The ability of cannabis to alleviate pain is one of its most valuable qualities in a medical context. This unique relationship was recently further explored by a team of researchers based out of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. 

Their study, published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, showed that patients experiencing chronic pain reported improvements in quality of life as they related to overall health. The data gathered joins a growing pool of cannabis-related research that highlights the effectiveness of cannabinoid compounds in treating symptoms of pain. This in turn may have implications moving forward as states evaluate implementing medical cannabis programs. 

Methodology 

The research team reached out to more than 1,000 patients enrolled in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana access program. Of the respondents, 181 fully participated and became the final sample size. There were 85 men, 95 women, and one non-binary participant.

Each one of these volunteers filled out four total surveys after the initial screening. They filled out one before the start of the study, and then again at two, four, and eight weeks respectively. 

Each survey asked the same 11 questions, including demographic info, a pain scale, and a series of questions known as the EQ-5D survey. This specialized section covered the five dimensions of health as they relate to pain: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Together they create a HRQol Index Score. Researchers use this index to evaluate quality of life as it relates to health. 

They then used this score and plotted its change over time to track the quality of life changes among the 181 participants as each used cannabis products. 

Importantly, the team did not monitor medical cannabis dosing. The patients used THC products as often as they wished in order to manage the chronic pain symptoms. However, a licensed Pennsylvania medical cannabis dispensary supplied all the cannabis.

Results 

The published data shows that over an eight-week period, participants saw significant improvement in pain scores and quality of life, as measured by the surveys. This included lessened feelings of anxiety and depression. In short, they physically felt less pain, while also feeling better mentally overall. 

The author also notes that patients reported a decline in self-care rituals. This meant they spent less time cleaning, exercising, and other productive routines. He recommended further analysis to explore this relationship. 

Likewise, the author acknowledges that many participants dropped out prior to the end of the trial. This means researchers did not count them in the sample. If they dropped out because the cannabis was not effectively treating those symptoms, all that data was lost. Therefore the participants who took all four surveys may have been the same who benefitted from the THC. The author notes that researchers must consider these limitations when using this data.

Nevertheless, this study appears to further solidify the idea that cannabis can be a source of relief for many people. Its results align with other similar studies, including a 2017 review of over 10,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers. 

This analysis, performed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, concludes that, “Adults with chronic pain, patients who [are] treated with cannabis or cannabinoids are more likely to experience a clinically significant reduction in pain symptoms.” 

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