Cannabidiol Compared to Pharmacological Treatment as Usual for Crack Use Disorder: A Feasibility, Preliminary Efficacy, Parallel, Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial

Cannabidiol (CBD) was tested for feasibility, safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy in people with crack use disorder. A double-blind, randomized clinical trial compared CBD to treatment as usual in 90 randomized participants, with 73 allocated (about half to a control group and half to CBD). Participants received 600 mg CBD for 10 weeks alongside an active control regimen using fluoxetine, valproic acid, and clonazepam, with weekly study visits and toxicology-based urine checks. The trial reported that CBD was safe and generally well tolerated, with fewer adverse events than the control group (including lower dizziness and less memory impairment). Within-group analyses also found advantages for CBD on some clinical outcomes, including reduction in crack use, while questionnaire and urine data were reportedly consistent using a “veracity index.”