A recent study led by Carrie Cuttler, a Washington State University assistant professor of psychology, suggests that cannabis may reduce the severity of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the short term. The study analyzed data from over 400 people who tracked changes in their PTSD symptoms before and after cannabis use with Strainprint, an app designed to help users find the best medical cannabis strains for their symptoms.
Cannabis Reduced the Severity of PTSD Symptoms
The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, found that cannabis reduced the severity of various PTSD symptoms, such as intrusions, flashbacks, irritability, and anxiety. Specifically, cannabis reduced the severity of intrusions by about 62%, flashbacks by 51%, irritability by 67%, and anxiety by 57%. However, the study also found that the symptom reductions were not permanent and that cannabis only temporarily masked symptoms.
The Effectiveness of Cannabis on PTSD Symptoms
While therapy is recommended as the primary treatment for PTSD, many people with the disorder are self-medicating with cannabis. Cuttler said that the literature on the efficacy of cannabis for managing PTSD symptoms is limited. However, this study provides some insight into the effectiveness of cannabis on PTSD symptoms, albeit limited by its reliance on a self-selected sample of people who self-identify as having PTSD.
The Need for More Studies
While some placebo-controlled clinical trials have been conducted with nabilone, a synthetic form of THC, few have examined the effects of the whole cannabis plant on PTSD. Cuttler and her colleagues looked at a variety of variables but found no difference in the effect of cannabis with differing levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), two of the most studied constituents of cannabis. The results imply that it is some combination of THC, CBD, and other parts of the cannabis plant that create the therapeutic effect.
“We need more studies that look at whole plant cannabis because this is what people are using much more than the synthetic cannabinoids,” said Cuttler. “It is difficult to do good placebo-controlled trials with whole plant cannabis, but they’re still really needed.”
Emily M. LaFrance et al, Short and Long-Term Effects of Cannabis on Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Journal of Affective Disorders (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.132
Journal information: Journal of Affective Disorders
