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<div class="brand">MedWest Medical Dispensary</div>
<div class="tagline">Where Medicine Meets Wellness · Perth, WA</div>
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<div style="font-size:11px;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.45);letter-spacing:0.06em;text-transform:uppercase;">Consumer Medicines Information</div>
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<!-- HERO -->
<section class="hero">
<div class="container">
<div class="hero-badge"><span></span>TGA Regulated · Prescription Only</div>
<div class="hero-label">Consumer Medicines Information</div>
<h1>Medicinal Cannabis for<br><em>ADHD & OCD</em></h1>
<p>You've been prescribed medicinal cannabis to help manage symptoms that haven't fully responded to other treatments. This guide explains what THC and CBD actually do in your brain, what the science says, and how to use your medicine as safely and effectively as possible.</p>
<div class="hero-pills">
<span class="pill">ADHD — Attention & Focus</span>
<span class="pill">OCD — Intrusive Thoughts & Compulsions</span>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<!-- STAT BAR -->
<div class="stat-bar" style="grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);">
<div class="stat-item">
<div class="stat-num">~5%<sup>1</sup></div>
<div class="stat-desc">of Australian adults are estimated to live with ADHD — many going undiagnosed for years</div>
</div>
<div class="stat-item">
<div class="stat-num">2–3%<sup>3</sup></div>
<div class="stat-desc">of people worldwide live with OCD — ranked by the WHO among the ten most disabling conditions</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- READ CAREFULLY NOTE -->
<div style="background:var(--ivory-dark);border-bottom:1px solid var(--light-border);">
<div class="container" style="padding-top:18px;padding-bottom:18px;">
<p style="font-size:13.5px;color:var(--mid-text);line-height:1.7;">This document contains important information about your medicine. Take a few minutes to read it before you start, and keep it somewhere handy. If anything is unclear — or if you have questions after reading — your <strong style="color:var(--charcoal);">MedWest pharmacist</strong> is always available to help.</p>
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<!-- SECTION: YOUR CONDITIONS -->
<section class="section">
<div class="section-label">Your Conditions</div>
<div class="section-title">What do ADHD and OCD have in common?</div>
<p class="section-intro">More than you might expect. Both involve a part of the brain called the <strong>endocannabinoid system</strong> — and that's exactly where medicinal cannabis works. Understanding this connection helps explain why your doctor has prescribed it.</p>
<div class="disorder-grid" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;">
<div class="disorder-card">
<div class="disorder-header adhd">
<span class="disorder-icon">🧠</span>
<span class="disorder-name">ADHD</span>
<span class="disorder-full">Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder</span>
</div>
<div class="disorder-body">
<p>ADHD affects how your brain manages attention, impulse control, and motivation. At its core it's a problem with dopamine — your brain's "get-things-done" chemical. The same circuits that regulate dopamine are densely packed with cannabinoid receptors (CB1), making them a genuine therapeutic target for cannabis-based medicines.<sup>4</sup></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="disorder-card">
<div class="disorder-header ocd">
<span class="disorder-icon">🔁</span>
<span class="disorder-name">OCD</span>
<span class="disorder-full">Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder</span>
</div>
<div class="disorder-body">
<p>OCD involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviours that feel impossible to resist. Preclinical research shows that abnormal function in the brain's endocannabinoid system — particularly in circuits governing habit and threat response — directly contributes to compulsive behaviour. These circuits are an active and promising area of cannabinoid research.<sup>3,6</sup></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<hr class="divider">
<!-- SECTION: TWO COMPOUNDS -->
<section class="section">
<div class="section-label">Your Medicine</div>
<div class="section-title">Meet THC and CBD — the two active ingredients</div>
<p class="section-intro">Medicinal cannabis works through two main compounds. They act on your brain differently and often complement each other. Here's what each one does — and why it matters for your condition. Tap through to the science notes below each point if you'd like more detail.</p>
<div class="compound-grid">
<!-- THC -->
<div class="compound-card thc">
<div class="card-header">
<div class="card-letter">T</div>
<div class="card-abbr">THC</div>
