Can Medical Marijuana Help Treat Symptoms Of Parkinson’s Disease?

Medical marijuana is becoming more and more popular around the country; we love to see it. One of the more common questions nowadays is “What about medical marijuana?” This goes for anyone suffering from chronic pain and other conditions like Parkinson’s.

The number of Parkinson’s patients looking for medical cannabis treatment is skyrocketing. Many said they use medical cannabis to help them sleep, treat tremors or other symptoms. But, on the other hand, users are reporting adverse side effects.

There’s one common theme between these two groups, and that’s how individuals aren’t sure how to bring the topic up to their physician. These individuals are wary about discussing the topic with their physician due to the anecdotal reports of benefits.

In controlled trials that focus on motor and non-motor symptoms and dyskinesia (uncontrolled movement), they have not proven any evidence that cannabis aids Parkinson’s symptoms.

Medical marijuana is becoming more and more popular around the country; we love to see it. One of the more common questions nowadays is “What about medical marijuana?” This goes for anyone suffering from chronic pain and other conditions like Parkinson’s.

The number of Parkinson’s patients looking for medical cannabis treatment is skyrocketing. Many said they use medical cannabis to help them sleep, treat tremors or other symptoms. But, on the other hand, users are reporting adverse side effects.

There’s one common theme between these two groups, and that’s how individuals aren’t sure how to bring the topic up to their physician. These individuals are wary about discussing the topic with their physician due to the anecdotal reports of benefits.

In controlled trials that focus on motor and non-motor symptoms and dyskinesia (uncontrolled movement), they have not proven any evidence that cannabis aids Parkinson’s symptoms.

The Parkinson’s Foundation partnered with Northwestern University researchers to study the perspectives of cannabis for Parkinson’s at 40 Centers of Excellence. This was the first study to showcase the beliefs, practices, and attitudes of expert Parkinson’s physicians towards medical cannabis.

The study found that most experts were aware of what cannabis did, but they failed to supply any details. Although there is no definitive research or evidence around cannabis use in people with Parkinson’s, the survey found that it’s a popular subject among those suffering from the disease. In fact, neurologists report that 95% of their patients had asked them to prescribe it.

The same study also concluded the following results:

• Only 23% of physicians had formal education on medical cannabis from courses or lectures, and 93% of physicians want cannabis taught in medical school.
• Physicians reported that 80% of their patients with Parkinson’s had used cannabis.
• Only 10% of physicians have recommended medical cannabis to their patients with Parkinson’s.
• Regarding cannabis and memory: 75% of physicians felt cannabis would negatively affect short-term memory, and 55% thought it could negatively affect long-term memory.
• Only 11% of physicians have recommended cannabis use since April 2020.

The study also found that physicians would be more open to prescribing medical marijuana to treat Parkinson’s if the plant was approved through regulation rather than legislation. Most medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after passing scientific evaluations to prove their effectiveness and safety.

However, because cannabis is approved through legislation instead of regulation, physicians lack labels, dosage recommendations, and timing instructions they can reference. Thus, making it difficult to prescribe broad medical cannabis to their patients.