McGill University Canada- A recent study explored the safety of cannabis for the use in chronic pain. Findings show that patients with chronic pain that used cannabis daily for one year showed no increase in adverse events when compared to patients not using cannabis.
Throughout the year, patients had access to 12.5 per cent THC cannabis through a licensed provider. They continually underwent lung function, cognitive testing, and pain, mood and quality of life questionnaires. Some even underwent complete blood panels, liver and kidney function tests and had hormone levels checked. On average participants consumes 2.5g/ day in various forms (smokes, vaporized, edibles). There was no evidence to suggest that any adverse events occurred when compared to the control group. There were no harmful effects noted on cognitive function, blood tests, and there were significant improvements to levels of pain, mood and quality of life. There was, however, an increase in the experimental group of headaches, nausea, dizziness, and respiratory problems although these were considered non-serious. As this was a self-selected and not randomized study, these findings apply only then to experiences smokers and can’t be generalized to new cannabis users, although the results are promising.
McGill University Health Centre. (2015, September 29). Multicenter study examines safety of medical cannabis in treatment of chronic pain. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 20, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150929112036.htm
