DeutschBritish study shows positive effects of cannabis products
According to a study published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, chronic pain sufferers who use cannabis products over a six-month period report improvements in their health-related quality of life and a decrease in daily opioid use.
Methodology of the study
British researchers evaluated the safety and effectiveness of herbal cannabis products (oils, flowers or a combination of both) in over 700 chronic pain sufferers registered in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. The participants all had medical clearance for access to cannabis products. The effectiveness of cannabis was evaluated after one, three and six months.
Main results of the study
Die Studie ergab, dass die Behandlung mit ölbasierten Produkten, getrockneten Blüten oder einer Kombination aus beiden Cannabis-basierten medizinischen Produkten (CBMPs) nach sechs Monaten mit statistisch signifikanten Verbesserungen bei Schmerzlinderung und Schlafqualität bei chronischen Schmerzpatienten einhergeht. Additionally, patients treated with oils or both types of CBMPs experienced a reduction in anxiety and an improvement in their ability to perform daily activities. Patients treated with a combination of both CBMPs saw improvements in their self-care and mobility.
Reduced opioid use and other insights
The researchers also found that patients significantly reduced their daily opioid use – a finding consistent with dozens of other studies. They concluded that both cannabis oils and dried flowers are associated with improved long-term health-related quality of life in chronic pain sufferers. Previous studies examining the use of cannabis products in patients in the UK registry have found similar results in patients suffering from anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, migraines, inflammatory bowel disease and other conditions.
Frequency of using medicinal cannabis
Data published earlier this year in the journal JAMA Network Open showed that nearly a quarter of pain sufferers living in states where access to medical cannabis is legal self-identify as marijuana users.
Source: https://norml.org/news/2023/04/13/study-cannabis-products-associated-with-improved-quality-of-life-reduced-opioid-use-among-chronic-pain-patients/