The Construct of Medical and Non-Medical Marijuana—Critical Review

Andrzej Silczuk, Daria Smułek, Marcin Kołodziej and Julia Gujska
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Andrzej Silczuk: Department of Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warszawa, Poland
Daria Smułek: Third Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 02-957 Warszawa, Poland
Marcin Kołodziej: Masovian Specialized Health Center, 05-802 Pruscow, Poland
Julia Gujska: Department of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warszawa, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-18

Abstract: The rising popularity of medical marijuana and its potential therapeutic uses has resulted in passionate discussions that have mainly focused on its possible benefits and applications. Although the concept itself seems promising, the multitude of presented information has noticeable ramifications—terminological chaos being one. This work aimed to synthesize and critically analyze scientific evidence on the therapeutic uses of cannabinoids in the field of psychiatry. Emphasis was placed on the anxiolytic effects of cannabis constituents and their effects on post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia spectrum, and other psychotic disorders. The review was carried out from an addictological perspective. A database search of interchangeably combined keywords resulted in the identification of subject-related records. The data were then analyzed in terms of relevance, contents, methodologies, and cited papers. The results were clear in supporting one common conclusion: while most findings provide support for beneficial applications of medical marijuana in psychiatry, no certain conclusions can be drawn until larger-scaled, more methodologically rigorous, and (preferably) controlled randomized trials verify these discoveries.

Keywords: anxiety; anxiolytic; cannabinoids; CBD; medical marijuana; psychiatry; psychosis; PTSD; THC; treatment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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