Results of a recent survey indicate 30 percent of migraine sufferers in the U.S. and Canada have used cannabis to relieve migraine pain – and most found it useful.

Healthcare technology provider Healint surveyed 9,885 users of Migraine Buddy; the company’s global migraine tracking app. Of those who used cannabis, Healint says 82 percent  found it useful for reducing pain levels.

“Cannabis is becoming a prominent treatment option for chronic pain patients, especially for migraineurs,” said Healint CEO and co-founder Francois Cadiou. “With more and more states across the United States legalizing medical marijuana, migraine patients are becoming acquainted with cannabis as a natural remedy that can help alleviate migraines and even prevent them.”

Among other aspects, the Migraine Buddy app enables users to record information about the duration, frequency, and intensity of their attacks – and medication use.

It’s not the first time evidence of this nature has been presented.

In November last year we reported on a study out of Washington State University indicating inhaled cannabis may reduce the intensity of headaches and migraines, based on  information submitted by more than 1,300 patients who used the Strainprint app. Self-reported perceived headache severity reduced by 47.3% and migraine severity by 49.6%.

Back in 2017, clinical trial data indicated a combination of THC and CBD proved to be effective in treating migraines and cluster headaches in some sufferers; specifically in patients with a history of migraine from childhood on.

Migraines not only cause great pain for those who suffer from them; it’s a widespread condition that has a significant economic impact.

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, it’s the third most prevalent illness in the world and the sixth most disabling. Nearly a quarter of U.S. households include someone with migraine and more than 90% of sufferers are unable to work or function normally during an episode.

Dr. Andrew Rizzo, an Emergency Medicine physician with a specialty in Addiction Medicine in Brooklyn, NY says more research is needed delving into the potential benefits of cannabis.

“And while the increase in research looking at the correlation between cannabis use and migraine frequency is a positive sign, we urgently need more studies to be conducted on the proper administration method and dosage to better inform our patients,” he says.