Nabaximols Nasal Spray May Reduce Cannabis Use By Some Patients

Astudy published today inJAMA Internal Medicine reports that the cannabinoid agonist nabiximols can reduce cannabis use among people with cannabis dependence when combined with behavioral therapy. Nabiximols is a nasal spray composed of purified tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) —two of the primary active components of cannabis.Study participants who received a combination of nabiximols and behavioral therapy reported using cannabis about 33% fewer days than those allocated to placebo and behavioral therapy, noted Nicholas Lintzeris, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., of Australia ’s Drug and Alcohol Services and colleagues. “The reductions in illicit cannabis use and a safer route of administration … suggest the harm-reduction benefits of cannabinoid agonist treatment,” the authors wrote.Lintzeris and colleagues enrolled 128 adults with cannabis dependence (as defined by the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, or ICD-10) who were seeking treatment to participate in a 12-week trial. As part of the trial, the participants received either nabiximols or placebo nasal spray for daily use and were offered six individual cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions over the course of the trial. Each individual nabiximols spray contains 2.7 mg of THC and 2.5 mg of CBD, and participants could take up to 32 sprays daily.At baseline, the participants reported using cannabis about 25 of the past 28 days. During the 12-week trial, adults in the placebo group reported...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cannabidiol cannabis dependence cannabis use CBD JAMA Internal Medicine nabiximols Nicholas Lintzeris tetrahydrocannabinol THC Source Type: research