<div class="card-name">Tetrahydrocannabinol</div>
<div class="card-subtitle">Can produce a mild 'high'. At therapeutic doses, this is carefully managed to deliver benefit while minimising psychoactive effects.</div>
</div>
<div class="card-body">
<ul>
<li>
Calms your brain's alarm centre — reducing fear, threat perception, and anxiety
<span class="science-note">Activates CB1 receptors in the amygdala; validated in human neuroimaging studies<sup>5,7</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
Supports the dopamine signalling pathways most affected in ADHD
<span class="science-note">CB1 receptors modulate dopamine transmission in the basal ganglia and neocortex<sup>4</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
May help reduce compulsive urges by modulating habit-forming circuits in the brain
<span class="science-note">CB1 activity in the dorsolateral striatum regulates extinction of compulsive procedural behaviour<sup>6</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
Can improve sleep quality — important for both ADHD and OCD, where disrupted sleep worsens symptoms
<span class="science-note">Short-term THC associated with reduced sleep onset latency; reviewed in multiple sleep literature sources<sup>9</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
<em>Important:</em> High doses can increase anxiety rather than reduce it — always start low
<span class="science-note">A bidirectional dose-response on anxiety is well-established in the literature<sup>10</sup></span>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<!-- CBD -->
<div class="compound-card cbd">
<div class="card-header">
<div class="card-letter">C</div>
<div class="card-abbr">CBD</div>
<div class="card-name">Cannabidiol</div>
<div class="card-subtitle">Non-intoxicating — it won't make you feel 'high'. CBD is usually the dominant compound in psychiatric prescriptions and is well tolerated by most people.</div>
</div>
<div class="card-body">
<ul>
<li>
Reduces anxiety through your serotonin system — the same pathway targeted by antidepressants
<span class="science-note">Partial agonist at 5-HT1A serotonin receptors; meta-analysis effect size Hedges' g = −0.92 for anxiety<sup>10</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
Boosts your brain's own calming chemicals by slowing their natural breakdown
<span class="science-note">Inhibits fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), increasing endogenous anandamide levels<sup>11</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
Shown to reduce compulsive behaviour in research models — to a level comparable to SSRI medication
<span class="science-note">CBD reversed compulsive marble-burying in mice to a level matching fluoxetine at equivalent doses<sup>6</sup></span>
</li>
<li>
Helps regulate the brain's fear-extinction pathway — relevant to the anxiety loop in OCD and attention dysregulation in ADHD
<span class="science-note">Enhances fear extinction consolidation via CB1 receptors in dorsal hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex<sup>12</sup></span>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<hr class="divider">
<!-- SECTION: HOW IT WORKS -->
<section class="section">
<div class="section-label">The Science, Simply Explained</div>
<div class="section-title">Why does cannabis work for these conditions?</div>
<div class="ecs-box">
<h3>Your Brain Already Has a Cannabinoid System</h3>
<p>Most people don't realise this, but your brain naturally produces its own cannabis-like molecules — called endocannabinoids — and has specific receptors (CB1 and CB2) built to receive them. This is called the <strong>Endocannabinoid System (ECS)</strong>, and it acts like a master regulator across the brain, helping balance mood, memory, fear, habit, and attention.</p>
<p>In ADHD and OCD, this system becomes dysregulated — parts of it go quiet when they should be active, or stay switched on when they should turn off. THC and CBD work by gently restoring that balance in the brain regions most disrupted by your condition: the amygdala (fear and emotion), hippocampus (memory), prefrontal cortex (decision-making), and basal ganglia (habit and compulsion).<sup>4,6</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="condition-grid">
<div class="condition-card">
<span class="tag adhd">ADHD</span>
<h4>Attention & motivation</h4>
<p class="plain">Cannabis targets the exact brain circuits that regulate dopamine — the chemical at the heart of focus, motivation, and impulse control.</p>
<p class="science">CB1 receptors are densely expressed in dopaminergic pathways of the basal ganglia and neocortex — regions directly implicated in ADHD. The UK Medical Cannabis Registry found significant improvements in anxiety and quality of life across ADHD patients followed for 12 months of treatment.<sup>4,13</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="condition-card">
