Care By Design surveyed thousands of patients who had been using CBD-rich cannabis medicines for over 30 days. They asked patients what they were taking CBD-rich cannabis for, the ratio of CBD-to-THC they were using, and about its impact on pain, discomfort, energy, mood, and overall wellbeing. Here’s what they learned:
Key Findings
- Medical marijuana patients are using CBD-rich cannabis for a wide variety of conditions, including serious and incurable diseases, and conditions that may respond poorly to FDA-approved pharmaceuticals. Over 12% are using it to address the side effects of cancer treatment.
- Patients with psychiatric illnesses, mood disorders, neurological diseases and CNS injuries favor CBD-dominant cannabis medicines. Patients with pain and inflammation favor CBD-rich cannabis medicines with more equal levels of CBD and THC.
- THC matters. Patients using the 4:1 CBD-to-THC were the most likely to report a reduction in pain and inflammation, and improvements in mood and energy. Patients using the 2:1 CBD-to-THC ratio reported the greatest improvement in overall wellbeing. This finding is consistent with scientific research indicating that CBD and THC interact synergistically to enhance one another’s therapeutic effect.
- CBD-rich cannabis appears to be remarkably good at ameliorating pain (particularly in patients with fibromyalgia, headaches and migraines), and at improving patients’ sense of wellbeing, particularly for patients with PTSD.
- Given that people using CBD-rich cannabis for “general wellbeing” are the only group who reported a decreased feeling of wellbeing and the most likely to report a worsening mood, it’s possible that CBD products may not be appropriate as a supplement for people who are otherwise healthy.
Project CBD director Martin A. Lee served as a product development consultant for Care By Design. He did not participate in the preparation of this report. © Copyright, Project CBD. May not be reprinted without permission.
