According to a 2023 University of Colorado study, consistent cannabis use improved pain levels, sleep and cognitive function for cancer patients.
Those going through chemotherapy may experience issues with memory loss, confusion, concentration and decision-making. This is only the tip of the iceberg of chemotherapy’s debilitating side effects.
The research was personal to the study’s senior author, Angela Bryan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. Bryan, a University of Colorado professor of psychology and neuroscience, had long been curious about cancer prevention.
At the time of her diagnosis, Bryan was reluctant to take opioids for post-surgery-related pain and was curious about using cannabis as an alternative. While doctors were generally supportive of her decision, they did not have any concrete data regarding cannabis and cancer treatment.
“When you’re in a lot of pain, it’s hard to think,” Bryan said in a statement. “We found that when patients’ pain levels came down after using cannabis for a while, their cognition got better.”
And, according to a CU Boulder statement, while 40% of cancer patients use cannabis, only a third of doctors feel safe recommending it to a patient.
Historically, studying cannabis has been complicated due to federal restrictions. Cannabis used in research is typically grown by the federal government. It is less potent and offers less of a variety of products when compared to cannabis purchased from a dispensary.
Therefore, Bryan and her team of researchers sought to study how cannabis that consumers were actually using impacted physical symptoms. “This observational study is among the first of its kind to examine associations between legal market, palliative cannabis use and subjective and objective outcomes among cancer patients. These early findings concerning pain intensity, sleep quality and cognitive function can help to inform future, fully powered studies of this important topic,” the study said.
Twenty-five cancer patients who had consumed cannabis within two weeks were selected for the study. Participants were initially observed to determine their pain levels, sleep patterns and general cognition. Each participant was required to choose a dispensary’s edible product. Eighteen brands were eventually selected — a diverse catalog of baked goods, gummies and tinctures […]
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