Some may think that medical marijuana is the miracle drug that seems to cure all. From staving off breast cancer to balancing your mood and sending you straight to sleep, Mary Jane is a lot of people’s drug of choice. However, contrary to what many may believe and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, medical marijuana shouldn’t be used to treat sleep apnea.
The group warned that the drug and its synthetic extracts haven’t been shown to be safe, effective or well-tolerated by patients with this condition.
“Until we have further evidence on the efficacy of medical cannabis for the treatment of sleep apnea, and until its safety profile is established, patients should discuss proven treatment options with a licensed medical provider at an accredited sleep facility,” said statement lead author Dr. Kannan Ramar. He’s a professor of medicine with the Mayo Clinic’s division of pulmonary and critical care medicine, in Rochester, Minn.
In November 2017, the Minnesota Department of Health added obstructive sleep apnea as a new qualifying condition for its medical marijuana program.
But in a statement published in an issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the sleep academy urged states to