40% of Cannabis-Using Chronic Pain Patients at High Risk for Cannabis Use Disorder
A 2-year study of 1,453 chronic pain patients found 40% of cannabis users at high CUD risk, linked to worse baseline mental health but not worsening pain over time.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among 1,453 chronic pain patients followed for 2 years, 36.3% used cannabis and 39.8% of users showed high CUD risk. Higher CUD risk was associated with worse baseline pain, central sensitization, and mental health symptoms, but pain trajectories over 2 years did not differ between CUD risk groups and non-users.
Key Numbers
N=1,453, 65.5% female, 86.1% White. 36.3% used cannabis. 39.8% of users at high CUD risk. Higher CUD risk associated with younger age, male sex, lower SES, higher alcohol risk, worse mental health. Pain trajectories: no difference by CUD risk.
How They Did This
Two-year longitudinal study of 1,453 chronic pain patients recruited online, with baseline, 3-, 12-, and 24-month assessments using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test and Brief Pain Inventory.
Why This Research Matters
Nearly 4 in 10 chronic pain patients who use cannabis may develop problematic use. The finding that CUD risk does not worsen pain trajectories suggests these patients are not harming their pain prognosis, but the mental health burden warrants attention.
The Bigger Picture
The high CUD risk prevalence challenges assumptions about the safety of self-directed cannabis use for pain. However, the lack of worsening pain outcomes provides nuance, suggesting CUD in chronic pain may primarily be a mental health concern rather than a pain management failure.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Online recruitment may not represent all chronic pain patients. Self-reported cannabis use and CUD screening. Cannot determine causation. Predominantly White female sample limits generalizability.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should chronic pain patients be routinely screened for CUD?
- ?Does treating CUD improve mental health outcomes in this population?
- ?What interventions best reduce CUD risk while maintaining pain management?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 39.8% of cannabis-using chronic pain patients at high CUD risk
- Evidence Grade:
- Large longitudinal design with 2-year follow-up provides strong temporal evidence, though online recruitment and self-report measures have limitations.
- Study Age:
- 2025 longitudinal study with 2-year follow-up.
- Original Title:
- Risk of Cannabis Use Disorder in Chronic Pain: Longitudinal Links to Pain Outcomes.
- Published In:
- Journal of addiction medicine, 19(5), 545-551 (2025)
- Authors:
- Mun, Chung Jung(7), Timmons, Patricia, Perez, Iosef I, Meier, Madeline H, Wegener, Stephen T, Campbell, Claudia M, Aaron, Rachel V
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07208
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Can chronic pain patients develop cannabis addiction?
This study found nearly 40% of chronic pain patients who used cannabis were at high risk for cannabis use disorder. These individuals had worse mental health symptoms at baseline, though their pain outcomes over 2 years were similar to non-users.
Does cannabis use disorder make chronic pain worse?
Surprisingly, no. Despite having worse baseline symptoms, patients at high CUD risk did not show worsening pain trajectories over 2 years compared to non-users. The main concern was the associated mental health burden.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07208APA
Mun, Chung Jung; Timmons, Patricia; Perez, Iosef I; Meier, Madeline H; Wegener, Stephen T; Campbell, Claudia M; Aaron, Rachel V. (2025). Risk of Cannabis Use Disorder in Chronic Pain: Longitudinal Links to Pain Outcomes.. Journal of addiction medicine, 19(5), 545-551. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000001446
MLA
Mun, Chung Jung, et al. "Risk of Cannabis Use Disorder in Chronic Pain: Longitudinal Links to Pain Outcomes.." Journal of addiction medicine, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000001446
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Risk of Cannabis Use Disorder in Chronic Pain: Longitudinal ..." RTHC-07208. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mun-2025-risk-of-cannabis-use
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.