Cannabis Extract for Chronic Back Pain Relief

Chronic Low Back Pain: A Global Health Challenge

Chronic low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over half a billion people.  For many, daily discomfort limits mobility, work, and overall quality of life.  Doctors typically turn first to anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, but these are unsafe for long-term use because of stomach and heart risks.  Opioids are sometimes prescribed for more severe cases, yet they carry a high chance of addiction, dependence, and dangerous side effects.  This reality has fueled the search for safer, more sustainable alternatives.

Cannabis-based medicines have attracted attention as one possible option.  But most previous trials have been small, short, and inconsistent in design, leaving researchers and regulators cautious.  Now, a large, carefully controlled study¹ offers new evidence that a standardized cannabis extract may make a meaningful difference for patients with chronic low back pain.

The VER-01 Trial

The investigational treatment, called VER-01, is a full-spectrum extract made from the Cannabis sativa DKJ127 cultivar.  Unlike raw cannabis, VER-01 is produced in a certified pharmaceutical environment with tightly controlled levels of active compounds, including THC, minor cannabinoids, and terpenes.  This ensures that every dose is consistent, which is crucial for the success of clinical trials.

The phase 3 study included 820 adults with long-standing low back pain.  Participants were randomly assigned to receive either VER-01 or a placebo over 12 weeks.  After this double-blind period, patients could continue in open-label extensions lasting up to a year, allowing researchers to observe both short- and long-term effects.

The main measure of success was pain intensity, tracked on an 11-point scale.  Researchers also examined sleep quality, physical function, the use of “rescue” pain medications, and quality-of-life indicators.  Importantly, patients with neuropathic pain (pain caused by nerve damage or dysfunction) were analyzed separately, since this group often struggles most with standard treatments.

Key Findings from the VER-01 Cannabis Pain Trial

By the end of the 12-week blinded phase, patients on VER-01 reported a greater average reduction in pain compared to those on placebo.  The difference—while modest at less than one point on the pain scale—was statistically significant and consistent across all study weeks.  Notably, for those with neuropathic pain or severe baseline pain, the benefit was even more pronounced.

Beyond pain relief, VER-01 also improved sleep quality and physical functioning.  Participants taking the extract reported sleeping better and experiencing less discomfort while moving, outcomes that directly impact their day-to-day life.  Nearly half described their overall health as improved, compared to just under a quarter in the placebo group.  Rescue medication use also dropped significantly, suggesting patients were less reliant on ibuprofen to get through the day.

During the longer open-label phases, benefits continued to be observed.  More patients achieved meaningful thresholds such as 30% or 50% pain reduction, and improvements in mobility and sleep were sustained.  Crucially, there were no signs that patients needed to escalate doses over time, nor were there indicators of dependence or withdrawal.

Safety and Side Effects

As with any medication, side effects did occur during the trial.  The most frequent issues appeared in the first few days of treatment and generally improved as patients adjusted to their treatment. Key observations included:

• Most common side effects: dizziness, nausea, fatigue, dry mouth, and drowsiness.
• Symptoms were usually mild to moderate and often faded over time.
• About 17% of VER-01 participants discontinued due to side effects — higher than placebo but lower than opioid discontinuation rates in similar studies.
• Serious adverse events were rare and occurred at similar rates in both groups.
• No deaths, misuse, abuse, or cognitive impairment were reported.

The safety profile suggests that while VER-01 requires monitoring, it is relatively well-tolerated compared to long-term opioid use.

What VER-01 Could Mean for Patients with Back Pain

The findings are encouraging because they show cannabis extracts can be developed to pharmaceutical standards and tested in large, rigorous trials.  This helps move cannabis-based treatments from anecdotal use into the realm of evidence-based medicine.  For patients with chronic low back pain—especially those who cannot tolerate NSAIDs or who want to avoid opioids—VER-01 could represent a much-needed alternative.

