Cannabis Treatment Shows Lasting Benefit For Restless Legs Syndrome Patients, New Research Finds

A newly published study suggests cannabis-based treatment can deliver sustained relief for people suffering from restless legs syndrome (RLS). Dopamine agonists have long been the standard first-line therapy for RLS, but researchers note that gabapentinoids have increasingly been recommended in recent years. Since cannabinoids act on the same amino acid pathway targeted by gabapentinoids, scientists set out to examine whether cannabis could offer similar therapeutic value. The exploratory, open-label study, led by researchers at Universidad Europea de Madrid and published in the Journal of Neurology, tested a cannabis formulation containing 2.7mg of THC and 2.5mg of CBD. Among 18 patients with RLS—including those with multiple sclerosis and associated idiopathic RLS—the treatment "was effective in reducing RLS severity." According to the study, "Improvements were observed after 1 and 3 months of treatment and were maintained after 1 year among patients who continued therapy." Of those still on treatment after a full year, 67 percent showed sustained improvement. The results align with cannabis's known ability to ease muscle spasms and similar symptoms, though the finding is notable given that no U.S. states currently list RLS itself as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana programs. Because RLS often occurs alongside other conditions like multiple sclerosis, patients in some states may still access medical cannabis if physicians are granted broader discretion to recommend it for conditions beyond a fixed qualifying list. The Spanish study adds to a growing body of research exploring alternatives to dopamine agonists for managing restless legs syndrome.