Accessibility statement

Health inequalities and the use of cannabis and cannabidiol for pain relief: a study in two deprived areas

People with lower socio-economic status (SES) are more likely to suffer from poor health including chronic pain and have higher usage of pain medication and anti-depressants than high-SES groups. We know that some people choose to self-medicate with cannabis or cannabidiol (CBD), but there has been little or no research on their experiences.

I talked to men and women in the North of England who used either cannabis or CBD or both to manage physical pain. I asked about the pain they experienced and what other pain relief they had used including over the counter, alternative and prescription medication. I asked them about their reasons for trying cannabis or CBD and whether or not it helped them. I also talked to retailers in the same areas who sold CBD about their products and customer profile.

I am currently analysing study data and project findings will be reported in due course.

Funding

Funder(s): Wellcome Trust/Centre for Future Health, University of York
Start date: June 2020
End date: November 2020

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