Clinical Trial Studies on Marijuana

Clinical Trial Studies on Marijuana

Introduction

According to UNODC (2010), Cannabis or marijuana is the most illicit drug in the world. According to an estimate, approximately 147 million adults consume marijuana at least one time in a year among which 30 million are Americans (Mason, et al. 2012). Despite of its prevalence, patients around the world also seek treatment for its dependence. Nonetheless, considering the prevalence of the disorder as well as people seeking treatment for its dependence and craving, no FDA- approved medications are available. Scientists have tried the test of their assumptions on the selected samples (Levin, et al. 2004). This paper will tend to find the implications of placebo treatment, Divalproex Sodium, and aerobic for encouraging patients to help suppress their cravings for marijuana.

Discussion

Drug selection

Despite the severe side effects of marijuana, people tend to use it at greater level. The reason behind this might be the perception which differentiates marijuana and other substance abuse by both the common populace and the medical researchers. Commonly, marijuana is also perceived as a safe drugh but differenty researches have documented its psychological and medical effects such as anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and malignancies etc.

Before being maligned and banned in the twentieth century, cannabis was everywhere appreciated for its medicinal properties and its ability to multiply the pleasure. Substance use and especially cannabis in adolescence have a symbolic function to express identification with deviant norms and values. For the most popular illicit drug, cannabis is considered the gateway to the culture of illicit drug route. Teenagers who come to other types of drugs are almost exclusively those who frequently used cannabis and especially those who have experienced early.

Description of the Treatment

Barbara J Mason along with the co-authors (2012) conducted a phase IIa proof-of-concept pilot study for analyzing the efficiency and safety of the calcium channel/GABA modulating drug, gabapentin, for treating marijuana dependence. It was a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial conducted among 50 male and female outpatients, aged 18-65 years, seeking treatment having existing cannabis dependence. They were given either gabapentin (1200 mg/day) or matched placebo (Mason, et al. 2012). They were also provided with the abstinence-oriented individual and manual guided. Use of cannabis was measured through weekly urine toxicology as well as through self-reports with the help of the Timeline Followback interview.

On the other hand, Frances Rudnick Levin et al. (2004) also conducted a placebo study under the single blinded for the time span of two weeks. •The question arises on finding the most effective mode of treating patients. Researchers tried to gauge the impact of proposed treatment through selecting the audience for the test. To out-root marijuana craving, they have given the group Divalproex sodium. Their selection was done randomly to either given with the divalproex sodium or a corresponding placebo.They were provided with the titrated medication does such that they used to take 500mg per day of either divalproex sodium or a matching placebo. The dose was divided into two equal doses for ...