“Evidence is insufficient for the use of cannabis or cannabinoids for most medical indications.” This was the primary conclusion drawn in a recent publication in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Network) and referenced in other media posts such as Fox News.
Researchers (Hsu, M., Et.al.) examined over 2,500 publications regarding cannabis and medical issues (a meta-analysis) spanning 15 years (2010 – 2025). As a result, researchers found that the use of cannabis was associated to higher risks of psychotic symptoms, generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), adverse coronary effects (heart attacks), and higher risk of having a stroke. Also noted was that from studies, 29 percent of individuals who use cannabis for medicinal purposes met the diagnostic criteria for having a cannabis use disorder (CUD). “Evidence-based guidelines do not recommend the use of inhaled or high-potency cannabis (=/>10% or 10 mg Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol [Δ9-THC]) for medical purposes.”
The authors did acknowledge that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved specific conditions for which cannabinoids can be used to treat specific symptoms of specific disorders such as, “….HIV/AIDS – related anorexia, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and certain pediatric seizure disorders”. Greater research needs to be conducted into the medical application of cannabis, as a therapeutic agent, for specific conditions, to close this information gap.
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