to drink less in 2025.” Almost “four out of 10 in Gen Z (39%) said they will adopt a dry lifestyle in 2025.” Additionally, Gen Z and millennials “are more likely to try alternatives to alcohol such as THC drinks, marijuana and edibles.”

Related Links:

— “What will we be drinking in 2025? Americans are chasing moderation,”Mike Snider, USA Today, January 21, 2025