THC Tea Reduces Chronic Pain, Anxiety and Depression, Study Finds

The long-term use of a cannabis-infused extract is effective at reducing pain intensity and mitigating anxiety and depression in patients with chronic pain, according to clinical data published in the journal La Clinica Therapeutica.

Italian researchers assessed the long-term use of cannabis in a cohort of 338 patients with chronic pain, reports NORML. Subjects consumed between 5mg and 10mg of THC-infused tea daily. Two hundred and fourteen subjects completed the one-year trial without interruption.

The researchers reported that “after 12 months of therapy” most participants’ “pain intensity, pain disability, anxiety and depression show[ed] substantial improvement.”

They concluded: “Our research demonstrates that cannabis therapy, as an adjunct to traditional analgesic treatment, reduces pain intensity, improves daily functionality, and allows a reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. … Cannabis should be prescribed responsibly by taking into account the comprehensive pain history of the patients, obtaining informed consent after discussing the risks and benefits of treatment, and administering periodic follow-up of the treatment efficacy.”