MODERATE MARIJUANA DOSE CAN RELIEVE PAIN: STUDY

High Doses Shown to Increase Pain, However

A study suggests that smoking a moderate amount of marijuana may
relieve pain, but smoking high doses may increase pain.

"Previous studies have suggested that smoked cannabis increases pain,"
lead investigator Dr. Mark Wallace of the University of California at
San Diego told Reuters.

"This is the first study using a dose-response method that suggests
smoked cannabis has a therapeutic window, with moderate doses
decreasing pain and high doses increasing pain."

In a group of healthy volunteers, Wallace and colleagues studied the
effect of low, medium and high doses of smoked cannabis or placebo on
pain induced by injecting capsaicin into the forearm five and 45
minutes after drug exposure.

No dose of cannabis had any effect at five minutes but, by 45 minutes
after exposure, there was a significant decrease in pain with the
medium dose and a significant increase in pain with the high dose. No
such effect was seen with the low dose.

Despite their findings, published in the journal Anesthesiology, the
researchers emphasize that no conclusions on the pain-relieving
efficacy of smoked cannabis can be made from this study. Further study
is needed, they conclude.