Posted on 12/07/2022 1:25:00 PM PST by nickcarraway
Marijuana appears to have the same pain-relieving effect as a placebo — or fake pill. However, researchers say media outlets continue to cover these medical trials about cannabis-based therapies positively, regardless of the outcomes.
The findings come from a review of 20 clinical studies which examined the pain-relieving benefits of using marijuana involving more than 1,500 participants. Although previous studies have claimed that cannabis may help patients manage chronic pain, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that those taking placebos experienced the same level of pain relief as those consuming active cannabinoid substances.
“We see that cannabis studies are often described in positive terms in the media regardless of their results,” says the study’s first author Filip Gedin, a postdoc researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, in a university release. “This is problematic and can influence expectations when it comes to the effects of cannabis therapy on pain. The greater the benefit a treatment is assumed to have, the more potential harms can be tolerated.”
Study authors note that all of these trials compared cannabis use with a placebo for the treatment of clinical pain. Scientists measured the change in pain intensity before and after treatment in each trial.
Specifically, researchers found that participants said their pain dropped significantly after taking a placebo. However, there was no difference in pain reduction between those using cannabis and those consuming the fake medication.
“There is a distinct and clinically relevant placebo response in studies of cannabis for pain,” Dr. Gedin reports.
The media keeps covering these marijuana trials positively — even if they fail
Study authors also looked at the connection between the pain-relieving effects discovered in these trials and the amount of media coverage they receive. Overall, the team discovered that medical trials involving marijuana generally receive more coverage and more positive reporting — regardless of how successful they really are.
The team used Altmetric to measure media presence — a system which evaluates mentions in the news, in blogs, or on social media. Researchers included 136 separate news items in their study, categorizing them as either positive, negative, or neutral. They determined each news report’s slant by examining how the results of the studies were presented based on the effectiveness of cannabis as a pain reliever.
Results show that cannabis studies received much greater media attention in comparison to other published reports. This coverage was significant even if the study found a minimal benefit from using marijuana to treat pain.
Study authors note that their review combined trials with varying designs and different levels of quality results. With that in mind, they say their findings should be interpreted with caution.
The study is published in JAMA Network Open.
Let ‘em, I don’t GAS if it actually helps people’s pain. Do you think “Globalists” are against opioids?
My daughter rubbed some oil on my forehead and it took my headache away. I didn’t imagine it, and I was skeptical it would work
It’s always been a scam.
No, they love it.
Exactly!
It works great for ptsd. I wouldn’t take it for longer than needed to work through the trauma but it sure helps during those hard times. Damn life saver in my opinion.
Yes, if it helps people’s pains. But too much science in our era is junk, and just designed to make money. Remember, combating climate also lessens pain and disease to many studies.
“Remember, combating climate also lessens pain and disease to many studies.”
The people (including some on this thread) whose pain it has helped are reporting their personal experience, not as part of a study. I reject the idea that it can all be explained as a placebo effect.
Bottom line:
I enjoy smoking weed and love getting baked. Simple as that.
Medical usage—I do believe it can alleviate certain pains and may have quite a few medical usages but all this medical marijuana dispensaries and clinics is nonsense.
Some people like toking for whatever reasons (socially, creatively, relaxation, sensual....whatever) and some people just dont like it.
And you know what, I don’t recall ever asking the government or some stupid researcher what I should put in to my body. you don’t like weed, don’t use it.
Then we should legalize placebos too
I’m not blaming you for the headline. I’m just calling it out.
If it’s going to be legal, I don’t think it should be taxed at all.
Those would be the same people that are against any supposed “immoral” activity, whether it is Any of their business or not.
This Nation was originally colonized by Puritans, and their ideological descendants still try to control everything.
We the Peole should be free to do as we please, as long as it doesn’t harm other’s rights.
I think people that ride motorcycles without a helmet are blithering idiots, but they should be free to do so.
Me too.
More strawman arguments.
Well said...although of course the sanctimonious can always find a way that anything they don’t like “harms” someone or something...so IMO their willfully blind prejudices should be ignored in matters of public policy.
Of course it’s a myth.
It’s a way to get it legal…
…which it absolutely should be.
 "It's All Going to Pot" Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard |
Personally, I think the laws should change before it’s legal. People shouldn’t be able to harm people or their property and get away with it, because they are on pot. And the government should be able to get one cent of taxes from it.
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