A recent study from the University of Sydney found that medical cannabis could be a game-changer for Australians living with chronic health problems.
Published in September 2023, the study looked at whether medical cannabis could make life better for people dealing with long-term health issues like severe pain, anxiety, and depression.
They found that for many, it did—although it didn’t help everyone get better sleep.
What Did the Researchers Do?
In a study that ran from November 2020 to December 2021, 2,327 patients, mainly adults around 51 years old, were given a cannabis treatment.
This was a mixture of THC and CBD, which are active ingredients in the cannabis plant, dissolved in a type of oil.
The study asked patients to answer questions about their health before they started the treatment, then checked in with them every month for three months.
These questions helped the researchers understand if the patients felt better in general, if they still felt pain, if their sleep improved, and if they were less anxious or depressed.
The study included a large percentage of women (63%) and focused on patients who primarily suffered from chronic pain, anxiety, and sleep issues.
What Did They Find Out?
After taking cannabis treatment, people generally felt better. Their overall well-being improved, and they were less tired. Even more encouragingly, those who suffered from strong feelings of anxiety or sadness said they felt a lot better.
But when it came to sleep, the story was different. Many people who had trouble sleeping said that cannabis didn’t really help them rest better.
This was surprising, especially since some people were specifically using cannabis to improve their sleep.
The study had some limitations, though. For example, it didn’t look into the side effects of using medical cannabis. A small number of people (30 out of 2,327) even left the study because they felt unwanted side effects.
What Does This Mean for People with Chronic Health Problems?
This is good news for those who have tried other treatments without success. Since 2016, doctors in Australia have been able to prescribe medical cannabis for people who aren’t getting better with other treatments.
This study suggests that more people might want to consider it as an option, particularly if they’re dealing with chronic pain, fatigue, or mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
However, if you’re struggling with sleep, this study suggests cannabis might not be the best solution for you.
More research is needed to figure out why this is the case and whether different types of cannabis treatment could be more effective for sleep problems.
Looking Ahead
In the study, the researchers noted that “participants reported improvements in their health-related quality of life, fatigue, and health conditions associated with anxiety, depression, and pain.”
This is a significant step forward in understanding how medical cannabis can help people with chronic illnesses feel better.
But the researchers also suggest that more studies are needed, particularly for understanding how to treat sleep disorders with cannabis.
In a nutshell, if you’re dealing with long-term health issues and haven’t found relief, medical cannabis could be worth discussing with your healthcare provider, especially for pain, fatigue, anxiety, or depression.
However, if you’re seeking better sleep, you might want to wait until more research is done.
If you care about cannabis, please read studies that what you need to know about cannabis and heart attack, and CBD from cannabis may help inhibit COVID-19 infection.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that medical cannabis could help reduce depression, improve quality of life, and results showing this stuff in cannabis may protect aging brain and treat Alzheimer’s.
The research findings can be found in PLOS One.
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