Abstract Study Objectives We conducted a systematic review to explore the effectiveness of medical cannabis for impaired sleep. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and PsychINFO to January 2021 for randomized trials of medical cannabis or cannabinoids for impaired sleep vs. any non-cannabis control. When possible, we pooled effect estimates for all patient-important sleep-related outcomes and used the GRADE approach to appraise the certainty of evidence. Results Thirty-nine trials (5100 patients) were eligible for review, of which 38 evaluated oral cannabinoids and 1 administered inhaled cannabis. The median follow-up was 35 days, and most trials (33 of 39) enrolled patients living with chronic cancer...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Sleep disturbances are often cited as a primary reason for medicinal cannabis use, and there is increasing clinical interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in treating sleep disorders. Burgeoning evidence suggests a role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating the circadian sleep-wake cycle, highlighting a potential avenue for developing novel therapeutics. Despite widespread use of cannabis products as sleep aids globally, robustly designed studies verifying efficacy in sleep-disordered populations are limited. Although some study outcomes have suggested cannabinoid utility in insomnia disorder and sleep apnea, most studies to date are limited by small sample sizes, lack of rigorously controlled study designs,...

Please use this link to access this publication. Abstract Cannabidiol’s (CBD) safety profile and broad action has made it a popular treatment option for anxiety and co-occurring sleep disturbance. However, its efficacy in healthy and clinical populations, treatment duration, formulation and doses for optimal therapeutic benefits remains unclear. Selected databases were examined from inception to October 2022. Study selection, data extraction and Cochrane Risk of Bias assessments were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42021247476) with 58 full-text studies meeting the eligibility criteria and administered CBD only or with Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) across healthy and clinical populations. In healthy populations and certain...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00914150221128971 Abstract Cannabis use is growing among older adults to manage medical concerns including poor sleep. In this study, we characterized how patients seen at a geriatrics clinic use cannabis to address sleep disturbance. Specifically, we conducted an anonymous survey of 568 adults, including 83 who reported cannabis use within the past 3 years, to inquire about such use. We compared cannabis use characteristics between those using it for sleep disturbance versus all other conditions. We considered a p-value <.10 to be statistically significant. Among the cannabis users in our sample, 29% reported using cannabis for sleep disturbance...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11764-023-01474-2 Abstract Purpose Poor sleep is one of the most common side effects of cancer. It can persist for years beyond treatment and negatively impact quality of life and health. Cannabis is increasingly used to manage cancer treatment-related symptoms, including sleep. This study investigated the use and perceived effects of cannabis as a sleep aid in Canadian cancer survivors. Methods Adult Canadian cancer survivors (N = 1464) were recruited via the Angus Reid Institute and completed an online, cross-sectional survey including the Insomnia Severity Index and questions about cannabis use for sleep. Standard descriptive statistics, such as means, standard deviations,...

Please use this link to access this publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871622004975 Abstract Background Real world patterns of cannabis use for health concerns are highly variable and rarely overseen by a physician. Pragmatic effectiveness studies with electronic daily diaries that capture person-specific patterns of cannabis use and health symptoms may help clarify risks and benefits. Methods As part of a larger, randomized trial (NCT03224468), adults (N = 181) seeking cannabis for insomnia, pain, or anxiety or depressive symptoms were randomized to obtain a medical cannabis card immediately (MCC) or a waitlist control (WLC) and completed 12-weeks of daily web-based surveys on cannabis use and sleep, pain, and depressive symptoms....

Abstract Medical cannabis patients consistently report using cannabis as a substitute for prescription medications; however, little is known about individuals accessing cannabis through adult-use markets. A survey at two retail stores was conducted in Colorado, United States. Between August 2016 and October 2016, store staff asked customers if they wanted to participate and, if so, provided an electronic survey link. All customers reporting medical certification were excluded. Of 1,000 adult-use only customer respondents, 65% reported taking cannabis to relieve pain and 74% reported taking cannabis to promote sleep. Among respondents taking cannabis for pain, 80% reported that it was very or extremely helpful, and...

Please follow this link to access this publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955395913001357?via%3Dihub Abstract Background: The authorized and unauthorized use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes (CTP) has increased dramatically in recent years, and physicians have called for further research to better clarify the parameters of effective and appropriate use. We report findings from a large cross-sectional study of the use of CTP in Canada and compare use across medical conditions and across authorized and unauthorized users. Methods: We examined cannabis use history, medical conditions and symptoms, patterns of current use of CTP, modes of access and perceived effectiveness among 628 self-selected Canadians consumers of CTP. Participants were recruited from medical cannabis...

The recent legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational use in many states in the United States and internationally has resulted in a decrease in stigma and of perceived risk of cannabis use, more frequent use of cannabis, use of higher potency cannabis products, and increased dependence on cannabis use. Cannabis sativa and its derivatives are often used for improved sleep and relaxation; characteristics originally attributed to Indian hemp in the nineteenth century. Cannabis alters the sleep–wake cycle, increases the production of melatonin, and can inhibit the arousal system by activating cannabinoid type 1 (CB1 ) receptors in the basal forebrain and other wakepromoting...

Abstract   Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are two major constituents of Cannabis sativa. Δ9-THC modulates sleep, but no clear evidence on the role of CBD is available. In order to determine the effects of CBD on sleep, it was administered intracerebroventricular (icv) in a dose of 10 μg/5 μl at the beginning of either the lights-on or the lights-off period. We found that CBD administered during the lights-on period increased wakefulness (W) and decreased rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). No changes on sleep were observed during the dark phase. Icv injections of CBD (10 μg/5 μl) induced an enhancement of c-Fos expression in waking-related brain areas such as hypothalamus...