Studies on Medical Cannabis

Here are some of the most interesting and recent studies on medical cannabis, covering mental health, pain, cancer, dementia, and more:

🧠 PTSD & Mental Health

1. THC-dominant cannabis for PTSD (UK observational study)A real-world study of 58 cannabis-experienced UK patients with PTSD found that inhaling THC-rich flower led to significant improvements in symptoms—intrusion, mood, reactivity—and sleep. Benefits lasted through 6 months, with no reported side effects theaustralian.com.au+3thetimes.co.uk+3ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+3karger.com.

2. Long-term cannabis use and PTSDA U.S. prospective study of 150 participants over 12 months showed that cannabis users experienced a greater reduction in PTSD severity and were 2.6 times more likely to no longer meet diagnostic criteria compared to those who didn’t use cannabis pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

3. Pilot vaporized cannabis RCT (small sample)In a randomized cross-over trial of five individuals, vaporized cannabis produced medium-sized reductions in PTSD symptoms—though small sample size limits conclusions, it signals the need for larger trials pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+1trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com+1.

4. FDA-cleared Phase II veteran studyThe FDA recently approved a Phase II trial examining self-titrated inhaled cannabis in 320 veterans with PTSD. This landmark study will analyze effects on symptoms, anxiety, depression, and sleep—potentially laying groundwork for broader medical guidance marketwatch.com+1managedhealthcareexecutive.com+1.

🧠 Depression & Anxiety

5. UK registry: Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs)An analysis of 129 patients prescribed CBMPs for depression showed significant improvements in PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), sleep, and quality-of-life measures at 1, 3, and 6 months. Most adverse events were mild trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com+4pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+4karger.com+4.

6. CBD & anxiety (open-label Harvard Phase II)Harvard-led results from a full-spectrum high-CBD trial reported “significant improvement in patient levels of anxiety, as well as improvements in sleep, quality of life and cognition” reddit.com.

🩺 Other Conditions

7. Alzheimer’s-related agitation (dronabinol RCT)In a multi-site trial of 75 dementia patients, synthetic THC (dronabinol) reduced agitation by about 30%, comparable to antipsychotics but with fewer severe side effects hopkinsmedicine.org.

8. Chronic pain vs. opioids (Finland survey)Finnish survey showed that medical cannabis users with chronic pain reported more relaxation, mood improvement, and better daily functioning compared to opioid users ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

9. Cancer-related pain and sleepUK observational data from cancer patients indicated that CBMP use led to sustained relief in pain, better sleep, and reduced anxiety with minimal adverse effects marketwatch.com+15reddit.com+15karger.com+15.

10. Cancer-fighting potential (meta-analysis)An AI-driven meta-analysis of 10,000 studies found that ~75% support cannabis’s therapeutic role in cancer—specifically symptom relief (nausea, inflammation, appetite) and even anti-tumor effects (apoptosis, growth inhibition). Still, large clinical trials in humans are needed theguardian.com+1thetimes.co.uk+1.

🔍 Insights & Considerations

• Growing evidence supports cannabis for PTSD, chronic pain, agitation, anxiety, and sleep issues—but most are observational or small trials.

• Need for RCTs: More rigorous, randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm causality and understand optimal dosing, cannabinoid ratios, and long-term safety.

• Side effects are typically mild (e.g., fatigue, dizziness), but concerns remain around long-term cognitive effects and interactions, especially in older adults .

• Policy barriers: Federal restrictions (e.g. Schedule I status) limit large-scale research, though changing regulatory landscapes are opening new possibilities.