Medicinal cannabis (Bedrolite) substitution therapy in inpatients with a psychotic disorder and a comorbid cannabis use disorder: A case series.
Regi Schipper, Mathilde Dekker, Lieuwe de Haan, Wim van den Brink
Journal of Psychopharmacology March 2018 DOI: 10.1177/0269881117735684 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7 |
| Population | Inpatients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and treatment-resistant cannabis use disorder |
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Schizophrenia, treatment |
| Key findings | The low-tetrahydrocannabinol medicinal cannabis variant Bedrolite was not effective as substitution therapy in seven inpatients with a psychotic disorder and treatment-resistant cannabis use disorder. The authors conclude it is unlikely to become an effective harm reduction strategy in this population. |
Abstract
Cannabis use disorders are frequently comorbid in patients with a psychotic disorder and are associated with worse outcomes. To date there are no proven effective strategies to achieve cannabis abstinence in this population. An alternative for abstinence might be harm reduction, i.e. replacing the use of street cannabis with high tetrahydrocannabinol and low cannabidiol levels by medicinal cannabis variants with relatively low tetrahydrocannabinol and relatively high cannabidiol levels, thereby reducing the psychosis inducing effects of cannabis and enhancing the antipsychotic effects of cannabis. Here we present the data of a case series with seven inpatients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and a treatment-resistant cannabis use disorder who received substitution therapy with a low tetrahydrocannabinol medicinal cannabis variant (Bedrolite). The results suggest that the low tetrahydrocannabinol medicinal cannabis variant Bedrolite is not effective in the treatment of inpatients with a psychotic disorder and comorbid cannabis use disorder. Bedrolite is thus not very likely to become an effective harm reduction strategy in these patients.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder after psilocybin consumption: a case study 18-year-old man with HPPD after mixed psilocybin and cannabis intoxication | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative... | 2001 | Case series | n = 3 |
| “Hallucinations” Following Acute Cannabis Dosing: A Case Report and Comparison to Other Hallucinogenic Drugs Healthy 30-year-old male | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder: A literature review and three case reports Patients with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder | 2018 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Cannabis Psychosis in Young Psychiatric Inpatients Consecutive psychiatric hospital admissions of patients aged 35 and under | 1986 | Case study | n = 25 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Course of cannabis use and clinical outcome in patients with non-affective psychosis: a 3-year follow-up study Psychological Medicine February 5, 2015
- Effects of continuation, frequency, and type of cannabis use on relapse in the first 2 years after onset of psychosis: an observational study. The Lancet Psychiatry October 1, 2016
- Cannabis and schizophrenia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews October 14, 2014
- Sub-chronic impact of cannabinoids in street cannabis on cognition, psychotic-like symptoms and psychological well-being Psychological Medicine February 1, 2012