Cannabis research supports some specific medicinal uses, while evidence for many other claims remains uncertain. This index helps readers and writers see what researchers actually tested, what they found, and how far those findings can reasonably be applied.
Scope and selection
This first edition contains 24 selected peer-reviewed publications from 2011 through 2026, covering U.S. and international research. It is a curated reference collection, with original investigations and evidence reviews identified separately. Selection emphasizes controlled human studies, useful evidence syntheses, and cultivation research relevant to this website. It does not represent an exhaustive literature search.
Sources were checked through original journal pages, PubMed records, and accessible full texts. Each entry includes a publication year, research setting, design, methods, findings, limitations, and a DOI link. Headings are editorial descriptions of the research. The review date identifies this index edition, not the publication date of every study. Limitations include both those described by investigators and editorial assessments of the study design.
Browse by topic
Chronic pain and arthritis
2023 | Austria | Randomized placebo-controlled trial
Methods: Eighty-six adults with painful knee osteoarthritis were randomized to eight weeks of high-dose oral CBD or placebo, added to continued paracetamol. Fifty-eight participants completed the trial.
2025 | Germany | Phase 3 randomized trial
Methods: A multicenter trial enrolled 820 adults to compare the standardized full-spectrum extract VER-01 with placebo during a 12-week blinded phase.
2021 | International evidence base | Systematic review and meta-analysis
Methods: Researchers synthesized 32 randomized trials involving 5,174 adults with chronic pain. Products were non-inhaled, mostly oral, and follow-up ranged from one to 5.5 months. The review assessed pain, functioning, sleep, and adverse effects.
Epilepsy and prescription cannabidiol
2018 | Multicenter international trial | Randomized placebo-controlled trial
Methods: A trial at 30 centers assigned 225 patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome to either of two purified CBD regimens or placebo for 14 weeks, in addition to conventional antiseizure treatment.
2017 | United States and Europe | Randomized placebo-controlled trial
Methods: Investigators randomized 120 children and young adults with drug-resistant Dravet syndrome to purified oral CBD or placebo, alongside existing antiseizure medicines. The primary comparison covered 14 weeks.
Multiple sclerosis and spasticity
2011 | Multicenter European study | Randomized trial with responder enrichment
Methods: Of 572 patients entering an initial four-week nabiximols treatment phase, 241 initial responders were randomized to continued THC/CBD oromucosal spray or placebo for 12 weeks. Existing antispasticity treatment continued.
Chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting
2024 | Australia | Randomized phase 2 and 3 trial
Methods: The combined analysis included 147 evaluable adults with chemotherapy-related nausea or vomiting despite guideline-consistent preventive medicines. Oral THC/CBD capsules or placebo were added to antiemetic care during a subsequent chemotherapy cycle.
Autism and associated behavior
2025 | United States | Randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
Methods: oys aged 7 to 14 received eight weeks of purified CBD and eight weeks of placebo, separated by a four-week washout. Forty-four were randomized, 39 received study treatment and entered analyses, and 30 completed the full protocol.
2021 | Israel | Randomized placebo-controlled trial
Methods: Researchers enrolled 150 participants aged 5 to 21 and tested a whole-plant extract and a purified cannabinoid mixture, each containing CBD and THC in a 20 to 1 ratio. The main efficacy comparison covered 12 weeks.
PTSD and other mental health conditions
2026 | International evidence base | Systematic review and meta-analysis
Methods: The review included 54 randomized trials with 2,477 participants, searching publications through May 13, 2025. Researchers assessed symptom outcomes, adverse events, risk of bias, and evidence certainty across diagnoses.
2021 | United States military veterans | Randomized placebo-controlled trial
Methods: In the first stage, 80 veterans were assigned to three weeks of THC-dominant, CBD-dominant, combined THC/CBD, or placebo cannabis. The primary endpoint compared changes in PTSD severity during this stage.
Sleep and insomnia
2024 | Australia | Randomized placebo-controlled pilot trial
Methods: Thirty adults with primary insomnia were assigned to 150 mg of CBD nightly or placebo for two weeks after a placebo run-in. Sleep diaries, wrist actigraphy, insomnia severity, and well-being measures were collected.
