Study: Cannabis Associated With Reduced Use of Anxiolytic Medications in Patients With Post-Traumatic Stress
Philadelphia, PA: Patients with anxiety disorders experience symptom improvements and many of them reduce their intake of prescription anti-anxiety medications following the use of medical cannabis, according to observational data published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports.
Researchers affiliated with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine assessed outcomes in a cohort of nearly 100 patients with either anxiety-related disorders or post-traumatic stress. All of the study’s participants had recently obtained a recommendation from a physician to participate in the state’s medical cannabis access program. Investigators assessed participants’ symptoms at baseline and again after three months.
Consistent with other studies, patients displayed significant reductions in generalized anxiety over the course of the trial. Among those individuals who were prescribed anxiety medications, 32 percent reported decreasing their use of anxiolytic drugs by month three. Reductions in patients’ prescription drug use was most frequently reported among those prescribed benzodiazepines.
The study’s findings are similar to those of numerous others reporting patients’ decreased use of prescription medications, including opioids, anxiolytics, and sleep aids, following their use of medical marijuana products.
“Overall, findings from this observational study are consistent with those observed in the literature and [they] provide additional preliminary evidence to support the use of MM [medical marijuana] to address anxiety and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder],” authors concluded.
Full text of the study, “Anxiety severity and prescription medication utilization in first-time marijuana users,” appears in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports.
Study: No Association Between Marijuana Use and Elevated Cardiovascular Risk
Pittsburgh, PA: Middle-aged adults who consume cannabis do not possess an elevated risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) as compared to never users, according to data published in the journal Circulation, Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
A team of investigators affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center assessed the relationship between marijuana use and the risk of adverse atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in a nationally representative sample of nearly 14,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 59.
Compared to never users, cannabis consumers were more likely to report smoking tobacco – a known risk factor for atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, marijuana consumers did not possess a higher disease risk as compared to nonusers -- a finding that is consistent with those of other longitudinal trials.
Researchers also reported that subjects with a history of cannabis consumption were less likely than controls to suffer from either diabetes or obesity -- a finding that is also consistent with prior research.
They concluded, “This cross-sectional study found no association between self-reported marijuana use and increased burden of traditional ASCVD risk factors, estimated long-term ASCVD risk, or cardiometabolic profiles”
Full text of the study, “Comparison of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk factors and cardiometabolic profiles between current and never users of marijuana,” appears in Circulation, Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Greeley, CO: CBD administration is associated with improvements in sleep quality and immune cell function, according to placebo-controlled data published in the journal Nutrients.
Investigators affiliated with the University of Northern Colorado compared CBD versus placebo in a cohort of 28 healthy, college-aged individuals. Study participants consumed either 50 mg of CBD or placebo prior to bedtime for eight weeks.
Investigators reported that subjects demonstrated both subjective and objective improvements in sleep quality following CBD treatment.
Authors concluded: “We demonstrate that the daily ingestion of 50 mg CBD, 1–1.5 hours before sleep onset, leads to significantly improved perceived sleep quality compared with a placebo control. Additionally, … we provide evidence that daily CBD supplementation for eight weeks enhances NK [Natural Killer] cell cytotoxicity against a malignant human leukemic cancer cell line. Collectively, these data suggest that eight weeks of CBD supplementation enhances perceived sleep and improves systemic immunosurveillance through the enhancement of NK cell cytotoxic function.”
Prior studies have shown that cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, possess potent anti-cancer properties in cellular models. A review of 34 human trials assessing the use of CBD in patients with sleep disorders concluded, “CBD alone or with equal quantities of THC may be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of insomnia.”
Full text of the study, “Eight weeks of daily cannabidiol supplementation improved sleep quality and immune cell toxicity,” appears in Nutrients.
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