Relief in Gastrointestinal Symptoms with Medical Marijuana Over 1 Year
Matthew P Wallingford1, Erin L Kelly2, Allison Herens3
1Sidney Kimmel Medical School, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Introduction:
Subjective improvement in gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms was assessed among patients using medical marijuana (MMJ).
Methods:
Participants completed surveys at 0 days, 30 days, 6 months, and 12 months with questions about the severity of their GI symptoms on a scale from 1 (mild) to 3 (severe).
Results:
In each survey, participants reported a significant decrease in GI symptom severity when using MMJ versus when not using MMJ (p < 0.05). The most common self-reported side effects from using MMJ were increased appetite (12-21.4%), fatigue (6-16.7%), anxiety (4-11.9%), cough (4-11.9%), headache (6-7.9%), and dry mouth (4-7.1%).
Conclusion:
In patients with chronic GI symptoms, MMJ may provide persistent symptom severity improvement. Limited product availability and mild to moderate side effects are factors to consider before trialing MMJ.
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