Changa707
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2014
- Messages
- 162
Greetings all, I have been smoking a mixture of cannabis and tobacco daily for 5 years and am looking for some kind of replacement, as my goal is to quit. Many people don't take cannabis dependence seriously, but for some individuals it can be very debilitating. Although the physical w/d are less severe than say benzos or opiates, the psychological addiction can be equally as strong for some people.
However the good news is that there are quite a few studies being done on the pharmacological treatment of cannabis dependence.
Below I have posted excerpts regarding the effectiveness of various substances, accompanied by links to each article.
Baclofen - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3171994/
Ro 51-8048 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3171994/
URB597 - http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scien...mical-a-cure-for-marijuana-addiction-1638924/
Does anyone out there have experiences with using any of these substances, specifically to treat cannabis dependency? Which substance seems most promising, or worth trying out? Are there any other substances worth looking at? I understand that URB597 and Ro 51-8048 are very expensive and difficult to obtain, while Baclofen is common but also has many side effects as far as i'm aware (along with not being proven effective). On that note, would you rather be dependent on baclofen or cannabis?
I am surprised that I can't find any posts on bluelight regarding this topic, and feel left in the dark...considering that all the doctors and therapists I have visited do not know how to treat cannabis dependence effectively (they just tell me to quit). I suppose I could just quit without pharmacological intervention, but it has been difficult for me in the past to do so and I feel there should be some sort of medicine available for cannabis users to substitute with. After all, I feel that Cannabis has a strong grip on my life and would like to find healthier ways to enjoy it's benefits (without the accompanying side effects ie. carcinogens, anxiety,loss of motivation, etc.). They have treatment for opioid dependency, but it seems that there are no treatment options for users of Cannabis (which surprises me considering the shear number of chronic users seeking treatment).
However the good news is that there are quite a few studies being done on the pharmacological treatment of cannabis dependence.
Below I have posted excerpts regarding the effectiveness of various substances, accompanied by links to each article.
Baclofen - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3171994/
During active cannabis smoking, baclofen dose-dependently decreased craving for tobacco and cannabis, but had little effect on mood during abstinence and did not decrease relapse. Mirtazapine improved sleep during abstinence, and robustly increased food intake, but had no effect on withdrawal symptoms and did not decrease cannabis relapse. Overall, this human laboratory study did not find evidence to suggest that either baclofen or mirtazapine show promise for the treatment of cannabis withdrawal. |
Ro 51-8048 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3171994/
But when the researchers increased their kynurenic acid levels with Ro 61-8048, they chose to consume about 80 percent less THC. After the drug wore off, and their kynurenic acid levels decreased to normal, they went right back to hitting the THC levers rapidly. |
URB597 - http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scien...mical-a-cure-for-marijuana-addiction-1638924/
One such agent, the FAAH inhibitor URB597, selectively increased anandamide levels in the brain of rodents and primates. Preclinical studies showed that URB597 produced analgesic, anxiolytic-like, and antidepressant-like effects in rodents, which were not accompanied by overt signs of abuse liability. This evidence suggests that FAAH inhibitors such as URB597 might offer a possible therapeutic avenue for the treatment of cannabis withdrawal. |
Does anyone out there have experiences with using any of these substances, specifically to treat cannabis dependency? Which substance seems most promising, or worth trying out? Are there any other substances worth looking at? I understand that URB597 and Ro 51-8048 are very expensive and difficult to obtain, while Baclofen is common but also has many side effects as far as i'm aware (along with not being proven effective). On that note, would you rather be dependent on baclofen or cannabis?
I am surprised that I can't find any posts on bluelight regarding this topic, and feel left in the dark...considering that all the doctors and therapists I have visited do not know how to treat cannabis dependence effectively (they just tell me to quit). I suppose I could just quit without pharmacological intervention, but it has been difficult for me in the past to do so and I feel there should be some sort of medicine available for cannabis users to substitute with. After all, I feel that Cannabis has a strong grip on my life and would like to find healthier ways to enjoy it's benefits (without the accompanying side effects ie. carcinogens, anxiety,loss of motivation, etc.). They have treatment for opioid dependency, but it seems that there are no treatment options for users of Cannabis (which surprises me considering the shear number of chronic users seeking treatment).
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