A drug made from marijuana reduced back pain in a large study
[September 30, 2025]
By MATTHEW PERRONE
WASHINGTON (AP) — An experimental medication made from marijuana
successfully reduced back pain in a new study, offering further support
for the drug’s potential in treating one of the most common forms of
chronic pain.
The 800-patient study by a German drugmaker is the latest evidence of
the therapeutic properties of cannabis, which remains illegal under U.S.
federal law even as most states have made it available for medical or
recreational use.
Health officials in Canada and Europe have previously approved a
pharmaceutical-grade form of cannabis for several types of pain,
including nerve pain due to multiple sclerosis. In the U.S., the Food
and Drug Administration has approved a drug containing CBD — one of the
many non-intoxicating chemicals found in cannabis — to treat rare
seizures in children with epilepsy.
Unlike that drug, known as Epidiolex, the new cannabis formula from
drugmaker Vertanical contains THC, the active ingredient in marijuana
that gets users high. But levels of the chemical are very low,
essentially a microdose compared to what’s available in gummies,
chocolate bars and other products sold at marijuana dispensaries in the
U.S. The company said patients in the trial didn’t show any signs of
drug abuse, dependence or withdrawal.
Driving is not recommended during the first few weeks of taking the
drug, although the company said the decision of whether to drive was
ultimately left to patients.
Vertanical is seeking approval for a large group of patients: those
suffering from lower-back pain, a chronic condition that affects
millions and has few proven treatments.
Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can’t be used for
long-term pain because of their side effects, which include stomach
ulcers and indigestion. Opioids are no longer recommended, after the
overprescribing of painkillers such as OxyContin in the 1990s and 2000s
led to the ongoing epidemic of addiction to that class of drug.
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A marijuana plant is seen at a medical marijuana dispensary in Egg
Harbor Township, N.J., March 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
 Chronic pain is one of the most
frequently cited conditions of people enrolled in state-run medical
marijuana programs. But there's been little rigorous research on the
drug's use in that group.
Lead study author Dr. Matthias Karst said in an email that the new
findings show cannabis "can significantly reduce pain and improve
physical function in patients with chronic low-back pain, without
the safety concerns commonly associated with opioids.” Karst is a
pain specialist at Hannover Medical School and a consultant for
Vertanical.
For the new study, patients with back pain were randomly assigned to
take Vertanical’s proprietary liquid cannabis extract or a placebo.
At the end of 12 weeks, patients taking the medication reported a
nearly 2-point reduction in pain on an 11-point scale, compared with
1.4 points for those taking placebo. The difference was
statistically significant. Those getting the drug also reported
improvements in sleep and physical function.
Patients who continued with a six-month extension phase continued to
experience reductions in pain. The results were published Monday in
the journal Nature.
Side effects included dizziness, headache, fatigue and nausea and
led to more than 17% of people discontinuing the drug early.
Researchers said that dropout rate was lower than what's typically
reported with opioids, which can cause constipation, nausea,
drowsiness and carry risks of addiction.
Vertanical has filed an application for its drug with European
regulators. In the U.S., the company says it is “working closely”
with regulators to design a study to support FDA approval.
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