A team of researchers based out of the University of California San Diego is set to begin a new study to determine whether cannabis can effectively treat acute migraines in patients.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is the first of its kind to examine this relationship. The resulting data could have real implications regarding medical cannabis use and migraine-related disorders. Migraines are characterized by debilitating headaches, extreme light sensitivity, nausea, loss of balance, and numerous other symptoms that make it difficult or impossible to function normally. What’s more — migraines are remarkably common, impacting more than 39 million people in the US alone.
The Methodology
Funded by the Migraine Research Foundation, the team plans to enroll 90 voluntary participants aged between 21 and 65 who experience the symptoms of migraines at least once a month and do not otherwise use cannabis or opioids. Researchers will split the participants into four equal groups and randomly assign each one of four possible treatment options.
Group one will take regular doses of delta 9 THC. Group two will take regular doses of the cannabinoid CBD. The third group will take an even blend of delta 9 and CBD. Finally, there is the control group, and all participants will unknowingly be given a placebo. In each case, patients will take each dose with a vape. Vaping is one of the most direct and fastest-acting ways to consume cannabinoid products. It will be the easiest for tracking and measuring the effects of each product and their value.
The Need For Relief
Many of the participants who already volunteered did so because they have tried FDA-approved migraine medication. They turned to these natural alternatives after finding those options largely ineffective.
“When Dr. Schuster introduced the trial to me, I decided I wanted to participate. I was at a point where I was willing to try anything that could help manage my migraines,” said Allison Knigge, one of the trial’s participants.
There is almost zero high quality data available on the relationship between cannabis and migraines. Not only will this study lay the groundwork for an unexplored aspect of cannabis use, but promising results will likely lead to further trials down the road.
“Many patients who suffer from migraines have experienced them for many years but have never discussed them with their physicians….Right now, when patients ask us if cannabis works for migraines, we do not have evidence-based data to answer that question,” said Nathaniel Schuster, a researcher at the UC San Diego Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research. Schuster will be leading the team conducting the trials.
Similar Studies
There have been a number of smaller, less rigorous studies that have looked at cannabis use and headaches. One such study, published by the Journal of Pain in 2019, concluded that cannabis use could reduce the symptoms of medication overuse headaches by nearly 50 percent. This is because these types of headaches stem from side effects related to medicinal use. They are most common among patients taking one or more drugs for other diseases or disorders.
Because the government continues to classify cannabis as a schedule I drug, it is nearly impossible for researchers to run trials with the plant. The San Diego team was fortunately able to acquire a reviewed exemption through the Food and Drug Administration. As a result, this granted them special permission to use cannabis in the study.
For now, the study is ongoing, and researchers do not expect tangible results for at least 6-8 months. Writers will update this post when researchers publish the findings.
Make sure to check back for more cannabis and hemp related news.