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Forty percent of military veterans with chronic pain use medical cannabis to manage their symptoms, according to the results of a recent study. The study’s findings show that most vets who use medical cannabis say they do so to address pain, mobility, and sleep problems. Additionally, a significant number of vets said that medical cannabis helps them cope with stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The study was completed by researchers affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, and Yale University. The authors of a report on the study, which was published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health, wrote that the survey “revealed prevalent use of multiple NPs [natural products] concurrently, and in some cases, as substitutes for prescribed medications.”
The study found that cannabis, including both THC and CBD dominant varietals, was the third most common natural product used by the veterans with chronic pain who participated in the study. Only vitamin D and multivitamins were more common, the study found.
“Of the 21 (40%) reporting using cannabis products for all indications, most reported using products that had a mix of cannabidiol (CBD, without the psychoactive component) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis),” the report says. “Indications for cannabis among those reporting use were pain or mobility (81%), sleep (62%), PTSD or anxiety (43%), stress (43%), and depression (29%).”
The authors noted that the percentage of respondents who identified as cannabis users “may represent under-reporting related to the prohibition on cannabis prescribing in the VA as a federal health care system.”
To complete the study, the researchers surveyed a group of 52 veterans, all of whom had chronic pain. Four out of 10 (42%) participants were women, while the mean age of respondents was 57.6 years. Among the participants, 80% experienced disabling pain daily. Two-thirds (67%) were prescribed non-opioid painkillers, while 15% were prescribed opioids to treat their pain.
The survey had some limitations, including a relatively small sample size. The researchers characterized the survey as an effort “piloted among 52 veterans with chronic pain enrolled in Veterans Health Administration (VA) primary care.” The survey was conducted with support from the Office of Dietary Supplements and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, two agencies of the National Institutes of Health.
Vets Seek Info on Natural Products from Healthcare Providers
Nearly all (98%) of respondents said that healthcare providers should discuss the use of natural products with their patients. Despite this, only about half of the survey participants reported that they had discussed their use of natural products with their healthcare provider. The researchers noted, however, that “clinicians and pharmacists generally lack knowledge about NPs, which explains why they may avoid discussions about NPs with their patients.”
The researchers also noted that although most natural products are “generally considered safe, some may be mislabeled, contain adulterants, have side-effects or drug/NP interactions, especially in patients (or veterans) with comorbidities prescribed multiple medications.”
In a brief on the survey, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) noted that the results of the study are consistent with previous research. A study published in the journal Clinical Therapeutics last year found that most veterans who use cannabis report an improved quality of life, with nearly half saying they use cannabis to reduce their use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
The new study’s publication comes at a time when cannabis advocates are working to protect access for military veterans, online news source Marijuana Moment noted in a report on the research. Allison Jaslow, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), told lawmakers at a congressional hearing last month that she is “looking forward” to the reintroduction of bipartisan legislation that would allow VA physicians to issue medical cannabis recommendations to their patients in states that have legalized its use, among other reforms.
“Currently,” said Jaslow, “veterans who live in states where cannabis has been legalized completely are unable to even be prescribed cannabis for medicinal purposes by their doctor” at the VA.
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The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
