Subject Guides: Medical Cannabis: Latest News/Research

Cannabis/CBD as therapy recent PubMed citations

Ongoing Research on Cannabis and Cannabinoids

NIDA Research on Marijuana and Cannabinoids
NIDA funds a wide range of research on marijuana (cannabis); its main psychotropic ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); and chemicals related to THC (cannabinoids)
NIH Research on Cannabis and Cannabinoids
The National Institutes of Health support a broad portfolio of research on cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. This research portfolio includes some studies utilizing the whole marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa), but most studies focus on individual cannabinoid compounds.
UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids
The UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids is geared towards accelerating research into both the therapeutic and adverse effects of cannabis and cannabinoids.
International Cannabinoid Research Society
The ICRS is a non-political, non-religious organization dedicated to scientific research in all fields of the cannabinoids, ranging from biochemical, chemical and physiological studies of the endogenous cannabinoid system to studies of the abuse potential of recreational Cannabis.
UC San Diego Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
With support from the California State Legislature, the CMCR initiated the first therapeutic studies using smoked cannabis in over 20 years, completed key studies regarding the short-term benefits of cannabis for the treatment of neuropathic pain and spasticity, and has an active, ongoing program of research.
Evidence Briefs - Micheal G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research
Consolidated overviews of the state of medicinal cannabis across various clinical and research areas.

A selection of current overviews

Cannabis drug monograph on ClinicalKey
Discusses Indications & Dosage, Administration, Monitoring Parameters, Contraindications & Precautions, Interactions, Adverse Reactions
CBD drug monograph on ClinicalKey
Discusses Indications & Dosage, Administration, Monitoring Parameters, Contraindications & Precautions, Interactions, Adverse Reactions
NatMedPro Cannabis drug monograph
Evaluates the safety and efficacy of Cannabis for a variety of conditions.
NatMedPro CBD drug monograph
Evaluates the safety and efficacy of Cannabidiol (CBD) for a variety of conditions.
A Review of Human Studies Assessing Cannabidiol's (CBD) Therapeutic Actions and Potential (The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2019)
This article provides information to understand quality control issues with CBD products, CBD's pharmacokinetics and drug interaction potential, and the benefits and risks associated with using CBD for seizures, anxiety, schizophrenia, pain/spasticity, and Parkinson disease. This review will not assess the efficacy or safety of combined delta‐9‐THC–CBD products because the specific impact of CBD in the products cannot be determined.
Simplified guideline for prescribing medical cannabinoids in primary care (Canadian Family Physician, 2018)
Objective: To develop a clinical practice guideline for a simplified approach to medical cannabinoid use in primary care; the focus was on primary care application, with a strong emphasis on best available evidence and a promotion of shared, informed decision making.
Routes of administration for cannabis use - basic prevalence and related health outcomes: A scoping review and synthesis (The International journal on drug policy, 2018)
Systematic review of systematic reviews for medical cannabinoids (Canadian Family Physician, Feb 2018)
Objective: To determine the effects of medical cannabinoids on pain, spasticity, and nausea and vomiting, and to identify adverse events.
Therapeutic potential of medicinal marijuana: an educational primer for health care professionals (Drug, healthcare and patient safety, 2018)
Practical considerations in medical cannabis administration and dosing (European journal of internal medicine, 2018)
Monitoring Health Concerns Related to Marijuana
Information on marijuana use patterns, potential health effects and the most recent scientific findings associated with marijuana use.
The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research (The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, Jan 2017)
In one of the most comprehensive studies of recent research on the health effects of recreational and therapeutic cannabis use, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers a rigorous review of relevant scientific research published since 1999. This report summarizes the current state of evidence regarding what is known about the health impacts of cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including effects related to therapeutic uses of cannabis and potential health risks related to certain cancers, diseases, mental health disorders, and injuries.
Medicinal Cannabis: History, Pharmacology, And Implications for the Acute Care Setting (P&T, Mar 2017)
The purpose of this article is to review the historical significance of the use of medicinal cannabis and to discuss its pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and select evidence on medicinal uses, as well as to describe the implications of evolving medicinal cannabis regulations and their effects on the acute care hospital setting.
Cannabinoids for Medical Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (JAMA, 2015)
Objective: to conduct a systematic review of the benefits and adverse events (AEs) of cannabinoids.

Search the Literature - Key Databases & Resources

The following is a list of Sladen Library databases that will be helpful in locating articles and information. If you would like search help or research assistance from a Sladen librarian, please contact the library or fill out the Literature Search Request form.

