The consumption of cannabis-infused edible products, particularly those that are higher in THC content, provides acute relief for patients with chronic lower back pain, according to data published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.
Researchers with the University of Colorado at Boulder assessed the ad libitum use of three distinct edible products (THC-dominant products, CBD-dominant products, or products containing similar amounts of THC and CBD) in 249 subjects with low back pain. Participants consumed the products for two weeks. Researchers evaluated changes in patients’ pain intensity and subjective mood, which were assessed at the conclusion of the study.
“Pain intensity following edible cannabis use decreased over time across all three broadly defined product groups,” investigators reported. Decreases in pain intensity were most pronounced in patients who consumed THC-dominant edibles. CBD-dominant products were “primarily associated with short-term tension relief” rather than significant reductions in acute pain.
The study’s authors concluded: “These findings support the short-term analgesic effects of THC and anxiolytic effects of CBD … [and] indicate that edible cannabis may be a safe and suitable alternative pain therapy for those looking to substitute more traditional pain medications.”
