A study by German researchers has found that patients suffering from chronic depression showed meaningful improvements following medicinal cannabis treatment, with side effects remaining mild throughout the trial.
The retrospective 18-week longitudinal study, carried out by therapy network Algea Care and LVR University Hospital in Essen, followed 59 outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) who received medicinal cannabis treatment through a telemedical platform.
Eligibility required participants to have previously undergone antidepressant medication, and data was gathered at the point of entry and through monthly follow-up consultations. Depression severity was rated on a scale of 0 to 10, and side effects were tracked using a standardised checklist.
Participants ranged in age from 20 to 54, with 72.9% identifying as male. A third reported periods of regular cannabis use in the five years prior to the study, and the drop-out rate reached 22% by the end of the 18-week period.
Average depression severity fell from 6.9 points at the start to 3.8 points at week 18, and just over half of patients achieved a reduction of more than 50% in their initial score by the study's conclusion.
Around one third of participants reported side effects including dry eyes, dry mouth, and increased appetite, though none were classified as severe.
The researchers conclude: "Medical cannabis was well tolerated and dropout rate was comparable to those in clinical trials of antidepressant medication.
"Patients reported a clinically significant reduction of depression severity. Further research on the effectiveness of medical cannabis for MDD seems warranted.
"Risks of this medication, such as sustaining or inducing a cannabis use disorder, or side effects such as poor concentration, must be taken into consideration."