MDLinxHow Cannabis May Ease ‘Chemo Brain’ and Improve Sleep for Cancer Patients

According to surveys, up to 40% of cancer patients in the United States use cannabis, yet only one-third of doctors are comfortable advising them on it. Now, a small but significant study has found that cancer patients who use cannabis to treat their symptoms had reduced pain, better sleep, and an unexpected benefit: they appear to think more clearly after a few weeks of consistent use.

The study, published in the journal Exploration in Medicine, is one of the first to look at how cannabis purchased via dispensaries, rather than government-supplied or synthetic kinds, affects cancer symptoms or chemotherapy side effects. It also sheds light on the large range of drugs used by cancer patients now that marijuana is legal in the majority of states.