<span class="tag adhd">ADHD</span>
<h4>Hyperactivity & impulsivity</h4>
<p class="plain">The only placebo-controlled trial of cannabinoids in ADHD found meaningful improvements in restlessness and the ability to pause before acting.</p>
<p class="science">Cooper et al. RCT (n=30): nabiximols (1:1 THC:CBD) produced significant improvements in hyperactivity/impulsivity (p=0.03) and response inhibition compared to placebo. The study was underpowered, which highlights the need for larger trials.<sup>14</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="condition-card">
<span class="tag ocd">OCD</span>
<h4>Compulsive behaviours</h4>
<p class="plain">The drive to carry out compulsions is partly regulated by a brain circuit that cannabinoids directly target. Both CBD and THC have shown anti-compulsive effects in research settings.</p>
<p class="science">CB1 receptor activity in the dorsolateral striatum is required for extinction of compulsive procedural behaviour. CBD produced anti-compulsive effects in animal studies equivalent to fluoxetine. Dronabinol (oral THC) produced relief in multiple treatment-refractory OCD case reports.<sup>6,15</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="condition-card">
<span class="tag ocd">OCD</span>
<h4>Obsessions & the anxiety loop</h4>
<p class="plain">OCD and fear are closely linked — obsessive thoughts usually trigger an intense threat alarm. Cannabinoids may help break this cycle, especially when paired with psychological therapy.</p>
<p class="science">Impaired fear extinction is a documented neurobiological feature of OCD. A pilot RCT found nabilone (a THC analogue) may augment exposure-based psychotherapy outcomes. One case documented full OCD remission following 20 months of medicinal cannabis treatment.<sup>15,16</sup></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="evidence-note">
<strong>A note on where the research is at:</strong> Evidence for cannabinoids in ADHD and OCD is still developing — it's not as extensive as for conditions like pain or epilepsy. Most ADHD data comes from observational studies and patient registries; OCD evidence is mainly preclinical and case-series based. Your prescriber has weighed this against your personal history and what hasn't worked before. Medicinal cannabis is typically considered here only when standard treatments have not fully managed your symptoms.
</div>
</section>
<hr class="divider">
<!-- SECTION: DOSING -->
<section class="section">
<div class="section-label">Using Your Medicine</div>
<div class="section-title">Start low, go slow — and be patient with yourself</div>
<p class="section-intro">Finding the right dose takes time, and that's completely normal. The ranges below reflect what's been used in Australian clinical practice and the research literature. <strong style="color:var(--olive);">Always begin at the lowest prescribed dose</strong> — you can gradually increase, but you can't undo a dose that's too high.</p>
<div class="dose-grid">
<div class="dose-block thc">
<div class="dose-block-header">THC — Psychiatric Conditions</div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">If new to cannabis</span><span class="value">2.5–5 mg</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Typical therapeutic range</span><span class="value">5–15 mg</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">How often</span><span class="value">1–2× per day</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Best time to take</span><span class="value">Evening or at night</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Watch for</span><span class="value">High doses → more anxiety, not less</span></div>
</div>
<div class="dose-block cbd">
<div class="dose-block-header">CBD — Psychiatric Conditions</div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Starting dose</span><span class="value">25–50 mg</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Typical therapeutic range</span><span class="value">50–150 mg</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">How often</span><span class="value">1–3× per day</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Best time to take</span><span class="value">Same time each day</span></div>
<div class="dose-row"><span class="label">Tip</span><span class="value">Higher CBD:THC ratio for anxiety symptoms</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="small-note">
<strong>Which form is best for me?</strong> Oils and capsules are absorbed slowly — you'll feel the effect in 60 to 120 minutes, and it lasts 4 to 8 hours. This steady, sustained effect generally suits psychiatric conditions better because consistency matters more than speed. Vaporised flower acts much faster (10–20 minutes) and can be useful during acute episodes of panic, distress, or hyperarousal. Talk to your MedWest pharmacist about which format fits your daily life.
