St. Paul, MN: Cancer patients report significant improvements in their pain, nausea, anxiety, and depression following the use of state-authorized medical cannabis products, according to data provided by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management.
State regulators assessed the efficacy of medical cannabis products in a cohort of more than 6,000 cancer patients enrolled in Minnesota’s medical marijuana program. Patients provided self-evaluations at four months and then continued to do so for the next several years. Respondents were most likely to consume high-THC botanical products.
Approximately half of the patients enrolled in the study reported improvements in their pain, nausea, appetite, and mental health. Patients also reported less fatigue and improved sleep following cannabis treatment. Only 15 percent of respondents reported any side effects related to cannabis, most of which were described as “mild.”
“These results show great promise in using cannabis for treating the symptoms that occur with cancer and cancer-related treatments,” said Dr. Grace Christensen, a senior research analyst with the Office of Cannabis Management. “Even minor relief can improve patients’ quality of life and help them better manage battling the disease.”
Prior data provided by the OCM reports improvements in patients diagnosed with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, and sleep apnea following their enrollment in the state’s medical cannabis program.
Over 90,000 Minnesotans are currently registered in Minnesota’s medical cannabis program.
Full text of the study, “Impact of Medical Cannabis on Minnesota Cancer Patients,” is available from the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management.