2021 | Australia | Randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
Methods: Twenty-four adults with chronic insomnia were randomized in a crossover trial of two weeks of nightly sublingual ZTL-101, a THC/CBD/CBN extract, and placebo. Twenty-three completed the protocol. Assessments included questionnaires, sleep diaries, actigraphy, and polysomnography.
Anesthesia and procedural sedation
2025 | International evidence base | Systematic review and meta-analysis
Methods: Researchers pooled eight studies involving 2,268 patients who received propofol for anesthesia or procedural sedation. Cannabis exposure definitions and clinical settings differed across the included studies.
2021 | Canada | Observational case-control study
Methods: At one outpatient endoscopy clinic, investigators compared 151 patients reporting cannabis exposure with 167 reporting no history of use. They analyzed propofol requirements and adjusted for measured patient and procedure characteristics.
Exercise and subjective experience
2024 journal issue and 2023 online publication | United States | Human crossover experiment
Methods: Forty-two regular cannabis users aged 21 to 39 completed exercise sessions without cannabis and following self-directed use of a commercially available THC-dominant or CBD-dominant flower product. Researchers assessed subjective exercise responses.
Breast milk and cannabinoid exposure
2024 | United States | Prospective observational study
Methods: The Lactation and Cannabis study observed 20 breastfeeding participants using cannabis at least weekly. Serial milk samples were collected around self-directed use to examine variation after single and repeated instances of consumption.
2021 | United States | Prospective observational pharmacokinetic study
Methods: Twenty-five women with prenatal cannabis exposure enrolled in postpartum milk and plasma sampling; 12 had biological evidence of abstinence. Elimination modeling focused on seven women who abstained for more than five weeks.
2018 | United States | Observational laboratory analysis
Methods: Fifty breastfeeding women reporting cannabis use provided 54 milk samples to a research repository. Investigators measured cannabinoid concentrations using mass spectrometry and examined reported timing and frequency of use.
Driving and mental health risks
2019 | Europe and Brazil | Multicenter case-control study
Methods: The EU-GEI study compared 901 people with first-episode psychosis with 1,237 population controls across 11 sites. Researchers examined use patterns and estimated product potency using available market information.
2022 | United States | Randomized placebo-controlled trial
Methods: Investigators randomized 191 regular cannabis users to smoke placebo or cannabis with either of two THC concentrations. They compared driving simulator performance and perceived readiness to drive at repeated intervals.
Cultivation lighting and crop quality
2019 | Canada | Plant pathology sampling and laboratory identification
Methods: Investigators sampled cannabis tissues and production environments over multiple years, including indoor, greenhouse, and field settings. Cultures and DNA-based identification characterized pathogens and molds affecting plants and harvested flowers.
2021 | Canada | Controlled indoor plant experiment
Methods: University of Guelph researchers grew cannabis across a broad range of LED light intensities and measured flower yield, cannabinoid potency, terpene responses, and leaf photosynthesis during indoor production.
2021 | United States | Controlled plant experiments
Methods: Utah State University researchers conducted three experiments with CBD-dominant medical hemp, comparing blue-light fractions under controlled conditions. They evaluated flower yield, cannabinoid concentrations, and lighting efficiency.
Reading the evidence
- Randomized trials compare assigned treatments with a control. Their conclusions apply most directly to the product, population, and treatment period tested.
- Systematic reviews combine existing studies. Their reliability depends on the quality, consistency, and relevance of the included evidence.
- Observational studies measure associations. Confounding factors can influence results, so an association alone does not establish causation.
- Plant experiments address cultivation or crop quality. They do not demonstrate a medical treatment benefit or certify a finished product as medical grade.
How to cite this index
For research claims, cite the original publication using its DOI. To reference this collection or our summaries, cite Last Chance Asylum, Cannabis Research Index, version 1.0, reviewed October 23, 2026, and link to the relevant study heading on the published page. Add your access date. The topic and study links on this page provide direct reference points.