Cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from cannabis may help people battling an addiction to methamphetamine abuse by easing their withdrawal symptoms, the Department of Medical Services (DMS) has found.
Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, acting director-general of the DMS, cited medical research which showed success in using the plant's CBD compound to treat certain medical ailments including demyelinating diseases -- which can damage optic nerves, the spinal cord and nerve fibres in the brain -- and epilepsy in children.
A combination of the plant's psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD can also relieve anxiety and nausea without causing negative effects such as hallucinations or addiction, he said.
The administration of CBD alone can improve sleep and promote feelings of calm, as noted by the results found at the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment and branches of Thanyarak Hospital in six regions of the country.
Most of the patients who enter drug rehabilitation programmes in Thailand are trying to overcome an addiction to methamphetamine, accounting for 75% of the 200,000 registrants each year, according to available data.
Until now, no medicines have been found that effectively treat this problem. As a result, hospitals have recently been conducting research to test the effects of CBD oil on such patients by administering several drops on or under their tongues.
The results were then compared to the use of the antidepressant Bupropion, commonly prescribed in these cases. The research aims to promote the use of CBD as a rehabilitation alternative.