London, United Kingdom: The daily consumption of cannabis products is associated with sustained improvements in depressive symptoms, according to observational trial data published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.
British investigators assessed the safety and efficacy of cannabis products in 129 subjects with a primary diagnosis of depression. Study subjects were participants in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry and all possessed a doctor’s authorization to consume cannabis. Study participants consumed either cannabis extracts, THC-dominant flowers, or both for a period of six-months.
Researchers reported: “The results showed that medicinal cannabis was associated with improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as health-related quality of life, and sleep quality after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment.” While some subjects reported adverse events from cannabis products, almost all side effects were classified as either “mild or moderate.”
Authors concluded, “Future studies could focus on conducting controlled observational studies or pilot trials to determine the potential of CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] as a treatment for depression.”
Post-traumatic stress patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry have similarly shown sustained symptomatic improvements following cannabis therapy.
Full text of the study, “Assessment of clinical outcomes of medicinal cannabis therapy for depression: Analysis from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in the Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics.
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