Veterans with PTSD describe their experiences using medical cannabis
In a focus group of seven military veterans with chronic PTSD, participants reported using medical cannabis primarily for symptom management, especially sleep improvement, without seeking intoxication.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Seven veterans with chronic PTSD treated with medical cannabis participated in a focus group. They reported using cannabis to manage symptoms rather than to get high, used varied strains and doses, and highlighted improved sleep quality as a key benefit. Their partners corroborated these observations. Stigma surrounding cannabis use was identified as a significant barrier to initiation.
Key Numbers
7 veterans with chronic PTSD; 4 partners also participated; 5 themes identified related to consideration, initiation, usage, discontinuation, and general aspects of medical cannabis.
How They Did This
Qualitative focus group study with 7 military veterans with chronic PTSD using medical cannabis, plus 4 of their partners. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis.
Why This Research Matters
PTSD is common among veterans and current medications have limited efficacy. Understanding how veterans actually use and experience medical cannabis provides valuable context for designing future clinical trials.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that veterans prioritize symptom management over intoxication challenges stereotypes about cannabis use. The stigma barrier suggests that even where medical cannabis is legal, social and institutional attitudes may limit access.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small qualitative sample (n=7); no control group; self-selected participants who were already using medical cannabis; qualitative data cannot establish efficacy.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would these patterns hold in larger, more diverse veteran samples?
- ?How does stigma compare across different military branches and countries?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Veterans prioritized symptom management over intoxication
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: very small qualitative sample; provides rich descriptive data but cannot establish efficacy.
- Study Age:
- Published 2020.
- Original Title:
- Experiences with medical cannabis in the treatment of veterans with PTSD: Results from a focus group discussion.
- Published In:
- European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 36, 244-254 (2020)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02658
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What benefit did veterans report most from medical cannabis?
Improved sleep quality was the most consistently reported therapeutic benefit among the seven veterans in the focus group.
Did veterans use cannabis to get high?
No. Participants specifically stated they used medical cannabis to manage PTSD symptoms and did not experience an urge to get high.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02658APA
Krediet, Erwin; Janssen, Debbie Ga; Heerdink, Eibert R; Egberts, Toine Cg; Vermetten, Eric. (2020). Experiences with medical cannabis in the treatment of veterans with PTSD: Results from a focus group discussion.. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 36, 244-254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.04.009
MLA
Krediet, Erwin, et al. "Experiences with medical cannabis in the treatment of veterans with PTSD: Results from a focus group discussion.." European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.04.009
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Experiences with medical cannabis in the treatment of vetera..." RTHC-02658. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/krediet-2020-experiences-with-medical-cannabis
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.