Full-Spectrum CBD Reduced Alcohol Cravings in Preliminary Trial
A pilot RCT found full-spectrum CBD (with small amounts of THC) reduced alcohol craving in people with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder, while broad-spectrum CBD without THC did not.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 44 participants with AUD randomized to full-spectrum CBD (with trace THC), broad-spectrum CBD (without THC), or placebo for 8 weeks, full-spectrum CBD reduced craving and AUD symptoms relative to both broad-spectrum CBD and placebo. Both CBD products were well tolerated with no significant differences in side effects.
Key Numbers
N=44 (13 full-spectrum, 15 broad-spectrum, 16 placebo). 8-week treatment. Full-spectrum CBD reduced craving but not drinks per drinking day. No significant side effect differences across groups.
How They Did This
Preliminary randomized trial of 44 adults with moderate-to-severe AUD, comparing 8 weeks of full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD (no THC), and placebo on drinking, craving, and safety outcomes.
Why This Research Matters
Alcohol use disorder has limited treatment options. If CBD can reduce craving, especially the full-spectrum form with trace THC, it could fill a major gap in AUD pharmacotherapy.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that full-spectrum (with THC) outperformed broad-spectrum (without THC) CBD suggests the trace THC component may be important, supporting the "entourage effect" hypothesis.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small pilot study not powered for definitive conclusions. Cannot determine optimal CBD dose. Commercial CBD products may vary in quality. Short 8-week duration. No long-term follow-up.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is the trace THC essential for the anti-craving effect?
- ?What is the optimal CBD dose for AUD?
- ?Would longer treatment reduce actual drinking, not just craving?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Full-spectrum CBD (with trace THC) reduced alcohol craving; broad-spectrum (no THC) did not
- Evidence Grade:
- Randomized controlled design but very small pilot sample limits conclusions. Replication needed.
- Study Age:
- 2025 pilot RCT exploring a novel use of CBD for alcohol use disorder.
- Original Title:
- A preliminary randomized trial of the safety, tolerability, and clinical effects of hemp-derived cannabidiol in alcohol use disorder.
- Published In:
- Frontiers in psychiatry, 16, 1516351 (2025)
- Authors:
- Mueller, Raeghan L(4), Hooper, Jake F, Ellingson, Jarrod M(6), Olsavsky, Aviva K, Rzasa-Lynn, Rachael, Bryan, Angela D, Bidwell, L Cinnamon, Hutchison, Kent E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07199
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can CBD help with alcohol addiction?
This small pilot study found full-spectrum CBD (containing trace amounts of THC) reduced craving in people with moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder. However, it did not reduce actual drinking amounts, and larger studies are needed.
Does it matter if CBD contains THC?
In this study, full-spectrum CBD with trace THC reduced craving while broad-spectrum CBD without THC did not. This suggests the small amount of THC may work synergistically with CBD, though more research is needed to confirm.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- CBD-oil-quality-guide
- anxiety-medication-after-quitting-weed
- cannabis-chemotherapy-nausea
- cannabis-chronic-pain-research
- cannabis-epilepsy-CBD-Epidiolex
- cbd-anxiety-research-evidence
- cbd-for-weed-withdrawal
- cbd-vs-thc-difference
- medical-benefits-of-cannabis
- quitting-weed-before-surgery
- quitting-weed-medication-interactions
- quitting-weed-pregnancy
- quitting-weed-pregnant
- seniors-older-adults-cannabis-risks-medications
- weed-breastfeeding-THC-breast-milk
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07199APA
Mueller, Raeghan L; Hooper, Jake F; Ellingson, Jarrod M; Olsavsky, Aviva K; Rzasa-Lynn, Rachael; Bryan, Angela D; Bidwell, L Cinnamon; Hutchison, Kent E. (2025). A preliminary randomized trial of the safety, tolerability, and clinical effects of hemp-derived cannabidiol in alcohol use disorder.. Frontiers in psychiatry, 16, 1516351. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1516351
MLA
Mueller, Raeghan L, et al. "A preliminary randomized trial of the safety, tolerability, and clinical effects of hemp-derived cannabidiol in alcohol use disorder.." Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1516351
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "A preliminary randomized trial of the safety, tolerability, ..." RTHC-07199. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mueller-2025-a-preliminary-randomized-trial
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.