A strong majority of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) believe cannabis and CBD oil provide meaningful symptom relief, according to a new study published in the journal Academic Medicine.
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University and affiliated institutions surveyed 139 individuals, including 93 IBD patients and 33 without the condition. Over half of IBD patients (53.8%) said they currently use cannabis, compared to 45.5% of the control group. Support for medical marijuana was strong among both groups, with nearly 87% of IBD patients and 85% of controls expressing approval.
Among IBD users, 63.2% said cannabis helped relieve their symptoms, while 56.6% felt the same about CBD oil. Relief was reported for abdominal pain, stress, anxiety, depression, and nausea. The effect was more pronounced in those with Crohn’s disease compared to ulcerative colitis. Nearly 20% of IBD patients said cannabis or CBD helped them reduce opioid use, and 14.5% even reported entering remission after using these substances.
Participants also expressed belief in the benefit of conventional therapies like corticosteroids (73.3%) and biologics or immunosuppressants (81.0%). But the perceived effectiveness of cannabis and CBD oil placed them in a similar tier, underscoring their growing acceptance in patient-led symptom management.
The study’s authors say their findings highlight the need for further research and clinical guidance on cannabis-based therapies for IBD.
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