A recently published study has examined whether the use of prescribed cannabinoids improves quality of life in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).
OCD is a condition characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions), such as excessive hand-washing. These obsessions and compulsions can cause significant distress and interfere with daily life. OCD is estimated to affect approximately 1% to 3% of the global population.
While there are existing treatments for managing OCD, they aren’t effective for everyone and some patients are turning to cannabis products for relief. But how effective is it?
A Drug Science study delved into the characteristics of 257 people reporting a diagnosis of OCD within Project T21. Since it kicked off in 2019, T21 has aimed to create the largest body of evidence for the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis, and has gathered real-world data on more than 4,500 patients in the UK.
In relation to the OCD cohort, individuals were prescribed an average of 2.2 cannabis-based medical products (CBMPs), with most products — 73.7% — falling into the THC-dominant flower category.
The researchers found that three months after initiating treatment, there were substantial improvements in quality of life indicators, including:
- general health
- mood/depression
- sleep
There was also a corresponding reduction in anxiety symptoms among the subsample who completed the GAD-7, which is a brief, self-report questionnaire used to screen for and assess the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
In terms of adverse effects, 5.7% of individuals with OCD reported a total of 14 adverse effects from the use of cannabis, but 57% of these effects were described as mild.
The researchers concluded:
“Given emerging evidence that those with OCD can benefit from CBMPs, coupled with the increased availability of these unlicensed products internationally, there is a need for more research, including clinical trials, to identify those who may benefit most from the use of these medicines,” says the study abstract.
The full report can be viewed here.
On a related and somewhat contradictory note, we recently reported on a systematic review of the use of cannabis in anxiety management. That study, which had a number of acknowledged limitations, indicated significant negative results in the use of cannabis for managing OCD.
