“Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in the general population, yet there are limitations to the effectiveness, tolerability, and acceptability of available first-line interventions.
We review the extant knowledge on the effects of marijuana and other cannabinoids on PTSD.
Potential therapeutic effects of these agents may largely derive from actions on the endocannabinoid system and we review major animal and human findings in this area.
Preclinical and clinical studies generally support the biological plausibility for cannabinoids‘ potential therapeutic effects, but underscore heterogeneity in outcomes depending on dose, chemotype, and individual variation.
Treatment outcome studies of whole plant marijuana and related cannabinoids on PTSD are limited and not methodologically rigorous, precluding conclusions about their potential therapeutic effects.
Although controlled research on marijuana and other cannabinoids‘ effects on PTSD remains limited, rapid shifts in the legal landscape may now enable such studies, potentially opening new avenues in PTSD treatment research.”