Survey Finds Many Chronic-Pain Patients Reduced Medication Use After Turning to Cannabis

A survey of adults with chronic pain found that many people who used cannabis said they subsequently reduced their use of prescription opioids and other pain medications. But the study does not establish that cannabis caused those changes, or that it is a safer or more effective replacement for standard pain treatments.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open in 2023, examined adults with chronic noncancer pain living in 36 states and Washington, D.C., where medical cannabis programs were active. Researchers conducted the survey from March 3 to April 11, 2022, using a probability-based national panel.

Of the 1,724 people identified as having chronic pain, 1,661 completed the full survey. About 31% said they had ever used cannabis to manage their pain, while 25.9% reported using it for that purpose during the previous year and 23.2% during the previous 30 days.

Among respondents who used cannabis for chronic pain and also used pain medication, more than half reported that cannabis had led them to reduce their use of prescription opioids, prescription nonopioid medications or over-the-counter pain relievers. Less than 1% said cannabis had increased their use of those medications.

The survey also found that cannabis use was associated with changes in nonmedication treatments, although the pattern was less consistent. For example, 38.7% of respondents said cannabis use had reduced their use of physical therapy. Some participants reported increased use of meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy, while others reported reducing those treatments.

These findings describe patients’ experiences and beliefs rather than a controlled comparison of treatments. The study was cross-sectional, relied on self-reported information and did not determine whether cannabis itself caused patients to reduce medication use. Other factors—including changes in prescribing practices, concerns about opioid side effects or difficulty accessing treatment—could also have influenced the results.

The findings also should not be interpreted as proof that cannabis is an established substitute for opioids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that evidence remains limited for cannabis in treating most types of acute or chronic pain, with somewhat stronger evidence for possible benefits in certain forms of neuropathic pain. Cannabis can also cause adverse effects, including dizziness, sedation and nausea, and some users develop cannabis use disorder.

Evidence on whether cannabis reduces opioid use remains mixed. A 2021 systematic review found that observational studies suggested possible reductions in opioid use, but concluded that the evidence was of very low certainty. Randomized trials did not provide convincing evidence that adding cannabis substantially reduced opioid doses. A 2025 living systematic review of cannabis-based treatments for chronic pain likewise found small short-term improvements for some products and pain conditions, while noting that evidence on effects involving opioid use remains insufficient.

Other observational research has reported associations between medical-cannabis laws and lower opioid use among some cancer patients, but those studies also cannot prove that cannabis directly caused the reduction. The results are best viewed as evidence that some patients are choosing cannabis alongside—or in place of—other pain treatments, and as a reason for more rigorous research into its benefits, risks and long-term effects.