Survey: Endometriosis Patients Say Cannabis Is More Effective, Poses Fewer Side Effects Than Prescription Medications

Sydney, Australia: Most patients with endometriosis say that cannabis is superior to pharmaceutical medications and possesses fewer side effects, according to survey data published in the journal Reproduction & Fertility.

Australian researchers assessed responses from 889 endometriosis patients residing in 28 countries.

Consistent with prior surveys, most respondents acknowledged positive experiences with medical cannabis. Seventy-eight percent of respondents described cannabis as “more effective in managing my symptoms than my current or previous pharmaceutical medication.” An equal percentage acknowledged that cannabis posed “less severe” side effects than prescribed medications.

Sixty-nine percent of respondents said that they turned to cannabis because other medications provided inadequate pain control. Ninety percent of those surveyed said that they would recommend cannabis “to a friend or relative with the disease.”

“Cannabis was viewed as superior to pharmaceuticals both in terms of effectiveness and side effect profile,” the study’s authors concluded. “More research is urgently needed, including clinical trial and real-world data to evaluate safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of quality-assured medicinal cannabis products in the endometriosis population.”

Separate survey data published in the journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics reports that nearly one in five patients with endometriosis consume cannabis to manage their pain or other symptoms.

Full text of the study, “In the Weeds: Navigating the complex concerns, challenges, and choices associated with medicinal cannabis consumption for endometriosis,” appears in Reproduction & Fertility.

Feds: Smoking Still Most Popular Way to Consume Cannabis

Bethesda, MD: Smoking is the preferred method of ingestion for most cannabis consumers, according to nationally representative data published in the journal Addiction.

Federal researchers affiliated with the National Institutes of Health examined data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Among those respondents who reported consuming cannabis for non-medical purposes, 79 percent acknowledged “predominantly smoking cannabis.” Among medical consumers, 74 percent said that smoking was their primary method of ingestion.

A separate analysis of NSDUH data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research reported that 77 percent of current cannabis consumers (as defined as having used marijuana during the past month) prefer smoking the substance. Respondents were more than twice as likely to inhale cannabis than consume edibles (37 percent) or engage in vaping (35 percent).

The findings are consistent with data previously provided in March by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Full text of the study, “Prevalence of cannabis consumption methods among people with medically recommended and nonmedical cannabis use in the United States,” appears in Addiction. Full text of the study, “Disparities in use modalities among adults who currently use cannabis, 2022-2023,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.

Case Series: Patients With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Experience Seizure Freedom Following Daily Use of Cannabis Extracts

Toronto, Canada: The daily use of plant-derived cannabis extracts containing THC and CBD is associated with prolonged periods of seizure freedom in patients with refractory epilepsy, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.

A team of Canadian researchers reviewed data from 19 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Following the daily use of cannabis extracts, all patients experienced seizure freedom for periods of at least 90 days. Five patients were seizure-free for more than one year.

Prior to cannabis treatment, patients’ median seizure rate was 6.5 seizures per month.

“The results of the study support prioritizing CBPMs [cannabis-based products for medicinal use] in cases of DRE,” the study’s authors concluded. “Our cohort’s SF [seizure freedom] periods were substantial, considering the patients’ DRE statuses, and the difficulty individuals with DRE have in achieving SF. … Future double blind, placebo-controlled studies should assess whether CBPMs should be prioritized as first-line medical therapy for DRE cases that lack established, evidence-based treatment options.”

In 2018, Food and Drug Administration officials granted market approval to Epidiolex, a prescription medicine containing a standardized formulation of plant-derived cannabidiol for the explicit treatment of Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome – two rare forms of childhood epilepsy.

Full text of the study, “19 patients report seizure freedom with medical cannabis oil treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy: A case series,” appears in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

Analysis: Most Commercially Available CBD Gummy Products Lack Accurate Labeling

Lexington, KY: Most commercially available CBD gummy products contain quantities of cannabidiol that are significantly different than what is purported on the products’ packaging, according to data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Kentucky assessed the cannabinoid content of 56 nationally available CBD gummy products.

Consistent with prior assessments, 70 percent of the products contained CBD concentrations that differed significantly from those listed on their labels. Within-product analysis also revealed that CBD percentages were often inconsistent from one gummy to another. Thirty-nine percent of products tested positive for the presence of THC.

“Unregulated CBD product packaging is not an accurate indication of the product constituents,” the study’s authors concluded. “CBD products do not have reliable CBD concentrations, both relative to the dose listed on the label and among individual gummies within the same bottle. These products also frequently contain delta-9-THC (and occasionally delta-8-THC), often unbeknownst to the consumer. The results of this study support the growing body of literature suggesting the necessity of CBD product regulation to ensure customer health and safety.”

Provisions in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 federally legalized the production and sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Although the legislation explicitly tasked the FDA with establishing regulations to govern the hemp-derived CBD market, the agency refused to do so. In 2023, regulators countered that Congress – not the FDA – must take primary responsibility for creating a regulatory framework overseeing the commercial production and marketing of hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

NORML and other groups have urged the FDA to establish regulatory guidelines governing the production, testing, labeling, and marketing of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Third-party analyses conducted by the FDA and others have consistently reported that commercially available CBD products and other hemp-derived cannabinoid products are of variable quality and potency, and that they may contain contaminants, adulterants, or elevated levels of heavy metals.

Full text of the study, “Cannabidiol gummy products: LC-MS/MS Assessment of Cannabinoid Concentrations,” appears in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.