Medicinal Cannabis Matters: Friday Roundup - 18 September 2026

Improvements in Cancer Symptoms Following Medicinal Cannabis Treatment

A large observational study from Minnesota has examined the experiences of more than 6,600 people with cancer who accessed medicinal cannabis through the state’s medicinal cannabis programme.

The study looked at eight symptoms commonly experienced by people living with cancer: anxiety, lack of appetite, depression, disturbed sleep, fatigue, nausea, pain and vomiting. Patients completed symptom assessments before purchasing medicinal cannabis and again during their treatment. Researchers considered a reduction of at least 30% in a symptom score to be clinically meaningful.

The strongest improvement was seen among patients experiencing moderate to severe vomiting. Within four months of starting medicinal cannabis, 47.2% reported a clinically meaningful reduction in vomiting. There were also reported improvements in other symptoms. Among patients with moderate to severe symptoms at the beginning of the study, 39.9% reported meaningful improvements in nausea, while 38.2% reported improvements in lack of appetite.

Pain was the most commonly reported moderate to severe symptom, affecting 82% of patients in the study. Of these patients, 29.9% reported a clinically meaningful reduction in pain within four months. Among patients who initially experienced an improvement and remained in the programme long enough for further assessment, 53.1% maintained that reduction for at least another four months.

The findings add to the growing body of research looking at how medicinal cannabis may have a role in supporting symptom management for people living with cancer.

Investigating Cannabis Oil For Chronic Pain and Anxiety Treatment

New results from Project Twenty21 Australia have followed patients prescribed CannC CBD3000/5000, a high-CBD oil containing 100mg/ml of CBD. The analysis focused on patients with chronic pain or anxiety who had completed three months of treatment.

Among the 22 patients with chronic pain, there were significant improvements in pain severity and mood or depression after three months. Among the nine patients being treated for anxiety, significant improvements were reported in anxiety and mood or depression. When the two groups were considered together, patients also reported significant improvements in perceived overall health, mood and sleep.

The researchers concluded that the cannabis oil may be useful in the treatment of chronic pain and anxiety, but stressed that more research is needed to investigate the potential effectiveness. Longer and larger studies will be important in understanding how different cannabinoid formulations may work for different patients and conditions.

Is the Pharmaceutical Potential of Cannabis Being Underestimated?

As our understanding of cannabinoids develops, researchers and industry are increasingly looking beyond THC and CBD. A new article from Business of Cannabis explores whether the pharmaceutical potential of the cannabis plant could extend much further than the medicines and products currently available.

Cannabis contains more than 100 cannabinoids, alongside compounds including terpenes and flavonoids. While THC and CBD are currently the most extensively characterised cannabinoids used in medicinal cannabis, other compounds such as cannabigerol (CBG) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) are attracting increasing research interest.

For medicinal cannabis to be used in a similar way to more established pharmaceutical products, clinicians need confidence that patients are receiving a consistent dose and that the medicine will behave predictably from one prescription to the next.

As research progresses, understanding individual cannabinoids, how they interact and how they can be delivered consistently may help shape the next stage of cannabinoid medicine.

Building a More Inclusive Framework in the Workplace for Medical Cannabis

As more people receive legal prescriptions for medicinal cannabis, questions around treatment and employment are becoming increasingly important. A recent Cannabis Health article explores how employers can manage legitimate workplace safety concerns while also ensuring that patients are not unfairly treated because they are taking a legally prescribed medicine.

Rather than automatically applying restrictions to everyone prescribed medicinal cannabis, employers should consider the employee's specific role, duties and any genuine safety risks involved. This can be particularly important in safety-critical roles. A positive THC test, for example, does not necessarily demonstrate current impairment, and the article recommends that testing should be treated as part of a wider assessment rather than an automatic reason for disciplinary action.

The article also highlights the importance of confidential disclosure, occupational health involvement and reasonable adjustments where appropriate. It suggests that medicinal cannabis should be considered alongside other prescribed medicines that can potentially affect performance, such as opioids, benzodiazepines and sedatives, rather than automatically being subject to a different standard.

For employees, understanding their rights and responsibilities is an important part of managing treatment alongside work. For employers, having clear policies and ensuring managers understand when to involve HR or occupational health can help avoid misunderstandings.

As the number of medicinal cannabis patients continues to grow, conversations around treatment, safety and employment are likely to become increasingly relevant.

The evidence is continuing to develop, and each new study adds another piece to the picture. At Medicann, we believe patients should have access to clear, evidence-led information so they can have informed conversations with their prescribing doctor about their treatment.

If you're considering whether medicinal cannabis may be suitable for your condition, you can check your eligibility online in just two minutes.

Disclaimer: This blog post and the following featured articles are for information only and any articles on external platforms may be amended at any time. Articles that we refer to in our weekly roundup do not reflect the views of Medicann.