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In collaboration with our national and international colleagues, we have just updated the lower-risk cannabis use guidelines according to the most recent evidence. Remember that the only way to avoid the harms associated with cannabis is to completely abstain from consuming it. For those who would like to consume it, it is safer to delay initiation of use as late in life as possible. For those who consume it, choosing products with a low THC content and/or high CBD: THC ratios which are administered by other routes than inhalation, reducing the frequency of consumption and refraining from driving a motorized vehicle after using cannabis are behaviours that reduce the risk of harms. Among the changes since 2017, we note the advice to stop or decrease (the intensity, the frequency of) cannabis use in people with cognitive impairments in order to improve their cognitive performances and to use legal cannabis products and/or devices that are quality controlled. Read the original open access article in the International Journal of Drug Policy.   

The CHAMPS study begins this month at our partner site, the JAP clinic affiliated with the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal. This pilot clinical trial aims to assess the acceptability and efficacy of the new CHAMPS (Cannabis Harm-Reducing App for Managing Practices Safely) smartphone app aimed at reducing cannabis-related harms in 100 young cannabis users with psychotic disorders who are followed in clinics for first psychotic episodes. Recruitment is by invitation only and will continue at our four other partner sites across Canada (Alberta, Nova Scotia, Quebec) until 2023. To find out more about this project, see the study webpage or the clinicaltrials.gov website.

This month, Gabriel shares the results of his survey (DEP-TAO) on treatment preferences for depression in people with an opioid use disorder. Of the 165 participants surveyed, almost a third preferred in-person psychotherapy and another third preferred the combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants. Only antidepressants were preferred by a quarter of the participants. The majority had a penchant for psychotherapy lasting longer than 40 min offered directly in clinics treating opioid use disorder. Additionally, females and individuals with less education had a stronger preference for in-person psychotherapy rather than online psychotherapy. These findings underscore the importance of providing multiple treatment options for depression directly in opioid use disorder clinics to meet patient preferences. See an infographic of the results here or read the scientific article published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

This month marks the end of the construction of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). More than 10 years of work at a cost of $ 3.6 billion were required for its creation which happened in three phases. The last phase included the construction of complementary buildings such as the outpatient clinics, office spaces, library and amphitheatre. The amphitheatre was named Pierre Péladeau following a donation of $15 million from his family to the CHUM Foundation for research and teaching. The CHUM has become a leading figure among francophone hospitals in North America, reaching the first rank as a smart hospital in Canada (56th in the world). Our team took the opportunity to move into new premises located on the 4th and 5th floors of the research centre.

As part of the 22nd congress of students, trainees and residents of the CRCHUM on May 6th, come learn about the most recent work happening in our laboratory during presentations by Ovidiu Tatar, Sarah Drouin and Florence Morissette. Through his poster, Ovidiu will reveal the details of his qualitative study on preferences for technology-based psychotherapeutic interventions, the result of focus groups with clinicians and patients with a first psychotic episode and with cannabis use disorder. Sarah will present her poster on vulnerability to cannabis-related harms by sources of supply, such as the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC). Finally, Florence will explain the anti-inflammatory effects of cannabidiol seen in individuals with a cocaine use disorder. Events not to be missed!

This month, Ovidiu, PhD student, shares the results of a recently published study aiming at exploring patient and clinician opinions related to the use of technology-based psychological interventions (e.g., smart phone app) for decreasing cannabis use. Discussions with 10 young adults with first episode psychosis and cannabis use disorder and 10 clinicians revealed important factors that should be addressed to increase the acceptability of technology-based psychological interventions. These factors include patient treatment needs (e.g., stress reduction, higher cannabis knowledge), psychological interventions considered effective by clinicians (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy), specific needs from the application (e.g., communication, informational videos, logbook to monitor cannabis use), etc. This study is novel in that it encourages a collaborative approach to treatment by including both patient and clinician opinions and preferences. We encourage you to read and share the article available in Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research.

The week of March 13th to 20th, 2021, celebrates the 18th edition of Schizophrenia Days. To underline the research efforts on this disorder, the Technopsy’21 event offers an hour of conference per day (from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.) on new technologies in support of psychoses, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and associated comorbidities. On March 17th, come and hear Didier Jutras-Aswad presents the CHAMPS smartphone application under development in our laboratory, which helps individuals who have experienced a first psychotic episode to prevent the harms associated with their cannabis use. The free event will be held in French and will take place online. To register, follow this link.

According to the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, between March and June 2020, overdose-related deaths were up 51% compared to the same period the year before. This is some of the disturbing data presented in a text by Quebec Science, for which Dr. Jutras-Aswad was interviewed, which exposes the ravages of the pandemic on people with concurrent disorders. As in all sectors of society, COVID-19 has altered professionals’ practices of working in the field of mental health, allowing spectacular advances in telemedicine and making patient follow-up more flexible. However, the sanitary crisis persists and its harmful effects, such as increased delays before treatment, are not about to be resolved. To read here.

As part of the reform of the Police Law, the Ministère de la Sécurité publique is currently conducting public hearings on police reality. Since many people with mental health and / or drug addiction seek police assistance when they are in crisis, police officers must adjust to their vulnerability. It is with enthusiasm that Dr. Jutras-Aswad shared his expertise in concurrent disorders during these hearings in order to better equip police officers. He particularly welcomes their innovative approaches such as mixed patrols including social workers (e.g. psychosocial emergency support team) and maintains that continuing education in mental health is crucial for the professional development of police officers in order to reflect the changing reality of the most vulnerable people. You can watch his presentation here or read our report by clicking this link.

Three people out of four with opioid use disorder will develop a depression during their lifetime. To know more about these co-occurring disorders, join us for a free lunch conference organized by the Institut Universitaire sur les Dépendances on December 1st, from noon to 1pm. During this webinar, the researcher Didier Jutras-Aswad and the social worker Jean-Nicolas Proulx will share the latest data from research simultaneously examining depression and opioid use disorder.

To register, please click here.