Treatment of cannabis dependence with synthetic cannabinoids: A systematic review

Introduction: The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy of synthetic cannabinoid preparations for the treatment of cannabis dependence. The authors reviewed literature on the use of synthetic cannabinoids in treating patients with cannabis dependence. Methods: A search of five databases yielded3 eligible studies. We extracted information pertaining to study setting and design, demographic information, diagnostic criteria, the type of synthetic cannabinoid preparation used, and the efficacy of the treatment. Treatment outcomes were cannabis use, cannabis withdrawal, and patient retention in treatment. Results: There is some evidence that dronabinol and nabiximols reduce cannabis withdrawal and improve retention in treatment, but these findings were not consistent across all studies. There is no definite evidence that synthetic cannabinoids decrease cannabis use. Conclusion: The use of synthetic cannabinoids for cannabis dependence should still be considered experimental due to limited evidence of efficacy. Further research should compare the efficacy of different synthetic cannabinoid preparations at different doses and for longer durations of treatment.