Cannabis For Pain Research Articles

Perceptions in Orthopedic Surgery on the Use of Cannabis in Treating Pain: A Survey of Musculoskeletal Trauma Patients-Results From the Canadian POSIT Study.

To evaluate the patient-reported expectations regarding cannabis for pain following musculoskeletal (MSK) trauma and patients' perceptions and attitudes regarding its use. A cross-sectional retrospective survey-based study. Three orthopaedic clinics in Ontario (Level-1 trauma center, Level-2 trauma center, rehabilitation clinic). Adult patients presenting to the clinics from January 24, 2018, to March 7, 2018, with traumatic MSK injuries (fractures/dislocations and muscle/tendon/ligament injury) were administered an anonymous questionnaire on cannabis for MSK pain. Primary outcome measure was the patients' perceived effect of cannabis on MSK pain, reported on a continuous pain scale (0%-100%, 0 being no pain, and 100 unbearable pain). Secondary outcomes included preferences, such as administration route, distribution method, timing, and barriers (lack of knowledge, concerns for side effects/addiction, moral/religious opposition, etc.) regarding cannabis use. In total, 440 patients were included in this study, 217 (49.3%) of whom were female and 222 (50.5%) were male, with a mean age of 45.6 years (range 18-92 years, standard deviations 15.6). Patients estimated that cannabis could treat 56.5% (95% CI 54.0%-59.0%) of their pain and replace 46.2% (95% CI 42.8%-49.6%) of their current analgesics. Nearly one-third (131/430, 30.5%) reported that they had used medical cannabis and more than one-quarter (123/430, 28.6%) used it in the previous year. Most felt that cannabis may be beneficial to treat pain (304/334, 91.0%) and reduce opioid use (293/331, 88.5%). Not considering using cannabis for their injury (132/350, 37.7%) was the most common reason for not discussing cannabis with physicians. Higher reported pain severity (β = 0.2/point, 95% CI 0.1-0.3, P = 0.005) and previous medical cannabis use were associated with higher perceived pain reduction (β = 11.1, 95% CI 5.4-16.8, P < 0.001). One in 3 orthopaedic trauma patients used medical cannabis. Patients considered cannabis could potentially be an effective option for managing traumatic MSK pain and believed that cannabis could reduce opioid usage following acute musculoskeletal trauma. These data will help inform clinicians discussing medical cannabis usage with orthopaedic trauma patients moving forward.

Comparing Cannabis Use for Pain to Use for Other Reasons in Primary Care Patients.

Medical cannabis is commonly used for chronic pain, but little is known about differences in characteristics, cannabis use patterns, and perceived helpfulness among primary care patients who use cannabis for pain versus nonpain reasons. Among 1688 patients who completed a 2019 cannabis survey administered in a health system in Washington state, where recreational use is legal, participants who used cannabis for pain (n = 375) were compared with those who used cannabis for other reasons (n = 558) using survey and electronic health record data. We described group differences in participant characteristics, use patterns, and perceptions and applied adjusted multinomial logistic and modified Poisson regression. Participants who used cannabis for pain were significantly more likely to report using applied (50.7% vs 10.6%) and beverage cannabis products (19.2% vs 11.6%), more frequent use (47.1% vs 33.1% for use ≥2 times per day; 81.6% vs 69.7% for use 4 to 7 days per week), and smoking tobacco cigarettes (19.2% vs 12.2%) than those who used cannabis for other reasons. They were also significantly more likely to perceive cannabis as very/extremely helpful (80.5% vs 72.7%), and significantly less likely to use cannabis for nonmedical reasons (4.8% vs 58.8%) or report cannabis use disorder symptoms (51.7% vs 61.1%). Primary care patients who use cannabis for pain use it more frequently, often in applied and ingested forms, and have more co-use of tobacco, which may differentially impact safety and effectiveness. These findings suggest the need for different approaches to counseling in clinical care.

Cannabis use among adults undergoing cancer treatment.

