By Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director
Cannabinoids are safe and effective in the treatment of chronic pain conditions, according to a review of recent clinical trials published online ahead of print in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia.
Investigators at the University of Montreal, Department of Anesthesiology evaluated the results of 26 clinical trials “of good or excellent quality” involving 1,364 subjects. Trials assessed the use of various types of cannabinoid preparations, including herbal cannabis, liquid and oral cannabis extracts, and synthetic cannabinoid agents in pain treatment.
Authors reported that cannabinoids were efficacious in alleviating various types of pain, including pain due to neuropathy, musculoskeletal disorders, fibromyalgia, HIV, and other chronic pain conditions.
They concluded, “Overall, the recent literature supports the idea that currently available cannabinoids are modestly effective analgesics that provide a safe, reasonable therapeutic option for managing chronic non-cancer-related pain and possibly cancer-related pain.”
Their conclusion mimics that of a 2015 systematic review published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology that reported, “[C]annabinoids are safe, demonstrate a modest analgesic effect, and provide a reasonable treatment option for treatment of chronic non-cancer pain.”
An abstract of the study, “Medical cannabis: considerations for the anesthesiologist and pain physician,” appears online here.
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