What are THC’s main benefits?

    Last Updated: April 15, 2024

    THC may have some therapeutic benefits on pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Despite these potential benefits, THC can induce intoxication and cause other side effects that may reduce the quality of life for some people.[1][2] On the flip side, some people seek out THC recreationally for its intoxicating effects, which can include euphoria, a sense of relaxation, and altered sensory perception.

    THC is likely effective for reducing nausea and vomiting in children and adults undergoing chemotherapy. The effects are superior to a placebo and potentially comparable to standard treatments, although more research is needed to confirm the latter.[3][4] While THC might reduce nausea and vomiting in other contexts, this hasn’t been thoroughly researched.

    THC may also reduce chronic pain to a small or moderate degree, with most research looking at neuropathic pain of various origins.[5][6] Limited research suggests that THC may also reduce pain due to cancer or multiple sclerosis.[7] Still, how THC compares to commonly used pain relievers is not particularly clear, and when used alongside opioid analgesics, THC doesn’t seem to reduce the required dose of opioids.[8][9]

    References

    1. ^Vera Belgers, Jantine G Röttgering, Linda Douw, Martin Klein, Johannes C F Ket, Peter M van de Ven, Thomas Würdinger, Myra E van Linde, Johanna M Niers, Markus Weber, Marcel G Olde Rikkert, Jose Lopez-Sendon, Oscar Arrieta, Kristina B Svendsen, Marcos H N Chagas, Carlos M O de Almeida, Mathilde C M Kouwenhoven, Philip C de Witt HamerCannabinoids to Improve Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Neurological or Oncological Disease: A Meta-AnalysisCannabis Cannabinoid Res.(2022 Jul 21)
    2. ^Wang J, Wang Y, Tong M, Pan H, Li DMedical Cannabinoids for Cancer Cachexia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Biomed Res Int.(2019)
    3. ^Chow R, Valdez C, Chow N, Zhang D, Im J, Sodhi E, Lock MOral cannabinoid for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Support Care Cancer.(2020 May)
    4. ^Chhabra M, Ben-Eltriki M, Paul A, Lê ML, Herbert A, Oberoi S, Bradford N, Bowers A, Rassekh SR, Kelly LECannabinoids for symptom management in children with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Cancer.(2023 Nov 15)
    5. ^Bilbao A, Spanagel RMedical cannabinoids: a pharmacology-based systematic review and meta-analysis for all relevant medical indications.BMC Med.(2022 Aug 19)
    6. ^Bradley Sainsbury, Jared Bloxham, Masoumeh Hassan Pour, Mariela Padilla, Reyes EncisoEfficacy of cannabis-based medications compared to placebo for the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain: a systematic review with meta-analysisJ Dent Anesth Pain Med.(2021 Dec)
    7. ^Zeng F, Wade A, Harbert K, Patel S, Holley JS, Dehghanpuor CK, Hopwood T, Marino S, Sophocleous A, Idris AIClassical cannabinoid receptors as target in cancer-induced bone pain: a systematic review, meta-analysis and bioinformatics validation.Sci Rep.(2024 Mar 9)
    8. ^Wang L, Hong PJ, May C, Rehman Y, Oparin Y, Hong CJ, Hong BY, AminiLari M, Gallo L, Kaushal A, Craigie S, Couban RJ, Kum E, Shanthanna H, Price I, Upadhye S, Ware MA, Campbell F, Buchbinder R, Agoritsas T, Busse JWMedical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic non-cancer and cancer related pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials.BMJ.(2021 Sep 8)
    9. ^Nielsen S, Picco L, Murnion B, Winters B, Matheson J, Graham M, Campbell G, Parvaresh L, Khor KE, Betz-Stablein B, Farrell M, Lintzeris N, Le Foll BOpioid-sparing effect of cannabinoids for analgesia: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical and clinical studies.Neuropsychopharmacology.(2022-Jun)