NIH-funded research R01 grant

Cannabis Coaching for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Multi-Site Feasibility Study

Official title: Multi-site feasibility of a cannabis coaching intervention for chronic low back pain

Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11358127 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A multi-site study tests a cannabis-coaching program designed to help people with chronic low back pain use legal cannabis products safely and effectively.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Michigan at Ann Arbor
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Ann Arbor, United States)
Project startAugust 7, 2026
Project endJuly 31, 2029
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$574,978
NIH project number1R01AT013796-01
Project IDNIH-11358127 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults with chronic low back pain who are interested in using cannabis products and can participate at the two proposed sites.

Less likely to help

Patients who do not want to use cannabis products or who are unable to participate at the Michigan or California sites may not benefit.

What this research studies

This project builds on an earlier small study that showed people with chronic pain were satisfied with Can-Coach and reported less pain and less interference in daily life. The researchers will run Can-Coach at two sites (Michigan and California) to see if it can be delivered consistently, attract participants, and stay safe in real-world settings. They will focus on how well people enroll and stay in the program, how faithfully coaches follow the intervention, and whether there are any safety concerns. The goal is to determine if a larger, more definitive trial on effectiveness is feasible and informative for clinicians and patients.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, Can-Coach could become a scalable approach to integrating cannabis products into pain management with structured coaching and safety monitoring.

How similar studies have gone: Earlier single-site studies showed high satisfaction and improvements in pain, suggesting potential benefit for wider use.

Where this research is happening

  • University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
    Ann Arbor, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Boehnke, Kevin Foxman — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
  • Study coordinator: Boehnke, Kevin Foxman

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.