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 type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $574,978 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AT013796-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-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
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.