Marijuana May Help with Crohn's Disease
Approximately 780,000 people in the United States suffer from Crohn’s disease. Crohn's disease is classified as an autoimmune disorder and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) along with ulcerative colitis. An autoimmune disease is when the body's immune system attacks itself. In the case of Crohn’s, the healthy cells in a person's gastrointestinal tract, made up of the small and large intestine, are being invaded. This causes inflammation, which can lead to a number of symptoms including abdominal pain, fever, rectal bleeding, weight loss, diarrhea, fistulas (abnormal passage between two tubular organs), and more. Crohn’s disease is a chronic illness, meaning it is a long-term health condition.
According to a variety studies, a significant number of patients have reported cannabis to relieve IBD-related symptoms. “Additionally, several studies have shown an improvement in the quality of life symptoms associated with IBD, including reduced pain, decreased nausea, and improvement in appetite and sleep.” (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation).
Symptoms vary from person to person and can have a significant impact. Crohn’s disease can go into remission, and during those periods, patients may not experience any symptoms. However, they will likely have occasional "flare ups" or exacerbations. Even though there is no surefire cure for the disease, many studies are showing that not only can cannabis help with the inflammation and pain, but it may also help to achieve a remission state of the condition. This is thought to be due to the anti-inflammatory effects of the cannabinoids (like THC and CBD).
Of course, before patients become too excited about this news, they must remember that more research is necessary for more definitive proof, and many of the reports are anecdotal. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology published a study that examined the effects of medical marijuana use on 21 patients with Crohn's disease. It showed that cannabis was able to treat the symptoms in a majority of the patients, and the others had complete remission. The study included eleven subjects who took approximately 0.6 grams (average joint contains 0.32 grams) of medical marijuana each day for a period of sixty days. The other ten patients were the placebo group. Out of the eleven patients using marijuana, five had complete remission of their symptoms and were able to improve both their sleep and appetite. Ten out of the eleven achieved at least some element of positive clinical response from using the medicine.
Even though Crohn's disease does not have a cure (remission does not mean cured), there may be a means for patients to help treat their symptoms in a wholistic manner.