Little is known about the risks and benefits of cannabis use in the context of cancer care. This study characterized the prevalence, reasons for use, and perceived benefits of cannabis and compared symptoms and perceived risks between those who reported past 30-day cannabis use and those who did not. Adults undergoing cancer treatment at a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center completed measures of sociodemographic characteristics, cannabis use, use modalities, reasons for use, perceived harms/benefits of use, physical and psychological symptoms, and other substance/medication use. Analyses compared patients who used or did not use cannabis in the past 30 days. Participants (N=267) were 58 years old on average, primarily female (70%), and predominantly White (88%). Over a quarter of respondents (26%) reported past 30-day cannabis use, and among those, 4.5% screened positive for cannabis use disorder. Participants who used cannabis most often used edibles (65%) or smoked cannabis (51%), and they were younger and more likely to be male, Black, and disabled, and to have lower income and Medicaid insurance than participants who did not use cannabis. Those who used cannabis reported more severe symptoms and perceived cannabis as less harmful than those who did not use cannabis. The most common medical reasons for cannabis use were pain, cancer, sleep problems, anxiety, nausea/vomiting, and poor appetite. Participants reported the greatest cannabis-related symptom relief from sleep problems, nausea/vomiting, headaches, pain, muscle spasms, and anxiety. Patients with cancer who used cannabis perceived benefits for many symptoms, although they showed worse overall symptomatology. Among adults undergoing cancer treatment, 26% reported cannabis use in the past 30 days. Those who used cannabis were more likely to be male and disabled and to have lower income and Medicaid insurance than those who did not use cannabis. Participants most commonly reported using cannabis for pain, cancer, sleep, anxiety, and nausea/vomiting and reported the greatest perceived benefits for sleep, nausea/vomiting, headaches, pain, muscle spasms, and anxiety, yet participants who used cannabis also reported feeling worse physically and psychologically compared to those who did not use cannabis. Participants who used cannabis were more likely to report that cannabis was less risky to their health than alcohol, smoking, and opioids than those who did not use cannabis.

A review of studies evaluating medical cannabis for the chronic pain management

Introduction: Medical cannabis for patients with chronic pain related to various conditions has been the focus of numerous investigations. Cannabis-based medicine has been described for hundreds of years but only recently have we seen the more scientific, evidence-based approach to its use, and ongoing investigations continue to explore its potential medical benefits. &#x0D; State of knowledge: As the results of studies assessing medical cannabis in pain alleviate seem promising, only weak recommendations are available. Important factors to consider in the development of guidelines include optimal doses, routes of administration and used types of cannabinoids. In discussed studies no serious adverse events were reported and treatment was well tolerated by participants.&#x0D; Conclusions: Evidence suggests that cannabis-based medicine can be safe and effective in pain relief. Further high-quality randomised clinical trial studies are needed. It is important to assess the safety profile of each individual cannabinoid formulation and define the population that can benefit from cannabis therapy for establishment of prospective recommendations and guidelines.

Healing of a Chronic Pressure Injury in a Patient Treated With Medical Cannabis for Pain and Sleep Improvement: A Case Report

A small body of evidence suggests medical cannabis may facilitate wound healing, but the exact mechanism of this effect is unclear. This case report describes a patient with a pressure injury (PI) who received cannabis oil treatment for pain management and sleep improvement. A 37-year-old woman with multiminicore disease, scoliosis, short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, and epilepsy presented to the Neurology Centre of Toronto with chronic pain and sleep disturbance, including difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. She also had a 5-year history of a PI between her right iliac crest and right rib cage that had progressively worsened. The patient received a medical cannabis oil protocol that used a combination of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. Cannabis oil was effective in treating pain and sleep difficulties. Unexpectedly, during the first 2 weeks of treatment, the PI started to heal and was almost completely closed at the 2-month follow-up. Although it is unknown if the observed healing of this refractory PI was indirectly or directly related to the cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol treatment, the potential relationships among pain, sleep disturbance, cannabis treatment, and healing should be explored.

