Cannabis

Cannabis is the common name and genus for a few plants used around the world due to their psychoactive properties. Its major component, known as THC, possesses acute benefits but is subject to rapid tolerance. Additionally, nonpsychoactive components like CBD may have chronic benefits. While therapeutic, particularly for pain relief, the plant is not a panacea.

Quick Answer

What it is

Cannabis is the common name and genus for a few plants used around the world due to their psychoactive properties. Its major component, known as THC, possesses acute benefits but is subject to rapid tolerance.

Key findings

  • Grade B: Cognition (Multiple Sclerosis (MS))
  • Grade B: Appetite (Weight Loss & Maintenance)
  • Grade B: Heart Rate (Respiratory Health)

Safety

No specific caution or interaction language was detected in the current summary/outcome notes.

ℹ️ Quick Facts: Cannabis

Quick Facts: Cannabis

  • Best Evidence:Grade B
  • Conditions Studied:43
  • Research Outcomes:194
  • Grade B Findings:3
  • Key Effect:Cancer-Related Pain
Outcomes by grade:
A0
B3
C20
D9
43 conditions · 194 outcomes

Detailed Outcomes

Grade:
Effect:
Size:
Sort:
|
B
Cognition
Mixed effect
2 studies
?
Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
Improves
?
Fatigue Symptoms
4 studies
Improves
?
Sleep Quality
Improves
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Irritability
2 studies
Improves
?
Urinary Incontinence Signs
Improves
?
Walking Ability
2 studies
Improves
?
Balance
Moderate Detriment
moderate
?
Motor Speed
Improves
?
Sleep Duration
1 study
Improves
B
Appetite
Small Increase
smallWorsens
?
Ghrelin
Improves
?
Food Intake
Worsens
?
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)
1 study
Improves
?
Leptin
Improves
?
Satiety
1 study
Improves
B
Heart Rate
Moderate Increase
moderateImproves
?
Lung Function
Improves
?
Metabolic Rate
Improves
C
Analgesic Use
Small Decrease
smallImproves
?
Pain
Improves
?
Sleep Quality
Improves
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Quality of Life
Improves
?
Weight
1 study
Improves
C
Cognition
Mixed effect
2 studies
?
Food Intake
Worsens
?
Social Functioning
1 study
Improves
?
Tobacco Consumption
Improves
C
Analgesic Use
Small Decrease
smallImproves
?
Pain
Improves
?
Body Temperature
1 study
Improves
C
Anxiety Symptoms
Small Improvement
1 study
smallImproves
?
Motor Control
Improves
?
Pain
Improves
?
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Improves
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Fatigue Symptoms
1 study
Improves
?
Myotonia Symptoms
Improves
?
Subjective Well-Being
Improves
C
Cortisol
Mixed effect
?
Ghrelin
Improves
?
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)
1 study
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Leptin
Improves
?
Metabolic Rate
Improves
?
Prolactin
Improves
C
Analgesic Use
Small Decrease
smallImproves
?
Sleep Quality
Improves
?
Sleep Latency
1 study
Improves
C
Analgesic Use
Small Decrease
smallImproves
?
B Cell Count
1 study
Improves
?
CD4 Lymphocytes
1 study
Improves
?
CD8 Lymphocytes
1 study
Improves
?
Ghrelin
Improves
?
Leptin
Improves
?
Lymphocyte Count
Improves
?
Natural Killer Cell Activity
1 study
Improves
?
Natural Killer Cell Content
1 study
Improves
?
Peptide YY (PYY)
1 study
Improves
C
Sleep Latency
Small Improvement
1 study
smallImproves
?
Sleep Quality
Improves
C
Appetite
Small Increase
smallWorsens
?
Quality of Life
Improves
?
Weight
1 study
Improves
C
Appetite
Small Increase
smallWorsens
?
Blood Pressure
Improves
?
Cerebral Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Satiety
1 study
Improves
?
Stress Signs and Symptoms
1 study
Improves
C
Blood Pressure
Mixed effect
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Intraocular Pressure
Improves
C
Cortisol
Mixed effect
?
Luteinizing Hormone
Improves
C
Burning Mouth Syndrome Symptoms
Moderate Improvement
1 study
moderateImproves
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Mood
Improves
C
Nausea Symptoms
Moderate Improvement
1 study
moderateImproves
?
Vomiting
Improves
C
Analgesic Use
Small Decrease
smallImproves
?
Pain
Improves
?
Sleep Quality
Improves
C
Aggression
Small Improvement
1 study
smallImproves
?
Cortisol
Improves
?
Testosterone
Improves
C
Intraocular Pressure
Moderate Improvement
moderateImproves
?
Visual acuity (VA)
1 study
Improves
C
Analgesic Use
Small Decrease
smallImproves
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Pain
Improves
?
Sleep Quality
Improves
C
Blood Pressure
Mixed effect
?
Cerebral Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Dizziness
1 study
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Orthostatic Hypotension Symptoms
Improves
D
Driving Caution
No effect
3 studies
none
?
Driving Control
Improves
?
Driving Speed
Improves
D
Attention
No effect
none
?
Driving Control
Improves
?
Driving Caution
3 studies
Improves
?
Cognition
2 studies
Improves
?
Driving Speed
Improves
?
Fatigue Symptoms
2 studies
Improves
?
Motor Control
Improves
?
Balance
Improves
?
Cortisol
Improves
?
Hand-Eye Coordination
1 study
Improves
?
Mood
Improves
?
Motor Speed
Improves
?
Reaction Time
1 study
Improves
?
Verbal Memory
1 study
Improves
?
Working Memory
1 study
Improves
D
Attention
No effect
none
?
Cognition
2 studies
Improves
?
Mood
Improves
?
Confusion
1 study
Improves
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Fatigue Symptoms
1 study
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Motor Control
Improves
?
Verbal Memory
1 study
Improves
?
Working Memory
1 study
Improves
D
Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms
No effect
none
?
Pain
Improves
D
Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms
No effect
none
?
Pain
Improves
D
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
No effect
1 study
none
?
Crohn's Disease Symptoms
1 study
Improves
?
Hematocrit
1 study
Improves
?
Hemoglobin
Improves
?
White Blood Cell Count
1 study
Improves
D
Attention
No effect
none
?
Memory
Improves
?
Motor Control
Improves
?
Working Memory
1 study
Improves
D
Attention
No effect
none
?
Fatigue Symptoms
1 study
Improves
?
Memory
Improves
?
Mood
Improves
?
Sleep Latency
1 study
Improves
?
Working Memory
1 study
Improves
D
ADHD Symptoms
No effect
1 study
none
?
Depression Symptoms
Improves
?
Anxiety Symptoms
8 studies
Improves
?
Tourette Syndrome Symptoms
Improves
?
Schizophrenia symptoms
1 study
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Blood Pressure
Improves
?
Cerebral Blood Flow
2 studies
Improves
?
Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Small Detriment
small
?
Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Memory
Improves
?
Orthostatic Hypotension Symptoms
Improves
?
Stress Signs and Symptoms
1 study
Improves
?
Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Small Detriment
small
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Lung Function
Improves
?
Oxygen Uptake
1 study
Improves
?
Power Output
1 study
Improves
?
Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Small Detriment
small
?
Blood Pressure
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Lung Function
Improves
?
Oxygen Uptake
1 study
Improves
?
Power Output
1 study
Improves
?
Lung Function
Improves
?
Luteinizing Hormone
Improves
?
Intraocular Pressure
Improves
?
Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Small Detriment
small
?
Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Blood Pressure
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Power Output
1 study
Improves
?
Parkinson's Disease Symptoms
Improves
?
Sickle Cell Symptoms
Improves
?
Tobacco Consumption
Improves
?
Angina
Moderate Detriment
1 study
moderate
?
Blood Pressure
Improves
?
Heart Rate
Improves
?
Tobacco Consumption
Improves
?
Aerobic Exercise Metrics
Small Detriment
small
?
Blood Flow
1 study
Improves
?
Blood Pressure
Worsens
?
Heart Rate
Worsens
?
Power Output
1 study
Improves

