Pilot study on efficacy of medical cannabis for chronic pain management

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Created On: 03/08/2023

This study was performed to investigate the perceived efficacy of medical cannabis for the management of chronic pain in middle-aged and older adults who were new users of medical cannabis.

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Key take away

Medical cannabis appears to be effective to relieve chronic pain symptoms among adults.

Background

This study was performed to investigate the perceived efficacy of medical cannabis for the management of chronic pain in middle-aged and older adults who were new users of medical cannabis.

Method

The researchers analyzed interview data from participants involved in a three-month pilot study to examine how medical cannabis impacted chronic pain and associated outcomes. The interviews took place after approximately 1 month of cannabis usage. The responses were assessed utilizing Rigorous and Accelerated Data Reduction (RADaR) technique.

Result

A total of 51 adults, comprising 24 women and 27 men, with a mean age of 54.4 (Standard Deviation = 12.0), were interviewed. The majority of volunteers (41 subjects) were identified as Non-Hispanic White. This was followed by Non-Hispanic Black (7 subjects), Multi-racial (2 subjects), and Hispanic White (1 subject). A significant proportion of the study participants (62.7%) reported the overall effectiveness of medical cannabis. They experienced various benefits, including decreased pain intensity, anxiety, and reliance on pain and psychiatric medications.

Additionally, they reported betterment in mood, physical functioning, and quality of sleep. However, some participants encountered challenges such as difficulty finding the right product or dosage and experiencing adverse effects like feeling excessively high and stomach issues. They also mentioned a limited threshold for pain that could be relieved by the medical cannabis product.

Conclusion

A majority of participants perceived medical cannabis as generally effective to mitigate chronic pain. They reported enhanced mental and physical functioning and decreased reliance on psychiatric and pain medications. To further evaluate the outcomes for adults initiating medical cannabis, future research should systematically assess modes of consumption, adverse effects, and optimal dosage.