Medical cannabis was associated with significant reductions in pain, insomnia and mood or behavioral symptoms among older adults, with more than 90% of evaluable patients experiencing improvement in their primary symptom, according to a newly published study.
The research, posted August 18 as a preprint on Research Square, was conducted by researchers affiliated with Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Curativa Medical Group, and Asociación de Usuaries y Profesionales para el Abordaje del Cannabis y otras drogas (AUPAC).
Researchers conducted a retrospective observational study using medical records from a specialized medical cannabis practice in Colombia. The baseline group included 124 patients ages 65 and older who began physician-supervised treatment with standardized cannabis products between January 2024 and September 2025. Of those, 44 had at least three months of follow-up and were included in the longitudinal analysis.
The median participant age was 74, with patients ranging from 65 to 104. Pain-related and musculoskeletal conditions were the most common diagnoses, followed by cancer and neurological disorders. Pain, insomnia and mood or behavioral symptoms were the most frequently reported complaints.
Among 42 evaluable patients, 38, or 90.5%, experienced at least a one-point reduction in their primary symptom during follow-up. Median pain, insomnia and mood or behavioral symptom severity declined from moderate to mild, with all three changes reaching statistical significance. No patients showed worsening in those symptom categories.
Clinically effective doses were generally low, remaining below 5 milligrams per day of each cannabinoid examined, including THC and CBD. Researchers said the findings support individualized dosing and the geriatric principle of starting with low doses and increasing gradually.
Medication reductions or discontinuations were documented among 11 patients, including changes involving benzodiazepines, opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, although overall medication burden remained unchanged across the cohort.
Safety data were available for 80 patients. About one-third experienced at least one adverse event, most commonly drowsiness and dizziness, but all recorded events were mild or moderate. Researchers reported no treatment-related serious adverse events, falls or hospitalizations.
Researchers conclude that the findings add to evidence suggesting supervised cannabis treatment may be a therapeutic option for selected older adults, while calling for larger prospective multicenter studies.
