The researchers found an increased daily dose of CBD, much higher than the concentrations found in cannabidiol products that are available without a prescription.
According to the world’s first randomized controlled trial, prescribed cannabidiol (CBD) could help individuals cut down on cannabis use and is safe for daily use in the treatment of cannabis disorder. The research was published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. The research suggests that the daily use of CBD (medical-grade) is both effective and safe at reducing problematic cannabis consumption. However, the research was not designed to deliver strong estimates of the duration of effectiveness and further research is required.
Moreover, the researchers found an increased daily dose of CBD between 400 mg and 800 mg, much higher than the concentrations found in cannabidiol products that are available without a prescription. Usually, cannabidiol products contain around 25 mg of CBD. Therefore, the researchers warned people that such CBD products cannot be used for medical purposes. During this research, the team administered a placebo or CBD to around 82 individuals who were encouraged to quit cannabis. The researchers then measured the effects of medicine on the level of cannabis use during the 4-week treatment and up to 6 months of follow-up.
Since this was the world’s first controlled trial to assess CBD to reduce the use of cannabis, the team tested three doses of CBD to determine the efficacy of all three doses. In the first phase of testing, the team administered 200 mg, 400 mg, or 800 mg doses of either CBD or placebo to around 48 individuals and found that the 200 mg dose is not effective. In the second phase of testing, the team recruited around 34 individuals to receive 400 mg or 800 mg doses of either CBD or placebo and found that the 200 mg or 800mg doses of CBD are more effective compared to placebo at reducing cannabis use. Moreover, the team found that individuals treated with CBD showed low levels of cannabis in their urine.