Evidence by Condition

Best grade per condition (each condition may have multiple outcomes)

BCancer-Related Pain
2
PainImprovesSleep QualityImproves
BMultiple Sclerosis (MS)
1
CognitionMultiple Sclerosis SymptomsImprovesFatigue SymptomsImproves
BWeight Loss & Maintenance
1
AppetiteWorsensGhrelinImprovesFood IntakeWorsens
BRespiratory Health
1
Heart RateImprovesLung FunctionImprovesMetabolic RateImproves
CDiabetic Neuropathy
2
Diabetic Neuropathy SymptomsPainImproves
CTourette Syndrome
2
ADHD SymptomsDepression SymptomsImprovesAnxiety SymptomsImproves
CGeneral Cancer Care and Prevention
1
Analgesic UseImprovesPainImprovesSleep QualityImproves
CPain Relief
1
Analgesic UseImprovesPainImprovesBody TemperatureImproves
CFibromyalgia
1
Anxiety SymptomsImprovesMotor ControlImprovesPainImproves
CMetabolic Health
1
CortisolGhrelinImprovesGlucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)Improves
CNeuropathic Pain
1
Analgesic UseImprovesSleep QualityImprovesSleep LatencyImproves
CHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
1
Analgesic UseImprovesB Cell CountImprovesCD4 LymphocytesImproves
CInsomnia
1
Sleep LatencyImprovesSleep QualityImproves
CCachexia
1
AppetiteWorsensQuality of LifeImprovesWeightImproves
CMarijuana Withdrawal
1
CognitionFood IntakeWorsensSocial FunctioningImproves
CNeurological Health
1
AppetiteWorsensBlood PressureImprovesCerebral Blood FlowImproves
CGlaucoma
1
Blood PressureHeart RateImprovesIntraocular PressureImproves
CLow Testosterone
1
CortisolLuteinizing HormoneImproves
CBurning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)
1
Burning Mouth Syndrome SymptomsImprovesDepression SymptomsImprovesMoodImproves
CChemotherapy Side Effects
1
Nausea SymptomsImprovesVomitingImproves

Research Citations (85)

Effects of oral, smoked, and vaporized cannabis on endocrine pathways related to appetite and metabolism: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, human laboratory study
PMID: 32075958
1 -tetrahydrocannabinol, synhexyl and marijuana extract administered orally in man: catecholamine excretion, plasma cortisol levels and platelet serotonin content
PMID: 5523370
Acute effects of natural and synthetic cannabis compounds on prolactin levels in human males
PMID: 6320226
The effects of smoked marijuana on metabolism and respiratory control
PMID: 367234
Effect of acute Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol administration on subjective and metabolic hormone responses to food stimuli and food intake in healthy humans: a randomized, placebo-controlled study
PMID: 30949710
Explorative Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Intervention Study with Low Doses of Inhaled Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol Reveals No Effect on Sweet Taste Intensity Perception and Liking in Humans
PMID: 28861511
Short-term effects of cannabinoids on immune phenotype and function in HIV-1-infected patients
PMID: 12412840
A pilot study of the effects of cannabis on appetite hormones in HIV-infected adult men
PMID: 22133305
Smoked medicinal cannabis for neuropathic pain in HIV: a randomized, crossover clinical trial
PMID: 18688212
Acute and residual mood and cognitive performance of young adults following smoked cannabis
PMID: 32360692

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