PubMed This link opens in a new window
Provided by the National Library of Medicine, the PubMed database searches over 21 million biomedical citations from the MEDLINE database and select life science journals.
Medline / Ovid This link opens in a new window
MEDLINE is the National Library of Medicine's premier bibliographic database providing information from the fields of medicine, nursing, allied health, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system and the pre-clinical sciences.
Embase This link opens in a new window
An international biomedical literature database that indexes more than 8,500 peer-reviewed journals for users looking for drug, medical device, and disease-related information.
UpToDate This link opens in a new window
UpToDate provides evidence-based summaries on a variety of clinical topics, drug information powered by LexiComp, and a collection of medical calculators.
ClinicalKey This link opens in a new window
ClinicalKey is a clinical search engine that delivers access to authoritative medical and surgical content from Elsevier. ClinicalKey provides over 500 full text journals, over 1000 reference books, Procedures Consult videos, and more.
AccessMedicine This link opens in a new window
AccessMedicine provides access to more than 60 medical textbooks, thousands of images and illustrations, interactive self-assessment, case files, and diagnostic tools.
Cochrane Databases This link opens in a new window
The Cochrane Library provides access to high quality, evidence-based medical literature. The database searches Cochrane systematic reviews, clinical trials, and other resources.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
This database indexes over 12,000 scientific journals including meeting abstracts. Official journal impact factors from the Journal Citation Reports are also accessible from this resource.

ClinicalKey for Nursing
Access to ClinicalKey for Nursing and Clinical Skills (formerly Mosby's Nursing Consult)
Listing of all Sladen Databases

A selection of published research on specific conditions

Oncology:

Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Adults With Cancer: ASCO Guideline (2024) To guide clinicians, adults with cancer, caregivers, researchers, and oncology institutions on the medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids, including synthetic cannabinoids and herbal cannabis derivatives; single, purified cannabinoids; combinations of cannabis ingredients; and full-spectrum cannabis.
Medical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic non-cancer and cancer related pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials (BMJ, 2021) "To determine the benefits and harms of medical cannabis and cannabinoids for chronic pain."
Cochrane Review: Nausea and vomiting in adults with cancer receiving chemotherapy To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of cannabis‐based medications for chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting in adults with cancer.
National Cancer Institute - Cannabis and Cannabinoids (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version

Neurology:

Cochrane review: Cannabinoids for the treatment of dementia
Cochrane Review: Chronic neuropathic pain in adults Objective: to assess the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of cannabis‐based medicines (herbal, plant‐derived, synthetic) compared to placebo or conventional drugs for conditions with chronic neuropathic pain in adults.
Consensus recommendations on dosing and administration of medical cannabis to treat chronic pain: results of a modified Delphi process
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Cannabis and Cannabinoid-Based Medicines in the Management of Chronic Pain and Co-Occurring Conditions
Long-term and serious harms of medical cannabis and cannabinoids for chronic pain: a systematic review of non-randomised studies (BMJ Open, 2022)
Cochrane Review: Epilepsy To assess the efficacy and safety of cannabinoids when used as monotherapy or add‐on treatment for people with epilepsy.
Trial of Cannabidiol for Drug-Resistant Seizures in the Dravet Syndrome From Background: The Dravet syndrome is a complex childhood epilepsy disorder that is associated with drug-resistant seizures and a high mortality rate. We studied cannabidiol for the treatment of drug-resistant seizures in the Dravet syndrome.
Can Marijuana Ease Symptoms of Neurologic Disorders? (Brain and Life magazine, American Academy of Neurology, Dec 2018/Jan 2019) "A cannabinoid was recently approved to treat certain types of epilepsy. We review the evidence for its approval and whether it can be used to treat other disorders."
Cochrane Review: Neuromodulators for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis The aim of this review was to determine the efficacy and safety of neuromodulators in pain management in patients with RA. Neuromodulators included in this review were anticonvulsants (gabapentin, pregabalin, phenytoin, sodium valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, tiagabine and topiramate), ketamine, bupropion, methylphenidate, nefopam, capsaicin and the cannabinoids.
National MS Society - Medical Marijuana (Cannabis) Includes studies of note, a Guideline from American Academy of Neurology, changing legislation, and additional resources.

Gastroenterology:

Cochrane Review: Crohn's disease The objectives were to assess the efficacy and safety of cannabis and cannabinoids for induction and maintenance of remission in people with CD.
Cochrane Review: Ulcerative colitis To assess the efficacy and safety of cannabis and cannabinoids for the treatment of patients with UC.

Other:

ASRA Pain Medicine consensus guidelines on the management of the perioperative patient on cannabis and cannabinoids
Cochrane Review: Fibromyalgia To assess the efficacy, tolerability and safety of cannabinoids for fibromyalgia symptoms in adults.
Cochrane Review: Reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV/AIDS The objectives of this review were to assess whether cannabis (in its natural or artificially produced form), either smoked or ingested, decreases the morbidity or mortality of patients infected with HIV.
Cochrane Review: Schizophrenia To assess the effects of specific psychological treatments for cannabis reduction in people with schizophrenia. To assess the effects of antipsychotics for cannabis reduction in people with schizophrenia. To assess the effects of cannabinoids (cannabis related chemical compounds derived from cannabis or manufactured) for symptom reduction in people with schizophrenia.
The Impact of THC and CBD in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review
Medical Marijuana, Recreational Cannabis, and Cardiovascular Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association