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Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid in Cannabis sativa, acting as a partial agonist at CB1 receptors; used medically for chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, appetite stimulation, and spasticity. Subject to legal restrictions varying by jurisdiction.
Persistent pain lasting longer than 3 months. Can stem from injury, inflammation, or nervous system dysfunction.
Also known as: THC, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, Marijuana, Cannabis sativa
Every published result for this pair, extracted and audited.
These charts group published studies by what they reported and how they were run — green marks studies that reported a benefit for this pairing. Tiers run from pooled analyses of many trials (strongest) to one-off observational reports.
Direction of reported outcomes for Cannabis (THC) in chronic pain.
Study designs behind these findings.
Outcomes reported as percentage changes for Cannabis (THC). Other units sit in the table above.
Every measured outcome, one row per finding - numbers exactly as reported.
| Study | Design | n | Duration | Outcome measured | Reported result | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 35667066 2022 | Systematic review | 1740 | 1 to 6 months | dizziness | reported qualitatively | Harm / risk |
| PMID 35667066 2022 | Systematic review | 1740 | 1 to 6 months | nausea | reported qualitatively | Harm / risk |
| PMID 35667066 2022 | Systematic review | 1740 | 1 to 6 months | pain severity and overall function | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 35667066 2022 | Systematic review | 1740 | 1 to 6 months | pain severity and response | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 35667066 2022 | Systematic review | 1740 | 1 to 6 months | sedation | reported qualitatively | Harm / risk |
| PMID 35667066 2022 | Systematic review | 1740 | 1 to 6 months | study withdrawal due to adverse events | reported qualitatively | Harm / risk |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1586 participants | - | 30% or greater pain relief | 39% versus 33% (95% CI 0.03 to 0.15) | Benefit |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1001 participants | - | 50% or greater pain relief | 21% versus 17% (95% CI 0.00 to 0.09) | Benefit |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Mean pain intensity (herbal cannabis) | reported qualitatively | Unclear |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1304 participants | - | Nervous system adverse events | 61% versus 29% (95% CI 0.18 to 0.58) | Harm / risk |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1092 participants | - | Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) | 26% versus 21% (95% CI 0.01 to 0.17) | Benefit |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1314 participants | - | Psychiatric disorders | 17% versus 5% (95% CI 0.06 to 0.15) | Harm / risk |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1876 participants | - | Serious adverse events | reported qualitatively (95% CI -0.01 to 0.03) | Unclear |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Tolerability (herbal cannabis) | reported qualitatively | No benefit |
| PMID 29513392 2018 | Meta-analysis | 1848 participants | - | Withdrawal due to adverse events | 10% of participants versus 5% of participants (95% CI 0.02 to 0.07) | Harm / risk |
Hand-selected PubMed studies, linked to the originals.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Cannabis-Based Products for Chronic Pain : An Updated Systematic ReviewChou R, et al. · Annals of internal medicine · 2026PMID 41429020 ↗02The effects of oral cannabidiol supplementation on blood pressure in adults: a systematic review of randomised controlled trialsRoberts A, et al. · Journal of cannabis research · 2026PMID 42321899 ↗03Effectiveness of Cannabidiol to Manage Chronic Pain: A Systematic ReviewMohammed SYM, et al. · Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses · 2024PMID 37953193 ↗04Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Adults With Cancer: ASCO GuidelineBraun IM, et al. · Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2024PMID 38478773 ↗05Be the first to share what you noticed with Cannabis (THC) for chronic pain. How we calculate this.