© 2025 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Nominate your favorite Idaho nonprofit to receive $1,000 in on-air messaging from Boise State Public Radio

Medicinal cannabis benefits fall short of expectations, new study finds

Marijuana plants are seen at a growing facility in Washington County, N.Y., May 12, 2023. (Hans Pennink/AP)
Hans Pennink/AP
Marijuana plants are seen at a growing facility in Washington County, N.Y., May 12, 2023. (Hans Pennink/AP)

A new review of scientific evidence of the medical benefits of cannabis finds no evidence that it helps with the three top conditions for which people use it: pain, anxiety and insomnia. And while it does seem to help with nausea and vomiting and several other afflictions, researchers also note that side effects, including cardiac risks, should be weighed before using cannabinoids for medical treatments.

Dr. Kevin Hill, one of the authors of “Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and Cannabinoids,” joins host Deb Becker to talk about the findings and their significance.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.