Could cannabis help with Sickle Cell pain?

A study recently cited by High Times magazine and conducted by the University of California suggests that cannabis might indeed be used to treat the chronic pain from Sickle Cell.  For those not familiar with the disease, sickle cell is a group of blood disorders that can lead to obstructions in a sufferer’s blood flow.  Many of those who have experienced the immense pain have been treated by opioids, which we know can lead to addiction and has none of the botanical magic of cannabis.

Kalpna Gupta, one of the researchers for the study said, “Pain causes many people to turn to cannabis and is, in fact, the top reason that people cite for seeking cannabis from dispensaries. 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.”

   

The cannabis used in the trial contained 4.4% THC and 4.9% CBD, but no specific strains were revealed.  Over a period of 5 days, participants not only reported a decrease in pain, but also a statistically significant reduction in how pain affected their mood.  More research is needed to prove validity, but these kinds of research are exciting for medical users to read about and we learn more with each study about the many uses of cannabis as medicine.