The Therapeutic Power of Medical Cannabis: A Scientific Overview
Dr. Cameron Jones, PhD.
Medical cannabis is gaining recognition in the healthcare community, not just for its potential benefits but also for the growing body of research supporting its use. With increasing interest from patients and healthcare providers alike, understanding the most cited studies in this field can provide invaluable insights into its therapeutic value. Here, we delve into the top 10 most cited papers that highlight the demonstrated benefits of medical cannabis for various health conditions.
1. Pharmacologic and Clinical Effects of Medical Cannabis
- Study: Borgelt et al. (2013)
- Key Findings: This comprehensive review highlights the clinical benefits of medical cannabis for conditions such as spasm, pain, and other phytotherapy applications. It also emphasizes the growing preference for vaporization to reduce harm associated with smoking.
2. Perceptions of Primary Care Providers on Medical Cannabis
- Study: Philpot et al. (2019)
- Key Findings: A majority of primary care providers surveyed believe in the efficacy of medical cannabis for treating conditions like cancer, terminal illness, and intractable pain, demonstrating widespread support within the medical community.
3. Clinical Improvements in Chronic Orthopedic Pain
- Study: Greis et al. (2022)
- Key Findings: This study associates medical cannabis with significant improvements in pain, function, and quality of life, alongside a notable reduction in the use of opioids and benzodiazepines, offering a promising alternative for pain management.
4. Symptom Management Across Various Conditions
- Study: Hameed et al. (2023)
- Key Findings: Medical cannabis shows potential in managing symptoms of chronic pain, headaches, migraines, and psychological disorders, underscoring its broad therapeutic applications.
5. Safe and Effective Use in the Elderly
- Study: Barton et al. (2021)
- Key Findings: This case presentation illustrates the safe and effective use of medical cannabis for pain management in elderly patients, highlighting its potential as an alternative to more traditional, and often more harmful, medications.
6. Improvements in Pain, PTSD, and Sleep Disorders
- Study: Cahill et al. (2021)
- Key Findings: A survey of medical cannabis patients revealed significant improvements in recurrent pain, PTSD, and sleep disorders after just six weeks of treatment, providing strong evidence of its efficacy in managing these conditions.
7. Interest in Medical Cannabis as an Opioid Alternative
- Study: Cooke et al. (2019)
- Key Findings: Patients expressed significant interest in using medical cannabis as an addition to or replacement for opioid pain medication, suggesting a viable alternative therapy for chronic non-cancer pain management.
8. Impact of Legalization on Patient Participation
- Study: Lucas et al. (2021)
- Key Findings: This study discusses how the legalization of non-medical cannabis can enhance patient retention in longitudinal research, indicating that policy changes improving access can encourage patient participation and reduce dropout rates.
9. Cannabis Use in Cancer Treatment
- Study: Azizoddin et al. (2023)
- Key Findings: Focusing on adults undergoing cancer treatment, this paper emphasizes the need to understand the risks and benefits of cannabis in oncology, highlighting its growing role in symptom management.
10. Therapeutic Benefits for Chronic Pain and More
- Study: Glickman & Sisti (2019)
- Key Findings: There is a consensus around the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and multiple sclerosis symptoms, supporting its role as a beneficial treatment option.
These studies collectively underscore the growing acceptance and recognition of medical cannabis as a viable treatment option across a variety of conditions. Whether it's for managing chronic pain, alleviating symptoms of cancer treatment, or improving quality of life, the evidence is clear: medical cannabis holds significant promise.
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References:
Azizoddin, D., Cohn, A., Ulahannan, S., Henson, C., Alexander, A., Moore, K., … & Kendzor, D. (2023). Cannabis use among adults undergoing cancer treatment. Cancer, 129(21), 3498-3508. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34922
Barton, L., Nisan, C., Burleigh, C., & Fredericks, S. (2021). Case presentation of safe and effective use of medical cannabis in the elderly. Nurse Practitioner Open Journal, 1(1), 9-16. https://doi.org/10.28984/npoj.v1i1.343
Borgelt, L., Franson, K., Nussbaum, A., & Wang, G. (2013). The pharmacologic and clinical effects of medical cannabis. Pharmacotherapy the Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, 33(2), 195-209. https://doi.org/10.1002/phar.1187
Cahill, S., Lunn, S., Diaz, P., & Page, J. (2021). Evaluation of patient reported safety and efficacy of cannabis from a survey of medical cannabis patients in canada. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.626853
Cooke, A., Knight, K., & Miaskowski, C. (2019). Patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives of co-use of cannabis and opioids for chronic non-cancer pain management in primary care. International Journal of Drug Policy, 63, 23-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.09.002
Cummings, H. (2024). Individuals’ values and preferences regarding medical cannabis for chronic pain: a descriptive qualitative study. Journal of Pain Research, Volume 17, 21-34. https://doi.org/10.2147/jpr.s432823
Glickman, A. and Sisti, D. (2019). Prescribing medical cannabis: ethical considerations for primary care providers. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(4), 227-230. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105759
Greis, A., Larsen, E., Liu, C., Renslo, B., Radakrishnan, A., & Wilson-Poe, A. (2022). Perceived efficacy, reduced prescription drug use, and minimal side effects of cannabis in patients with chronic orthopedic pain. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 7(6), 865-875. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2021.0088
Hameed, M., Prasad, S., Jain, E., Dogrul, B., Al-Oleimat, A., Pokhrel, B., … & Stein, J. (2023). Medical cannabis for chronic nonmalignant pain management. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 27(4), 57-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-023-01101-w
Hutchison, K., Bidwell, L., Ellingson, J., & Bryan, A. (2019). Cannabis and health research: rapid progress requires innovative research designs. Value in Health, 22(11), 1289-1294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2019.05.005
Lake, S., Walsh, Z., Kerr, T., Cooper, Z., Buxton, J., Wood, E., … & Milloy, M. (2019). Frequency of cannabis and illicit opioid use among people who use drugs and report chronic pain: a longitudinal analysis. Plos Medicine, 16(11), e1002967. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002967
Lucas, P., Boyd, S., Milloy, M., & Walsh, Z. (2021). The impact of non-medical cannabis legalization and other exposures on retention in longitudinal cannabis research: a survival analysis of a prospective study of canadian medical cannabis patients. Journal of Cannabis Research, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-021-00089-7
Meacham, M., Ramo, D., Kral, A., & Riley, E. (2018). Associations between medical cannabis and other drug use among unstably housed women. International Journal of Drug Policy, 52, 45-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.11.009
Ng, J., Quach, H., Phillips, M., & Busse, J. (2022). Surveying canadian pain physicians’ attitudes and beliefs regarding medical cannabis for chronic noncancer pain: a qualitative study. Journal of Pain Research, Volume 15, 3899-3910. https://doi.org/10.2147/jpr.s382589
Philpot, L., Ebbert, J., & Hurt, R. (2019). A survey of the attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about medical cannabis among primary care providers. BMC Family Practice, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-019-0906-y
Schlag, A., Hindocha, C., Zafar, R., Nutt, D., & Curran, H. (2021). Cannabis based medicines and cannabis dependence: a critical review of issues and evidence. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 35(7), 773-785. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881120986393
Zylla, D., Steele, G., Eklund, J., Mettner, J., & Arneson, T. (2018). Oncology clinicians and the minnesota medical cannabis program: a survey on medical cannabis practice patterns, barriers to enrollment, and educational needs. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 3(1), 195-202. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0029