
Weed can help your migraines, says new study — if you use it the right way
A landmark new study suggests that inhaling a precise blend of CBD and THC can provide fast, meaningful relief from migraines.
The research — presented at the American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Meeting 2025 — is the first of its kind.
4 The research — presented at the American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Meeting 2025 — is the first of its kind.
Kateryna – stock.adobe.com
'This is the first placebo-controlled study in this space,' Dr. Nathaniel M. Schuster, a pain and headache neurologist and associate professor of anesthesiology at the UC San Diego (UCSD) Health Center for Pain Medicine, told Medscape Medical News.
'It's the first real — to me — compelling evidence for the antimigraine effects of cannabis in humans.'
Scientists provided 92 patients — mostly women, with an average age of 41 — a treatment of 6% THC, 11% CBD, a combination of 6% THC and 11% CBD or a placebo.
Roughly 67.2% in the THC/CBD group reported pain relief at 2 hours, compared to 46.6% in the placebo group.
And approximately 34.5% of patients in the THC/CBD group achieved 'pain freedom' within that timeframe, compared to 15.5% in the placebo group.
Patients also reported sustained pain relief up to 24 hours and most bothersome symptom freedom lasted through 48 hours.
4 'It's the first real — to me — compelling evidence for the antimigraine effects of cannabis in humans,' Schuster said.
ststoev – stock.adobe.com
Best of all: there were no serious side effects, although people in the THC-only group definitely got a little more high.
'It's known that CBD is a noncompetitive, negative allosteric modulator of the CB-1 [cannabinoid receptor 1] receptor that decreases the psychoactive side effects of the THC,' Schuster said.
It's a big win for weed but, before you get rolling, Schuster noted that the patients received very controlled doses.
'A lot of neurologists, myself included, suspect that there could be medication overuse headache with [using] cannabinoids frequently,' he said.
'When I counsel patients now, I say, 'Look, we were only studying infrequent — four times over the course of a year — administration.''
4 'A lot of neurologists, myself included, suspect that there could be medication overuse headache with [using] cannabinoids frequently,' he said.
Africa Studio – stock.adobe.com
He encouraged patients to limit the treatment to under 10 times per month and to 'optimally be using it really for those migraines that would not respond to standard-of-care therapy.'
Weed has skyrocketed in popularity since 38 states and DC have legalized it for medical use. Of those, 24 states and DC have also cleared the way for adults 21 and over to use it recreationally.
Research suggests that marijuana has the potential to ease chronic pain and reduce muscle spasms and stiffness linked to MS.
Cannabis products have also been shown to boost appetite in HIV/AIDS and cancer patients, and combat chemo-related nausea.
4 Weed has skyrocketed in popularity since 38 states and DC have legalized it for medical use. Of those, 24 states and DC have also cleared the way for adults 21 and over to use it recreationally.
amenic181 – stock.adobe.com
Other potential benefits include easing stress, alleviating PTSD symptoms and aiding sleep in some people.
However, mounting evidence does suggest it can pose risks to your heart, with one recent study showing marijuana has as much of a negative impact on cardiovascular health as tobacco — even if you don't smoke.
Another recent study suggests that cannabis use raises the risk of heart attack and stroke more than cocaine, while other research claims it's sending older people to the hospital.
Shockingly, scientists have also found that people with cannabis use disorder — that is, using weed enough that it causes problems and impairs your life — have altered dopamine activity in the brain that closely resembles patterns observed in psychosis.
'The biggest problem is that ever since it was made a Schedule 1 narcotic [in 1970], it has made it very difficult to do really well-devised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies,' Dr. Ken Weinberg, chief medical officer of Cannabis Doctors of New York, previously told The Post.
'I don't think there's enough data.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News24
2 hours ago
- News24
Just two visits a year: Longer ARV scripts, shorter clinic lines
'I can plan my life now' — Neliswa Nkwali, living with HIV for 25 years, says 6MMD has brought her freedom from clinic queues. 6MMD (six multi-month dispensing) allows stable HIV patients to collect medication only twice a year, cutting down clinic visits. Western Cape clinics began 6MMD last year, easing pressure on staff and improving retention in care through ARV clubs for stable patients. From August, clinics countrywide will issue patients who are doing well on their ARVs, a six-month supply, twice a year. 6MMD is widespread in Africa and started in the Western Cape last year. How will it work? Health Beat catches up with two Cape clinics. newsletter.


Axios
3 hours ago
- Axios
RFK Jr. reportedly plans to fire preventive care task force
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to oust the 16-member expert panel that makes recommendations for preventive services that insurers must cover fully under the Affordable Care Act, according to reports. Why it matters: About 100 million people get no-cost cancer screenings, counseling and other services under the ACA. But some conservatives have urged Kennedy to replace the current members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, saying they push race and gender ideology on doctors. Kennedy postponed a meeting of the panel scheduled for earlier this month amid speculation in the public health community that he could fire its members. The latest: Kennedy plans to dismiss all the members of the advisory panel because he views them as too "woke," the Wall Street Journal first reported, quoting people familiar with the matter. The Supreme Court last month upheld the structure of the task force in a case surrounding coverage of HIV prevention drugs, ruling that the long-standing panel of volunteer scientists are accountable to the Health and Human Services secretary, who has the power to remove and replace members at will. The case stemmed from a 2020 lawsuit by Christian-owned companies over a task force recommendation requiring them to cover no-cost HIV drugs in their employer-sponsored insurance. Kennedy has already fired all members of the panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on immunization recommendations, removing all 17 of its members and replacing them with handpicked successors.


New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
C.D.C. Ties 85 Cases of THC-Related Symptoms to Wisconsin Restaurant
Federal health officials warn of the possibility of 'mass THC intoxication events' from food, in a report that explored how at least 85 people were sickened last year after eating at a restaurant that mistakenly used THC-infused oil to prepare dough. The report, which was released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, documented cases that surfaced after patrons ate at the restaurant, Famous Yeti's Pizza, in Stoughton, Wis. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive ingredient found in many cannabis products. From Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 last year, dozens of people, up to 91 years old, experienced symptoms that included dizziness, sleepiness and anxiety, after eating pizza, garlic bread, cheese bread and sandwiches at Famous Yeti's, the C.D.C. said. The restaurant is in a building that shares a commercial kitchen with other businesses, including a state-licensed vendor that makes edible THC products. An investigation began after local emergency services reported to public health officials on Oct. 24 that seven people were transported to a hospital for dizziness, sleepiness and anxiety since Oct. 22, according to the C.D.C. All seven people had eaten at the same restaurant, the report said. Carbon monoxide tests at the restaurant, as well as at the homes of two people who experienced symptoms, were negative, according to the C.D.C. report. All seven people were treated in an emergency department for THC intoxication, the C.D.C. said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.