PEOPLE with insomnia who used cannabis-based medical products reported improved sleep quality, less anxiety and depression, and better overall quality of life over an 18-month follow-up, according to research from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Most side effects were mild and no serious adverse events occurred during the study.
Insomnia, which affects around one in ten adults worldwide, can seriously impair daytime functioning and wellbeing. Available treatments are often limited by their effectiveness or risk of dependency, prompting a search for alternative therapies. Recently, cannabis-based medications have attracted interest for managing sleep disorders and related psychological symptoms, but strong long-term evidence has been lacking.
In this study, researchers tracked 124 adults diagnosed with primary insomnia who had been prescribed cannabis-based medical products. Participants completed regular assessments between one and 18 months, focusing on their sleep quality (measured on the Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale), anxiety symptoms (using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire), and various aspects of wellbeing (using the EQ-5D-5L index). Statistically significant improvements were recorded in sleep quality from baseline to all time points up to 18 months. For example, SQS scores rose from an average of 2.66 at baseline to 3.81 at 18 months. Similar sustained improvements were seen in anxiety and depression scores, as well as in measures of pain and general quality of life. Just under nine percent of participants reported mild side effects, such as fatigue or dry mouth, but none experienced disabling or life-threatening reactions.
These findings lend weight to the potential role of medical cannabis where conventional insomnia treatments prove inadequate, though routine prescribing should await larger randomised controlled trials confirming safety and efficacy. Clinicians should carefully monitor patients for side effects, assess for tolerance over time, and tailor approaches to individual needs. As cannabis-based therapies become more widely studied, shared decision making between patient and clinician will be crucial in managing expectations and optimising health outcomes.
Reference
Aggarwal A et al. UK Medical Cannabis Registry: A clinical outcomes analysis for insomnia. PLOS Mental Health. 2025;DOI:10.1371/journal.pmen.0000390.
