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A new �Ͼ�Ʒ�� study is exploring whether taking cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating ingredient in the Cannabis sativa plant, can help people with an unhealthy dependency smoke less weed or give it up entirely.

“It one of the biggest myths out there—that you can’t become addicted to or dependent on cannabis,” said Cinnamon Bidwell, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience who is leading the study. “Cannabis use disorder can be rough, and we really have no frontline, empirically supported treatments for it.”

As many as one in five cannabis users develop a dependency on the drug, with cannabis use disorder growing more common as products become more potent.

But unlike with nicotine, alcohol and other drugs of abuse, few remedies exist for those wanting to cut back or quit. CBD, which interacts with some of the same receptors in the brain as the psychoactive compound THC, could potentially help fill that gap.

For the study, launched earlier this year with a $3 million grant from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, Bidwell lab is recruiting 150 heavy cannabis concentrate users who wish to reduce their use or abstain. Along with remote psychotherapy sessions and educational support, participants will receive daily doses of either hemp-derived CBD alone, hemp-derived CBD with a very small amount of THC (less than 0.03%), or a placebo for eight weeks.

Bidwell previous research has shown that users of concentrates, which can contain as much as 90% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) compared to about 20% in flower products, are more likely to grow dependent. When trying to cut back, they often experience anxiety, sleeplessness, loss of appetite and other symptoms.

In 2014, only 17% of products in Colorado were concentrates. By 2019, well over a third were, and concentrates have continued to flood the market since.

“As potency has shifted, we have also seen a shift in the percentage of people developing problematic uses or behaviors,” said Bidwell, noting that this percentage has risen from 10% to between 15% and 20% in recent years.

Fighting cannabis use disorder with cannabis

While non-intoxicating and non-addictive, CBD acts on some of the same reward-related receptors in the brain—known as CB_1��and CB₂—as THC does. Because it changes how THC interacts at those sites, CBD may reduce or change a THC high, so people don’t want to use it as much, said Bidwell.

CBD also has anti-inflammatory properties and can influence serotonin levels, potentially reducing the anxiety and sleep loss that can come with withdrawal.

One animal study found that a single 5 milligram dose of CBD inhibited drug-seeking behavior for two weeks. Another small study found that a 400-800 milligram CBD dose reduced craving and anxiety in humans. Some research has shown that very low dose synthetic THC improves withdrawal symptoms among cannabis users.

But to date, there has been no placebo-controlled clinical trial testing whether commercially available CBD can make cutting back on THC easier.

“That where our study comes in,” said Bidwell. “We want to study forms of cannabis that people can actually buy on the legal market today.”

Cinnamon Bidwell

'It didn't feel like a hard drug'

Abril, a 26-year-old study participant from Denver, said she first started smoking at age 17.

“It didn’t feel like a hard drug, like something you could get hooked on, and I would hear it all the time: ‘You can’t get addicted to weed,’” said Abril, who asked that her last name not be used.

After she turned 21, she was vaping cannabis four to five times a day.

She tried repeatedly to quit. But when she did, she lost her appetite and had trouble finding joy in “the little things”—like going to the movies or hanging out with friends.

When she saw an Instagram ad soliciting study participants, she didn’t hesitate.

“I’m from a Hispanic background and people like me are not always present in these types of studies,” she said. “There are so many kids like me that started so young and didn't really know how it can affect your body and your mind once you make it a habit. We really need to know more about the effects.”

It will be years before the study results are published, and Abril will have to wait to know whether she was in the placebo or CBD group. But she says she has already benefited from participating over the summer. She has cut her use back drastically.

“It was just easier this time,” she said. “I feel lucky.”

Inquire here about participating in the Longitudinal Outpatient Treatment for Cannabis Use (LOTUS) study.