Smoking Cannabis Improves Energy Levels

By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

People who frequently smoke marijuana are often portrayed in popular culture as unmotivated, low-energy slackers who spend much of their time laying in bed or bound to a couch. That stereotype of the “lazy stoner” is not only unfair – it’s inaccurate according to a new study of cannabis consumers.

In an analysis of self-reported data from people who smoked or vaporized cannabis flower to treat fatigue, researchers at the University of New Mexico found that over 91 percent reported higher energy levels soon after consuming cannabis.

"Despite the conventional beliefs that frequent cannabis use may result in decreased behavioral activity, goal-pursuit, and competitiveness, or what academics have called 'amotivational syndrome,' people tend to actually experience an immediate boost in their energy levels immediately after consuming cannabis," said co-author Jacob Miguel Vigil, PhD, a psychology professor at UNM.

The study findings, published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, are the latest derived from the Releaf App, a free mobile software program that collects self-reported, real-time information from people on their use of cannabis and its effect on chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety and other medical conditions.

Fatigue is a core symptom of many chronic illnesses, including fibromyalgia, immune system disorders and myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

The UNM study is based on data from 3,922 cannabis sessions recorded by 1,224 people who used the Releaf app to monitor real-time changes in their symptoms and side effects.

Researchers found that people who smoked cannabis joints experienced higher energy levels than those who used a vaporizer or pipe. Surprisingly, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) levels in the cannabis appeared to have no correlation with energy and fatigue levels. The strain of cannabis used also made little difference.     

"One of the most surprising outcomes of this study is that cannabis, in general, yielded improvements in symptoms of fatigue, rather than just a subset of products, such as those with higher THC or CBD levels or products characterized as sativa rather than indica," said co-author Sarah Stith, PhD, an economics professor at UNM.

“Our observation that the major cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol were largely uncorrelated with changes in feelings of fatigue suggest that other minor cannabinoids and phytochemicals such as terpenes may be more influential on the effects of using cannabis than previously believed,” added Vigil.

Terpenes are aromatic compounds that give plants such as lavender and citrus their fragrance. In cannabis, terpenes have a distinctive “skunky” smell, but may be responsible for much more. Recent research found that terpenes appear to have an “entourage effect” on cannabinoids that boost their pain-relieving effects.   

“In the near future, I anticipate that patients will have the opportunity to access more individualized cannabis products, with distinct and known combinations of chemical profiles for treating their specific health needs and lifestyles," said Vigil.

In addition to boosting energy levels, researchers say cannabis helped most users feel more relaxed and peaceful. Negative side effects reported by a minority of users were dry mouth and feeling mentally foggy.   

Pilot Study Finds Cannabis Helpful in Treating Sickle Cell Pain

By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

Cannabis may be an effective way to reduce acute and chronic pain in patients with sickle cell disease, according to a small pilot study published in JAMA Network Open.

Sickle cell is a genetic disease that affects about 100,000 people in the U.S., mostly of African or Hispanic descent. Their red blood cells are rigid and sickle-shaped, which causes blockages in blood vessels, starves tissues and organs of oxygen, and causes periods of intense pain.

Researchers at UC Irvine and UC San Francisco enrolled 23 adult sickle cells patients in a placebo-controlled study to see if inhaled cannabis could be a safe adjunct to opioid medication in treating sickle cell pain. Most patients continued to use opioids during the course of the five-day trial. Participants inhaled either vaporized cannabis or a placebo three times a day. The cannabis had an equal ratio of CBD and THC – the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

As the five-day study period progressed, patients who inhaled cannabis reported that pain interfered less and less with their daily activities, such as walking and sleeping, and there was a significant drop in how much pain affected their mood. The decline in pain levels was not considered statistically significant, however.

Although the findings were mixed, researchers say their pilot study should pave the way to larger clinical studies of cannabis as a treatment for sickle cell pain.

"These trial results show that vaporized cannabis appears to be generally safe," said Kalpna Gupta, PhD, a professor of medicine at UCI Irvine's Center for the Study of Cannabis. "They also suggest that sickle cell patients may be able to mitigate their pain with cannabis—and that cannabis might help society address the public health crisis related to opioids. Of course, we still need larger studies with more participants to give us a better picture of how cannabis could benefit people with chronic pain."

Opioid medication has been the primary treatment for sickle cell pain. But with many physicians now reluctant to prescribe opioids due to fears of addiction, overdose and government prosecution, sickle cell patients have been left with fewer options.

“In the current climate of increased awareness of the ongoing opioid epidemic, it would have been encouraging if this study had demonstrated decreased use of chronic analgesics during the active cannabis vaporization phase,” researchers concluded. “Our study’s small sample size and short duration may have contributed to the inability to demonstrate decreased opioid use among participants receiving the active drug compared with the placebo.”

Of the 33 U.S. states that have legalized medical cannabis, only four have included sickle cell disease as a qualifying condition. That forces many sickle cell patients to obtain cannabis from unapproved sources.

"Pain causes many people to turn to cannabis and is, in fact, the top reason that people cite for seeking cannabis from dispensaries," Gupta said. "We don't know if all forms of cannabis products will have a similar effect on chronic pain. Vaporized cannabis, which we employed, may be safer than other forms because lower amounts reach the body's circulation. This trial opens the door for testing different forms of medical cannabis to treat chronic pain."

A recent small study in Israel found that very low “microdoses” of inhaled THC can significantly reduce chronic pain in patients with neuropathy, radiculopathy, phantom limb pain or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).