A new study published in Addictive Behaviors Reports suggests that CBD may affect how people with opioid use disorder feel pain, with results varying based on the dose taken and whether they are treated with methadone or buprenorphine.
The research was conducted by scientists from Yale University School of Medicine and focused on individuals receiving medications for opioid use disorder, specifically methadone or buprenorphine, who also experienced chronic pain.
For the study, seven participants completed a series of laboratory sessions in which they received escalating oral doses of CBD—400 mg, 800 mg, and 1200 mg—while undergoing standardized tests designed to measure pain sensitivity, pain modulation, craving, cognitive function, and safety.
Overall, CBD was well tolerated across all doses, with no serious adverse events reported and no evidence of negative cognitive effects, including on memory or attention. The most notable findings emerged when researchers compared pain responses between participants taking buprenorphine and those taking methadone. Individuals receiving buprenorphine showed higher heat pain thresholds and greater tolerance at certain CBD doses, particularly at 400 mg and 800 mg, compared with those receiving methadone. In contrast, higher doses appeared less favorable for pain outcomes in both groups.
The study also observed dose- and medication-specific patterns in cue-induced opioid craving. Participants taking methadone experienced the largest reduction in craving at the 400 mg dose, while those taking buprenorphine showed the greatest reduction at the highest dose tested.