</div>
</section>
<hr class="divider">
<!-- SECTION: WHAT TO EXPECT -->
<section class="section">
<div class="section-label">Your Treatment Journey</div>
<div class="section-title">What to expect — week by week</div>
<div class="timeline">
<div class="timeline-item">
<div class="timeline-dot"></div>
<div class="timeline-time">Week 1–2 — Getting Started</div>
<div class="timeline-title">Go easy, and notice everything</div>
<div class="timeline-desc">Start at your lowest prescribed dose. Some people notice early improvements in sleep quality or general anxiety levels. Others feel a little drowsy or slightly "off" — this usually settles within a few days as your body adjusts. A simple diary helps: note your mood, sleep, focus, and any noticeable changes each day. This becomes really useful information for your pharmacist at your first review.</div>
</div>
<div class="timeline-item">
<div class="timeline-dot"></div>
<div class="timeline-time">Week 2–4 — Finding Your Level</div>
<div class="timeline-title">Gradual adjustment toward your therapeutic dose</div>
<div class="timeline-desc">If your symptoms aren't responding enough, your dose can be carefully increased. For ADHD, changes in focus and impulsivity can take a bit longer to assess. For OCD, reductions in compulsive urges often emerge gradually over weeks. Change only one variable at a time — if you adjust both THC and CBD simultaneously, it's much harder to know what's helping or causing side effects.</div>
</div>
<div class="timeline-item">
<div class="timeline-dot"></div>
<div class="timeline-time">Month 1–3 — Building Momentum</div>
<div class="timeline-title">Consistency is the key</div>
<div class="timeline-desc">Most patients settle into a stable dose that supports their daily functioning. Medicinal cannabis works best as part of a broader care plan — alongside exposure-based therapy for OCD, or behavioural strategies for ADHD. Early research suggests cannabinoids may even enhance the benefits of psychological treatment when used together.<sup>16</sup></div>
</div>
<div class="timeline-item">
<div class="timeline-dot"></div>
<div class="timeline-time">Ongoing — Staying on Track</div>
<div class="timeline-title">Regular check-ins with your MedWest team</div>
<div class="timeline-desc">Your pharmacist will follow your progress and flag anything worth reviewing. During stressful periods, a temporary dose adjustment may help. Remember: medicinal cannabis is a support tool — it works best alongside your other health strategies, not instead of them.</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<hr class="divider">
<!-- SAFETY -->
<section class="section">
<div class="section-label">Important Safety Information</div>
<div class="section-title">Things you need to know before you start</div>
<div class="safety-box">
<h4>⚠ Please read this section carefully</h4>
<div class="safety-item">
<span class="safety-icon">🚗</span>
<p><strong>Do not drive until you know how this medicine affects you.</strong> THC impairs driving ability — this is both a safety risk and a legal one in WA. Many patients take their THC dose in the evening to avoid this issue. Ask your MedWest pharmacist about the specific regulations that apply to your prescription.</p>
</div>
<div class="safety-item">
<span class="safety-icon">😰</span>
<p><strong>More THC does not always mean better results.</strong> There is a well-documented "sweet spot" with THC for anxiety — too much can actually increase anxiety and trigger paranoia, especially in people who are already prone to it. If you feel noticeably worse after starting or increasing your dose, don't push through — contact your pharmacist. The solution is often simply a lower dose or a higher CBD ratio.<sup>10</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="safety-item">
<span class="safety-icon">💊</span>
<p><strong>Tell your pharmacist about everything you're taking.</strong> Medicinal cannabis interacts with SSRIs, SNRIs, stimulant medications (such as dexamphetamine or methylphenidate), benzodiazepines, and other common psychiatric medicines. Many interactions are manageable with dose adjustment — but your pharmacist needs the full picture. The most common side effects across the research base are dry mouth (32.6%), drowsiness (31.3%), and mild fatigue at higher doses.<sup>2</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="safety-item">
<span class="safety-icon">🔁</span>
<p><strong>OCD patients — be aware of a nuance.</strong> While carefully titrated medicinal cannabis can support OCD treatment, recreational-style cannabis use (particularly at higher, uncontrolled doses) has been linked to worsening OCD symptoms in some people. This is an important distinction. If obsessions or compulsions feel more intense after starting treatment, contact your pharmacist promptly — do not simply push through.<sup>3</sup></p>
</div>
<div class="safety-item">
<span class="safety-icon">🚫</span>
<p><strong>This medicine is not right for everyone.</strong> It is not recommended for people under 25, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or for those with a personal or family history of psychosis or schizophrenia. Long-term daily THC use in adolescence is associated with measurable adverse effects on brain development and neural connectivity.<sup>14</sup></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="section-label" style="margin-top:28px;">Good questions to ask your MedWest pharmacist</div>
<ul class="faq-list">
