QUESTION ASKED: What is the impact of participating in the Minnesota medical cannabis program on managing symptoms in patients with cancer, and is medical cannabis well tolerated among this patient population? SUMMARY ANSWER: Within 4 months of starting medical cannabis, there was a significant reduction in the severity of symptoms across all eight measures included in the study (anxiety, lack of appetite, depression, disturbed sleep, fatigue, nausea, pain, and vomiting) compared with baseline. Clinically meaningful improvements were most evident for vomiting, with the least clinically meaningful improvements observed for fatigue.

Abstract Introduction: Cannabis has been used for medical purposes across the world for centuries. As states and countries implement medical and recreational cannabis policies, increasing numbers of people are using cannabis pharmacotherapy for pain. There is a theoretical rationale for cannabis’ efficacy for pain management, although the subjective pain relief from cannabis may not match objective measurements of analgesia. As more patients turn to cannabis for pain relief, there is a need for additional scientific evidence to evaluate this increase. Materials and Methods: Research for this review was performed in the PubMed/National Library of Medicine database. Discussion: Preclinical studies demonstrate a narrow therapeutic window...

Abstract Due to a lack of published pharmacokinetic (PK) and/or pharmacodynamic (PD) data, informed physician and patient decision-making surrounding appropriate dosing of cannabis for medical purposes is limited. This Phase 1, multiple-dose study evaluated the safety, tolerability, PK and PD of Spectrum Red softgels (2.5mg ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and <0.25mg cannabidiol (CBD)). Participants (n = 41) were randomized to one of five groups: 5 mg THC and 0.06 mg CBD daily (Treatment A), 10 mg THC and 0.12 mg CBD daily (Treatment B), 15 mg THC and 0.18 mg CBD daily (Treatment C), 20 mg THC and 0.24 mg CBD daily (Treatment D) or placebo....

Abstract Introduction: Despite increasing demand for data, little is known about the authorization patterns, safety, and effectiveness of medical cannabis products. Materials and Methods: We conducted a 2 year observational study of adult patients who were legally authorized a medical cannabis product from a single licensed producer; we captured and analyzed authorized cannabis use patterns by cannabinoid profile (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]-dominant; cannabidiol [CBD]-dominant; and balanced (THC:CBD) and clinical outcomes using standardized outcome measures every 3 months for 12 months at a network of medical cannabis clinics in Quebec, Canada. Results: We recruited 585 patients (average age 56.5 years), of whom 61% identified as female and...

Abstract Introduction: Clinical trials remain the gold standard for evaluating efficacy, but there is increasing interest in using real-world evidence (RWE) to inform health care decision making. The aims of this observational study were to describe patterns of medical cannabis use, associated changes in symptom severity over time, and to evaluate change in cannabis dose over time for pain-related symptoms. Methods: Data were collected by Strainprint, an application that is HIPAA, PIPEDA, and PHIPA compliant. A total of 629 participants recorded data between May 2017 and August 2019. A total of 65 symptoms were grouped as Pain, Mental Health, Physical Symptoms, Seizures, Headaches/Migraines, and...

Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent. Patients are increasingly using medicinal cannabis products to treat these disorders, but little is known about the effects of medicinal cannabis use on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aim of the present observational study was to assess general health in medicinal cannabis users and non-using controls with anxiety and/or depression.   Methods: Participants (368 Cannabis Users; 170 Controls) completed an online survey assessing anxiety and depressive symptoms, cannabis product use, sleep, quality of life, and comorbid chronic pain. Participants that completed this baseline survey were then invited to complete additional follow-up surveys at 3-month intervals. Baseline differences...

Abstract   Chronic pain is a common complaint among patients, and rheumatic diseases are a common cause for chronic pain. Current pharmacological interventions for chronic pain are not always useful or safe enough for long-term use. Cannabis and cannabinoids are currently being studied due to their potential as analgesics. In this review we will discuss current literature regarding cannabinoids and cannabis as treatment for rheumatic diseases. Fibromyalgia is a prevalent rheumatic disease that causes diffuse pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Treatment of this syndrome is symptomatic, and it has been suggested that cannabis and cannabinoids could potentially alleviate some of the symptoms associated with...

Summary Medical cannabis patients, including two-thirds with chronic-pain, report health benefits including improved pain management and sleep. Pharmacoeconomic factors were the greatest limitation of medical cannabis.

Abstract: Cannabis (also known as marijuana) is the most frequently used psychoactive substance globally. Cannabis exerts therapeutic functions for many indications and has vast potential as a health and wellness product. Advances in our understanding of the composition and pharmacological properties of cannabis have revealed interactions between cannabis, an individuals’ circadian rhythms and their endocannabinoid signaling. Exogenously administered cannabinoids can bidirectionally entrain central and peripheral clocks that comprise circadian rhythms, and malfunctions in the endocannabinoid system are reported to impact neurological processes. Therefore, it is necessary to account for the circadian rhythm when designing clinical trials examining the pharmacological properties of cannabis-based products for...

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) worldwide. Recently anecdotal evidence of possible therapeutic effects of cannabis products has emerged. The aim of this study is to characterize the epidemiology of ASD patients receiving medical cannabis treatment and to describe its safety and efficacy. We analysed the data prospectively collected as part of the treatment program of 188 ASD patients treated with medical cannabis between 2015 and 2017. The treatment in majority of the patients was based on cannabis oil containing 30% CBD and 1.5% THC. Symptoms inventory, patient global assessment and side effects...