CannabidiolCannabidiol for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: An 8-Week Pilot Study

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female outpatients 21-65 years of age with a primary psychiatric diagnosis of either GAD, SAD, PD or agoraphobia as defined by DSM-5 criteria and a HAM-A score of ≥ 22.
2. Physical exam and laboratory findings without clinically significant abnormalities.
3. Participants must agree to abstain from recreational cannabis use for the duration of the study.
4. Concomitant psychotropic medication use will be allowed provided that the dose has been stable for 8 weeks prior to randomization. (including antidepressants, anti-psychotics, anti-convulsants, benzodiazepines, stimulants, mood stabilizers)
5. The ability to comprehend and satisfactorily comply with protocol requirements.
6. Written informed consent given prior to entering the baseline period of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Current recreational or medicinal use of cannabis within 4 weeks of study initiation.
2. Participants with a lifetime history of cannabis use disorder or other substance use disorders (except tobacco use disorder)will be excluded.
3. Participants with a lifetime history of daily cannabis use will be excluded.
4. Dose changes of concomitant medication will not be permitted during the study period.
5. Pregnant women, lactating women, and women of childbearing potential who are not using medically accepted forms of contraception (e.g., IUD, oral contraceptives, barrier devices, condoms and foam, or implanted progesterone rods stabilized for at least 3 months), or women who are planning on becoming pregnant.
6. Diagnosis of any of the following mental disorders as defined by the DSM-5: a lifetime history of schizophrenia or any other psychosis, mental retardation, organic medical disorders, bipolar disorder. Entry of patients with obsessive compulsive disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder will be permitted if the anxiety disorder is judged to be the predominant disorder, in order to increase accrual of a clinically relevant sample.
7. Major depression will be allowed if not severe (Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale-MADRS ≥ 25). Patients with significant suicidal ideation (MADRS item 10 score > 3) or who have enacted suicidal behaviours within 6 months prior to intake will be excluded from study participation and referred for appropriate clinical intervention.
8. Participants with a family history of psychosis will be excluded.
9. Participants who have a history of adverse reactions to cannabis will be excluded.