UBC Research: Cannabis Reduces Meth Use
The TDR Three Takeaways:
- Cannabis Reduces Meth Use: The study shows cannabis significantly lowers methamphetamine use among people using unregulated drugs, suggesting its value in harm reduction.
- Effects Vary by Stimulant: Findings indicate cannabis decreases meth use but doesn’t significantly affect crack cocaine use, highlighting the importance of targeted research on cannabis’s differential impacts.
- Need for More Research: The results call for further studies to confirm these observations and investigate cannabis’s wider role in treating stimulant use disorders like Meth, given the lack of current pharmacotherapies.
A study conducted at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, investigates the role of cannabis in managing stimulant cravings among people who use unregulated drugs (PWUD), focusing on its potential as a harm reduction strategy for Meth. Led by Hudson Reddon and his team, the research employed a cross-sectional questionnaire targeting individuals who concurrently use cannabis and unregulated stimulants. The aim was to assess if cannabis could effectively curb stimulant cravings and reduce usage. The participant group consisted of 297 individuals, with findings indicating that 45.1% used cannabis to manage stimulant cravings. Notably, 77.6% of these participants reported a decrease in stimulant use during periods of cannabis consumption. This association was especially significant among daily crystal methamphetamine users, suggesting a specific impact of cannabis on this stimulant’s use. However, no substantial link was found between cannabis use and reduced crack cocaine consumption, highlighting the specificity and complexity of cannabis’s role in harm reduction.
These results add to the evidence supporting cannabis’s therapeutic benefits for individuals aiming to decrease their use of more hazardous stimulants like Meth. The differentiation between effects on crystal methamphetamine versus crack cocaine use underlines the importance of targeted research to fully understand cannabis’s implications in harm reduction. Furthermore, the study aligns with the shift towards harm reduction strategies in public health, suggesting cannabis’s potential utility in reducing stimulant consumption, particularly given the current lack of pharmacotherapies for stimulant use disorders.
The necessity for further research to confirm these findings and explore cannabis’s broader implications among Meth and other PWUD is clear. The study highlights a promising correlation between cannabis use and reduced stimulant intake, particularly with crystal meth, contributing to the discussion on harm reduction and substance use management. As perceptions of cannabis evolve, these insights offer valuable perspectives on its benefits and limitations as a harm reduction tool, emphasizing the need for continued exploration in this field. Want to keep up to date with all of TDR’s research, subscribe to our daily Baked In newsletter.