Cannabis for pain: a cross-sectional survey of the patient information quality on the Internet

BackgroundCannabis has increasingly become an alternative treatment for chronic pain, however, there is evidence of concomitant negative health effects with its long-term usage. Patients contemplating cannabis use for pain relief commonly see information online but may not be able to identify trustworthy and accurate sources, therefore, it is imperative that healthcare practitioners play a role in assisting them in discerning the quality of information. The present study assesses the quality of web-based consumer health information available at the intersection of cannabis and pain.MethodsA cross-sectional quality assessment of website information was conducted. Three countries were searched on Google: Canada, the Netherlands, and the USA. The first 3 pages of generated websites were used in each of the 9 searches. Eligible websites contained cannabis consumer health information for pain treatment. Only English-language websites were included. Encyclopedias (i.e. Wikipedia), forums, academic journals, general news websites, major e-commerce websites, websites not publicly available, books, and video platforms were excluded. Information presented on eligible websites were assessed using the DISCERN instrument. The DISCERN instrument consists of three sections, the first focusing on the reliability of the publication, the second investigating individual aspects of the publication, and the third providing an overall averaged score.ResultsOf 270 websites identified across searches, 216 were duplicates, and 18 were excluded based on eligibility criteria, resulting in 36 eligible websites. The average summed DISCERN score was 48.85 out of 75.00 (SD = 8.13), and the average overall score (question 16) was 3.10 out of 5.00 (SD = 0.62). These overall scores were calculated from combining the scores for questions 1 through 15 in the DISCERN instrument for each website. Websites selling cannabis products/services scored the lowest, while health portals scored the highest.ConclusionThese findings indicate that online cannabis consumer health information for the treatment/management of pain presents biases to readers. These biases included websites: (1) selectively citing studies that supported the benefits associated with cannabis use, while neglecting to mention those discussing its risks, and (2) promoting cannabis as “natural” with the implication that this equated to “safe”. Healthcare providers should be involved in the guidance of patients’ seeking and use of online information on this topic.

Case presentation of Safe and Effective Use of Medical Cannabis in the Elderly

Introduction: The therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis have been demonstrated for a number of chronic conditions impacting the elderly population, such as pain management, and as alternatives to antipsychotic and opioid interventions, as well as end of life treatments. However, this therapeutic intervention has not become part of routine care for seniors living in long-term care facilities because of reduced public acceptance and stigma. The aim of this paper was to present case studies outlining the effective use of medical cannabis to treat elderly patients with a variety of medical conditions and symptoms such as: post traumatic stress disorder, pain, anxiety, delusions, as well as palliative care. Cannabis was also used to taper antipsychotic medications, and for managing those in palliative care. &#x0D; Case Presentation: Three cases highlighting the use of medical cannabis are described, from the perspective of a nurse practitioner-led interdisciplinary team approach.&#x0D; Management and Outcome: Using a variety of combinations of medical cannabis (cannabidiol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in oral formulations, the long-term care facility has achieved a dramatic reduction in the use of antipsychotic medications. Medical cannabis has shown alleviation of many symptoms such as: pain, dyspnea, agitation, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and twitching. Positive results were noted in several palliative care patients who received medical cannabis for pain and symptom management.&#x0D; Conclusion: As an adjunct therapy for managing post traumatic stress disorder and other conditions, medical cannabis has been effective in reducing symptoms and for improving the patients’ overall quality of life. Continued evaluation into the long effectiveness of medical cannabis provided to individuals over the age of 65 years is suggested. This nurse practitioner-led therapeutic intervention highlights the potential health benefits of medical cannabis and has clinical implications for practice and education.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and other drug use among young adults who use cannabis in Los Angeles

IntroductionCannabidiol (CBD) is purportedly a promising therapeutic agent to provide relief for a variety of medical conditions with mild or no psychoactive effects. However, little is known about young adults who use cannabis and CBD-dominant products, and associations between CBD use and other drug use. MethodsYoung adults (aged 24–32) who currently used cannabis (n = 239) were surveyed in Los Angeles in March 2019 through March 2020. The sample was divided into CBD-dominant (at least 1:1 CBD:THC ratio) and THC-dominant product users. We described CBD forms, reasons and conditions for CBD use and examined between-group differences in sociodemographic characteristics, cannabis practices, health and other drug use. ResultsCBD-dominant users were more likely to be female, use cannabis at lower frequency and amount (except for edible/drinkable/oral products), self-report medical motivation for cannabis use, use cannabis for pain and report more health problems. Oil, flower, topicals and sprays/drops/tinctures were the most prevalent CBD forms. Psychological problems and pain were commonly reported conditions and medical reasons for CBD use. CBD-dominant users were more likely to report illicit drug use, where psilocybin use was markedly different between the two groups. ConclusionsCBD use was associated with health histories and motivations linked to pain and psychological problems. Positive association between CBD use and illicit drug use may indicate self-medication for psychological conditions. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of various CBD forms and dose regimens for treatment of pain and psychological problems, and as a potential intervention for decreasing other drug use and associated harms.

