New Zealand women with endometriosis report using cannabis to manage pain and reduce other medications | Research

The takeaway

In a survey of 213 women with endometriosis, 81% reported cannabis made their pain "much better," and over three-quarters reduced their pharmaceutical use.

Women managing endometriosis pain, researchers studying cannabis for chronic pain conditions, anyone interested in cannabis as a potential opioid substitute

81% of respondents said cannabis made their endometriosis pain "much better"

What the researchers found

Among endometriosis patients using cannabis, 95.5% used it for pain relief, 81% rated their pain as "much better," and 81.4% reported reducing their pharmaceutical medications, with 59% completely stopping at least one medication.

Why it matters

Endometriosis affects about 10% of women worldwide, and many struggle with adequate pain management. If cannabis provides meaningful relief, it could represent a less harmful alternative to opioids and other analgesics for some patients.

The numbers in context

213 respondents; mean age 32; 79.8% current cannabis users; 95.5% used for pain; 81% said pain was "much better"; 81.4% reduced medications; 59% stopped at least one medication completely; 40% of stopped analgesics were opioids

How the study worked

Cross-sectional online survey of people using cannabis for health conditions in New Zealand (May-July 2019), analyzing the subset of 213 respondents with endometriosis diagnoses.

What this study cannot tell us

Self-selected online sample, self-reported diagnoses and outcomes, no control group, cross-sectional design prevents causal conclusions, respondents already using cannabis may be biased toward positive reports.

How to read the evidence

Self-selected online survey with no control group or objective outcome measures

When this study was published

Published in 2021 based on a 2019 survey conducted in New Zealand, where cannabis remains largely illegal for recreational use.

The bigger picture

This adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting cannabis may serve as a substitute for opioids and other pain medications, particularly for chronic pain conditions where existing treatments fall short.

Questions still open

Would these findings hold up in a controlled clinical trial? What specific cannabis formulations and doses are most effective for endometriosis pain? Does long-term cannabis use for endometriosis carry risks that offset the benefits of reducing opioid use?

Common questions

Can cannabis help with endometriosis pain?

In this self-reported survey, 81% of women with endometriosis said cannabis made their pain "much better." However, this was not a controlled study, so the findings should be interpreted cautiously.

Did cannabis use reduce the need for other pain medications?

Yes. Over 81% of respondents reported reducing their pharmaceutical use, 59% stopped at least one medication entirely, and opioids were the most commonly stopped class of analgesic (40%).

Read the original research

Illicit Cannabis Usage as a Management Strategy in New Zealand Women with Endometriosis: An Online Survey.

Journal of women's health (2002), 30(10), 1485-1492

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Armour, Mike; Sinclair, Justin; Noller, Geoff; Girling, Jane; Larcombe, Maria; Al-Dabbas, Mahmoud A; Hollow, Erika; Bush, Deborah; Johnson, Neil. (2021). Illicit Cannabis Usage as a Management Strategy in New Zealand Women with Endometriosis: An Online Survey.. Journal of women's health (2002), 30(10), 1485-1492. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8668