Cannabis can benefit physical and mental health in myriad ways by tapping into our body\u2019s highly connected, balance-seeking endocannabinoid system. It can also cause harm. But in some cases, researchers find no effect at all, also known as a null result. This can be due to a true lack of effect, or simply to the particulars of the study\u2019s design \u2013 and discerning between the two is a key function of science as an iterative, evolving practice.<\/p>\n
Three recent papers serve as enlightening examples: one evaluating the effect of smoked cannabis on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD<\/span>) symptom severity; one reviewing the link between cannabis-derived cannabinol (CBN<\/span>) and sleep quality; and one testing CBD<\/span> as a treatment for arthritis pain. None of these papers report evidence of positive or negative outcomes. But they still play a part in the larger scientific process by building upon previous research and informing subsequent inquiries.<\/p>\n Rick Doblin of MAPS<\/span> fame serves as senior author of a paper published in PLOS<\/span> One<\/em>\u00a01<\/sup> earlier this year describing the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial of smoked cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder. Better known for his work with MDMA<\/span>, or ecstasy, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies founder and executive director here investigates the potential of three different types of smoked cannabis (THC<\/span>-dominant, CBD<\/span>-dominant, and balanced THC<\/span>\/CBD<\/span>) to treat PTSD<\/span> \u2013 and finds none better than an inactive placebo. But that still doesn\u2019t mean cannabis won\u2019t help; it just means that among the 80 study participants, all active cannabis users, expectations about cannabis\u2019 effects were statistically as powerful as any additional benefit derived from actual exposure to THC<\/span> and CBD<\/span> during the study. Moreover, \u201cGiven the topical nature of the current trial and its relevance for public policy on medical cannabis, participants might have been biased to report positive effects regardless of condition,\u201d the authors write. \u201cAdditional well-controlled and adequately powered studies with cannabis suitable for FDA<\/span> drug development are needed to determine whether smoked cannabis improves symptoms of PTSD<\/span>.\u201d After publication of the PLOS<\/span> One<\/em> paper, MAPS<\/span> received $13 million from the state of Michigan for a \u201cPhase 2\u201d cannabis\/PTSD<\/span> clinical trial involving 320 military veterans.<\/p>\n Search the internet for \u201cCBN<\/span>\u201d or \u201ccannabinol\u201d and most of the results (other than those referencing the Christian Broadcasting Network) will mention sleep. One of the better known \u201cminor\u201d cannabinoids, CBN<\/span> is the oxidized form of THC<\/span>, created as cannabis ages. It\u2019s also widely marketed as a sleep aid that promotes sedation. However, this assertion is not supported by the scientific literature, a point made explicit in an August 2021 review in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research<\/em>\u00a02<\/sup>; of eight higher-quality studies published between 1945 and 2021. \u201cThere is insufficient published evidence to support sleep-related claims,\u201d writes Jamie Corroon of San Diego\u2019s Center for Medical Cannabis Education. \u201cRandomized controlled trials are needed to substantiate claims made by manufacturers of cannabis products containing CBN<\/span>. Individuals seeking cannabis-derived sleep aids should be skeptical of manufacturers\u2019 claims of sleep-promoting effects.\u201d While this finding doesn\u2019t definitively prove that CBN<\/span> is useless as a sleep aid, it likely points to one of two possibilities: either any claim that CBN<\/span> is associated with better sleep is totally bogus, or any benefit is actually a byproduct of other characteristics of aged or high-CBN<\/span> cannabis, such as high THC<\/span> content or different terpene profiles.<\/p>\n Current evidence indicates that CBD<\/span> is most powerful as an analgesic when combined with THC<\/span>. But because of the greater availability and different legal status of CBD<\/span>-only products, researchers continue to investigate the potential of cannabidiol on its own to treat pain associated with a variety of ailments. A team based in Denmark recently published a paper in the journal Pain<\/em>3<\/sup>; describing a study of 136 arthritis patients \u2013 randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled \u2013 intended to determine the extent to which a daily regimen of 20 to 30 milligrams of CBD<\/span> for 12 weeks would reduce pain relative to a placebo. Short answer: it didn\u2019t. The authors report that 22% of patients receiving CBD<\/span> and 21% of those receiving placebo experienced a reduction in pain intensity of more than 30mm on the Visual Analogue Scale. Not only that, but they also found no statistically significant effects on other outcomes including sleep quality, depression, and anxiety. As always, this isn\u2019t the final word, but the study may well influence the design of future investigations into the use of CBD<\/span> for treating arthritis symptoms. For example, it could be the case that 20-30 mgs of CBD<\/span> isolate is simply too low a dose to confer an analgesic effect, whereas a higher dose would be effective.<\/p>\nCannabis &<\/span> PTSD<\/span><\/h2>\n
CBN<\/span> &<\/span> Sleep<\/h2>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.projectcbd.org\/sites\/projectcbd\/files\/styles\/related_content_popout\/public\/field\/image\/xcannabis_sleep_square.png,qitok=RyY9tdjh.pagespeed.ic.ZmYTOVpcc5.jpg\")
<\/div>\nCBD<\/span> &<\/span> Arthritis<\/h2>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.projectcbd.org\/sites\/projectcbd\/files\/styles\/related_content_popout\/public\/field\/image\/quick-hits\/xcannabis-for-arthritis.png,qitok=GdkCiEKU.pagespeed.ic.xvU2pqI1Fm.jpg\")
<\/div>\n