Medical Marijuana no better than Placebo Treatment in treating Dementia Symptoms

Efficacy of medical marijuana pills to rid dementia symptoms is not better than placebo treatment. Researchers from the Netherlands have found that a little benefit was seen in patients with dementia symptoms. Taking a course of pills containing THC – the main ingredient found in marijuana – slightly eased dementia symptoms like agitation, aggression or wandering.

The researchers derived results after conducting a study for three weeks, involving 50 patients with dementia and without other illnesses taking pills on daily basis. They administered a placebo in 26 of them, whereas 24 received 4.5 milligrams of THC.

The researchers found that there was no statistical difference in patients using THC and the placebo group.

“The improvement in the placebo group was remarkable, as dementia is a progressive disease. The improvement might have been caused by the fact that the patients received a lot of support during the study, or to the placebo effect”, said Dr. Marcel Olde Rikkert, who is chair of geriatrics at Radboud Alzheimer Center and author of the study, according to Health Day News.

The use of medical approval is increasingly getting approval from increasing number of US states either by laws or ballot initiatives. The reason is its potential to reduce suffering from Parkinson’s, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. In the US, marijuana is still illegal, considering a schedule A drug along with cocaine, LSD and heroine under federal laws.