Abruptly stopping CBD after four weeks did not cause withdrawal symptoms | Research

The takeaway

Healthy volunteers who suddenly stopped taking high-dose pharmaceutical CBD showed no signs of withdrawal syndrome.

Patients prescribed CBD-based medications, clinicians managing CBD treatment plans, and researchers studying cannabinoid dependence profiles.

Withdrawal scores: 0.0-0.5 out of 190 after abrupt CBD cessation

What the researchers found

After four weeks of 1,500 mg daily CBD, volunteers randomized to abrupt discontinuation showed no increase in withdrawal scores. Cannabis Withdrawal Scale scores ranged from 0 to 0.5 out of 190, and Penn Physician Withdrawal Checklist scores were 0 out of 60.

Why it matters

Concerns about dependence are a barrier to CBD adoption. This trial provides direct evidence that pharmaceutical CBD does not produce physical dependence or withdrawal after short-term use.

The numbers in context

30 volunteers enrolled. 1,500 mg/day CBD dose. CWS scores: 0.0 to 0.5 out of 190 in discontinuation group. PWC-20 scores: 0.0 out of 60. 97% reported adverse events during treatment (most commonly diarrhea at 63%).

How the study worked

Randomized trial with 30 healthy volunteers taking 750 mg CBD twice daily for 4 weeks, then randomized to continue CBD or switch to placebo for 2 weeks. Withdrawal assessed using validated Cannabis Withdrawal Scale and PWC-20.

What this study cannot tell us

Only 30 participants, all healthy volunteers (not patients with epilepsy or other conditions). Treatment lasted just 4 weeks, so longer-term dependence potential was not assessed.

How to read the evidence

Randomized controlled design with validated withdrawal measures, but small sample of only healthy volunteers over a short treatment period.

When this study was published

2020 RCT. Findings apply specifically to pharmaceutical-grade CBD (Epidiolex) and short-term use.

The bigger picture

As CBD-based medications become more widely prescribed for epilepsy and other conditions, understanding their dependence profile is essential for both patients and prescribers.

Questions still open

Would results differ after longer treatment periods? Does the lack of withdrawal also hold in patients taking CBD alongside other medications? Are there population-specific factors that might alter dependence risk?

Common questions

Does CBD cause withdrawal symptoms?

In this trial, abruptly stopping 1,500 mg/day of pharmaceutical CBD after four weeks produced virtually no withdrawal symptoms, with scores near zero on validated withdrawal scales.

What side effects did participants experience while taking CBD?

During the treatment period, 97% of participants reported adverse events, most commonly diarrhea (63%). Most events were mild or moderate.

Read the original research

Abrupt withdrawal of cannabidiol (CBD): A randomized trial.

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 104(Pt A), 106938

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Taylor, Lesley; Crockett, Julie; Tayo, Bola; Checketts, Daniel; Sommerville, Kenneth. (2020). Abrupt withdrawal of cannabidiol (CBD): A randomized trial.. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 104(Pt A), 106938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.106938