Medical researchers are conducting the first rigorous clinical trials to determine whether cannabis actually helps chronic pain, despite widespread patient claims and industry marketing. While 47 states allow medical marijuana, a November 2025 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that "evidence from randomized clinical trials does not support the use of cannabis or cannabinoids for most conditions for which it is promoted" . Now, researchers at the University of Colorado are working to fill this evidence gap with gold-standard studies that could finally answer whether cannabis delivers real pain relief or just perceived benefits.

Why Are Researchers Struggling to Study Cannabis for Pain?

The biggest obstacle isn't scientific skepticism, it's federal law. Marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, the same category as heroin, which means it's considered highly addictive with no accepted medical uses . This legal status creates extraordinary barriers for researchers who want to conduct rigorous studies. Unlike testing a new pharmaceutical drug, scientists studying cannabis must navigate additional layers of approval beyond standard institutional review boards.

Dr. Emily Lindley, an associate professor of orthopedics at the University of Colorado, experienced these obstacles firsthand when designing a study comparing vaporized cannabis to the opioid oxycodone for chronic neck and back pain. She had to obtain FDA investigational new drug approval specifically for the marijuana itself, which had to be grown at a National Institute for Drug Abuse facility in Mississippi . The regulatory requirements didn't stop there. Her team worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration to establish extensive safeguards, including a bolted-down freezer with external and internal locks, double-lock steel cabinets, security cameras, and a specialized ventilation system in the exam room where patients would use the vaporizer.

Recruiting study participants presented another challenge. "Often, people who were really interested in being in the study were already using cannabis for their chronic pain," Lindley explained . This makes it difficult to find people willing to be randomly assigned to either cannabis or a placebo when they believe cannabis is already helping them.

What Types of Cannabis Studies Are Currently Underway?

Despite these hurdles, researchers are pursuing multiple approaches to test cannabis for pain management. Dr. Rachael Rzasa Lynn, an associate professor of anesthesiology and pain management expert at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, is collaborating with Lindley on three separate studies examining different forms of cannabis .

• Vaporized Cannabis Study: Lindley's completed randomized controlled trial compared one-time use of vaporized cannabis directly against oxycodone for reducing chronic neck and back pain. The team has finished data collection and aims to publish results later in 2026.
• Oral Cannabis Trial: This ongoing study is recruiting up to 63 participants who will take three different treatments for approximately six weeks each: two cannabis extracts with varying amounts of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), plus a placebo. The goal is to determine whether daily oral cannabis reduces spine pain compared to placebo.
• Topical Cannabis Study: An observational study of about 75 people using cannabis-containing lotions, creams, and other products applied directly to the skin. Researchers are documenting whether these products help pain and measuring whether THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids actually enter the bloodstream through topical application.

The distinction between study types matters. The vaporized and oral cannabis trials are randomized controlled trials, which represent the "gold standard" of medical research because they randomly assign participants to different treatments, eliminating bias. The topical study is observational, meaning participants choose their own products and researchers simply track outcomes over time .

What Do Patients Tell Their Doctors About Cannabis and Pain?

Rzasa Lynn hears from patients regularly that cannabis helps manage their pain, which is why she's committed to testing these claims scientifically. "I have patients all the time who tell me that certain products work really well for them, but these things haven't been studied," she stated . This gap between patient experience and scientific evidence is precisely what her research aims to close.

However, Rzasa Lynn and Lindley remain skeptical of the broad health claims made by the marijuana industry. Cannabis promoters claim their products help with an extensive list of conditions, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, post-traumatic stress disorder, arthritis, muscle spasms, migraines, asthma, ADHD, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease . Yet the scientific evidence supporting most of these claims remains weak or nonexistent.

How to Interpret Cannabis Research as a Patient

• Understand Study Design: Randomized controlled trials where participants are randomly assigned to cannabis or placebo are far more reliable than observational studies where people choose their own treatment. The vaporized and oral cannabis studies represent higher-quality evidence than the topical study.
• Wait for Published Results: Preliminary findings from ongoing studies haven't been published yet. Lindley's vaporized cannabis study is expected to publish results in 2026, which will provide the first rigorous comparison between cannabis and oxycodone for chronic pain.
• Consider Manufacturing Consistency: Rzasa Lynn noted that "a lot of companies that sell these products aren't willing to provide that level of data, that level of manufacturing consistency" required by FDA standards . Products purchased at dispensaries may vary significantly in THC and CBD content, making it difficult to know what you're actually taking.
• Monitor for Side Effects: All three studies are tracking harms and side effects of cannabis use, including the risk of cannabis use disorder, also known as marijuana addiction. This data will help clarify the safety profile of different cannabis products.

The legal landscape may soon shift. A December 2025 executive order aims to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, citing "scientific support for its use to treat anorexia related to a medical condition, nausea and vomiting, and pain" . Schedule III drugs have accepted medical uses and lower barriers to research, which could accelerate future studies. However, marijuana remains Schedule I for now, meaning these regulatory hurdles will persist until reclassification is finalized.

The bottom line: while millions of people report that cannabis helps their chronic pain, rigorous scientific evidence remains limited. The University of Colorado studies represent an important step toward answering whether these patient experiences reflect genuine therapeutic benefits or placebo effects. Until results are published, patients should approach cannabis for pain management with cautious skepticism, especially given the inconsistent quality and labeling of products sold commercially.