Publisher: Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021

This observational study investigated the characteristics, safety, and effectiveness of medical cannabis therapy for fibromyalgia. Patients studied were referred to cannabis after receiving traditional treatment for at least a year without improvement. The change in symptoms and quality of life was measured after six months of treatment.

KEY RESULTS:

• 81.1% of patients reported overall treatment success – defined as experiencing at least moderate improvement in their condition without serious adverse effects
• 73.4% of patients reported improved sleep; 13.2% reported their sleep problems were fully relieved 80.8% of patients reported improved depression‐related symptoms
• 61.9% of patients reported their quality of life (QOL) to be “good or very good,” whereas only 2.7% of patients rated their QOL at this level prior to beginning treatment; QOL components include appetite, sleep quality, and sexual activity
• Overall pain intensity reduced from a median of 9.0 at baseline to 5.0 after six months 22.2% of patients stopped or reduced their dosage of opioids; 20.3% reduced their dosage of benzodiazepines

STRAINS: Avidekel & Alaska

STUDY POPULATION: 367 patients with fibromyalgia; 211 completed the follow-up survey at six months