The efficacy of medical cannabis as an analgesic is due to the endocannabinoid system, which is thought to play a key role in how the body regulates and manages pain. While the exact mechanisms of how these works are not yet fully understood, there’s an extensive body of research demonstrating that medical cannabis be used effectively and – perhaps more importantly – safely to combat chronic pain. How?

It goes without saying that the most important attribute of an analgesic is its ability to provide pain relief and medicinal cannabis excels in this regard. In a Harvard-led study, researchers reviewed 28 randomized clinical trials and found that in every pain-related study patients experienced significant improvements to their symptoms, leading the authors to conclude that “Use of marijuana for chronic pain, neuropathic pain, and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis is supported by high-quality evidence.”