Previous studies have demonstrated improvements in pain following short-term medical cannabis (MC) use, suggesting long-term MC treatment may alleviate symptoms associated with chronic pain. The goal of this observational and longitudinal study was to examine patients using MC to treat chronic pain pre versus post MC treatment. These interim analyses included 37 patients with chronic pain evaluated prior to initiation of MC treatment and following 3 and 6 months of MC use; pain, clinical state, sleep, quality of life, and conventional medication use were assessed. Correlation analyses examined the relationship between changes in pain and other clinical measures, assessed the impact of cannabinoid exposure on pain and clinical ratings, and assessed whether baseline cannabis expectancies influenced outcome variables. Additionally, a pilot group of treatment-as-usual patients (n = 9) who did not use MC were examined at baseline and 3 months later. Relative to baseline, following 3 and 6 months of treatment, MC patients exhibited improvements in pain which were accompanied by improved sleep, mood, anxiety, and quality of life, and stable conventional medication use. Reduced pain was associated with improvements in aspects of mood and anxiety. The results generally suggest increased THC exposure was related to pain-related improvement, while increased CBD exposure was related to improved mood. Cannabis expectancies were not related to observed improvements. Pilot analyses revealed that treatment-as-usual patients do not demonstrate the same pattern of improvement. Findings highlight the potential efficacy of MC treatment for pain and underscore the unique impact of individual cannabinoids on specific aspects of pain and comorbid symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: Expanding access to legal cannabis has dovetailed with increased interest in medical cannabis (MC) use; however, there is a paucity of research examining MC use to alleviate menopause-related symptoms. This survey study assessed patterns of MC use in perimenopausal and postmenopausal individuals. Methods: Participants (perimenopausal, n = 131; postmenopausal, n = 127) completed assessments of menopause-related symptomatology and cannabis use, including modes of use, type of use, and menopause-related symptoms addressed by MC use. Results: Most participants reported current cannabis use (86.1%) and endorsed using MC for menopause-related symptoms (78.7%). The most common modes of use were smoking (84.3%) and edibles (78.3%), and the top menopause-related symptoms for MC use were sleep disturbance (67.4%) and mood/anxiety (46.1%). Relative to postmenopausal participants, perimenopausal participants reported significantly worse menopause-related symptomatology on the vasomotor and psychosocial subscales of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (Ps ≤ 0.04), including greater burden of anxiety (P = 0.01) and hot flash (P = 0.04) symptoms. In addition, perimenopausal participants reported higher incidence of depression (P = 0.03) and anxiety diagnoses (P < 0.01), as well as increased use of MC to treat menopause-related mood/anxiety symptoms relative to postmenopausal participants (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Results suggest that many individuals are currently using MC as an adjunctive treatment for menopause-related symptoms, particularly sleep disturbance and mood/anxiety. Future research should examine the impact of different MC use characteristics (e.g., cannabinoid profiles) on the efficacy of MC use for menopause-related symptoms. Increased severity and prevalence of mood and anxiety symptoms in perimenopausal participants suggest promising targets for clinical trials of cannabinoid-based therapies.

The endocannabinoid system is involved in gynecological functions, with cannabidiol (CBD) demonstrating promise for alleviating menstrual-related symptoms. This survey-based, quasi-experimental study assessedpro re nata(PRN) use of a commercially-available, hemp-derived, broad-spectrum, high-CBD (100 mg) vaginal suppository (Foria®) for menstrual-related pain and discomfort compared to a treatment-as-usual (TAU) group (CBDn = 77, TAUn = 230), with survey assessments collected at baseline and two monthly follow-ups (~2 menstrual cycles). The CBD group demonstrated significantly reduced frequency and severity of menstrual-related symptoms, impact of symptoms on daily functioning, need for analgesics, and number of analgesics used relative to the TAU group (ps ≤ 0.032). Correlation analyses indicated a potential dose-dependent response, with increased suppository use associated with greater reduction of symptoms (ps ≤ 0.025). Most CBD participants reported at least moderate improvement of symptoms (follow-up 1 = 72.9%, follow-up 2 = 81.1%). Future studies (including replication in randomized clinical trials) assessing pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, mechanism(s) of action, efficacy for other gynecological indications, and potential adverse events (e.g., drug-drug interactions) are indicated.

Background/Objectives: Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid touted for a variety of medical benefits, including alleviation of anxiety. While legalization of hemp-derived products in the United States (containing ≤0.3% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [d9-THC] by weight) has led to a rapid increase in the commercialization of hemp-derived CBD products, most therapeutic claims have not been substantiated using clinical trials. This trial aimed to assess the impact of 6 weeks of treatment with a proprietary hemp-derived, full-spectrum, high-CBD sublingual solution similar to those available in the marketplace in patients with anxiety. Methods: An open-label pilot clinical trial (NCT04286594) was conducted in 12 patients with at least moderate levels of anxiety. Patients self-administered a hemp-derived, high-CBD sublingual solution twice daily during the 6-week trial (target daily dose: 30 mg/day CBD). Clinical change over time relative to baseline was assessed for anxiety, mood, sleep, and quality of life, as well as changes in cognitive performance on measures of executive function and memory. Safety and tolerability of the study product were also evaluated. Results: Patients reported significant reductions in anxiety symptoms over time. Concurrent improvements in mood, sleep, and relevant quality of life domains were also observed, along with stable or improved performance on all neurocognitive measures. Few side effects were reported, and no serious adverse events occurred. Conclusions: These pilot findings provide initial support for the efficacy and tolerability of the hemp-derived, high-CBD product in patients with moderate-to-severe levels of anxiety. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are indicated to obtain robust data regarding efficacy and tolerability of these types of products for anxiety.