Is marijuana an effective treatment for Crohn’s disease, 
ulcerative colitis, or other inflammatory bowel diseases?

"In the present preliminary prospective study, we have found that treatment with inhaled cannabis improves quality of life in patients with long-standing CD [Crohn’s disease] and UC [ulcerative colitis]. Treatment was also shown to cause a statistically significant rise in patients’ weight after 3 months of treatment, and improvement in clinical disease activity index in patients with CD…

Moreover, the data demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in almost all aspects of patients’ daily life. After 3 months’ treatment with inhaled cannabis, patients stated an improvement in their health status, their ability to perform daily activities and their ability to maintain social life. Patients reported a statistically significant physical pain reduction during treatment, as well as improvement in mental distress…

None of our patients complained of any side effect that disturbed their working ability. In fact, as was shown in the results, there was a statistically significant improvement in patients’ ability to work after treatment."

Jan. 2012 – Adi Lahat, MD

"I have several relatives with Crohn’s Disease. Every one of them has had major surgery. Every one of them has had complications from the steroids and immune suppressors they have been prescribed… I am firmly convinced that I would be in the same condition as my relatives with Crohn’s, if I hadn’t used pot. The medical use of marijuana has saved my colon and my quality of life."

Mar. 1, 2013 – Bruce Buckner

"Patients with UC [ulcerative colitis], in particular, reported using cannabis to improve diarrhoeal symptoms, and, again, this perceived benefit has received mechanistic support from studies that suggest that cannabinoids inhibit intestinal secretory responses… It is equally plausible to speculate that patients perceived benefit from using cannabis to reduce pain and/or diarrhoea because the drug has a direct anti-inflammatory effect on intestinal tissue… As in other diseases, a significant proportion of both UC and CD patients reported using cannabis to enhance appetite, and the drug’s orexigenic properties are well-recognized, with many individuals commonly reporting appetite stimulation or ‘the munchies’ after use."

Oct. 23, 2011 – Simon Lal, PhD, MD

"Of the 30 patients [with Crohn’s Disease] 21 improved significantly after treatment with cannabis…

The mean number of bowel movements decreased from eight to five a day and the need for other drugs was significantly reduced… the number of patients requiring steroid treatment was reduced from 26 to 4. Fifteen of the patients had 19 surgeries during an average period of 9 years before cannabis use, but only 2 required surgery during an average period of 3 years of cannabis use…

The observed beneficial effect in this study may be due to the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis, but additional effects of cannabinoids may also play a role. Cannabinoids influence gastrointestinal motility and, in particular, have an anti-diarrheal effect…"

Aug. 2011 – Timna Naftali, MD

"[Crohn’s] patients described marked improvements with the use of cannabis.

Beneficial effects were reported for appetite, pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, activity, and depression. Patients also reported that cannabis use resulted in weight gain, fewer stools per day and fewer flare-ups of less severity…

Cannabis-using Crohn’s patients not only report significant relief of their symptoms, they are also able to reduce the amount of immunosuppressive medications that have been a mainstay of conventional treatment…

Crohn’s disease is so debilitating and life-threatening and so difficult to manage with conventional medications it is very encouraging to find that cannabis is proving to be an effective treatment for it right now."

Autumn 2005 – Jeffrey Hergenrather, MD

"At the moment, I don’t advocate smoking marijuana. That’s just not something I advocate. I do understand that all of these issues that may be improved by smoking marijuana may be something we can address by better treatments, understanding why you’re having these symptoms, and addressing more of that than, per say, saying at the moment there is clear evidence to support that cannabis – at some level – actually has an anti-inflammatory property."

Mar. 1, 2013 – Marla Dubinsky, MD

"I think it’s still safe to say that there is no evidence to date that cannabis is an effective treatment for IBD."

Aug. 4, 2005 – Jonathan Markowitz, MD

"Because IBD [Inflammatory Bowel Disease] is an illness that lasts a lifetime, patients and their physicians should concentrate on discovering the cause of symptoms and pinpointing a treatment that will control them without causing adverse side effects.

Using a substance such as marijuana to alleviate symptoms only masks the actual problem."

Aug. 4, 2005 – R. Balfour Sartor, MD