Recreational Cannabidiol: Awareness, Prevalence of use, and Associated Factors in a Representative Sample of the German Population.

BACKGROUND: Recreational cannabidiol (CBD) is frequently promoted as a medicinal or therapeutic cannabis product worldwide. Nationwide population-based data on awareness and use of recreational CBD are currently lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study estimates the prevalence of recreational CBD awareness and use among the population in Germany. It also explores potential associations with socio-demographic characteristics, tobacco smoking, and e-cigarette use. METHODS: We used data from a cross-sectional household survey (German Study on Tobacco Use, DEBRA) fielded across two waves in October-November 2020 and February-March 2021. Data were collected using computer-assisted face-to-face interviews among participants aged ≥14 years (n = 4026). Outcome variables were CBD awareness (yes/no) and CBD ever use (yes/no). The sample was weighted to ensure representativeness of the prevalence estimates. Associations with socio-demographic variables, tobacco smoking, and e-cigarette use were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Approximately half of the population in Germany (48.3%, 95% CI: 46.8-49.9) was aware of recreational CBD products, and 4.3% (95% CI: 3.7-5.0) had ever used them (including 1.1% current users). Awareness was associated with younger age, higher education levels, female sex, living in urban regions, no migration background, tobacco smoking, and e-cigarette use. Ever use was associated with higher education levels, living in urban regions, tobacco smoking, and e-cigarette use. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of recreational CBD products is high but ever use is currently low in Germany. Given the uncertain legal framework regarding the marketing of recreational CBD products, the changing retail landscape, and potential harms of CBD use, structured monitoring is warranted for public health purposes.

[Cognitive deterioration after cardiosurgery]. / Kognitive Störungen nach kardiochirurgischen Eingriffen.

Over 100,000 heart surgeries are performed in Germany annually. Although severe neurological complications like ischaemic strokes have meanwhile become rare occurrences, subtle neuropsychological changes are still frequently recognized after major heart surgeries. The hitherto unsolved problem of postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is portrayed in this article. Multifactorial aetiologies including microembolism and preoperative risk factors are supposed to play a significant role in POCD. A variety of neuroprotective strategies such as intraoperative microemboli filtration have been suggested to minimize cerebral risks. The utility of neuroprotective methods has recently been verified in randomized studies.