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Medical cannabis can be an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to the findings of a study of more than 3,000 medical cannabis patients. The research, which was conducted by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), found that patients with OSA experienced significant and lasting improvements in sleep after using medical cannabis.
Under state law, the OCM is required to conduct research and learn from the experiences of medical cannabis patients, a feature that the agency says is unique among the states that have legalized medical cannabis. For a study released this month, OCM researchers analyzed data from 3,102 first-time medical cannabis patients with OSA between August 2018 and July 2023. State officials said the study is “the largest on record involving obstructive sleep apnea and medical cannabis patients.”
“Disturbed sleep and fatigue were the most common symptoms reported among patients, with 93% and 86.8% of patients reporting moderate to severe scores, respectively,” the OCM wrote. “Patients reported other common symptoms including anxiety, lack of appetite, depression, nausea, pain, and vomiting. Patients were asked to rate the severity of their symptoms on a scale of 0 to 10.”
The analysis revealed that nearly 40% of participants “experienced significant improvement in their sleep within four months of beginning treatment and were able to maintain the sleep improvement for an additional four months,” according to a report on the research. The report used “data from patient enrollment, medical cannabis purchases, symptom and side-effect ratings at the time of each purchase, and patient survey results to describe the experiences of patients who are certified as having OSA by their health care practitioner.”
Other Symptoms Also Improved with Medical Cannabis
A majority of patients who reported moderate to severe fatigue when enrolling in the study also reported a significant improvement in their symptoms, according to a brief on the research from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
The research showed 2,479 study participants reported moderate to severe disturbed sleep upon enrollment. Among them, almost four out of 10 saw a 30% reduction in symptoms that was maintained for at least four months. Among patients with moderate to severe fatigue, 33.5% achieved a 30% reduction in symptoms for at least four months.
“These numbers show meaningful changes in disturbed sleep and fatigue for patients after starting medical cannabis,” Grace Christensen, OCM senior research analyst, said in a press release about the study. “Obstructive sleep apnea can affect a patient’s mental and physical health, so helping patients treat their symptoms can have a holistic outcome on their well-being.”
The study also found that patients with OSA who also reported that they had symptoms of depression or anxiety reported relief from those symptoms, as well.
“More than one-third (39.8%) of those experiencing depressive symptoms, and more than one-third (36.7%) of those experiencing symptoms of anxiety were able to achieve relief,” the OCM noted. “The report also looked at pain symptoms among OSA patients who showed a modest improvement, with 23.1% of patients with moderate to severe pain able to both achieve a 30% reduction in symptoms and maintain it for at least four months.”
NORML notes that the Minnesota study is consistent with previous research that found that oral THC formulations mitigated the symptoms of sleep apnea patients. Other studies have shown that medical cannabis can help patients with insomnia.
“Consumers have long utilized cannabis as a sleep aid, and these new data substantiate their experiences,” Paul Armentano, deputy director of the cannabis policy reform advocacy group, said in a statement about the new study. “Those involved with Minnesota’s medical access program are to be commended for not only providing regulated cannabis products to those who need them, but also for collecting and making available this important data so that it can be shared with other regulators, policymakers, patients, and their physicians.”
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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.
