The arthritis drug celecoxib did not ease cannabis withdrawal and actually increased craving
A placebo-controlled study in 15 daily cannabis smokers found that the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib did not reduce withdrawal symptoms, did not change endocannabinoid levels, and increased cannabis craving.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Compared to placebo, celecoxib improved some subjective sleep measures but did not affect mood, cannabis self-administration, or circulating endocannabinoid levels. Celecoxib increased cannabis craving, suggesting it does not show promise as a pharmacotherapy for cannabis use disorder.
Key Numbers
15 participants (12M, 3F). Celecoxib 200 mg twice daily. Cannabis abstinence produced characteristic withdrawal (negative mood, anorexia, dreaming). Cannabis abstinence was associated with increased OEA and oleic acid but no change in endocannabinoid levels.
How They Did This
Placebo-controlled crossover study with 15 daily, non-treatment-seeking cannabis smokers (12 male, 3 female). Each participant completed two 11-day phases (placebo vs. celecoxib 200 mg BID) with a washout period of at least 14 days.
Why This Research Matters
There are currently no FDA-approved medications for cannabis use disorder. Blocking COX-2 was hypothesized to increase endocannabinoid levels and reduce withdrawal, but this study found the approach ineffective.
The Bigger Picture
While blocking FAAH (a different enzyme) has shown promise for cannabis withdrawal in earlier studies, blocking COX-2 does not appear to be a viable alternative pathway, narrowing the pharmacological options being explored.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (15 participants, only 3 female). Non-treatment-seeking population may not represent those trying to quit. Single dose of celecoxib tested.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why did celecoxib increase craving?
- ?Would higher doses or different COX-2 inhibitors produce different results?
- ?Is the FAAH pathway more promising than COX-2 for cannabis withdrawal treatment?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Celecoxib increased cannabis craving compared to placebo
- Evidence Grade:
- Placebo-controlled crossover design but very small sample size of 15 participants.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Impact of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition on cannabis withdrawal and circulating endocannabinoids in daily cannabis smokers.
- Published In:
- Addiction biology, 27(4), e13183 (2022)
- Authors:
- Haney, Margaret(22), Bedi, Gillinder(10), Cooper, Ziva D(28), Herrmann, Evan S, Reed, Stephanie Collins, Foltin, Richard W, Kingsley, Philip J, Marnett, Lawrence J, Patel, Sachin
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03901
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Are there medications for cannabis withdrawal?
No FDA-approved medications exist for cannabis withdrawal. This study tested celecoxib (a COX-2 inhibitor) and found it ineffective, though FAAH inhibitors have shown more promise in other research.
What does cannabis withdrawal look like?
In this study, four days without cannabis produced negative mood, reduced appetite, and increased dreaming in daily smokers, consistent with established withdrawal patterns.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03901APA
Haney, Margaret; Bedi, Gillinder; Cooper, Ziva D; Herrmann, Evan S; Reed, Stephanie Collins; Foltin, Richard W; Kingsley, Philip J; Marnett, Lawrence J; Patel, Sachin. (2022). Impact of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition on cannabis withdrawal and circulating endocannabinoids in daily cannabis smokers.. Addiction biology, 27(4), e13183. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13183
MLA
Haney, Margaret, et al. "Impact of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition on cannabis withdrawal and circulating endocannabinoids in daily cannabis smokers.." Addiction biology, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.13183
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Impact of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition on cannabis withdrawal..." RTHC-03901. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/haney-2022-impact-of-cyclooxygenase2-inhibition
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.