EXPERT REACTION: Cannabis for pain? It's still complicated
A US study of existing research looking at cannabinoid drugs for pain relief has found they may prevent the onset of pain by increasing pain thresholds, but may not reduce the intensity of pre-existing pain or help people who are hyper-sensitive to pain. However, the drugs may make pre-existing pain less unpleasant and more tolerable, say the researchers. They analysed 18 placebo-controlled studies, including a total of 422 participants.
Journal/conference: JAMA Psychiatry
Link to research (DOI): 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.2503
Organisation/s: Syracuse University, USA
Funder: The Syracuse University STEM Fellowship, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse.
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Expert Reaction
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