Review concludes cannabinoids are not ready as medicines except for rare epilepsy and MS spasticity
After reviewing 30 years of published research, the authors concluded that CBD and other cannabinoids are not ready for formal medical indications beyond rare childhood epilepsy and THC/CBD for MS-related spasticity.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Current research shows CBD and other cannabinoids are not ready for formal indications as medicines to treat the wide range of conditions promoted, except for limited use of CBD for two rare forms of childhood epilepsy and CBD combined with THC for MS-associated spasticity.
Key Numbers
30 years of literature reviewed. Two formally supported indications: CBD for rare childhood epilepsy, CBD/THC for MS spasticity. Multiple conditions promoted but lacking sufficient clinical trial evidence.
How They Did This
Review of published papers over the past 30 years from PubMed and Google Scholar databases, evaluating clinical evidence from well-designed studies and trials supporting cannabinoid use as medicines.
Why This Research Matters
Many states and countries have legalized cannabinoid use as medicine without regulatory body approval for most conditions. This review provides a reality check on what the clinical evidence actually supports.
The Bigger Picture
The gap between what cannabinoids are marketed for and what clinical evidence supports continues to widen as more jurisdictions legalize medical cannabis. This review calls for more preclinical and clinical studies following regulatory guidelines.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Review methodology not fully described as systematic. May not capture all relevant clinical trials, particularly recent ones. The pace of new research may have shifted the evidence base since publication.
Questions This Raises
- ?Will the growing number of clinical trials change this assessment?
- ?Should states require more evidence before adding qualifying conditions to medical cannabis programs?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 30 years reviewed; only 2 indications formally supported
- Evidence Grade:
- Broad review of decades of literature, but methodology not described as fully systematic.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Review: Cannabinoids as Medicinals.
- Published In:
- Current addiction reports, 9(4), 630-646 (2022)
- Authors:
- Khalsa, Jag H, Bunt, Gregory(2), Blum, Kenneth(3), Maggirwar, Sanjay B, Galanter, Marc, Potenza, Marc N
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03956
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions does medical cannabis actually have evidence for?
After reviewing 30 years of research, this study found strong clinical evidence supports only CBD for two rare forms of childhood epilepsy and CBD/THC for MS-related spasticity. Many other promoted uses lack sufficient evidence.
Is CBD proven as a medicine?
CBD has regulatory approval for treating rare childhood epilepsy and shows potential for multiple conditions, but the review concluded that more rigorous clinical trials are needed before recommending it for other conditions.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03956APA
Khalsa, Jag H; Bunt, Gregory; Blum, Kenneth; Maggirwar, Sanjay B; Galanter, Marc; Potenza, Marc N. (2022). Review: Cannabinoids as Medicinals.. Current addiction reports, 9(4), 630-646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-022-00438-3
MLA
Khalsa, Jag H, et al. "Review: Cannabinoids as Medicinals.." Current addiction reports, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-022-00438-3
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Review: Cannabinoids as Medicinals." RTHC-03956. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/khalsa-2022-review-cannabinoids-as-medicinals
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.