Science & Health
Cannabis Provides ‘Significant Improvements’ In Pain For Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis And Osteoarthritis Patients, Study Shows
Cannabis products appear to have “beneficial effects” for people struggling with the symptoms of chronic pain, according to a new study— with the results indicating relief from both intoxicating and nonintoxicating cannabinoids.
Researchers affiliated with the University at Buffalo, University of Michigan Medical School and MoreBetter recruited 64 people with fibromyalgia, 25 with rheumatoid arthritis and 75 with osteoarthritis of the knee and/or hip to participate in the trial.
The participants, all of whom were California residents, were randomly assigned to take one of three different cannabinoid products via oral capsule over 12 weeks and report their pain, mental health, cognitive functioning and physical functioning using questionnaires.
Product 1 contained 12.5 mg cannabidiol (CBD) and 12.5 mg tetrahydrocannabinol. Product 2 had 10 mg tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, 10 mg cannabidiolic acid (CBDa), 5 mg cannabigerol and 3 mg cannabichromene. Product 3 was comprised of 10 mg CBD and 10 mg CBDa.
“There were significant improvements across all symptoms except cognitive function abilities,” the paper, published in the journal Clinical Therapeutics, says. “Effects ranged from small to large, with most not differing in magnitude across product or type of chronic pain.”
“Participants reported substantial improvements in sleep quality, mental health conditions, and general quality of life, allowing them to engage more fully in daily activities,” the study found.
“Results suggest that cannabinoid formulations containing both THC and cannabinoids other than THC (eg, THCa, CBDa, CBC, and CBG) may have positive effects on chronic pain symptoms of various etiologies,” the authors wrote.
“Various cannabinoid combinations may have therapeutic benefits across 3 different types of chronic pain.”
The three separate cannabis capsules that were tested “were remarkably similar in their effectiveness overall, with nearly identical effects” on most symptoms, the study says. There were, however, differences in effectiveness for sleep disturbance, and participants who took product 2 reported reductions in neuropathic pain intensity.
The researchers noted in the paper that chronic pain is “a leading cause of seeking medical care”—affecting roughly a third of the world’s population—and that the prevalence is increasing in the U.S. and Canada.
“Many existing pain medications (eg, opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) provide insufficient relief and are accompanied by adverse effects,” they said, adding that previous research has shown that chronic pain is the most common qualifying condition for participation in state medical marijuana programs in the U.S.
“Cannabis products may serve as an alternative to opioids for pain management, reducing the risk of opioid dependency and adverse effects,” the paper concluded.
The researchers suggested that, for patients who do not desire to experience a “high” from cannabis, “nonintoxicating cannabinoids such as CBD and CBDa may provide relief from pain and related symptoms and may be utilized when cannabis intoxication is undesirable or problematic.”
The overall findings of the new study are in line with prior research indicating marijuana’s ability to treat pain and its role as an alternative to prescription opioid medications.
For example, another recently study found that “medical cannabis may be a useful adjunct therapy for reducing opioid use, relieving chronic pain, and improving health-related quality of life.”
A separate recently publish study found that the cannabis component CBG “has anti-inflammatory capacity and therapeutic potential in regulating neutrophil-mediated immunity in” rheumatoid arthritis.
An earlier 2024 study that found, among people with rheumatic conditions such as arthritis, more than 6 in 10 patients who used medical cannabis reported substituting it for other medications, including NSAIDs, opioids, sleep aids and muscle relaxants. Most patients further said that the use of marijuana allowed them to reduce or stop using those medications entirely.
A recent federally funded study found that states that legalize medical or recreational marijuana see “significant reductions” in opioid overdoses among adults with employer-sponsored health insurance—indicating that a “substitution” effect may be at play.
another research study found that, as opioids continue to drive overdose deaths, making medical cannabis available and affordable seems to help patients reduce their use of the prescription painkillers.
That research came on the heels of a recent study showing that using medical marijuana appears to help people reduce the use of other medications, including opioids, sleeping aids and antidepressants. They also experience far fewer negative side effects after switching to cannabis from prescription drugs, the study involving more than 3,500 patients found.
About one in three Americans who use CBD say they take it as an alternative or supplement to at least one medication—particularly painkillers—according to a federally funded study published in February.
Similarly, another recent federally funded study, published by the American Medical Association (AMA), added more evidence that marijuana can serve as an effective substitute for opioids in chronic pain treatment.
Other AMA-published research has found that legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational purposes is “significantly associated with reduced opioid use among patients diagnosed with cancer.”
A separate paper published in October similarly found that medical marijuana legalization is “associated with significant reductions in opioid prescribing.”
President Donald Trump said recently that marijuana can “make people feel much better” and serve as a “substitute for addictive and potentially lethal opioid painkillers.”
Last month, the Trump administration announced it is moving ahead with the federal reclassification of marijuana by moving state-legal medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
