Pilot Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Four Different Potencies of Smoked Marijuana in 76 Veterans With PTSD

Completed · Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

In brief

This pilot study gathered preliminary evidence of the safety and efficacy of four potencies of smoked cannabis to manage chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD among veterans: (1) High THC/ Low CBD (High THC), (2) Low THC/High CBD (High CBD), (3) High THC/ High CBD (THC/CBD) and (4) Low THC/Low CBD (placebo). The study will produce preliminary evidence to help elucidate the potential effects of THC, CBD, or a combination of both constituents to reduce PTSD symptoms. Smoked cannabis will be tested in two stages of three weeks each (Stage 1 and Stage 2), with a two-week cessation period after each stage, verified by blood/urine cannabinoid analysis. The primary objective was to compare three active concentrations of smoked cannabis and placebo on PTSD symptom severity measured by CAPS-5 total severity scores during Stage 1.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02759185

Run by

Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

People needed

80

Starts

2017-01-02

Expected to finish

2019-01-01

Last updated by the study team

2023-07-12

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Have chronic treatment-resistant PTSD of at least six months duration.
• Have PTSD of at least moderate severity at the time of baseline assessment.
• Be a military veteran with PTSD.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be willing to commit to medication dosing and delivery method, to completing evaluation instruments, and attending all study visits.
• Agree to use only cannabis provided by site staff and agree to required cessation periods for the duration of the study.
• Report no current hazardous cannabis use and completely abstain from cannabis during the 2-week baseline assessment period (verified via urine and/or blood cannabinoid concentrations).
• Agree to video record all cannabis administrations and provide video to the site staff for review during study participation.
• Agree to keep all cannabis provided by site staff securely stored in the provided lock box and not to share/distribute cannabis to any other individual.
• Be stable on any pre-study medications and/or psychotherapy regimen for PTSD prior to study entry, agree to notify their physician/clinician about participation in the study, and agree to report any changes in medication or psychotherapy treatment regimen during the study, to site staff.
• If female and of childbearing potential, agree to use an effective form of birth control during study participation and may only be allowed to enroll and continue in the study based on a negative pregnancy test.
• Be proficient in reading and writing in English and able to effectively communicate with site staff.
• Agree not to participate in any other interventional clinical trials during the study

You may not qualify if…

• Upon review of medical or psychiatric history must not have any current or past diagnosis that would be considered a risk to participation in the study.
• Have any allergies to cannabis or contraindication for smoking of cannabis
• Are abusing illegal drugs.
• Are not able to give adequate informed consent.
• Are not able to attend face-to-face visits or those who plan to move out of the area within the treatment period.
• Are pregnant or nursing, or if a woman who can have children, those who are not practicing an effective means of birth control.

Where it is running

• Scottsdale Research Institute — Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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