Evaluating the co-use of opioids and cannabis for pain among current users using hypothetical purchase tasks.

Cannabinoids may potentiate opioid analgesia and therefore could be used to reduce reliance on opioids for analgesia. The current study evaluated whether the concurrent availability of cannabis influences opioid consumption using a behavioral economic demand framework. An online survey assessed cannabis and opioid use frequency and dependence measures, pain severity, and demand for both cannabis and opioids alone and when concurrently available using hypothetical purchase tasks. Adults reporting current use of opioids for pain management and past 30-day cannabis exposure (N=155) completed two hypothetical purchase tasks in which only grams of cannabis or units of participants' index opioids were available for purchase, and two hypothetical tasks in which both were concurrently available and the price of one drug increased whereas the other was kept constant. Paired-sample t-tests compared the demand of each drug alone with when it was available concurrently with an alternative. Demand intensity was significantly reduced and demand elasticity was significantly increased for both cannabis and opioids when the alternate commodity was available, although the reductions in cannabis consumption were more pronounced than they were for opioid consumption in the presence of the alternate commodity. These data provide behavioral economic evidence that cannabis access may modestly reduce demand for opioids in persons who have pain. Additional clinical studies that evaluate the analgesic effects of cannabis and cannabis-opioid effects on pain are warranted.

Abstract P5-09-02: Symptom profile of breast cancer patients seeking medical cannabis in Pennsylvania’s new medical marijuana program

Abstract Background: Little is known about the role of medical cannabis in the care of breast cancer patients. Cancer is 1 of 17 medical conditions in the 2018 launch of Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Program (PA MMP), requiring physician qualification followed by an evaluation by an HCP (usually a pharmacist) at a medical marijuana dispensary. To help reduce this knowledge gap, we analyzed the symptoms for which breast cancer patients sought medical cannabis. Methods: One breast oncologist at Lankenau Medical Center, a community academic hospital, performed all patient certifications after taking the following steps: history and physical examination; review of all medications, including the Prescription Monitoring Program database, for drug-drug-interactions; and informed consent. The dispensary and cannabis products utilized were chosen by the patient. EMR and PA MMD records of all patients certified in the first 10 months of the PA MMP were analyzed. There was no access to the dispensaries’ database. Results: Of the 54 cancer patients certified, 31 had breast cancer: 22 had non-metastatic disease and 9 had metastatic disease. Median age was 64 (range, 26 - 86). Of the 22 women with non-metastatic disease, 16 (73%) sought cannabis for pain, of whom 4/16 (25%) had chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), 3/16 (19%) had exacerbation of pre-existing muscle/joint pain from hormonal therapy. 11/22 (50%) had insomnia and 10/22 (45%) had anxiety—of whom 8 had both. 1 of 22 had nausea. 3 recreational users wanted to shift to medical grade products. The 9 patients with metastatic breast cancer sought medical cannabis for: cancer pain (8/9, 89%), anxiety (8/9, 89%); insomnia (3/9, 33%), anorexia (3/9, 33%), and nausea (3/9, 33%). Patients had an average of 3 symptoms. About half of patients with pain expressed a fear of opioid use and wanted to avoid, stop, or reduce its use. All patients sought a medical solution for symptom relief; only 2 also admitted a desire to get high. The qualifying physician mainly recommended a CBD-dominant sublingual preparation. Topical products applied to focal areas of pain were also commonly suggested. Except for immediate relief of acute pain, smoking and vaping were strongly discouraged to avoid lung toxicity, especially during radiation and chemotherapy. As the PA MMP physician-facing patient-certification database does not interface with the dispensaries’ database, the product type, dose, source, and method of delivery purchased by each patient are unknown. Conclusion: Women with non-metastatic and metastatic breast cancer sought medical cannabis for symptomatic management of pain (73-89%, resp), anxiety (45-89%, resp), insomnia (50-33%, resp), nausea (4% and 33%, resp), and anorexia (0 and 33%). Patients reported an average of 3 symptoms. Pain was rarely experienced alone. Insomnia and anxiety were frequently combined. Other benefits of medical cannabis included the use of safer products (eg with less fungus and pesticides than recreational sources) and a shift to safer methods of delivery (eg. sublingual preparations vs. smoking or vaping). Fear of opioids motivated patients to avoid, reduce or stop opioids. For optimal continuity of care, the physician and dispensary databases must be integrated. Citation Format: Julianne Hibbs, Marisa Weiss, Zonera Ali, Aarti Shevade, Adam Leitenberger, Melissa Bowman-Jenkins, Paul Gilman. Symptom profile of breast cancer patients seeking medical cannabis in Pennsylvania’s new medical marijuana program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-09-02.

