Cannabis Coaching Program Helped Veterans Reduce Pain With Personalized Guidance
A novel coaching intervention helped veterans optimize cannabis use for chronic pain, with 63% reporting much or very much improvement and significant reductions in pain intensity and interference.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
After up to 4 coaching sessions, all participants reported improvement. Pain intensity dropped from 7.1 to 5.7 out of 10, and pain interference decreased significantly. 87.5% were very or completely satisfied, and 81.3% rated coaching as very or extremely helpful.
Key Numbers
22 enrolled, 17 completed all 4 sessions; pain intensity 7.1 to 5.7 out of 10; 63% reported much or very much improvement on PGIC; 87.5% very or completely satisfied; social satisfaction T-score improved from 41.4 to 44.3; pain interference T-score decreased from 66.3 to 61.8
How They Did This
Feasibility pilot with 22 veterans with chronic pain who used or were interested in cannabis for pain. Participants received up to 4 individual videoconference coaching sessions spaced 2 weeks apart. The intervention used motivational interviewing principles and scientific literature. Outcomes measured at 14 weeks.
Why This Research Matters
Veterans frequently use cannabis for pain but have little clinical support in doing so, partly because federal prohibition limits provider guidance. This study suggests structured coaching can help veterans use cannabis more effectively, with meaningful pain reductions.
The Bigger Picture
The gap between veterans using cannabis for pain and the clinical guidance available to them is widening. Coaching models like this could fill that gap without requiring providers to prescribe cannabis, offering a pragmatic middle ground.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample (22 participants) with no control group, self-selected participants likely motivated for improvement, cannot separate coaching effects from placebo or natural improvement, short follow-up (14 weeks)
Questions This Raises
- ?Would the pain improvements persist beyond 14 weeks?
- ?How would a coaching intervention compare to a control condition in a larger trial?
- ?Could this model be scaled through telehealth for the broader veteran population?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Pain intensity dropped from 7.1 to 5.7 out of 10 after cannabis coaching sessions
- Evidence Grade:
- Small uncontrolled feasibility pilot; promising results but cannot attribute improvements specifically to the coaching intervention
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Feasibility pilot of a novel coaching intervention to optimize cannabis use for chronic pain management among Veterans.
- Published In:
- Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 7 (2025)
- Authors:
- Boehnke, Kevin F(22), Bowyer, Gabrielle, McAfee, Jenna(3), Smith, Tristin, Klida, Catherine, Kurtz, Vivian, Litinas, Evangelos, Purohit, Poonam, Arewasikporn, Anne, Horowitz, Dana, Thomas, Laura, Eckersley, Jennifer, Railing, Mia, Williams, David A, Clauw, Daniel J, Kidwell, Kelley M, Bohnert, Amy S B, Bergmans, Rachel S
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06084
Evidence Hierarchy
A small preliminary study to test whether a larger study is feasible.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What did the cannabis coaching program involve?
Veterans received up to 4 individual videoconference sessions over about 8 weeks, covering personalized cannabis product selection, dosing strategies, and motivational interviewing techniques. They co-developed personalized plans with their coaches.
How much did pain improve?
Average pain intensity dropped from 7.1 to 5.7 out of 10, and 63% of participants reported much or very much overall improvement. Pain interference also decreased significantly.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06084APA
Boehnke, Kevin F; Bowyer, Gabrielle; McAfee, Jenna; Smith, Tristin; Klida, Catherine; Kurtz, Vivian; Litinas, Evangelos; Purohit, Poonam; Arewasikporn, Anne; Horowitz, Dana; Thomas, Laura; Eckersley, Jennifer; Railing, Mia; Williams, David A; Clauw, Daniel J; Kidwell, Kelley M; Bohnert, Amy S B; Bergmans, Rachel S. (2025). Feasibility pilot of a novel coaching intervention to optimize cannabis use for chronic pain management among Veterans.. Journal of cannabis research, 7(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00265-z
MLA
Boehnke, Kevin F, et al. "Feasibility pilot of a novel coaching intervention to optimize cannabis use for chronic pain management among Veterans.." Journal of cannabis research, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-025-00265-z
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Feasibility pilot of a novel coaching intervention to optimi..." RTHC-06084. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/boehnke-2025-feasibility-pilot-of-a
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.