A recent yearlong study investigating prescribed medical cannabis for individuals with chronic pain and mental health conditions has found a link between cannabis use and symptom relief. The primary side effects were reported as dry mouth and sleepiness. However, some of these positive effects seemed to diminish over the 12-month study period.
Published in the *Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy*, this research tracked 96 patients, monitoring their pain levels, depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulties at intervals of three, six, and twelve months.
The study’s authors from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported, "Our findings indicate that medical cannabis use was associated with reduced pain during the initial six months and an improvement in mental well-being throughout the 12-month period.” Patients not only noted a reduction in pain but also felt less disruption in their daily lives due to pain. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in the use of other pain medications, with a large number of participants expressing substantial relief in pain severity.
