While studies on the medical effects of cannabis are still ongoing, one thing is for sure; there are numerous observable medical benefits to using the plant. From being an effective combatant against mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression to significantly improving symptoms of chronic pains and epileptic seizures, there are undoubtedly benefits to consuming cannabis.
However, this is not to say cannabis is a miracle drug effective at managing all forms of medical conditions. In fact, some medical conditions might be worsened by the use of cannabis. In this article, we will discuss what the science says about which medical issues cannabis can help with, and which ones might be made worse by consuming cannabis. Keep reading to find out more.
What Scientific Research Says About Cannabis for Medical Purposes
Since the early 20th century, numerous scientific studies have been carried out on the effects of cannabis on both the physical and mental health of consumers. However, reports of these studies vary, and both positive and negative effects have been observed. With studies still ongoing, there is still much yet to be discovered about the medical benefits, or potential harm, of consuming this drug. That being said, key discoveries have been made that have greatly increased the confidence of the scientific community in the effectiveness of using cannabis to treat and/or manage various physical and mental medical conditions.
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Physical Conditions Cannabis Can Help Manage — What the Science Says
According to the current body of scientific work, it is safe to say that cannabis is effective for managing the following physical medical conditions:
- Chronic Pain
Cannabis has been found to alleviate chronic pain in several patients, and there is some scientific evidence to back this up.
According to a scientific report published by the Annals of Internal Medicine on September 5, 2017, there is some evidence to suggest that cannabis may be effective at combating neuropathic pain. This includes pains like diabetic neuropathy, nerve damage-related pain, and post-herpetic neuralgia (i.e. pain following a shingles infection). These types of pain, which can be difficult to manage with traditional medications, have been observed to be significantly reduced by the consumption of medicinal cannabis.
Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, concluded that medical cannabis wasn’t only effective at reducing pain intensity in patients with chronic pains, but also “additionally positively affected broader pain-related factors such as emotions, functionality, and overall sense of wellbeing”.
While research on the effects of cannabis on pain management is still ongoing, findings like this—and various others—indicate noteworthy success in the use of cannabis for combating chronic pains. This has led to an increase in the confidence of the scientific community in the prescription of medical cannabis for combating chronic pain, particularly in situations where traditional medications fail.
- Inflammation
One of the earliest medical uses of cannabis is for the reduction of symptoms of inflammation. Today, there are a number of scientific reports that support this prehistoric use of cannabis.
An article on Self-reported cannabis use and biomarkers of inflammation among adults in the United States, published in Brain, Behaviour, & Immunity-Health reported potential anti-inflammatory effects in individuals who consumed cannabis within 30 days. The study observed that cannabis users showed reduced levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a key biomarker associated with inflammation in the body, indicating that the consumption of cannabis might help combat inflammation.
However, the science on the effectiveness of cannabis in combating inflammation by reducing CRP remains inconclusive. Another article—Is marijuana use associated with lower inflammation? Results from waves III and IV of the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health—suggests that these effects can be explained away by gender, BMI, and anti-inflammatory medications used by the patients, and not the cannabis consumed.
Despite these contrasting conclusions, researchers remain optimistic about the potential anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis, particularly due to favorable results on the effectiveness of cannabis in reducing inflammation associated with autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Seizures
Of the many medical conditions treated with medical cannabis today, seizures probably have the most scientific evidence to support a cannabis prescription. According to a multitude of research, cannabis shows significant effectiveness in the management of seizures, so much so that on June 25, 2018, the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of cannabidiol for the treatment of seizures associated with two types of epilepsy.
A survey conducted in 2013 investigated the use of high CBD cannabis products on children with treatment-resistant epilepsy and found an over 80% reduction in seizure frequency in all subjects, with some experiencing complete seizure freedom. Another one conducted in 2015 showed that oral consumption of cannabis extracts successfully controlled seizures in 57% of patients. Of these 57%, 33% recorded >50% seizure reduction.
