A study published in Clinical Parkinsonism & Related Disorders has found that the vast majority of those in France with Parkinson’s disease support medical marijuana and CBD use.
In France, cannabis use is illegal outside the current restricted medical cannabis experimental framework which does not include Parkinson’s disease (PD) as an eligible condition. In contrast, CBD products are legal and are easily available. In this study, the aim was to “evaluate the acceptability of therapeutic cannabis and CBD use, and to assess cannabinoid-related attitudes among people with PD in France, with a view to assessing the potential inclusion of medical cannabinoids in PD treatment options. ”
Researchers conducted a nationwide online survey involving 1,136 participants with Parkinson’s disease. Results showed high levels of acceptability: 81.7% for medical cannabis and 87.4% for CBD. Factors linked to increased acceptability included the presence of anxiety symptoms, greater knowledge of cannabinoids, active information-seeking about medical cannabis, and perceiving the risk of cannabis dependence as low.
However, misconceptions about cannabinoids persist. Fear of dependence was a major barrier to use, and healthcare providers were seldom cited as sources of information about medical cannabis. The findings suggest that accurate education about the benefits and risks of cannabinoids could further enhance their acceptability among individuals with PD.
The study concludes:
Acceptability levels of cannabis and CBD were high. Acceptability was associated with knowledge and perceptions of cannabinoids. Given ongoing misconceptions about the effects and risks associated with CBD, disseminating accurate information could increase its acceptability in people with PD.
