Psychiatric News (12/23) reports a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 trials found that “cannabis products that primarily contain cannabidiol (CBD) bring little relief to people with chronic pain, while products high in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) slightly reduce pain severity but come with stronger side effects.” Researchers observed that “on a zero-to-10-point pain scale, nabilone, a synthetic THC analogue, reduced short-term pain severity by an average of 1.59 points. Dronabinol, another purified THC product, had a negligible effect on pain.” Meanwhile, “nabiximols, a spray containing comparable THC and CBD levels, reduced short-term pain by an average of 0.54 points. Products that consisted primarily of CBD were associated with no or trivial reductions in short-term pain severity.” Researchers also noted that “products high in THC were associated with an increased risk of adverse events, including dizziness, sedation, and nausea.” The review was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Related Links:
— “Cannabis Products Have Mixed Effects on Chronic Pain, Psychiatric News , December 23, 2025