Cannabis for pain in orthopedics: a systematic review focusing on study methodology

Medical cannabis use is an emerging topic of interest in orthopedics. Although there is a large amount of literature on medical cannabis use for managing various types of pain, few studies have focused on orthopedic conditions. There is little high-quality evidence in core orthopedic areas. The objective of this study was to summarize the literature on the efficacy of cannabis use for pain related to orthopedic conditions. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on the use of cannabinoids for pain management in core orthopedic conditions. Two independent reviewers extracted information on reporting quality, risk of bias, drugs, population, control, duration of study, pain outcomes and the authors’ conclusions regarding efficacy for pain outcomes. We identified 33 orthopedic studies, including 21 primary studies and 12 reviews. Study quality was generally low to moderate. Six of the included studies had a control group and 15 were noncontrolled studies. Methodologies, drugs and protocols of administration varied greatly across studies. Study conclusions were generally positive in noncontrolled studies and mixed in controlled studies. Studies using higher doses tended to conclude that cannabis use was effective, but the potential for harmful effects may also be increased with higher doses. Variability in the methodologies used in cannabis research makes it challenging to draw conclusions about dosing, routes and frequency of administration. Most of the existing evidence suggests that medical cannabis use is effective, but this efficacy has been demonstrated only when either there is no comparator or cannabis is compared with placebo. Studies using an active comparator have not demonstrated efficacy. Future research should focus on improving study reporting and methodologic quality so that protocols that optimize pain control while minimizing harmful effects can be determined.

Cannabis Use Motivations among Adults Prescribed Opioids for Pain versus Opioid Addiction

BackgroundCannabis has been linked to reduced opioid use, although reasons for cannabis use among adults prescribed opioids are unclear. AimsThe purpose of this study was to determine whether motivations for cannabis use differ between adults prescribed opioids for persistent pain versus those receiving opioids as medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. DesignA cross-sectional survey design was used. ParticipantsAdults prescribed opioids for persistent pain (n = 104) or opioid use disorder (n = 139) were recruited from outpatient settings. MethodsData were collected on surveys asking about cannabis use and compared the two populations. A series of regression models examined population characteristics and cannabis use motivations using validated measures of the Marijuana Motives Measure scale. ResultsMore than half the sample (n = 122) reported current, daily cannabis use and 63% reported pain as a motivation for use. Adults with persistent pain were more likely to be older, female, and have higher levels of education (p < .05). Adults with opioid use disorder were more likely to report “enhancement” (p < .01) and relief of drug withdrawal symptoms (p < .001) as motivations for cannabis use. The most common reasons for cannabis use in both populations were social and recreational use and pain relief. ConclusionsBoth studied populations have unmet health needs motivating them to use cannabis and commonly use cannabis for pain. Persistent pain participants were less likely to use cannabis for euphoric effects or withdrawal purposes. Nurses should assess for cannabis use, provide education on known risks and benefits, and offer options for holistic symptom management.

Use of Cannabis to Relieve Pain and Promote Sleep by Customers at an Adult Use Dispensary

ABSTRACTMedical cannabis patients consistently report using cannabis as a substitute for prescription medications; however, little is known about individuals accessing cannabis through adult-use markets. A survey at two retail stores was conducted in Colorado, United States. Between August 2016 and October 2016, store staff asked customers if they wanted to participate and, if so, provided an electronic survey link. All customers reporting medical certification were excluded. Of 1,000 adult-use only customer respondents, 65% reported taking cannabis to relieve pain and 74% reported taking cannabis to promote sleep. Among respondents taking cannabis for pain, 80% reported that it was very or extremely helpful, and most of those taking over-the-counter pain medications (82%) or opioid analgesics (88%) reported reducing or stopping use of those medications. Among respondents taking cannabis for sleep, 84% found it very or extremely helpful, and most of those taking over-the-counter (87%) or prescription sleep aids (83%) reported reducing or stopping use of those medications. De facto medical use of cannabis for symptom relief was common among adult-use dispensary customers and the majority reported that cannabis decreased their medication use. Adult use cannabis laws may broaden access to cannabis for the purpose of symptom relief.

