New Study: Cannabis Leads To Improved Physical, Social, Emotional And Pain-Related Quality of Life

New Study: Cannabis Leads To Improved Physical, Social, Emotional And Pain-Related Quality of LifePhoto byEsteban LópezonUnsplash

The psychosocial impact of medical marijuana use is not yet known. A new study released evaluated short-term changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over the first three months of medical marijuana use. The study of hundreds of people using medical marijuana reported “rapid and significant improvements” in health-related quality of life over the first three months, according to new research led by Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).

The study, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, followed nearly 400 adults who were new to using medical marijuana to treat any of the more than 20 qualifying conditions in Pennsylvania. Study participants, with an average age of about 46 years old, were most commonly prescribed medical marijuana to treat anxiety disorders or “severe chronic or intractable pain.” From baseline, respondents improved in all areas of health-related quality of life that researchers evaluated, including less pain, more energy, and better emotional, social, and physical functioning.

Participants (M age = 46.4 years [15.6]; 66.4% female) were mostly commonly referred for medical marijuana to treat anxiety disorders (61.9%) or severe chronic or intractable pain (53.6%). Participants reported rapid and significant improvements in all of the domains of HRQoL from baseline to three months after initiating medical marijuana use (physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health problems, emotional well-being, role limitations due to emotional problems, bodily pain, social functioning, energy/fatigue and general health, P < .001 for all). Age was negatively predictive of level of improvement over time for the physical functioning (P < .0001), role limitations due to physical health problems (P < .001), and pain (P < .0001) domains after controlling for baseline, with older participants displaying less improvement than younger participants.

Gains were observed in all HRQoL domains assessed after three months of medical marijuana use. In several domains, age was a significant predictor of degree of improvement.

Responding to semi-structured interviews after three months, participants reported significant improvements in ratings of their role limitations due to physical health and emotional problems, and in social functioning, according to the study. These gains—which the authors said “represent clinically meaningful change”—included a 20% improvement in reported pain levels, a 20% increase in social functioning, and a 15% improvement in emotional well-being. The largest gains in physical functioning and pain levels occurred in younger participants compared to older respondents.

The study provides “evidence to support greater access to, and coverage of, medical cannabis treatments,” reports the MarijuanaMoment.net.

The research was funded by Pennsylvania medical cannabis provider Organic Remedies, Inc., which the paper says played “no role in the study design, or in the analysis or interpretation of data.”