ArticleCureus2025
Patterns, Efficacy, and Cognitive Effects of Medical Cannabis Use in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Patients.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Functional Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy Based on Self-Reported Cannabis Use: A Matched-Controlled Study.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Discontinuation rates and predictors of Medical Cannabis cessation for chronic musculoskeletal pain.PloS one · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMedical cannabis (MC) is being used with greater frequency in the management of chronic pain. While its efficacy in pain relief is promising, questions about patterns of use and efficacy warrant further investigation. This study aimed to evaluate long-term MC use patterns, perceived efficacy, and its impact on cognition among patients with chronic musculoskeletal noncancer pain.
methodsThis prospective study included patients who were certified for MC between October 2022 and December 2024. Patients who were certified for MC under Pennsylvania state guidelines for a minimum of one year were tracked, yielding 129 patients for analysis. The patients completed an Inventory of Medical Cannabis Use (IMCU) questionnaire assessing usage patterns, dosage knowledge, efficacy, cognitive effects, and tolerance changes. The responses were collected in a password-protected database.
resultsA total of 77.5% of patients reported using MC daily or near daily. Topical formulations were most frequently used (63.6%). Approximately half of the respondents were uncertain of their exact tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol (THC/CBD) dosage, with a median oral dose of 10 mg recorded among those who provided estimates. High levels of perceived efficacy were reported, with over 93% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that MC improved their primary symptoms. Cognitive and motor effects were minimal for most users, with 72.1% reporting no impact. Furthermore, 79.8% of respondents indicated stable usage patterns over the prior three months, and very few reported a need or external suggestion to reduce MC intake.
conclusionsLong-term MC use is a stable and well-tolerated option for managing chronic musculoskeletal pain, with high patient-reported efficacy and minimal cognitive impact. These findings support its role in pain management while highlighting the need for further research on optimal dosing and long-term safety.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.