Cannabis Oil Matched Lorazepam for Treating Chronic Insomnia in Head-to-Head Trial | Research

The takeaway

Cannabis sativa oil improved sleep quality as effectively as lorazepam over four weeks, with a favorable safety profile and better quality-of-life improvements.

People with chronic insomnia exploring alternatives to prescription sleep medications, and sleep researchers.

Cannabis oil: PSQI dropped from 13.6 to 3.68 in 4 weeks

What the researchers found

In a randomized controlled trial, cannabis sativa oil reduced PSQI scores from 13.6 to 3.68 over four weeks, comparable to lorazepam (14.4 to 5.8) and a traditional Thai herbal remedy (12.3 to 6.6). All groups improved significantly (p < 0.001) with no significant differences between groups. Only mild adverse events were reported.

Why it matters

Benzodiazepines like lorazepam carry risks of dependence and cognitive impairment with long-term use. Finding that cannabis oil performs comparably with a better safety profile supports the search for non-benzodiazepine insomnia treatments.

The numbers in context

PSQI improvements: cannabis oil 13.6 to 3.68, lorazepam 14.4 to 5.8, herbal remedy 12.3 to 6.6 (all p < 0.001). Cannabis oil group showed the largest absolute improvement (9.92 points). Quality-of-life scores improved more in the integrative therapy groups.

How the study worked

Randomized controlled parallel-group trial with 60 adults with chronic insomnia divided into three groups: Thai herbal remedy (Suk-Sai-Yat), cannabis sativa oil (Deja formula), and lorazepam, treated for four weeks. Sleep quality measured by PSQI; quality of life by EQ-5D-5L.

What this study cannot tell us

Small sample (20 per group). Four-week treatment period does not address long-term efficacy or safety. Single-center study in Thailand. The specific cannabis oil formulation (Deja formula) may not generalize to other cannabis products. No placebo control group.

How to read the evidence

Randomized controlled trial but small sample size (60 total), single center, and no placebo control.

When this study was published

2026 RCT.

The bigger picture

This is one of relatively few RCTs directly comparing cannabis preparations to established pharmaceuticals for insomnia. While the sample is small, the comparable efficacy and favorable safety profile add to the case for cannabis-based sleep aids.

Questions still open

Would these results hold over longer treatment periods? What specific cannabinoid ratios in the Deja formula drove the sleep benefits? How would this compare to CBD-only formulations?

Common questions

Did cannabis oil work better than the prescription sleep medication?

Cannabis oil showed the largest absolute improvement in sleep scores, but the difference between groups was not statistically significant. Both worked well.

What kind of cannabis oil was used?

The study used the Deja formula, a specific Thai cannabis sativa oil preparation. Results may not apply to other cannabis oil products with different cannabinoid profiles.

Read the original research

Integrative therapies for chronic insomnia: A randomized controlled trial of a traditional Thai Herbal Remedy and Cannabis sativa oil.

Sleep medicine: X, 11, 100173

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Pakdee, Naruwat; Sribunrieng, Nitcha; Poowanna, Ronnachai. (2026). Integrative therapies for chronic insomnia: A randomized controlled trial of a traditional Thai Herbal Remedy and Cannabis sativa oil.. Sleep medicine: X, 11, 100173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleepx.2026.100173