Benzodiazepine Use Disorder Research Dashboard
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CannaKeys has 22 studies associated with Benzodiazepine Use Disorder.
Here is a small sampling of Benzodiazepine Use Disorder studies by title:
- Association Between Prenatal Cannabis Use and Psychotropic Medication Use in Pregnant Patients With Depression and Anxiety
- Preclinical Assessment of the Abuse Potential of Purified Botanical Cannabidiol: Self-Administration, Drug Discrimination, and Physical Dependence
- A Mini-Review of Relationships Between Cannabis Use and Neural Foundations of Reward Processing, Inhibitory Control and Working Memory
- Perioperative Cannabis as a Potential Solution for Reducing Opioid and Benzodiazepine Dependence
- Reduction of Benzodiazepine Use in Patients Prescribed Medical Cannabis
Components of the Benzodiazepine Use Disorder Research Dashboard
- Dosing information available for Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
- Chemotype guidance for treating Benzodiazepine Use Disorder with cannabis
- Synopsis of cannabis research for Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
- Individual study details for Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
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Overview - Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
Description of Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
Benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive pharmaceuticals commonly prescribed to treat anxiety, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal symptoms (e.g., delirium tremors), or panic attacks.
“Benzos,” as they are sometimes called in everyday vocabulary, have sedative, sleep-inducing (hypnotic), relaxant, and mood-improving properties that can express themselves therapeutically (see sample indications).
Conversely, excessive dosing beyond prescription may have serious adverse effects such as confusion, memory loss, dizziness, low blood pressure, reduced respiratory rates, addiction, increase in risky or pathological behavior, overdose, and death.
Speed of effect onset, the time it takes to break it down (metabolize), and potency of benzodiazepine type are direct relationship to the risk of developing benzodiazepine use disorder.
Reviews of available trials, epidemiological studies, clinical expert opinions, interviews with people suffering from benzodiazepine use disorder, and alike suggest that diazepam, lorazepam, and alprazolam tend to present a relatively higher risk of abuse potential, while oxazepam, for instance, presented with a lower one.
For practitioners, it is essential to note that benzodiazepines should always safely be tapered on a case-by-case basis to prevent severe or life-threatening withdrawal. In addition, a physician should closely supervise cannabis or cannabinoids used to reduce benzodiazepine use.
Disease Classification
Condition: Benzo Use DisorderDisease Family:
Organ System: Mental/Emotional System
ICD-10 Chapter: Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders
ICD-10 Code: F13
Benzodiazepine Use Disorder Symptoms:
Classic physical and mental-emotional withdrawal symptoms such as ataxia (unsteady gait), tremors, confusion, dysphoria, tachycardia, sleep disturbances, muscle twitching, dizziness, hallucinations. In severe withdrawal cases, altered mental status, seizures, and even fatality can result from benzodiazepine withdrawal.Also known as:
Benzodiazepine dependence (formerly known as “addiction”), Benzodiazepines Abuse, Valium Use Disorder, Sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic related disorders, substance use disorder.Drug Interactions
THC Interaction with Pharmaceutical Drugs
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can enhance the effects of drugs that cause sedation and depress the central nervous system, such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and alcohol.
- THC is metabolized by an inhibitor of several enzymatic liver pathways referred to as cytochrome P450 (aka CYP450). There are more than 50 enzymes belonging to this enzyme family, several of which are responsible for the breakdown of common drugs such as antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline, doxepin, fluvoxamine), antipsychotics (haloperidol, clozapine, Stelazine), beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol), bronchodilators (e.g., theophylline), or blood thinners (e.g., warfarin). Thus, patients taking these medication classes may find that THC increases the concentration and effects of these drugs and the impact duration.
- Clinical observation (not yet confirmed by clinical trials) suggests no likely interactions with other pharmaceuticals at a total daily dose of up to 20mg THC.
If you are interested in the interaction potential of specific pharmaceuticals with THC, consider visiting CANN-DIR, published by Penn State College of Medicine.
CBD Interaction with Pharmaceutical Drugs
- Cannabidiol (CBD) may alter the action of metabolic enzymes (specific drug-transport mechanisms) and alter interactions with other drugs, some of which may produce therapeutic or adverse effects. For instance, CBD interacts with the enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 and cytochrome P450 2C19, increasing the bioavailability of anti-epileptic drugs such as clobazam (a benzodiazepine). This makes it possible to achieve the same results at significantly lower dosages, reducing treatment costs and risks of adverse effects.
- Groups of drugs affected include anti-epileptics, psychiatric drugs, and drugs affecting metabolic enzymes.
- Clinical observations (not yet confirmed by clinical trials) suggest no likely interactions with other pharmaceuticals at a total daily dose of up to 100mg CBD.
If you are interested in the interaction potential of specific pharmaceuticals with CBD, consider visiting CANN-DIR, published by Penn State College of Medicine.
THC/CBD Interaction with Pharmaceutical Drugs
In general, when using cannabinoid-based therapeutics that contain both THC and CBD consider the ratio between them and weigh the relevant information displayed in the individual THC and CBD Drug Interaction windows accordingly.
If you are interested in the interaction potential of specific pharmaceuticals with both primary cannabinoids and THC/CBD, consider visiting CANN-DIR, published by Penn State College of Medicine.
Concerns about Cannabis and Cancer-related Immunotherapies:
Some recent clinical observational studies have suggested that the co-administration of cannabinoid-based therapeutics and immunotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of certain types of cancer has been associated with worse overall survival rates (T. Taha et al., 2019; A. Biedny et al., 2020; G. Bar-Sela et al., 2020).
However, other studies have suggested that the co-commitment use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and cannabis-induced no such deleterious effects. More specifically, one trial was conducted on animals resulting in data suggesting that cannabis did not negatively affect the properties of immune checkpoint inhibitors (B. Waissengrin et al., 2023). The same authors compared the previous study results with findings from a cohort of 201 patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who received treatment with monotherapy pembrolizumab as a first-line treatment and adjunct cannabis to treat mainly pain and loss of appetite. Their time to tumor progression was 6.1 versus 5.6 months, and overall survival differed between 54.9 versus 23.6 months in cannabis-naïve patients and cannabis-using patients, respectively. However, while numerically different, the authors write that these differences were not statistically significant, leading them to suggest that “These data provide reassurance regarding the absence of a deleterious effect of cannabis in this clinical setting.”
Dosing Considerations
THC Dosage Considerations
- THC micro dose: 0.1 mg to 0.4 mg
- THC low dose: 0.5 mg to 5 mg
- THC medium dose: 6 mg to 20 mg
- THC high dose: 21 mg to 50+ mg
CBD Dosage Considerations
- CBD low dose: 0.4 mg to 19 mg
- CBD medium dose: 20 mg to 99 mg
- CBD high dose: 100 mg to 800+ mg (upper limits tested ~1,500mg)
Disclaimers: Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing a health problem or disease. If using a product, you should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider.
Information on this site is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over-the-counter medication is also available. Consult your physician, nutritionally oriented health care practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