Clinical trials have also shown promising results on the use of cannabis for seizure control. A groundbreaking study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2017 demonstrated the effectiveness of CBD, a component of cannabis, in reducing the frequency of seizures in patients with Dravet syndrome, as well as other drug-resistant forms of seizures. The study showed at least a 50% reduction in the frequency of convulsions in 43% of the participants.
- Insomnia
Insomnia is one of the most commonly cited medical conditions for which individuals self-prescribe cannabis and research suggests that there might be some scientific validity to it.
According to a 2023 study, a medical cannabis product containing a 10:15 THC/CBD ratio was effective in improving sleep with 60% of participants no longer classifying as clinical insomniacs just two weeks after introduction to the cannabis product. The study determined that medical cannabis improved not just sleep time, but also the quality of sleep which was observed to have increased by up to 80%.
- Gastrointestinal Disorder
Research into the effects of cannabis on gastrointestinal health has found cannabis to be effective for the alleviation of symptoms associated with various gastrointestinal disorders including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Cannabis has also been found to be effective at combating feelings of nausea and emesis.
Mental Conditions Cannabis Can Help Manage — What the Science Says
Medical cannabis has also been discovered to have some positive effects on certain mental health conditions. However, the science here is more inconclusive than it is for physical health. Some mental health conditions cannabis has been known to successfully manage include:
- Anxiety
Multiple scientific studies exist investigating the effectiveness of cannabis in managing symptoms of anxiety and a significant portion of these studies report positive responses of patients to cannabis-based treatment.
According to a 2021 systematic review examining the effects of CBD and THC on anxiety, researchers found a handful of studies supporting the efficacy of both THC and CBD for treating anxiety. However, the review also highlighted conflicting findings, with some studies reporting no improvement and others noting potential adverse effects. That being said, it would seem there are more reports to support the efficacy of cannabis in treating anxiety than those stating otherwise. Nevertheless, the conflicting reports on the subject show that cannabis isn’t necessarily a treatment for anxiety that should be administered to just anyone.
- Depression
While there is a lack of sufficient scientific studies on the effectiveness of medical cannabis in treating depression, ongoing studies seem to show some promise.
According to a 2024 study on the Effectiveness of Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Depression, half of the patients undergoing cannabis treatment experienced a >50% reduction in depression levels at 18 weeks. However, although significant reductions in depression levels were recorded during the study, a third of the patients also complained about experiencing side effects including drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, and mild cognitive impairment. None of the recorded side effects were severe or long-lasting, however.
- PTSD
Studies on the use of cannabis to treat PTSD symptoms show a mix of positive and negative results.
One study on medical cannabis use in military and police veterans diagnosed with PTSD reported a significant reduction in symptom severity, including improvements in sleep quality and a decrease in flashbacks and hyperarousal. However, the same study also reported potential side-effects like dependency and worsening state of instability despite the reduced PTSD symptoms.
Another study that investigated the efficacy of different varieties of cannabis in relieving symptoms of PTSD patients reported improvement in all of the most commonly reported symptoms including pain, sleep disorder, anxiety, and depression in all the different medical cannabis products used. However, different patients perceived notable differences depending on what product was being used. This indicates that some products might be more beneficial for one patient and less beneficial for another.
Conclusion
While more and more studies continue to show that cannabis undoubtedly offers significant medical benefits, both for physical and mental conditions, many studies also show a multitude of negative effects ranging from mild, short-term symptoms to more long-term, potentially life-threatening conditions. This is why consulting a specialist and getting a prescription is important before getting medical cannabis. Not only does doing this let you know whether choosing medical cannabis is safe for you, but it also helps you know which medical cannabis products and what composition and concentration would be best suited for your unique medical condition.
Need a medical cannabis specialist to help prescribe a science-based cannabis treatment for your medical condition? Contact Dr. Rocio Vargas, today!
