Media release

From: Swinburne University of Technology

A new study conducted by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre for Human Psychopharmacology has made significant findings in the field of medical cannabis use. The study suggests that cannabis, when used as prescribed to manage a chronic health condition, does not negatively impact cognitive function.

Lead researcher on the study, Dr Thomas Arkell, said it contributes a vital piece to the puzzle in assessing the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis treatment, especially with respect to cognitive function.

“We already know that non-medical cannabis can impact memory and attention. However, our findings show that patients prescribed medical cannabis by a doctor don’t experience the same effects,” said Dr Arkell.

“This could indicate that patients develop tolerance over time, akin to what we see with other psychoactive medications like antidepressants and benzodiazepines.”

The research focused on patients taking a stable dose of medical cannabis and found that they might become tolerant to the potentially impairing effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of cannabis.

“It could also mean that patients experience some alleviation of their symptoms, such as pain, after using medical cannabis, which might lead to a normalisation of cognitive function,” Dr Arkell adds.

While this research marks a critical step in understanding the impact of prescribed medical cannabis on cognitive function, the results cannot be generalised to non-medical cannabis or non-prescribed medical cannabis use.

The study emphasises the distinction between prescribed medical cannabis and its non-medical or non-prescribed counterparts.

Dr Arkell notes, “This is only a small study and further research is needed. However, these findings have real implications for the many thousands of Australians who are now prescribed medical cannabis to manage a chronic health condition.”