Of course, one study does not settle the question.  Future research should compare VER-01 directly to opioids, investigate its effects in other chronic pain conditions, and include assessments of cognitive outcomes.  But this trial lays the necessary groundwork, demonstrating that cannabis-based medicine can deliver measurable benefits without fueling the same risks that have plagued other pain drugs.

How VER-01 Differs from Existing Cannabis-Based Medicines

VER-01 is not the first cannabis-derived product to undergo rigorous pharmaceutical development.  For example, Sativex (nabiximols), an oromucosal spray containing a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD, has been approved in multiple countries to treat spasticity in multiple sclerosis.  Another example is Epidiolex, a purified CBD formulation approved by the U.S. FDA for rare forms of epilepsy.  Both products demonstrated that cannabinoids can be standardized, tested, and regulated as prescription medicines rather than unregulated supplements.

What sets VER-01 apart is its use in chronic low back pain—a condition with few safe long-term treatment options—and its design as a full-spectrum extract.  Unlike Epidiolex, which relies on a single cannabinoid (CBD), or Sativex, which uses a fixed THC:CBD ratio, VER-01 preserves a wider array of minor cannabinoids and terpenes.  This approach may deliver a broader therapeutic effect while still maintaining the consistency required for clinical approval.

Other Cannabis Pain Studies

Notably, the VER-01 trial fits into a growing landscape of cannabis research in pain, and other recent studies help enrich how we interpret its implications.

A recent analysis from PLOS ONE examined how patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain use—and often discontinue—medical cannabis.  Among 78 patients certified for medical cannabis, nearly half stopped within three months, and almost 60 % had discontinued by one year.  Patients who quit were, on average, older than those who continued.  The study pointed to a lack of medical guidance, inconsistent product quality, side effects, and unclear dosing as significant barriers to sustained use.  These findings highlight how even promising therapies can fail if patient support systems are weak.

In another line of research, scientists are investigating the anti-inflammatory potential of hemp roots.  Compounds in the origins appear to regulate immune responses, reduce oxidative stress, and calm inflammation.  While this work is still in its early stages, it suggests that cannabis therapies may benefit from a whole-plant perspective—bringing together cannabinoids with lesser-known compounds from roots and stalks to create more effective formulations.

Together, these studies show that while standardized cannabis extracts like VER-01 constitute a significant step forward, long-term success will also depend on improving patient support and considering the broader plant chemistry that may enhance pain relief.

How Cannabis Works for Pain Relief

As mentioned, this study connects to a broader body of research exploring how cannabis interacts with the human body’s pain systems.  Beyond THC, compounds like CBD, cannabigerol (CBG), and terpenes may play supporting roles.  For instance, some terpenes show analgesic potential by modulating the same receptors that opioids and NSAIDs target, but without the same toxicity.

Other studies have examined cannabis in conditions like fibromyalgia and neuropathy, with mixed but hopeful results.  One consistent theme is that patients often report improvements not just in pain, but also in sleep, mood, and overall well-being—factors that standard drugs frequently neglect.  This multidimensional impact may explain why cannabis-based approaches are generating so much patient interest.

New frontiers are also opening up.  Researchers are studying whether certain cannabis-derived compounds can provide pain relief without the intoxicating effects of THC.  Early findings suggest this could be possible, raising the hope of future medications that deliver relief without impairment.

Conclusion

The VER-01 trial marks an important milestone in cannabis research.  For the first time, a full-spectrum cannabis extract has shown sustained benefits in a large, carefully controlled study of chronic low back pain.  Patients experienced less pain, better sleep, and improved function, with manageable side effects and no evidence of addiction or withdrawal.

If confirmed by future trials, cannabis-based medicines like VER-01 could become a cornerstone of chronic pain management, offering patients a safer path forward than opioids or long-term NSAIDs.  As healthcare systems grapple with the dual crises of chronic pain and opioid misuse, these findings could not have come at a more critical time.

References:

^{1. Karst, M., Meissner, W., Sator, S., Keßler, J., Schoder, V., & Häuser, W. (2025). Full-spectrum extract from Cannabis sativa DKJ127 for chronic low back pain: A phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled trial. Nature Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03977-0}