People With Opioid Addiction Described Pain Relief, Better Sleep, and Fewer Cravings After a Year of Medical Cannabis | Research

The takeaway

In-depth interviews with people on opioid addiction treatment revealed that after 12 months of medical cannabis use, most reported reduced pain, improved mood, better sleep, and fewer drug cravings.

Anyone interested in patient perspectives on medical cannabis as part of opioid addiction recovery.

4 consistent benefit themes emerged: pain relief, mood improvement, better sleep, and fewer cravings

What the researchers found

Across 10 interviews, participants consistently described four benefits from 12 months of medical cannabis: reduced pain levels, improved emotional regulation and mood, better sleep quality and duration, and reduced cravings for illicit drugs. Their initial motivations included wanting a safer cannabis supply, reducing prescription medications, and achieving calm.

Why it matters

While quantitative studies provide numbers, qualitative research captures lived experience. These interviews reveal what motivated people with opioid addiction to try medical cannabis and how they described its effects on their daily lives over a full year.

The numbers in context

10 interviews conducted after 12 months of medical cannabis treatment. Four key motivations and four key benefit themes were identified. Primary concerns centered on weight/appetite changes and cost of products.

How the study worked

Qualitative study using key informant interviews with 10 individuals who had opioid use disorder and chronic pain and had been using medical cannabis for 12 months. Themes were identified through content analysis of interview transcripts.

What this study cannot tell us

Only 10 participants, all from one clinic. Self-reported experiences may be subject to social desirability bias. No comparison group or objective measures.

How to read the evidence

Preliminary: qualitative design with 10 participants from a single clinic, providing exploratory insights rather than causal evidence.

When this study was published

2025 study.

The bigger picture

This qualitative evidence complements quantitative studies (including a companion study by the same research team) and helps identify which outcomes matter most to patients, informing future clinical trial design.

Questions still open

Do these self-reported benefits hold up in larger, controlled studies? What role does having a "safe supply" of cannabis play versus the pharmacological effects?

Common questions

Why did participants start using medical cannabis?

Key motivations included wanting a safer cannabis supply, hoping to reduce prescription medications, seeking calm or relaxation, and managing chronic pain.

Were there any downsides reported?

The main concerns were changes in weight and appetite, and the cost of medical cannabis products.

Read the original research

Motivation and experiences of individuals with opioid use disorder and chronic pain using medical cannabis for 12 months.

Harm reduction journal, 22(1), 155

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Lent, Michelle R; Dugosh, Karen L; Varsani, Kartik; Jonsson, Andrea; Kung, Tyler; Galluzzi, Katherine E. (2025). Motivation and experiences of individuals with opioid use disorder and chronic pain using medical cannabis for 12 months.. Harm reduction journal, 22(1), 155. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01306-9