Over Half of Arthritis Patients Find Relief Through Medical Marijuana

When it comes to using cannabis as a medicine the first things that often come to mind are chronic pain and cancer. Interestingly, a recent study conducted by an online arthritis support community called CreekyJoints has found that over half of arthritis patients find relief through medical marijuana. Researchers for the website were curious to find out how many people considered medical marijuana as a treatment option for their arthritis and how many people had found relief through cannabis.

As it turns out – almost everyone who has tried cannabis for their arthritis pain has found some sort of relief thanks to the herb. The survey conducted was comprised of 1,059 participants and included a total of 77 different questions to get a full look at these patients’ medical marijuana use. 46 percent of the participants reported that they were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis; and 77 percent reported fair or poor health.

When it came to current treatments only 29 percent were satisfied or very satisfied with their current treatment and 67 percent had been on their current treatment for over a year already. Interestingly, 57 percent have tried medical marijuana, while 90 percent of those who tried it found that it helped their symptoms. Of those who currently use medical marijuana, 62 percent said they use it at least once a day, but only 39.8 percent said they use a medical marijuana card to get their medicine. The top cited reasons for not using a medical marijuana card were the costs associated with getting the card (28 percent) and difficulty accessing it (25 percent).

Interestingly, when you break down the patients who have ever used medical marijuana or CBD, they found that 97.1 percent found medical cannabis reduced their symptoms, while 93.7 percent said the same for CBD. When it comes to improving their condition overall, 96.1 percent said medical cannabis did the trick, while it was slightly lower at 93.1 for CBD. This suggests that researchers are likely right to believe that THC and CBD work best in tandem, as they would in medical marijuana rather than CBD products.

“Alarmingly, only two-thirds of patients consulted with their doctors about their medical marijuana use,” reported CreakyJoints. “But because there have not been clinical trials for medical marijuana, patients and their doctors do not have adequate information about safety, effectiveness, and proper dosing.”

This study has brought confirmation to many more patients who were uncertain about whether or not it was worth trying medical marijuana, while also showing that there is still a stigma and a fear that many patients have when it comes to discussing their medical marijuana use with their doctors. Even if cannabis is legal for adult consumers in your state you should always consult with your doctor when it comes to how you are medicating – even if you weed is safer than their pharmacueticals.

Evergreen Organix and Fleur Brands provide cannabis products to adult consumers age 21 and older and patients with valid state-issued medical marijuana ID cards in states where the herb is legal. Use WeedMaps to find edibles, topicals, vapes and flowers by Evergreen Organix and Fleur Brands in a licensed dispensary near you!