Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Approximately 40-74% of people living with Human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) infection report using cannabis to relieve anxiety and depression, disease-related symptoms or secondary effects of medications. HIV itself is known to have direct harmful effects on the central and peripheral nervous system which results in HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Cannabis use may influence the effects of HIV on the nervous system and impact neurocognitive processes. Similarly, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, cannabis may affect the immune system in turn impacting HIV disease progression. The 2 main themes of the inaugural symposium on cannabis and PLWH will be to review evidence on the effects of cannabis on 1) neurocognition and 2) immunomodulation in relation to HIV/SIV disease progression. Real-world evidence on the role of cannabis in reducing the harms of substance use disorders in PLWH from observational studies will be presented. The inaugural symposium on cannabis and PLWH directly assesses the CIHR HIV/AIDS initiative of expanding knowledge related to a chronic disease affecting over 75,000 Canadians and the role of inflammation. This symposium will facilitate knowledge exchange among key researchers in the field and emerging Canadian researchers, health care providers, trainees and community members. It will contribute to fostering international collaborations to develop a strategic research agenda on the effects of cannabis on neurocognition, inflammation and HIV disease progression in PLWH.