Most Pain Patients Quit Medical Weed Within A Year, Study Says

Key Takeaways

More than half of people using medical weed for chronic pain quit within a year

Nearly half stopped within three months

Source of pain and overall health were not factors in people stopping treatment

MONDAY, Aug. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) — More than half of people prescribed medical weed for chronic muscle or joint pain quit using it within a year, a new small-scale study says.

About 58% of a group of 78 Pennsylvania patients certified for medical cannabis decided to discontinue treatment within a year, researchers report in the journal PLOS One .

In fact, nearly half (45%) stop using weed within the first three months of trying it, results show.

These high drop-off rates indicate that “despite growing enthusiasm and widespread adoption, medical cannabis does not