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Minneapolis, MN: The cumulative use of cannabis over several decades is not associated with a significantly elevated risk of either psychiatric disorders, cognitive decline, or other adverse psychosocial outcomes, according to longitudinal data published in the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

Investigators affiliated with the University of Minnesota and the University of Colorado assessed the long-term impact of cannabis use on psychiatric and psychosocial outcomes in a sample of more than 4,000 adult twins. Subjects were assessed from 1994 to 2021.

“This study suggests that lifetime exposure to cannabis has few persistent effects on mental health and other psychosocial outcomes,” researchers reported. “We did not identify within-pair differences in cognitive ability. … Cannabis consumption did not predict within-pair differences in psychoticism.”

Researchers cautioned that heavy cannabis use could elevate the risk of so-called ‘cannabis use disorder,’ tobacco use, and experimentation with other controlled substances.

The study’s authors concluded: “Broadly speaking, our results do not support a causal relationship between lifetime average cannabis frequency and most of the substance use, psychiatric, and psychosocial outcomes assessed here. Rather, genetic and familial confounding most likely explain the relationships between cannabis use and the negative outcomes associated with it. ... The lack of within-pair effects, or small effects for those existing within-pair differences, in our primary outcome suggest that cumulative cannabis use does not have large, or lasting effects on many psychosocial outcomes.”

Full text of the study, “Limited psychological and social effects of lifetime cannabis use frequency: Evidence from a 30-year community study of 4,078 twins,” appears in the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

Survey: Pain Patents Report That Cannabis Is “More Effective” Than Conventional Medications

Berlin, Germany: Patients with chronic pain and other conditions report that cannabis is often more effective than conventional treatments, according to survey data published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

German researchers surveyed patients’ experiences with cannabis products. (Plant cannabis and cannabinoid treatments, such as , were legalized by prescription use in Germany in 2017; however, such products are typically only authorized when patients are unresponsive to traditional therapies.) Over 200 patients participated in the survey. Most respondents suffered from chronic pain and over two-thirds of the survey’s participants consumed cannabis flowers or plant-derived extracts.

Consistent with numerous other studies, patients reported reductions in their daily pain following cannabis therapy. Patients also said that they were less likely to be either anxious or depressed while using cannabis. Participants reported “greater satisfaction” with cannabis and said that it was “more effective” than their prior therapies. Ninety-four percent of those surveyed reported holding more positive attitudes toward cannabis following treatment.

“The results of this cross-sectional survey suggest that most surveyed outpatients treated with prescription cannabinoids in Germany subjectively experience health benefits and symptom reduction associated with these therapies,” the study’s authors concluded.

Full text of the study, “Patients’ perspectives on prescription cannabinoid therapies: A cross-sectional, exploratory, anonymous, one-time web-based survey among German patients,” appears in Frontiers in Medicine.

Study: Cannabis/opioid Co-administration Effective For Hospice Patients

New Haven, CT: Hospice patients administered plant-derived CBD-dominant capsules experience significant pain relief and reduce their daily opioid intake, according to data published in the American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care.

Researchers affiliated with Yale University assessed the efficacy of the adjunctive use of cannabis products in a cohort of 66 hospice patients. Subjects in the study were administered oral capsules containing either 40mg CBD/1.5mg THC or 80mg CBD/3mg THC. All patients enrolled in the study were taking opioids for pain management.

Investigators reported: “Combination therapy led to a statistically significant reduction in pain intensity over time, aligning with previous research suggesting that cannabinoids … can modulate pain pathways and enhance the analgesic effects of opioids.”

They further acknowledged, “The average opioid dose used in combination with medical cannabis in our study decreased over time – while patients simultaneously showed statistically significant improved pain scores. While the decrease in opioid dose did not reach statistical significance, this trend may support a stabilizing effect of combination therapy on opioid dose.”

The study’s authors concluded: “Our study highlights the potential benefit of medical cannabis co-administration with opioid therapy for pain management in hospice inpatients, demonstrating statistically significant pain reduction over time with minimal adverse events. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of medical cannabis as an adjunctive treatment for pain management.”

The findings are consistent with those of other studies reporting that the co-administration of either smoked cannabis or oral cannabinoids augments the pain-relieving effects of opioids, even when both substances are administered at subtherapeutic doses.

Full text of the study, “Medical marijuana for pain management in hospice care as a complementary approach to scheduled opioids: A single arm study,” appears in the American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care.

Survey: Some Physicians Endorse Cannabis-Based Treatments for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Bern, Switzerland: Physicians are recommending cannabis-based treatments for children suffering from cerebral palsy (CP), according to survey data published in the journal Children.

Swiss researchers surveyed 70 physicians with experience treating children with cerebral palsy. Physicians participating in the survey resided in Europe, North America, and Australia.

Forty-seven percent of respondents reported having authorized cannabis-based therapies (e.g., Dronabinol, Epidiolex, whole-plant cannabis extracts, or CBD) to their pediatric patients, typically as an adjunctive therapy. Doctors were most likely to recommend cannabinoids for treating seizures, spasticity, and pain. Sixty-nine percent of respondents reported that cannabis-based treatments provided either “strong” or “moderate” effects on CP symptoms.

The study’s authors concluded: “This international online survey assessed the prescribing practices of cannabinoids in children with CP by their treating physicians. The participating physicians acquired their knowledge about cannabinoids mainly outside their medical training. The physicians frequently prescribed differing formulas of cannabinoids for various indications in children with CP. The most common indications were epilepsy, spasticity, and pain, and treatment was initiated as co-medication or second-line treatment. Overall, physicians perceived a moderate efficacy of cannabinoids and no long-term side effects.”

Survey data published last year in the journal Orthopedics reported that 17 percent of US pediatric patients with CP are using CBD supplements to mitigate disease symptoms.

Full text of the study, “Prescription practices of cannabinoids in children with cerebral palsy worldwide -- A survey of the Swiss cerebral palsy registry,” appears in Children.