Ep. 54: Canabis as a Complementary Therapy for HIV

Approximately 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV, and more people are living longer because of advances in medicine and pharmaceuticals.  Developed in the late 1980s, antiretroviral therapy is credited with providing better viral control, but these pharmaceuticals are not without their downside, as they are expensive, complex in action, and have many adverse effects. 

As we continue to expand our knowledge about cannabis and its interactions with the endocannabinoid system, new studies indicate that medical marijuana is an effective treatment for the symptoms of HIV as well as a way to manage the adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy.  Adding cannabinoids, such as CBD and THC, to the HIV treatment plan specifically targets the body’s endocannabinoid system, which in turn lessens the adverse symptoms associated with inflammatory and nervous system dysfunction found in HIV.  

In this episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we examine how these cannabinoids can improve the quality of life by decreasing not only the symptoms associated with antiretroviral therapy, but also reduce HIV viral load and complement the prescribed drugs that are helping people live longer with HIV. 

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Bruce, D., Kahana, S.Y., Bauermeister, J.A., Nichols, S.L., Hightow-Weidman, L.B., Heinze, J.E., Shea, J., & Fernández, M.I. (2015). Neighborhood-level and individual-level correlates of cannabis use among young persons living with HIV/AIDS. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 151, 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.03.017

Cabral, G.A. (2001). Marijuana and cannabinoids: Effects on infections, immunity, and AIDS. Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 1(3–4), 61–85. https://doi.org/10.1300/J175v01n03_06

Chu, L., Shu, Z., Gu, X., Wu, Y., Yang, J., & Deng, H. (2023). The endocannabinoid system as a potential therapeutic target for HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorder. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, can.2022.0267. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2022.0267

Costiniuk, C.T., & Jenabian, M.-A. (2019). Cannabinoids and inflammation: Implications for people living with HIV. AIDS, 33(15), 2273–2288. https://doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0000000000002345 

Costiniuk, C.T., Saneei, Z., Salahuddin, S., Cox, J., Routy, J.-P., Rueda, S., Abdallah, S.J., Jensen, D., Lebouché, B., Brouillette, M.-J., Klein, M., Szabo, J., Frenette, C., Giannakis, A., & Jenabian, M.-A. (2019). Cannabis consumption in people living with HIV: Reasons for use, secondary effects, and opportunities for health education. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 4(3), 204–213. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0068

de Jong, B.C., Prentiss, D., McFarland, W., Machekano, R., & Israelski, D.M. (2005). Marijuana use and its association with adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected persons with moderate to severe nausea. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 38(1), 43.

Ellis, R.J., Toperoff, W., Vaida, F., van den Brande, G., Gonzales, J., Gouaux, B., Bentley, H., & Atkinson, J.H. (2009). Smoked medicinal cannabis for neuropathic pain in HIV: A randomized, crossover clinical trial. Neuropsychopharmacology, 34(3), 672–680. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2008.120

Ellis, R.J., Wilson, N., & Peterson, S. (2021). Cannabis and inflammation in HIV: A review of human and animal studies. Viruses, 13(8), 1521. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13081521

Langat, R., Chakrawarti, A., & Klatt, N.R. (2025). Cannabis use in HIV: Impact on inflammation, immunity and the microbiome. Current HIV/AID