<li>What CBD-to-THC ratio is best suited to my specific condition — ADHD or OCD?</li>
<li>Can I take this safely alongside my current medications — SSRI, stimulant, or benzo?</li>
<li>How will I know if the THC is genuinely helping, or making my anxiety worse?</li>
<li>Is it safe for me to drive to work or school while on this prescription?</li>
<li>Should I time my doses around my therapy or psychology sessions?</li>
<li>What should I do if I experience a panic attack or feel overwhelmed while on this medicine?</li>
</ul>
<div class="contact-block">
<div>
<div class="contact-label">Contact MedWest — we're here to help</div>
<div class="contact-phone">📞 (08) 6256 1512</div>
<div class="contact-addr">Shop 17, 478 Wanneroo Road, Westminster WA 6061<br>www.medwestmedical.com.au</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
</div>
<!-- REFERENCES -->
<div class="references-section">
<div class="container">
<h3>Where This Information Comes From</h3>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.45);margin-bottom:20px;line-height:1.65;">This guide draws on peer-reviewed research, systematic reviews, and published clinical trials. References are listed in Vancouver format — you don't need to read them, but they're here for transparency and for your healthcare team if needed.</p>
<ol class="ref-list">
<li>Goodwin G, Bhatt M, Bhatt S, Bousman C. ADHD in Australia: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment — a systematic review. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2022;56(9):1089–1105. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674211065478" target="_blank">10.1177/00048674211065478</a></li>
<li>Kayser RR, Snorrason I, Haney M, Lee FS, Simpson HB. The endocannabinoid system: a new treatment target for obsessive compulsive disorder? Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2019;4(2):77–87. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0049" target="_blank">10.1089/can.2018.0049</a></li>
<li>Ittiphakorn P, Erridge S, Holvey C, et al. UK Medical Cannabis Registry: an analysis of clinical outcomes of medicinal cannabis therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep. 2023;43(4):520–530. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/npr2.12400" target="_blank">10.1002/npr2.12400</a></li>
<li>Müller-Vahl KR, Szejko N, Fremer C. Cannabis improves obsessive-compulsive disorder — case report and review of the literature. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:681. PMC: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7396551/" target="_blank">PMC7396551</a></li>
<li>Orsolini L, Chiappini S, Volpe U, et al. Use of medicinal cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a systematic review. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019;55(9):525. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina55090525" target="_blank">10.3390/medicina55090525</a></li>
<li>de Aquino JP, Sherif M, Radhakrishnan R, Cahill JD, Ranganathan M, D'Souza DC. The psychiatric consequences of cannabinoids. Clin Ther. 2018;40(9):1448–1456. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2018.07.017" target="_blank">10.1016/j.clinthera.2018.07.017</a></li>
<li>Das RK, Kamboj SK, Ramadas M, et al. Cannabidiol enhances consolidation of explicit fear extinction in humans. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2013;226(4):781–792. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2955-y" target="_blank">10.1007/s00213-012-2955-y</a></li>
<li>Ittiphakorn P, Erridge S, Holvey C, et al. UK Medical Cannabis Registry: ADHD outcomes at 12 months. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep. 2023. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/npr2.12400" target="_blank">10.1002/npr2.12400</a></li>
<li>Cooper RE, Williams E, Seegobin S, Tye C, Kuntsi J, Asherson P. Cannabinoids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a randomised-controlled trial. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017;27(8):795–808. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.05.005" target="_blank">10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.05.005</a></li>
<li>Kayser RR, Haney M, Raskin M, Arout C, Simpson HB. Acute effects of cannabinoids on symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a human laboratory study. Depress Anxiety. 2020;37(8):801–811. PMC: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7423713/" target="_blank">PMC7423713</a></li>
<li>Kayser RR, Raskin M, Marcotte M, et al. Nabilone augmentation of exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Depress Anxiety. 2020;37(8):812–818. doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/da.23024" target="_blank">10.1002/da.23024</a></li>
</ol>
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<strong>MedWest Medical Dispensary</strong> · Shop 17, 478 Wanneroo Road, Westminster WA 6061 · <strong>(08) 6256 1512</strong>
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<p>This Consumer Medicines Information guide is for educational purposes and does not replace personalised advice from your pharmacist or doctor. Medicinal cannabis in Australia is a Schedule 8 controlled medicine regulated by the TGA, accessed via the Special Access Scheme (SAS) or Authorised Prescriber (AP) Scheme. Your suitability for treatment is assessed individually. If you have any questions about your medicine — big or small — please ask your <strong style="color:rgba(255,255,255,0.7);">MedWest pharmacist</strong>.</p>
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