The American Medical Association (AMA) recently conducted a survey in Australia to assess the efficacy of medical marijuana in improving patient quality of life. The study, published in the AMA’s journal JAMA Internal Medicine, looked at 3,148 patients prescribed medical cannabis by Emerald Clinics, a network of specialist medical clinics across Australia. After providing informed written consent, these patients underwent comprehensive consultations with their physicians to determine suitability for cannabinoid treatment and the appropriate dose.
The survey found that those taking medical cannabis experienced “significant improvements” in quality of life over time. These effects were sustained over time, providing further evidence for the usefulness of medical marijuana as a treatment option.
Results of AMA Medical Marijuana Survey
The results of this study suggest that medical marijuana can be a safe and effective treatment for various conditions. Of the 3,148 patients prescribed medical cannabis, 68.6% had chronic noncancer pain, 6.0% with cancer pain, 4.8% with insomnia, and 4.2% with anxiety.
After commencing treatment with medical cannabis, the patients reported significant improvements in all eight domains of the SF-36 scale, and these effects were primarily sustained over time. The average improvement in SF-36 scores was 6.60 to 18.31 points depending on the domain, with Cohen d effect sizes ranging from 0.21 to 0.72.
While a total of 2919 adverse events were recorded, only two were considered severe. These results show that marijuana is associated with “significant improvements” in quality of life for people with conditions like chronic pain and insomnia—and those effects are “largely sustained” over time—according to the study published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
In conclusion, using medical marijuana is associated with a significantly improved quality of life for people with chronic pain and insomnia. While there are adverse side effects reported, these findings suggest that the benefits outweigh the risks and that medical marijuana can potentially be used as a safe and effective treatment for qualifying patients.
The ultimate decision should always be left to a healthcare provider who understands each case and can make an informed judgment about whether or not cannabis should be prescribed as part of their care plan.
Looking Forward
The implications of this survey are significant, as it demonstrates the potential medical efficacy of cannabis. This is further supported by other studies that have found evidence for the effectiveness of cannabis in managing a variety of conditions.
For physicians and medical professionals, these results provide helpful guidance on prescribing medical cannabis. The data suggest that appropriate dosing and careful monitoring can improve quality of life over time.
This study reinforces the potential therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana and provides valuable insight for clinicians looking to incorporate cannabis into their practices.
By highlighting the clinical benefits of cannabis, these results contribute to removing the stigma that stoners only use it for recreational purposes. It also demonstrates the continued normalization of cannabis as a legitimate medicine and provides further evidence to support its use.
As scientific research continues to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis, more physicians are likely to become comfortable with prescribing it as an effective treatment option for those in need. Continued normalization could open up new possibilities for expanding access and making medical marijuana more widely available.
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