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Effects of Cannabis on PTSD Recovery: Review of the Literature and Clinical Insights

  • Cannabis (B Sherman and R Tomko, Section Editors)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may use cannabis to reduce symptoms yet are also at risk for developing problematic use. This review outlines theories, summarizes recent empirical studies, and discusses clinical implications of cannabis use and PTSD recovery.

Recent Findings

Although naturalistic studies and open trials find a relationship between cannabinoids and PTSD symptom reduction, methodological limitations preclude definitive conclusions. The only randomized controlled trial to date found cannabis had no greater effect on PTSD symptoms than placebo.

Summary

Rigorous studies of the long-term impact of cannabis use on PTSD recovery are needed. Clinicians and researchers must weigh the potential therapeutic effect against the costs and risks associated with long-term cannabis use. Clinicians should consider all available PTSD treatment options, along with client level factors such as the function of cannabis use, motivation to change use, and the potential impact of cannabis on treatment engagement when making clinical recommendations.

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Funding

This study was funded by NIH grants R34DA040034 (PI: Bedard-Gilligan).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Box 356560, Seattle, WA, 98195-6560, USA

    Michele Bedard-Gilligan & Elizabeth Lehinger

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, WA, 98195-1525, USA

    Sarah Cornell-Maier, Ash Holloway & Lori Zoellner

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  1. Michele Bedard-Gilligan
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  2. Elizabeth Lehinger
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  3. Sarah Cornell-Maier
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  4. Ash Holloway
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  5. Lori Zoellner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michele Bedard-Gilligan.

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Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study referenced in this article.

Conflict of Interest

Author Bedard-Gilligan’s spouse owns stock in Forefront, a medicinal and recreational cannabis company. He currently works and owns stock at Treez, a software company that supports the legal cannabis industry. Authors Lehinger, Holloway, Cornell-Maier, and Zoellner have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cannabis

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Bedard-Gilligan, M., Lehinger, E., Cornell-Maier, S. et al. Effects of Cannabis on PTSD Recovery: Review of the Literature and Clinical Insights. Curr Addict Rep 9, 203–216 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-022-00414-x

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