Bordeaux, France: Cannabis inhalation alleviates symptoms in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS), according to a series of case reports published in the journal Sleep Medicine. Up to ten percent of the US population is estimated to suffer from RLS.
French researchers reported on the experience of six patients with treatment-resistant RLS following cannabis inhalation. All patients reported “total relief of RLS symptoms as well as complete improvement of sleep quality” following their use of marijuana.
“To our knowledge, this is the first report on the efficacy of cannabis in RLS,” investigators concluded. “Robust clinical trials are required to test the adequate profile of the effectiveness and safety of cannabinoids in RLS.”
For more information, contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, “Cannabis for restless legs syndrome: A report of six patients,” appears in Sleep Medicine.