94% of fibromyalgia patients who used cannabis reported pain relief, though most were not medically licensed | Research

The takeaway

An Israeli survey of 383 fibromyalgia patients found that 84% used cannabis, with 94% reporting pain relief and 93% improved sleep, though only 44% had a medical cannabis license and 55% of licensed users bought additional cannabis on the black market.

Read this if you have fibromyalgia and want to know how other patients use and experience cannabis.

94% reported pain relief; only 44% had a medical cannabis license

What the researchers found

Researchers surveyed 383 fibromyalgia patients through Israeli Facebook support groups.

Of respondents, 84% reported consuming cannabis, but only 44% had a medical cannabis license. Among licensed users, 55% bought additional cannabis beyond their medical allowance on the black market.

Self-reported benefits were high: 94% reported pain relief, 93% improved sleep quality, 87% improvement in depression, and 62% improvement in anxiety.

The average monthly consumption was 31.4 grams, with 80% smoking pure cannabis or cannabis mixed with tobacco. Only 12% reported adverse effects, and just 8% reported feeling dependent on cannabis.

64% of cannabis-consuming patients worked full or part-time, and 74% reported driving as usual while using cannabis.

Why it matters

The extremely high rates of self-reported benefit highlight the disconnect between patient experience and the limited clinical trial evidence for cannabis in fibromyalgia. The finding that most users are unlicensed and many supplement medical allowances with black market purchases reveals the gap between medical cannabis regulation and actual patient behavior.

The numbers in context

383 respondents out of 2,705 group members (14%). 84% used cannabis, 44% licensed. Average 31.4g/month. Pain relief 94%, sleep improvement 93%, depression improvement 87%, anxiety improvement 62%. Adverse effects 12%. Dependence reported 8%. 55% of licensed bought on black market.

How the study worked

Anonymous Internet-based questionnaire posted to three large fibromyalgia Facebook groups in Israel. 383 of 2,705 group members responded (14% response rate). Questions covered demographics, cannabis use patterns, subjective effects, adverse effects, dependence, driving, and employment.

What this study cannot tell us

Self-selected online survey sample with 14% response rate creates significant selection bias. No control group. Self-reported benefits cannot be separated from placebo effects. Facebook group members may be more cannabis-positive than the broader fibromyalgia population. No objective measures of pain, sleep, or mood.

How to read the evidence

Self-selected online survey with no control group provides preliminary evidence of patient-reported outcomes, subject to significant selection and reporting biases.

When this study was published

Published in 2018 with Israeli data. Medical cannabis access and fibromyalgia treatment options have evolved since.

The bigger picture

This survey captures the reality of cannabis use among chronic pain patients: widespread, largely self-directed, occurring partly outside medical systems, and perceived as highly beneficial by users. The gap between patient-reported outcomes and controlled trial evidence remains a central tension in medical cannabis research.

Questions still open

Would randomized controlled trials of cannabis for fibromyalgia confirm the high benefit rates reported by patients? Why is there such a large gap between medical licensing and actual cannabis use in fibromyalgia patients? What are the long-term outcomes for fibromyalgia patients who use cannabis?

Common questions

Does cannabis help fibromyalgia?

In this survey, 94% of fibromyalgia patients who used cannabis reported pain relief and 93% improved sleep. However, these are self-reported results from a self-selected sample with no control group, so placebo effects and selection bias may inflate the numbers.

Were most fibromyalgia patients using cannabis legally?

No. While 84% reported using cannabis, only 44% had a medical license. Among those licensed, 55% still bought additional cannabis on the black market beyond their medical allowance.

Read the original research

The Consumption of Cannabis by Fibromyalgia Patients in Israel.

Pain research and treatment, 2018, 7829427

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Habib, George; Avisar, Irit. (2018). The Consumption of Cannabis by Fibromyalgia Patients in Israel.. Pain research and treatment, 2018, 7829427. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7829427