Marijuana substance helps in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction

This conclusion was made by a group of researchers from the Scripps Institute in the United States. The study was published in April this year in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Research Details

The tests were carried out on rats that had been habituated to daily consumption of alcohol or cocaine. Not all marijuana was involved in the study, but only its active ingredient, CBD. The task of the experiment was to determine the relationship between it and the need for the next dose, including in a stressful situation.

The CBD treatment lasted for a week, and as a result, the consumption of alcohol and cocaine in rats decreased, even when exposed to stress. Anxiety also decreased and impulsivity disappeared. Another conclusion of the study was the long-term effect achieved. A week's worth of CBD contributed to improvements that persisted for the next five months. And this despite the fact that the substance was completely eliminated from the body within three days.

As a conclusion, the head of the research team, Friedbert Weiss, stated that CBD has sufficient potential to prevent the re-use of alcohol and drugs. It stands out especially against the background of those drugs that affect only one factor contributing to the development of addiction, unlike cannabidiol.

Marijuana protects against the harmful effects of alcohol

In addition to the fact that its substances are able to fight alcohol addiction, they also reduce its consequences. Cannabis consumption along with alcohol can reduce the risk of liver damage. This conclusion was reached by a group of scientists from the North Coast Medical Center in Massachusetts. They analyzed the hospital records of more than 300,000 patients who were hospitalized for alcohol abuse and concluded that those who also smoked cannabis had healthier livers. CBD also provides a similar effect.