Real-world evidence finds medical cannabis effective in PTSD and comorbid depression

Newly-published real-world evidence finds medical cannabis to be effective in managing symptoms of PTSD and comorbid depression. 

There has been increasing interest in using cannabis-based medicines in the treatment of  PTSD, particularly in the veteran population. 

Most notably, Ukraine recently legalised medical cannabis with President Zelensky and the Health Minister highlighting how it could potentially help millions experiencing not only PTSD, but other mental health issues, as a result of the trauma they have experienced during two years of war.

But despite a surge in the use of CBMPs for PTSD, evidence of their effectiveness remains limited.

Researchers at Drug Science used data from the patient registry Project T21 to investigate the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicinal products in treating PTSD and comorbid depression, which occurs frequently in those with the condition. 

Drug Science launched T21 in August 2020 to help develop real-world evidence on the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis. There are now around 4,000 patients enrolled for a wide range of conditions, with assessments carried out at three month intervals. 

Data collected from 238 patients with PTSD was included in this latest study, with three-month follow-up data available for 116 patients.

PTSD symptoms were self-reported at the start of treatment and at a three-month follow-up appointment using the PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C). Sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported quality of life were also assessed.

The presence of comorbid depression was evaluated before beginning treatment, using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). 

The findings show that 77% of participants met screening criteria for depression, indicating a high prevalence of comorbid depression among individuals seeking cannabis medicines for PTSD.

Depression was associated with more severe symptoms of PTSD and patients reported poorer general health, quality of life, and sleep.

According to the researchers, PTSD symptoms significantly reduced three months after starting treatment with cannabis-based medicines. Individuals with comorbid depression also experienced a larger reduction in symptoms compared to those without depression. 

The authors conclude: “These findings suggest that CBMPs may have a role in addressing the unmet treatment need associated with PTSD. Further it suggests that CBMPs remain effective in improving PTSD symptoms in the presence of comorbid depression. 

“These findings contribute to a growing body of knowledge supporting the role of medicinal cannabis in reducing condition specific symptoms, as well as improving quality of life and wellbeing. This study demonstrates the advantages of real-world data for advancing understanding of medical cannabis.”

Read the study here