According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), medical cannabis and synthetic marijuana extracts should not be used to treat obstructive sleep apnea.
It was last November that the Minnesota Department of Health said it decided to add obstructive sleep apnea as a qualifying condition for the state’s medical marijuana program.
The AASM has said that because of unreliable delivery methods and not enough evidence to confirm treatment is effective, the condition should be excluded from the list.
“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,” remarked lead author Dr. Kannan Ramar, professor of medicine in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
“Until there is sufficient scientific evidence of safety and efficacy, neither marijuana nor synthetic medical cannabis should be used for the treatment of sleep apnea,” said AASM President Dr. Ilene Rosen. “Effective and safe treatments for sleep apnea are available from licensed medical providers at accredited sleep facilities.”
