Cannabidiol is used by a growing population for many ailments. Although not typically an emergency drug, it has important interactions and a few side effects that can be seen in the emergency department.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of two major constituents of marijuana and is the non-psychoactive component of cannabis. As its popularity has grown, questions about CBD from patients to their primary care clinicians have increased dramatically. As a patient advocate interpreting the available evidence, the primary care clinician needs to recognize how CBD differs from marijuana, what its clinical utility might be, and what its risks are.

This article will evaluate and assess medical marijuana, also called medical cannabis, and will cover benefits and risks, clinical considerations affecting its recommendation, and currently available evidence.

The cannabis industry is a booming economic force across the nation as states increasingly legalize the sale of medical and/or recreational marijuana. It remains on the national Schedule I list of drugs that are not acceptable for legal sale. But what do healthcare providers really understand about the drug’s safety, risks, and benefits? Not enough, human research protection professionals say.

In a review of 83 eligible studies, researchers found little evidence to support the efficacy of cannabinoids to treat depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, or several other mental health disorders. There is low-grade evidence that pharmaceutical cannabis may help improve symptoms of anxiety in patients with a comorbid medical condition.

The authors of this observational study found nearly a 50% reduction in self-reported headache and migraine severity following use of inhaled medicinal cannabis.