A study shows that CBD is effective in the treatment of heroin addiction

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"It's the intense drug consumption that's pushing hard," said Yasmin Hurd, senior research scientist and director of the Mount Sinai Addiction Institute. "If we can have the drugs that can mitigate this [craving], which can greatly reduce the risk of relapse and risk of overdose. "

The drugs available for opioid dependence, such as buprenorphine and methadone, work the same way, reducing cravings. But they are still not widely used. According to the National Institute for Combating Drug Abuse, only one-third of US patients suffering from opioid dependence in private treatment centers receive this type of medication. According to the 2016 Surgeon General's Report on Addiction, only 1 in 5 people in need of treatment for opioid use disorders were receiving any treatment.

Public health experts say that there are barriers to getting these drugs, which are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, widely distributed. Because methadone and buprenorphine are still opioids, people who can prescribe it are highly regulated. In addition, treatment with these drugs may require frequent visits to the practitioner. "It's really tedious," said Hurd.

Concerns about diversion and reliance on these drugs persist, despite their ability to reduce mortality by up to 59% per year in the year following treatment.

"So many people are dying"

Nearly 400,000 Americans have died of opioid-related causes since 2000, a little less than the number of American soldiers who died in the Second World War. "So many people are dying and it is necessary to develop drugs," said Hurd.

For their study, published Tuesday in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Ms Hurd and her colleagues examined 42 adults who recently consumed heroin and using neither methadone nor buprenorphine.

Recruited into social service groups, halfway houses, and treatment centers, participants used heroin for an average of 13 years, and most had been away for less than a month. They had to refrain from any use of heroin throughout the test period.

First Cannabis Drug Approved by FDA Now Available in the United States

The participants were divided into three groups: a group that received 800 milligrams of CBD, another 400 milligrams of CBD and another a placebo. All participants received one dose per day for three consecutive days and were followed for the next two weeks.

During these two weeks, during several sessions, participants viewed images or videos of nature scenes, as well as images of drug use and heroin-related attractions, such as syringes. and heroin-like powder packets. They were then asked to rate their heroin need and their level of anxiety.

One week after the last CBD administration, people who received CBD had a two- to three-fold decrease in their cravings compared to the placebo group. Hurd said the difference between the two groups in the CBD was insignificant.

The research team also measured heart rate and cortisol, the "stress hormone," and found that rates seen in people with CBD were significantly lower than those in those who did not. 39, had not received the drug.

Promising potential

The researchers used Epidiolex, the first FDA-approved cannabis drug, as a source of CBD.

With many CBD products on the market, the exact concentration of CBD is unknown. In addition, they may contain additives such as pesticides and even lead. However, Hurd said that with Epidiolex, the exact concentration and other ingredients of the drug were known, which was essential. "We are developing a drug, we are not developing recreational cannabis," she said.

Participants reported very few adverse reactions, such as mild diarrhea, headache and fatigue.

The results are similar to those of a pilot study, Ms. Hurd explained, but the next step is to conduct a longer-term study, after following the topics for a period of up to one year. six months.

The potential of the study has not been lost to others.

"This is an extremely important document and we need to use every possible treatment to help people with chronic pain find other ways to manage their symptoms, and to find relief at home." people with opioid addiction, "said Dr. Julie Holland, a psychiatrist in New York and a former assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine.

"CBD not only manages the cycle of anxiety and signals / cravings, it also decreases the pain and inflammation that lead to opioid consumption," he said. said Holland, who was not involved in the new study.

Hurd said that there remained a lot of questions to answer in the next study, including the best dose, the number of times it had to be administered and the brain mechanism that works to reduce cravings.

But she was optimistic about the implications. "It's not addictive, nobody is hijacking it, it does not make you go up, but it can reduce cravings and anxiety," she said. In the end, "it can really help save lives".

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