PainRelief.com: What are the main findings?

Response: Our main finding was that products that were THC only or products with similar amounts of THC or CBD had small benefits in terms of reducing pain—but this came with some side effects (dizziness, sedation, nausea).  Somewhat surprisingly, CBD only or products that were predominantly CBD had trivial or no effect on pain, although they also didn’t cause side effects.

PainRelief.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: I think understanding that cannabis products differ in a variety of ways and it is important to consider the THC and CBD content when choosing a cannabis product to take for pain. One thing to bear in mind is that most products evaluated in trials are prescription strength or products developed in Europe that may not be the same as what patients may be able to get in dispensaries in states where recreational or medical cannabis is legal.

PainRelief.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: We would like more studies to confirm the effects of high THC or THC-only products and to determine if there are differences between THC-only products (in one analysis we found that nabilone had larger effects on pain than dronabinol, which was not expected and based on a relatively small number of studies). We also need longer-term studies to understand the long-term effects, including potential harms.

Disclosures: This research was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.  I have no conflicts related to cannabis or cannabis product manufacturers. I am currently receiving funding from the FDA to develop a guideline on acute low back pain.

Citation: Roger Chou, Rongwei Fu, Azrah Y. Ahmed, et al. Cannabis-Based Products for Chronic Pain: An Updated Systematic Review. Ann Intern Med. [Epub 23 December 2025]. doi:10.7326/ANNALS-25-03152

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Last Updated on January 8, 2026 by PainRelief.com