A new preprint study suggests that supervised medical cannabis may help ease pain, sleep problems, and mood or behavioral symptoms among older adults, although researchers caution that the findings do not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
The retrospective research examined 124 patients aged 65 and above who received cannabis-based treatment at a specialist clinic in Colombia. Symptoms were documented when treatment began, while 44 patients returned for an assessment roughly three months later.
Most participants had no previous experience with cannabis. Their most common medical conditions included pain and musculoskeletal problems, cancer, and neurological disorders, both degenerative and non-degenerative. The main reasons for seeking treatment were insomnia, pain management, mood or behavioral difficulties, and problems affecting movement.
Doctors assessed symptom severity using a four-level scale ranging from no symptoms to severe symptoms. Researchers then compared scores recorded at the start of treatment with those documented during subsequent visits.
Overall, 91% of participants recorded an improvement of at least one point in the severity of their main symptom. Researchers reported that improvements appeared relatively early for many patients. Among those experiencing pain, 67.7% showed an initial improvement by the second visit. The corresponding figures were 73.9% for mood or behavioral symptoms and 65.4% for insomnia.
The typical time before the first improvement was three months for pain, two months for insomnia and one month for mood or behavioral problems.
By the final available assessment, median severity scores had fallen significantly in all three major symptom categories. Researchers also reported that no participant experienced a worsening of symptom severity during the observation period. Complete disappearance of symptoms was less common, although some patients reported total relief from sleep difficulties, pain, or mood-related problems.
Additional analyses indicated potentially meaningful improvements in digestive and motor complaints, overall well-being, appetite, and physical strength. However, those findings did not reach statistical significance.
Cannabis was most often provided as an oral oil preparation. The researchers said patients generally required relatively small amounts, with treatment commonly involving only several milligrams per day of CBG, CBD, THC, or combinations of these compounds.
The study also examined patients’ use of other medicines. Overall medication use remained broadly unchanged, but about one in four participants either reduced the dose of another drug or stopped using it after beginning cannabis treatment.
Funded by the European Union, the research has been released as a preprint and has not yet undergone peer review or appeared in a scientific journal.
The authors described the results as encouraging but stressed that the study’s observational design prevents researchers from determining whether cannabis itself caused the improvements. They plan to study larger groups in Chile, Colombia, and Argentina to gather stronger evidence about effectiveness, safety, and treatment patterns across different healthcare settings.
Marijuana firms like Tilray Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) (TSX: TLRY) are unlikely to be surprised by the findings of this study since they often get similar reports from the people who buy medical marijuana to manage their symptoms.
About CNW420
CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of an article each business day at 4:20 p.m. Eastern – a tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. The concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
To receive SMS alerts from CNW, text CANNABIS to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com/Disclaimer
CannabisNewsWire
Denver, CO
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com
CannabisNewsWire is powered by IBN
