For many years, medical cannabis patients largely consumed cannabis by smoking flower. However, in recent years the different types of cannabis products and consumption methods have increased considerably.
A popular cannabis consumption method among medical patients that is not new is vaporizing flower. Vaporizers such as the Volcano can provide tremendous relief for patients while limiting the amount of inhaled carcinogens.
Researchers in Canada recently conducted a study involving vaporized cannabis and patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress. Below is more information about the study via a new release from NORML:
Vancouver, Canada: The short-term use of herbal cannabis consisting of a balanced ratio of THC and CBD is associated with symptom reductions in patients with post-traumatic stress, according to data published in the journal Trials.
Canadian researchers assessed subjects’ use of vaporized cannabis over a three-week period.
Investigators reported, “Comparison of CAPS [Clinician Administered PTSD Scale] scores pre and post treatment identified a trend toward reduction in PTSD symptoms. … However, under-recruitment resulted in low power and prohibited placebo comparison, making these results more suggestive than persuasive.”
They concluded, “Positive trending results and high patient need mandate future studies of cannabis for the treatment of PTSD.”
Two recent observational studies, one from Australia and the other from the United Kingdom, reported that patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress respond favorably to medical cannabis treatment.
By contrast, a 2021 clinical trial reported that the inhalation of marijuana flowers provided limited benefits compared to placebo in treating symptoms of PTSD.
Full text of the study, “A small clinical trial of vaporized cannabis for PTSD: Suggestive results and directions for future study,” appears in Trials. Additional information on cannabis and post-traumatic stress is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
