title: Medical Marijuana for Treatment of Chronic Pain and Other Medical and Psychiatric Problems: A Clinical Review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As of March 2015, 23 states and the District of Columbia had medical marijuana laws in place. Physicians should know both the scientific rationale and the practical implications for medical marijuana laws.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the pharmacology, indications, and laws related to medical marijuana use.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical literature on medical marijuana was reviewed from 1948 to March 2015 via MEDLINE with an emphasis on 28 randomized clinical trials of cannabinoids as pharmacotherapy for indications other than those for which there are 2 US Food and Drug Administration-approved cannabinoids (dronabinol and nabilone), which include nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and appetite stimulation in wasting illnesses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Use of marijuana for chronic pain, neuropathic pain, and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis is supported by high-quality evidence. Six trials that included 325 patients examined chronic pain, 6 trials that included 396 patients investigated neuropathic pain, and 12 trials that included 1600 patients focused on multiple sclerosis. Several of these trials had positive results, suggesting that marijuana or cannabinoids may be efficacious for these indications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical marijuana is used to treat a host of indications, a few of which have evidence to support treatment with marijuana and many that do not. Physicians should educate patients about medical marijuana to ensure that it is used appropriately and that patients will benefit from its use.
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse Consultation Service, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts2Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Kevin P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017277:Drug Approval / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008297:Male; D064086:Medical Marijuana / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D064086:Medical Marijuana