Marijuana may offer relief from pain. A very small study from McGill University in Montreal suggests that pot might ease chronic nerve pain called neuropathy. Twenty-one adults who suffered from neuropathic pain brought on by surgery or accident were randomized to receive low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose marijuana or placebo cigarettes. The subjects rated their pain on an eleven-point scale. They were also questioned about quality of life factors such as mood and sleep.
Pain scores were lower after the volunteers were exposed to high-dose marijuana with 9.4 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Subjects also slept better and were less anxious. At this dose, the cigarettes produced side effects in some subjects, including dry eyes, headaches and burning sensations. The subjects did not report getting high. Other researchers were intrigued by the findings but stressed that long-term safety concerns will need to be addressed before this treatment is used more widely.
[Canadian Medical Association Journal, online Aug 30, 2010]
The People's Perspective on Medicine