What MS Patients Said About Their Cannabis Use: A Survey of 420 | Research

The takeaway

A survey of 420 MS patients in Alberta found that 96% knew cannabis might help MS symptoms, 16% had tried it medicinally, and users reported improvements in anxiety, depression, spasticity, and chronic pain.

Read this if you have MS and want to know what other patients have reported about cannabis use.

96% of MS patients aware of cannabis potential; 16% using medicinally

What the researchers found

Of 420 MS patients who completed the survey (62% response rate), 96% were aware that cannabis could potentially be therapeutically useful for MS and 72% supported legalization for medical purposes. Forty-three percent had tried cannabis at some point, and 16% had used it specifically for medicinal purposes.

Patients who used cannabis medicinally reported improvements in anxiety and depression, spasticity, and chronic pain. The main reasons for not trying cannabis were its illegal status, concern about side effects, and not knowing how to obtain it. The sample ranged from mildly to severely impaired, with a mean age of 48 years and 75% women.

Why it matters

This was one of the larger surveys of cannabis use among MS patients and provided important data about patient perspectives at a time when clinical trials were underway. The finding that illegality was the primary barrier to use highlighted how drug policy directly affected patient access to a treatment many believed was helpful.

The numbers in context

420 respondents from 673 eligible (62% response). Mean age 48 years, 75% women. 96% aware of potential therapeutic use. 72% supported medical legalization. 43% had ever tried cannabis. 16% used medicinally.

How the study worked

This was a cross-sectional survey study. Questionnaires were mailed to 780 adults with MS in southern Alberta, Canada, with 420 of 673 eligible subjects responding (62% response rate). The survey assessed beliefs, practices, and experiences related to cannabis use.

What this study cannot tell us

Self-reported symptom improvement was subjective and not verified by clinical assessment. The 62% response rate, while reasonable, may have introduced selection bias if cannabis users were more motivated to respond. Alberta's high MS prevalence may limit generalizability to lower-prevalence regions.

How to read the evidence

This is a well-conducted survey with a 62% response rate providing moderate-level evidence from patient-reported outcomes.

When this study was published

Published in 2003, before Canada's expanded medical cannabis access and 2018 legalization.

The bigger picture

Since this survey, Canada legalized medical cannabis (2001 framework, expanded subsequently) and later recreational cannabis (2018). The high awareness and support levels documented here anticipated the broader public opinion shift toward cannabis acceptance that occurred in the following decades.

Questions still open

Has cannabis use among MS patients increased since legalization? Do the self-reported improvements in anxiety, spasticity, and pain align with findings from controlled clinical trials?

Common questions

Do MS patients find cannabis helpful?

In this survey, the majority of MS patients who used cannabis medicinally reported improvements in anxiety, depression, spasticity, and chronic pain. However, these were subjective self-reports, not verified by clinical assessment.

Why did MS patients who were interested not try cannabis?

The top reasons were its illegal status, concern about side effects, and not knowing how to obtain it. This suggests that legalization and medical education could significantly affect patient access.

Read the original research

Cannabis use as described by people with multiple sclerosis.

The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques, 30(3), 201-5

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

Page, S A; Verhoef, M J; Stebbins, R A; Metz, L M; Levy, J C. (2003). Cannabis use as described by people with multiple sclerosis.. The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques, 30(3), 201-5.