Quetiapine treatment for cannabis use disorder.
Pharmacotherapy for cannabis use disorder (CUD) is an important unmet public health need. In a 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, the efficacy of quetiapine (300 mg nightly) for the treatment of CUD was tested in 130 outpatients. Weekly cannabis use was categorized into three groups heavy use (5-7 days), moderate use (2-4 days) and light use (0-1 days). At baseline both groups were considered heavy users (using days per week median 7.0 interquartile range (IQR) 6.5-7.0 daily dollar value median $121.4 IQR 73.8-206.3). The week-by-treatment interaction was marginally significant (χ The use of quetiapine to treat CUD was associated with an increased likelihood of heavy frequency use transitioning to moderate use, but not light use. The clinical significance of reductions in cannabis use, short of abstinence warrants further study.