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Study with 3,000 Patients Shows Benefits of Medicinal Cannabis Compared to Opioids
No or minimal side effects, improved quality of life: Half of the patients undergoing treatment with a cannabis-based medicine report no adverse effect. For 98 percent, quality of life has improved. This is revealed by a study conducted by Grünhorn, which surveyed nearly 3,000 participants in its second part.
45 percent of respondents believe that no unwanted side effects occur in their cannabis therapy. Among those who experience side effects, 31 percent report dry mouth, 27 percent experience increased appetite, 24 percent have red eyes, and 15 percent report fatigue. At the same time, 70 percent of participants stated that the side effects do not bother them at all, while another 25 percent find the impact to be minimal.
“In our first study, we already demonstrated that side effects such as fatigue or increased appetite are often the reasons for starting cannabis therapy. For example, 70 percent indicated that sleep disturbances are a symptom treated by their cannabis therapy, and 19 percent cited loss of appetite. According to our studies, side effects are even desired by many patients," explains Dr. Nadine Herwig, Head of the Grünhorn Academy.
According to her, it is only logical that 82 percent of study participants reported a significant improvement in their quality of life, with an additional 16 percent noting a slight improvement. Herwig adds: “This is one of the most crucial advantages over opioid therapy: no or desired side effects! It is not surprising that 21 percent of participants in our first study reported being in cannabis therapy to discontinue other medications.”
The multi-part study was conducted by the Grünhorn Academy, the educational and training platform of Grünhorn, the largest German provider of prescription cannabis. In the second part of the study, participants were asked about their demographic group, age, changes in their quality of life since starting cannabis-based medicine, the side effects or unwanted effects experienced during therapy, when these occurred, and how much they affected the respondents.