St. Paul, MN: Nearly one-third of patients enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis access program experience significant reductions in their pain symptoms within their first four months, according to data provided by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 10,000 pain patients enrolled in the program. They reported: “Among all pain-related conditions, almost one-third (31.7 percent) of patients experiencing moderate to severe pain at enrollment saw a meaningful reduction in pain symptoms within four months of treatment. Of those patients experiencing a meaningful reduction in pain symptoms, 49.7 percent of them were able to maintain the pain reduction for an additional four months after achieving it.”
Investigators further acknowledged that many patients taking prescription pain medicines upon their enrollment in the program decreased their use of prescribed analgesics at six months.
Most subjects in the study inhaled THC-dominant botanical cannabis.. The most frequently reported side effects were dry mouth, mental clouding, fatigue, and increased appetite.
A prior analysis of patients enrolled in Minnesota’s medical cannabis registry reported that those suffering from post-traumatic stress experience “substantial benefits” following cannabis therapy.
Full text of the report, “Chronic Pain Patients in the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program,” is available the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.’