Overview
- Across more than 2,100 adults studied for two to 26 weeks, cannabis-based medicines did not reliably reduce chronic neuropathic pain versus placebo.
- Trials grouped products as THC-dominant, CBD-dominant, or balanced THC/CBD, with no high-quality evidence of superior pain relief in any category.
- Small gains reported with balanced THC/CBD products fell below thresholds considered clinically meaningful for patients.
- Safety findings were uncertain because adverse events were inconsistently reported, with overall confidence rated low to very low.
- THC-containing products were linked to dizziness, drowsiness, and possibly higher withdrawal rates, and reviewers urged trials of at least 12 weeks that include people with common comorbidities.