Cannabis for Pain and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: More Consensus Than Controversy or Vice Versa?

Interest in scientific evidence for medical cannabis use is increasing. This issue includes systematic reviews evaluating the evidence for cannabis in the treatment of pain and posttraumatic stress...

Perioperative Patient Beliefs Regarding Potential Effectiveness of Marijuana (Cannabinoids) for Treatment of Pain: A Prospective Population Survey.

Cannabinoids have an expanding presence in medicine. Perioperative patients' perceptions of the effectiveness of these compounds, and acceptance if prescribed for pain, have not been previously described. Our primary objective was to describe patients' beliefs regarding the potential effectiveness of cannabinoids for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, as well as gauge patient acceptance of these compounds if prescribed by a physician. In addition, demographic and pain history data were collected to elucidate the predictors of the aforementioned patient attitudes. Secondarily, we sought to characterize the subgroup of patients who reported marijuana use. Predictors of marijuana use, effectiveness, and adverse effects were also reported for this subgroup. An anonymous questionnaire was administered to 501 patients in the preoperative registration area at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York. The questionnaire was designed to collect data on patient demographics, presence of pain, pain severity, use of pain medication, history of illicit-drug use, tobacco use, cannabis use, patient beliefs about the potential effectiveness of marijuana for acute and chronic pain and their willingness to use cannabis for pain, if prescribed by a physician. Normality of distributions for continuous variables was assessed with skewness and kurtosis measures. A logistic regression model was used to assess the demographic and medical characteristics of marijuana users compared with nonusers. The effectiveness of marijuana in dealing with pain and adverse effects associated with its use were examined using exploratory principal component analysis. More than 80% of this cohort of preoperative patients believed that marijuana could be at least somewhat effective for the treatment of pain after surgery and would be willing to use cannabinoid compounds if prescribed by their physician. Predictors of positive attitudes toward marijuana included history of marijuana use, pain history, and being a marijuana nonuser of white race. Approximately 27% of the respondents reported a history of marijuana use. Younger patients, those with higher levels of pain in the last 24 hours, and those who found standard therapies to be less effective for their pain were more likely to use marijuana. Patients generally believe that marijuana could be at least somewhat effective for the management of pain and are willing to use cannabinoid compounds for this indication, if prescribed by a physician.

Experience of adjunctive cannabis use for chronic non-cancer pain: Findings from the Pain and Opioids IN Treatment (POINT) study

BackgroundThere is increasing debate about cannabis use for medical purposes, including for symptomatic treatment of chronic pain. We investigated patterns and correlates of cannabis use in a large community sample of people who had been prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. MethodsThe POINT study included 1514 people in Australia who had been prescribed pharmaceutical opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Data on cannabis use, ICD-10 cannabis use disorder and cannabis use for pain were collected. We explored associations between demographic, pain and other patient characteristics and cannabis use for pain. ResultsOne in six (16%) had used cannabis for pain relief, 6% in the previous month. A quarter reported that they would use it for pain relief if they had access. Those using cannabis for pain on average were younger, reported greater pain severity, greater interference from and poorer coping with pain, and more days out of role in the past year. They had been prescribed opioids for longer, were on higher opioid doses, and were more likely to be non-adherent with their opioid use. Those using cannabis for pain had higher pain interference after controlling for reported pain severity. Almost half (43%) of the sample had ever used cannabis for recreational purposes, and 12% of the entire cohort met criteria for an ICD-10 cannabis use disorder. ConclusionsCannabis use for pain relief purposes appears common among people living with chronic non-cancer pain, and users report greater pain relief in combination with opioids than when opioids are used alone.

Study of Smoked Cannabis for Pain Prompts Challenge to FDA Position

Study of Smoked Cannabis for Pain Prompts Challenge to FDA Position