Study Reveals Nearly Half of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Use Medical Cannabis

More than 40% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) used medical cannabis or cannabinoid products in the past year, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. The survey, "Cannabinoid Use Among Americans with MS: Current Trends and Knowledge Gaps," was recently published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental, Translational and Clinical.

To conduct the research, the University of Michigan researchers collected data from a national sample of over 1,000 patients with multiple sclerosis. The study revealed that 42% of respondents reported using cannabis or cannabinoid-based therapies such as cannabidiol (CBD) in the previous year, a usage rate that is nearly double the national average, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

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“These data from the national survey highlight the growing prevalence of cannabinoid use among Americans with multiple sclerosis and, among users, a lasting perception of benefit for various chronic symptoms,” the researchers wrote.

Among the survey respondents who used cannabis or cannabinoid products, 90% reported that their cannabis use was medicinal. The researchers noted that many patients with MS experience chronic symptoms with a lack of sufficient quality treatment options. More than half of all patients experience chronic pain, which can also affect sleep. At least 60% have sleep disorders, which can lead to fatigue and other symptoms.

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The lack of effective treatment options leads many MS patients to seek alternative therapies, including cannabis and cannabinoid products like CBD. However, little information about the proper use and dosage of cannabis needed to effectively treat multiple sclerosis is available, prompting the study's authors to call for more research on the subject.

“Many Americans with multiple sclerosis use cannabinoids and, in particular, CBD-dominant products, to self-manage a wide range of symptoms,” they wrote. “These findings highlight crucial gaps between community use and clinical care and illustrate an immediate need for prospective and mechanistic studies focused on the effects of cannabinoids for chronic MS symptoms, as well as the interactions between disease symptoms.”

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Cannabis is Effective for a Variety of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

Patients who used cannabis to treat MS reported that it was more effective in improving sleep and reducing the frequency of tremors, as well as mitigating nausea and anxiety. The researchers concluded that most patients who chose to use cannabis to treat their multiple sclerosis wanted more information about its use but did not receive that assistance from their doctor.

“Interestingly, the overwhelming majority of respondents expressed a desire for more guidance from healthcare providers on cannabis use, but less than 1% received information about the type of cannabinoid product they used,” the authors noted.

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The researchers concluded that the popularity of cannabis use among multiple sclerosis patients and the perceived range of benefits from THC and CBD illustrate the need for more research and "evidence-based personalized guidelines on cannabinoid use."

"Our findings also demonstrate a growing discrepancy between cannabinoid utilization and clinical guidance regarding use, highlighting a need to determine if and how cannabinoids can be used more effectively to treat some of the most debilitating MS symptoms that currently lack high-quality interventions. There is a need for more open educational discussions between providers and patients to optimize cannabinoid use,” they wrote.

Source: A.J. HERRINGTON/High Times