Pharmacological Aids in Cannabis Cessation

Given robust experimental evidence of cannabis withdrawal, recent interest has focused on the extent to which medications may assist in the amelioration 

An initial examination of the extent to which lithium may prevent cannabis withdrawal in rats was conducted by Cui et al. (2001), who reported that, at clinically relevant serum levels, lithium prevented the appearance of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome. The authors also noted that these effects were accompanied by a release of oxytocin, which they conclude is responsible for suppression of the withdrawal signs. 

Using a within-subject, placebo-controlled design, Haney et al. (2003) recently reported that nefazodone, an antidepressant that also has some sedative properties, decreased reports of anxiety and muscle pain during closely mon- 

1999 Wilens et al. 1997), suggesting that the use of SSRIs may be ptefetable for this indication. 

In summary, research on the use of antidepressants to treat cannabis dependence, particularly among individuals with comorbid major depressive disorder, although limited, offers a promising avenue for the development of pharmacological aids to assist in the treatment of cannabis withdrawal. There are clear parallels between this literature and the existing research on the use of antidepressants in the treatment of alcohol dependence comorbid with major depressive disorder (see Chapter 1, Medications to Treat Co-occurring Psychiatric Symptoms or Disorders in Alcoholic Patients). 

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