Chronic Pain
Medical cannabis has been identified as a popular alternative to several pain medications, including opioids. While chronic pain has often been linked to cancer, it may be additionally related to other conditions, including diabetes, non-migraine headaches, spasticity, joint pain, and heart disease. At present, the FDA has not approved the use of cannabis-based products to relieve pain. Additionally, various strains have been shown to be more effective. Prospectively, research will later examine the differing effects of cannabis Indica, cannabis Sativa, and hybrids.
Supporting Articles
Review of Basic and Clinical Evidence
Jensen, B., Chen, J., Furnish, T., & Wallace, M. (2015). Medical marijuana and chronic pain: a review of basic science and clinical evidence. Current pain and headache reports, 19(10), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-015-0524-x
Medical marijuana for treatment of chronic pain and other medical and psychiatric problems
Hill, K. P. (2015). Medical marijuana for treatment of chronic pain and other medical and psychiatric problems: A clinical review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 313(24), 2474-2483. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.6199
Efficacy and adverse effects of medical marijuana for chronic noncancer pain
Deshpande, A., Mailis-Gagnon, A., Zoheiry, N., & Lakha, S. F. (2015). Efficacy and adverse effects of medical marijuana for chronic noncancer pain: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Canadian Family Physician, 61(8), e372-e381. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26505059/