Since cannabis legalization in 2018, cannabinoid research has been booming. Cannabidiol (CBD) is attracting a great deal of interest as it is credited with countering the side effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) such as anxiety or psychotic symptoms.
In an editorial published in the scientific journal Addiction, the doctoral candidate, Violaine Mongeau-Pérusse, and the head of our laboratory, Didier Jutras-Aswad, warn against the hasty conclusions drawn from studies supporting the protective effects of CBD.
This is because observational studies conducted do not have the same value as randomized trials and the few trials performed have produced mixed and inconsistent results. In addition, the products tested so far are very different from those found on the market. Before we can comment on the properties of CBD, it is necessary to conduct more robust clinical studies with cannabis products that are the same as those in the recreational market.