A new study from Australia suggests that medical marijuana can improve the quality of life for those with chronic health problems.
The research, published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One, found that medicinal cannabis not only improved quality of life in the first three months of use, but also helped alleviate anxiety, depression and pain levels over time.
“During the first three months of medical cannabis therapy, participants reported improvements in their health-related quality of life, fatigue, and health conditions associated with anxiety, depression, and pain,” said lead investigator Margaret-Ann Tait in a statement to SWN.
Researchers at the University of Sydney surveyed more than 2,300 patients who were prescribed THC and CBD dissolved in a carrier oil between November 2020 and December 2021.
Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 97 years, with an average age of 51 years.
A new study found that medical cannabis may be helpful for those suffering from chronic pain. ZUMAPRESS.com
The study found that medical cannabis not only improved quality of life in the first three months of use, but also helped alleviate levels of anxiety, depression, and pain over time. AFP/Getty Images
The study was conducted in Australia, from the University of Sydney. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Almost two thirds were women.
At 69%, the most common condition treated was chronic pain, followed by insomnia at 23%, generalized anxiety at 22%, and a combination of anxiety and depression at 11%.
Half of the patients were being treated for more than one condition.
The researchers asked participants about their quality of life in relation to their health, as well as their sleep habits, pain levels, anxiety and depression before starting cannabis therapy.
They repeated these questions after two weeks of treatments and then continued asking them once a month for three months.
The researchers asked the participants about their health-related quality of life, as well as their sleep habits, pain levels, anxiety and depression before starting cannabis therapy. Olga Yastremska, New Africa, Study Africa
The researchers will continue to follow the participants. Shutterstock
Patients reported significant improvements in their health-related quality of life and fatigue levels, as well as their pain.
Moderate to severe cases of anxiety and depression were also alleviated.
However, the patients did not find cannabis to be helpful when it came to insomnia, and the researchers did not see overall improvements.
The researchers also noted that they did not study the adverse effects of the treatment: 30 patients dropped out of the study due to “unwanted side effects.”
They will continue to follow up with participants to monitor if the improvements continued.
The study comes on the heels of a Gallup poll that found that half of U.S. residents have tried smoking marijuana and 17% currently do so.
In 2013, only 7% of people admitted to using the drug according to Gallup, meaning the number of Americans currently smoking marijuana has more than doubled in 10 years.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn