Key takeaways:

Many patients with IBD report using cannabis or CBD for pain, stress and anxiety relief.

Findings highlight the need for more research and open patient-clinician discussions.

A substantial number of patients with inflammatory bowel disease rely on cannabis and CBD oil for symptom relief, indicating a need for more rigorous investigation, according to a study published in Academia Medicine .

Cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, have shown preclinical benefits in reducing gastrointestinal inflammation and motility, while human trials and anecdotal accounts show a decrease in IBD symptoms and improvement in quality of life. However, few clinical trials have examined the role of cannabis for patients with IBD.

Data were derived from Lala A, et al. Acad Med . 2025;do

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