A recent study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry found that cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid abundant in cannabis and hemp plants, could be effective at reducing alcohol cravings among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD).
For the study, which was conducted at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, researchers recruited 28 non-treatment-seeking individuals with mild to severe AUD via online portals, social media, and newsletters. Participants were aged between 18-60 years old, and they were randomly assigned to receive either 800 mg of CBD or a matching placebo for the study. Participants were asked to abstain from drinking for 24 hours beforehand and, upon arrival, they were given either the CBD or the placebo capsule. After some time, the participants were exposed to stress tests and “alcohol cue exposure in a bar laboratory setting, which has been established and validated in previous studies as an experimental intervention for the induction of alcohol craving,” the authors wrote.
Participants who were given the CBD capsules reported “significantly lower alcohol cravings,” the researchers said.
The study authors cited “preclinical data suggesting that CBD is effective in targeting AUD symptoms and disease processes that drive alcohol use and relapse, due to its anti-craving, stress-reducing, and anti-compulsive effects.”
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