Medical Cannabis Effectiveness Confirmed By Over 80% of Patients

Over 80% of participants in a German study reported that medical cannabis was effective in treating chronic pain and neurological issues, with no significant differences in effectiveness among various strains. There was, however, a preference for high THC content strains. Reported side effects were generally very mild, with the most common being dry mouth and increased appetite.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in using medical cannabis as an alternative treatment method for various ailments. Primarily used for relieving chronic pain, muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis, and palliative care, medical cannabis has become the subject of numerous scientific studies.

Since the legalization of medical cannabis in Germany in 2017, various strains are available, differing in their THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) content ratios. Although the availability of different medical cannabis strains continues to grow, there is still little known about their effectiveness differences in treating specific ailments.

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Medical Cannabis Study Methods

As part of an online study conducted in Germany between June and August 2020, a survey was used, which only individuals meeting specific criteria could participate in: over 18 years of age, treatment with medical cannabis prescribed by a doctor, and use of medical cannabis purchased in German pharmacies.

The study, approved by the local ethics committee, aimed to assess the effectiveness and tolerance of different medical cannabis strains. Participant recruitment occurred through clinics, newsletters, support groups, and social media.

Results

The study included 1,028 participants. Most of them (58%) had been using MM for over a year, averaging 5.9 different strains. The most frequently prescribed strains were Bedrocan (THC:CBD=22:<1), Canopy Growth Bakerstreet (THC:CBD=19:<1), and Aurora Pedanios 22/1 (THC:CBD=22:1).

The most common ailments for which LM was prescribed include pain disorders, psychiatric, neurological, and gastro-intestinal issues. The average effectiveness reported by patients was 80.1%, with no significant differences in effectiveness among the various strains.

The study results did not confirm the main hypothesis that specific LM strains are more effective in treating specific ailments. It appears that the choice of a particular medical cannabis strain was not dependent on a specific medical indication. Interestingly, despite the diversity of available strains, most patients preferred those with a high THC content. This suggests that patients may subjectively experience better therapeutic effects from strains with higher THC concentrations, regardless of the diagnosis.

Medical Cannabis Side Effects and Tolerance

Although the overall tolerance of medical cannabis among patients is relatively good, the reported side effects were typically mild but varied. Below is a detailed list of the most common side effects along with the percentage of people who experienced them:

• Dry Mouth: 396 people (20.3%) reported this side effect, making it the most common issue.
• Increased Appetite: 364 people (18.7%) felt increased hunger, which can affect diet and weight management.
• Red Eyes: 240 people (12.3%) experienced this symptom, typically associated with cannabis use.
• Fatigue: 225 people (11.6%) reported fatigue, which can affect daily functioning.
• Euphoria: 131 people (6.7%) felt an elevated mood, which can be seen as both a positive and negative effect.
• Sleepiness: 122 people (6.3%) experienced increased sleepiness, which can impair concentration and activity.
• Concentration Problems: 74 people (3.8%) had difficulties maintaining focus on tasks.
• Thinking Difficulties: 64 people (3.3%) reported increased cognitive processing challenges.
• Attention Problems: 47 people (2.4%) experienced concentration difficulties.
• Mobility Issues: 35 people (1.8%) reported problems with movement.
• Decreased Appetite: 26 people (1.3%) had the opposite effect of increased hunger, which may also be important in terms of diet management.
• Hypotonia: 26 people (1.3%) reported reduced muscle tone.
• Balance Problems: 19 people (1.0%) experienced difficulties maintaining balance.
• Dizziness: 13 people (0.7%) had problems with balance and spatial orientation.
• Headaches: 8 people (0.4%) reported headaches as a side effect of LM use.
• General Discomfort: 8 people (0.4%) felt generally unwell.
• Mood Issues: 6 people (0.3%) experienced emotional changes.
• Nausea: 5 people (0.3%) reported nausea.
• Diarrhea: 5 people (0.3%) had gastro-intestinal problems.
• Vision Problems: 5 people (0.3%) reported deteriorated vision.
• Vomiting: 2 people (0.1%) experienced vomiting as a side effect.

The reported side effects are an important aspect of medical cannabis treatment, as they can influence decisions regarding its continued use. Although most effects are mild, conscious and controlled use of medical cannabis is necessary, especially in the context of potential interactions with other medications and the overall impact on the patient’s quality of life.

Taste, Smell, and Quality of Medical Cannabis

Overall, the taste and smell of medical cannabis strains were primarily perceived as good or very good (n=730, 71.1%). Only a small percentage of participants (n=51, 5%) rated the currently used strains as bad or very bad in terms of taste and smell.

The price-quality ratio was rated as average (23%), bad (20%), or very bad (21%), with only 309 participants (30%) satisfied with the price-quality ratio (good: n=220 (21.4%), very good: n=89 (8.6%)). Only 398 of the 1,029 participants (38.7%) indicated that the costs of MM treatment were fully or partially covered by their health insurance, 277 participants (27%) reported that their insurance verification request was currently under review, and 353 participants (34.3%) stated that they had not submitted a request to their health insurance.

Conclusions

This new study published in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry is one of the first in Germany that attempted to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerance of various medical cannabis strains prescribed by doctors. These results may contribute to a better understanding of how patients experience treatment with medical cannabis and may serve as a starting point for future research on optimizing treatment with medical cannabis. Ultimately, these results underscore the need for further research on the effectiveness and safety profiles of different cannabis strains available in pharmacies to maximize therapeutic benefits for patients.

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(Featured image by Budding . via Unsplash)

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