Review explores cannabis as potential treatment for PTSD and co-occurring substance use disorders
Cannabis has been reported as a coping tool for PTSD patients, and preliminary legalization data suggest it may reduce use of more harmful drugs, but rigorous clinical trials are needed.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis has received attention for potential to help PTSD patients, many of whom do not respond to current pharmacological treatments. PTSD commonly co-occurs with substance use disorder, complicating treatment. Preliminary legalization data indicate cannabis use may reduce use of more harmful drugs like opioids.
Key Numbers
No specific effect sizes; the review summarizes preliminary evidence and identifies the need for rigorous clinical studies.
How They Did This
Narrative review examining the evidence for cannabinoids in PTSD and substance use disorders, including observational data from legalization contexts.
Why This Research Matters
PTSD is a leading psychiatric disorder with limited effective pharmacotherapy, and its frequent co-occurrence with substance use disorder creates a challenging treatment landscape where new approaches are needed.
The Bigger Picture
If cannabis-based medicines prove effective for PTSD while also reducing reliance on more harmful substances, they could address two problems simultaneously for a population with limited treatment options.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Primarily anecdotal and observational evidence; no completed large-scale RCTs of cannabis for PTSD at time of publication; self-medication with cannabis carries its own risks.
Questions This Raises
- ?Which cannabinoid formulations are most appropriate for PTSD?
- ?Can cannabis-based treatments reduce opioid use while managing PTSD symptoms?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Most PTSD patients do not respond to current pharmacological treatment
- Evidence Grade:
- Narrative review of largely preliminary and observational evidence without completed large RCTs.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020.
- Original Title:
- Cannabinoids as an Emerging Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorders.
- Published In:
- Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society, 37(1), 28-34 (2020)
- Authors:
- Cohen, Jacob, Wei, Zelan, Phang, Jonathan, Laprairie, Robert B, Zhang, Yanbo
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02474
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can cannabis treat PTSD?
The review notes that cannabis has been reported as a coping tool by PTSD patients and that some preliminary data are promising, but rigorous clinical trials have not yet been completed. Self-medication with cannabis is different from evidence-based cannabinoid therapy.
Could cannabis replace opioids for PTSD patients?
Preliminary legalization data suggest cannabis access may reduce use of more harmful drugs. However, whether this substitution is therapeutic or simply a shift in self-medication patterns requires further study.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02474APA
Cohen, Jacob; Wei, Zelan; Phang, Jonathan; Laprairie, Robert B; Zhang, Yanbo. (2020). Cannabinoids as an Emerging Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorders.. Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society, 37(1), 28-34. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNP.0000000000000612
MLA
Cohen, Jacob, et al. "Cannabinoids as an Emerging Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorders.." Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNP.0000000000000612
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabinoids as an Emerging Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress..." RTHC-02474. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cohen-2020-cannabinoids-as-an-emerging
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.