Hopeful Research into Cannabis Treatment for Cannabis Dependency

Whether you believe you’re addicted to cannabis, or severely dependent on it, if you’re trying to reduce consumption and have been unable to do so with behavioral therapy alone, there may be some hopeful news. Researchers at the University of Sydney have found promising results from their study of a cannabinoid agonist medication that targets brain receptors in reducing cannabis relapse rates. The study, which was published in the JAMA Internal Medicine noted that cannabis is the most widely-used psychoactive substance worldwide, with some 10% of Australians saying they’ve consumed it in the last year. About 10% of those individuals reported patterns of use that were dependent. Yet, existing cannabis dependence treatments are ineffective, with relapse rates of about 80% within 6 months to a year of cannabis withdrawal or psychotherapy in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Therefore, there’s a great deal of interest in a cannabinoid agonist medication that may be combined with CBT to help improve treatment outcomes and reduce relapse rates. To gain more insight into this research, I spoke with the study’s lead author, Conjoint Professor Nicholas Lintzeris, of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Director of Drug & Alcohol Services at the South East Sydney Local Health District. Describe what led your team to study using nabiximols in connection with cannabis dependency? Nicholas Lintzeris: There is a long history of studie...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Addictions Interview Medications Substance Abuse cannabis Marijuana Nabiximols THC Source Type: news