Can CBD ( Cannabidiol ) Help People Treat Opioid Addiction?

 

Can CBD ( Cannabidiol ) Help People Treat Opioid Addiction?

different types of pills, medications

CBD (Cannabidiol) has recently received a lot of attention as a potential treatment for a variety of ailments including epilepsy and anxiety. Researchers now believe it may also help to suppress the cravings associated with opioid addiction.

CBD, like marijuana, is derived from the cannabis plant, but unlike marijuana, it does not cause intoxication. A study included 42 men and women who had a history of heroin abuse but were no longer using it. Of course, heroin is an illegal opioid, other opioids include powerful prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone or OxyContin.

This is one of the most addictive prescription painkillers, we know firsthand as it was prescribed for my husband after major knee surgery, fortunately, he got through it with no real problems.

Participants in this study were given either an oral CBD solution or a placebo before being shown videos with neutral and drug-related cues. Neutral cues included scenes of nature and relaxing scenarios, whereas drug-related cues included scenes of intravenous drug use and heroin-related items such as syringes, rubber ties, and packets of powder.

What the researchers found was that compared to a placebo, CBD actually reduced drug cue-induced cravings and anxiety in those test subjects.

Director of the Addiction Institute at Mout Sinai in New York City Yasmin Hurd explained that “Our findings indicate that CBD holds significant promise for treating individuals with heroin use disorder”. In a Mount Sinai news release, Hurd said “A successful non-opioid medication would add significantly to the existing addiction medication toolbox to help reduce the growing death toll, enormous health care costs, and treatment limitations imposed by stringent government regulations amid this persistent opioid epidemic”.

The United States is struggling with an opioid epidemic that has claimed more than 300,000 lives since it began. Two current opioid addiction treatments are methadone and buprenorphine, which work on the same opioid receptors as heroin and other opioids.

However, because these treatments are stigmatized, come with their own addiction risk, and are heavily regulated, millions of Americans with opioid addiction refuse to use them, according to the study’s authors, highlighting the urgent need for other treatments.

Hurd’s team is now working on some follow-up studies, one to look into how CBD affects the brain and another to look into the development of CBD-based opioid addiction treatments.

Disclaimer

  • The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.

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