The pain-relieving effect of cannabis works better in men than in women

According to a new study, women do not experience as much pain relief from cannabis as men do.

Animal studies had already suggested that males and females might experience the effects of cannabis differently. This study, the first to examine differences in the relief cannabis provides to male and female recreational users, concluded that men experience greater relief than women.

The effects of cannabis are produced by two main compounds: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The 42 study participants (21 men and 21 women) were instructed to smoke cannabis containing THC or a placebo version of the plant that did not contain it.

Immediately afterward, the participants were asked to take a pain response test: they were to submerge their hands in cold water (about 4°C) until they could no longer tolerate the pain.

This a study by Columbia University Medical Center found that men who had smoked cannabis containing THC «experienced a significant reduction in pain sensitivity» compared to men who had taken the placebo.

On the other hand, women who had smoked cannabis experienced «no significant reduction in pain» compared to those who had taken the placebo.

«These results indicate that, among cannabis smokers, men experience greater cannabis-induced analgesia than women. As such, gender differences in the analgesic effects of cannabis are an important consideration that warrants further investigation when examining the potential therapeutic effects of cannabinoids for pain relief,» stated the co-authors of the study published in the online journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

However, the study does not specify how strongly the participants felt the effects of cannabis, nor which strain was used.