Evidence supports the use of marijuana for some medical conditions, but not for others, according to a fresh review of past research.

After reviewing 80 randomised trials that included nearly 6500 people, researchers found moderate support for using marijuana to treat chronic pain and muscle spasms and involuntary movements.

The evidence wasn't as strong to support marijuana's use for nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, sleep disorders, HIV-related weight loss and Tourette syndrome.

Also, any benefits of marijuana or cannabis use must be weighed against the risk of side effects, which include dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, sleepiness and euphoria, according to the study's lead author.

Considering treating your migraine or headache disorder with medical cannabis? It’s a complicated topic with a variety of perspectives, so I’ve tried to distill some of the most important information below. I hope it’s a helpful guide.

Marijuana’s Efficacy for Migraine or Headache Disorders

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Penny F. Whiting, PhD
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol
The National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care West at University Hospitals, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol UK
Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd, Escrick, York, United Kingdom

MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

By Ian Dunt

It went down to the wire. Our official competition for the worst British law of all time (important notice: there's no such thing as British law, it wasn't of all time and absolutely nothing about this is official) came down to a two-horse race between the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The latter squeaked it, by 28.7% to 27.5%.

Prairie Plant Systems and CanniMed announced yesterday the beginning of recruitment for their CAPRI Trial (Cannabinoid Profile Investigation of Vaporized Cannabis in Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Knee). This clinical trial is Canada’s first randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, proof-of-concept, crossover clinical trial of single dose vaporized cannabis in adults with painful osteoarthritis of the knee. The Saskatoon producer will be partnering with researchers at Dalhousie University and McGill University Health Centre to begin the process in the coming weeks of accepting 40 patients over 50 years of age.

A study evaluating the effect of medical marijuana on arthritis is recruiting patients in Halifax and Montreal. 

The Dalhousie University study will be the first to measure the effect of vaporized cannabis with different amounts of cannabinoids.

Dr. Mary Lynch is leading the study. 

"It's helping us to move forward in identifying what are the best products that are going to be the most help, causing the fewest side effects," she says.

Patients aged 50 or older with osteoarthritis knee pain in Halifax and Montreal will be given several doses of vaporized medical marijuana with varying amounts of THC and CBD.

In India, substance abuse is on the rise and more and more people have started experimenting with drugs. While some are introduced to drugs at parties, others experiment out of sheer curiosity and get trapped into this deadly world.

Indians got to know about the date rape drugs, which made regular rounds at bars, pubs and discotheques, last year. Date rape drugs, which include Rohypnol, Ketamine and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), have been used to spike people's drinks to incapacitate and render them vulnerable to sexual assault.

Medical marijuana patients in Canada may no longer worry about getting arrested for using cannabis oils or drinking cannabis tea, but they've still got a long way to go until they can purchase high-quality medicinal-grade cannabis extracts from licensed producers.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruling this month struck down sections of the Criminal Code banning the use of non-dried forms of medical cannabis, allowing patients to use extracts and edibles — things like oils, tea and creams.

All across the nation, states are legalizing or considering legalizing medical marijuana for a variety of different medical uses, including Crohn’s Disease, ALS and HIV, among others. However, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has suggested that medical marijuana may not be effective for many of the illnesses that supporters claim it helps.

Drs. Carter and Schatman consider the consequences that would accrue from the removal of opioids from the therapeutic options for chronic pain.

The segment also discusses the characteristics of a “better” opioid, and the research understanding needed to get there.

This two part video series is brought to you by Painweek.org