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More than 80% of patients who used medical cannabis reported that it was effective for managing pain, according to the results of a recently published study. The new research “provides important insights into the real-world patterns, perceived efficacy, and cognitive effects of medical cannabis use among individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain who employ cannabis regularly over extended periods,” according to the authors of the study.
“Over 80 percent of patients who turned to medical cannabis found it effective for managing their pain,” co-author Mohammad Khak, a researcher at the Rothman Opioid Foundation, said in a press release about the study.
“Many participants also noted improvements in associated symptoms such as sleep disturbances and anxiety,” Khak added, “suggesting that cannabis may offer a broader range of relief than conventional pain medications alone.”
Only a small minority of those surveyed said they did not find cannabis to be an effective treatment for pain.
“A small portion of seven (5.4%) were neutral, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and only one respondent (0.7%) disagreed,” the study says, “suggesting that most respondents find cannabis beneficial for symptom relief.”
Study Analyzed Survey Data from Medical Cannabis Patients
To complete the study, which was published last month by the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, researchers analyzed a survey of 129 people who were medical cannabis patients in Pennsylvania between October 2022 and December 2024. More than three-quarters of the patients in the study (77.5%) reported using medical cannabis for more than two years, while the remainder (22.5%) said they had used cannabis for between one and two years.
Patients most commonly reported using cannabis daily (27.9%), while 23.2% said they used medical cannabis two to three times per day. A small number of patients (3.1%) said they used cannabis once a month or less frequently.
By product type, 63.5% of patients used cannabis topicals, while 47.2% reported “consistently using capsules, edibles, oils, or tinctures.”
“In contrast, more intense forms, such as concentrates (e.g., dabs, wax, and shatter), were used by only 12 respondents (9.3%),” the researchers wrote.
The authors wrote that the “majority of respondents expressed positive views on the effectiveness of cannabis in improving their main symptom, with 66 (51.1%) strongly agreeing and 55 (42.6%) agreeing with the statement.”
Approximately 80% of patients reported stable cannabis use patterns over the previous three months, and nearly nine out of 10 said they were comfortable with the amount and frequency of their cannabis use.
“When asked if they had ever felt the need to cut back on cannabis use while treating their main symptom, 111 of the respondents (86%) reported no such inclination, while a small proportion of seven (5.4%) indicated that they did feel the need to reduce their use,” the researchers wrote. “Similarly, when asked if others had ever suggested cutting back on their cannabis use, an overwhelming majority of 128 (99.2%) responded negatively, with only one respondent (0.8%) reporting that they had received such a suggestion.”
“These findings suggest that most individuals do not perceive a need to limit their cannabis use for symptom management,” they added, “nor do they commonly face external recommendations to do so.”
Ari Greis, the senior author of the study and an orthopedic surgery professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, said in a statement that the research could give doctors and patients an alternative to opioid painkillers.
“This points to the possibility that cannabis could serve as a safer alternative or complement to standard pain management approaches, potentially helping to address the ongoing opioid crisis,” said Greis, who is also a board member of the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education.
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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.
