Fibromyalgia Patients Using Cannabis Had More Mental Health Problems and Drug-Seeking Behavior
Among 457 fibromyalgia patients, 13% used cannabinoids, and herbal cannabis use was associated with unstable mental illness, opioid drug-seeking behavior, and male sex.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers surveyed 457 patients referred to a tertiary pain center with a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Thirteen percent used cannabinoids, with 80% of those using herbal cannabis (marijuana) and 24% using prescription cannabinoids.
Herbal cannabis use was associated with current unstable mental illness (36% vs. 23%), opioid drug-seeking behavior (17% vs. 4%), and male sex (26% of men vs. 7% of women used cannabis). There was a trend toward cannabis users being unemployed and receiving disability payments. When the analysis was restricted to patients with validated FM diagnoses, the statistical significance was lost but the trends remained.
Key Numbers
457 patients surveyed. 13% used cannabinoids. 80% of users chose herbal cannabis. Unstable mental illness: 36% of cannabis users vs. 23% of non-users (p=0.002). Opioid drug-seeking: 17% vs. 4% (p=0.002). Male sex: 26% vs. 7% (p=0.0002). One-third of all male patients used cannabinoids.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional study of 457 patients referred with FM diagnosis to a tertiary care pain center. FM diagnosis was validated in 302 patients. Associations between cannabinoid use and psychosocial variables were examined. Self-reported prevalence of cannabinoid use was documented.
Why This Research Matters
While many pain patients advocate for cannabis as treatment, this study raises questions about whether self-medication with herbal cannabis in fibromyalgia is genuinely therapeutic or whether it reflects other vulnerabilities. The associations with mental illness and drug-seeking behavior suggest some patients may be using cannabis for reasons beyond pain relief.
The Bigger Picture
This study complicates the narrative around cannabis for chronic pain. While cannabinoids may have therapeutic potential for fibromyalgia, the association between herbal cannabis use and negative psychosocial factors suggests that self-medication is not straightforward and may sometimes signal underlying problems that need separate attention.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether mental health problems and drug-seeking behavior caused cannabis use or resulted from it. Tertiary care patients represent the most complex cases and may not reflect the broader FM population. The validated FM subgroup was too small to maintain statistical significance.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would supervised medical cannabis use show different psychosocial associations than self-medication?
- ?Does cannabis actually improve fibromyalgia outcomes, or are patients using it primarily for mood relief?
- ?Should mental health screening be standard before recommending cannabinoids for FM?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 36% of cannabis-using FM patients had unstable mental illness vs. 23% of non-users
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional study at a tertiary care center; cannot establish causation between cannabis use and negative psychosocial factors.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2012. Research on cannabis for fibromyalgia has expanded but remains inconclusive.
- Original Title:
- Association of herbal cannabis use with negative psychosocial parameters in patients with fibromyalgia.
- Published In:
- Arthritis care & research, 64(8), 1202-8 (2012)
- Authors:
- Ste-Marie, Peter A(2), Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann(14), Gamsa, Ann, Ware, Mark A, Shir, Yoram
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00622
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis help fibromyalgia?
This study did not directly test whether cannabis improves fibromyalgia symptoms. It found that FM patients who self-medicated with herbal cannabis had more mental health problems and drug-seeking behavior than those who did not, raising questions about whether the self-medication is beneficial or reflects other issues.
Why were men more likely to use cannabis for fibromyalgia?
One-third of male FM patients used cannabinoids compared to 7% of women. The study did not determine why, but possibilities include different attitudes toward cannabis, different pain coping strategies, and potentially different motivations for use beyond pure pain relief.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00622APA
Ste-Marie, Peter A; Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Gamsa, Ann; Ware, Mark A; Shir, Yoram. (2012). Association of herbal cannabis use with negative psychosocial parameters in patients with fibromyalgia.. Arthritis care & research, 64(8), 1202-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.21732
MLA
Ste-Marie, Peter A, et al. "Association of herbal cannabis use with negative psychosocial parameters in patients with fibromyalgia.." Arthritis care & research, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.21732
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Association of herbal cannabis use with negative psychosocia..." RTHC-00622. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/ste-marie-2012-association-of-herbal-cannabis
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.