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Medical Marijuana for ALS Symptom Management: Potential Benefits and Risks in Disease Progression

Medical Marijuana for ALS Symptom Management: Potential Benefits and Risks in Disease Progression

A retrospective cohort study assessed the effectiveness of medical marijuana (MM) in managing symptoms and progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This study reviewed the records of 344 ALS patients over two years, comparing outcomes between those using MM and a control group without MM prescriptions. 


The study found that MM use correlated with alleviation of pain, poor appetite, and anxiety in the short term but did not improve spasticity or insomnia. There was no significant effect on body mass index (BMI) maintenance. Notably, MM usage was associated with faster ALS progression based on ALSFRS-R scores, though patients using MM exhibited higher symptom burdens and faster progression rates even before starting MM. 


These findings highlight the potential benefits of MM for symptom management but underscore the need for caution regarding disease progression. The authors recommend multi-center randomized controlled trials to evaluate MM’s clinical efficacy and safety in ALS treatment. 


Learn more about this paper and its findings here:   

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