A psychiatry review found that cannabinoids showed only modest benefits for nausea and small or inconsistent benefits for pain and spasticity, while risks included cognitive impairment, traffic accidents, dependence, and psychosis.
Anyone wanting a balanced overview of what the evidence says about cannabis benefits and risks.
Benefits: modest for nausea, small for pain. Risks: cognitive impairment, accidents, dependence, psychosis.
What the researchers found
This review summarized the evidence on both benefits and risks of cannabis and cannabinoids. On the benefit side, a recent meta-analysis found cannabinoids were associated with modest benefits for chemotherapy-related nausea, small and inconsistent benefits for pain and spasticity, and inconclusive benefits for appetite, tics, mood, and sleep.
On the risk side, randomized controlled trials showed cannabinoids increase the risk of adverse events, serious adverse events, and dropout due to adverse events. Cannabis impairs cognition and is associated with increased traffic accident risk including fatal crashes. Long-term use may lead to dependence, respiratory problems, psychosis, and possibly cancer.
The review also noted concerns about use during pregnancy (potentially compromising fetal growth) and adolescence (potentially affecting neurodevelopment and social adjustment), and cautioned that older research findings may not apply to current high-potency strains.
Why it matters
This review provides a balanced assessment at a time when public perception often skews toward viewing cannabis as either completely benign or as a cure-all. The modest therapeutic benefits need to be weighed against documented risks, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The numbers in context
No new quantitative data presented. The review cited meta-analytic evidence of modest benefits for nausea, small/inconsistent benefits for pain and spasticity, and increased odds of adverse events, traffic accidents, dependence, and psychosis.
How the study worked
This was a clinical review published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, synthesizing evidence from meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies on both the therapeutic benefits and health risks of cannabis.
What this study cannot tell us
This was a narrative review that selectively summarized existing evidence. It did not conduct a systematic search or meta-analysis. The balance of benefit-to-risk reporting reflects the author's perspective. Cannabis research has continued to evolve since publication.
How to read the evidence
This is a clinical review synthesizing meta-analyses and trial data, providing a moderate-quality evidence overview.
When this study was published
Published in 2016. The evidence base for both benefits and risks of cannabis has continued to grow.
The bigger picture
The gap between public perception of cannabis safety and the documented risk profile highlighted in this review remains relevant. As cannabis potency has continued to increase since 2016, some of the risk concerns, particularly around psychosis and dependence, have become more pressing.
Questions still open
- How do the risks and benefits of cannabis compare to commonly prescribed alternatives for the same conditions? Are the risks proportional to dose, frequency, and potency of cannabis used?
Common questions
Is cannabis an effective medicine?
What are the most serious risks of cannabis use?
Read the original research
Cannabis and neuropsychiatry, 1: benefits and risks.
The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 77(5), e551-4
Citation
Andrade, Chittaranjan. (2016). Cannabis and neuropsychiatry, 1: benefits and risks.. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 77(5), e551-4. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.16f10841
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