Cannabidiol May Help Treat Schizophrenia
A 2017 article by researcher Philip McGuire and colleagues in the American Journal of Psychiatry reports that when added to antipsychotic medication, cannabidiol, a component of marijuana, improved positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions, more than did the addition of a placebo.
In the double-blind, parallel-group study, 43 participants received 1000 mg/day of cannabidiol in addition to their regular antipsychotic medication, while 45 participants received a placebo alongside their regular medication.
Side effects were minimal, and after six weeks those who received cannabidiol had decreased positive symptoms and were more likely to be considered improved and not severely unwell.
Editor’s Note: It is important to emphasize that cannabidiol is only a minor component of marijuana, which contains much more tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is psycho-mimetic, i.e. it can worsen psychosis. Pure cannabidiol is not readily available to the public.
