ALSUntangled supports further study of cannabis and cannabinoids in ALS
Original source
Cannabis (opens in a new tab)ALSUntangled said cannabis and its active ingredients, cannabinoids, should be studied further in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The review cited biological mechanisms, limited animal studies and anecdotal reports of symptom relief, but did not establish that cannabis slows ALS or treats its symptoms.
Why this matters
This may guide research into controlled studies of cannabis or cannabinoids for ALS. It does not change treatment for people with ALS because the cited evidence comes from small, non-randomized, unblinded animal studies and anecdotal reports rather than a controlled clinical trial.
Limitations and context
This is an independent expert review published in 2012, not a new clinical trial. The review described limited animal evidence and anecdotal reports, and proposed a small controlled case series; it did not report results from such a study.