Medical Marijuana for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? No Way!

Outcomes are worse in patients continuing or initiating marijuana use after finishing a PTSD treatment program, compared with those not using or those who stopped use.

At least nine U.S. states consider post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) an indication for medical marijuana, based largely on preclinical data linking cannabidiol with enhanced fear extinction and anecdotal reports of improvement in PTSD with marijuana use. Researchers used Veterans Affairs (VA) data to examine effects of marijuana use in 2276 patients in PTSD treatment programs with no recent history of alcohol or drug use.

Patients reported marijuana use at program entry and 4 months after program discharge. Continuing users (n=296) and “starters” — those starting use after the program (n=831) — had worse PTSD symptoms and drug abuse problems, compared with never users (n=850) and those stopping after the program (n=299). “Starters” had m…

Reviewing Author

Peter Roy-Byrne, MD

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Peter Roy-Byrne, MD

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Medical Marijuana for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? No Way!

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Reviewing Author