CBD Effective in Treating Heroin Addiction, Study Discovers

A new study says that CBD is successful in reducing cravings for heroin and reducing anxiety that is often experienced by those addicted to heroin.

The problem with prescription treatment for opioid addiction is that they’re opioids, CNN noted. The only difference is that methadone and buprenorphine is that, unlike heroin, they are prescribed and measured doses.

Lead researcher Yasmin Hurd said, “The intense craving is what drives the drug use. If we can have the medications that can dampen that [craving], that can greatly reduce the chance of relapse and overdose risk.”

It’s reported that since 2000, almost 400,000 people have died in the U.S. due to opioid use and overdoses.

Hurd said, “So many people are dying, and there is a need for developing medications.”

The study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and included 42 adults who reported recently using heroin. During the study participants were not permitted to use heroin at all. Three groups were established. One group received a placebo, another group took 400 mg CBD per day and the final group took 800 mg of CBD per day. These doses were administered for three days and then were monitored for two additional weeks.

After those initial 3 doses the participants were shown videos/photos of nature scenes and drug use including heroin-related paraphernalia. After viewing the material, they were asked to rate their anxiety level and how bad their cravings were. One week following the last dose of CBD participants had significant improvement with reduced cravings and anxiety.

Hurd is optimistic about the study’s findings, saying, “It’s not addictive. No one is diverting it. It doesn’t get you high, but it can reduce craving and anxiety. This can really help save lives.”