How State Cannabis Laws Affect Cancer Pain Care and Patient Well-being
Official title: Impact of State Cannabis Laws on Cancer Pain Management and Outcomes: A mixed-methods study
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11260805 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how state laws about cannabis might change how people with cancer manage their pain and how they feel overall.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 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 | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $527,872 |
| NIH project number | 7R37CA291990-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11260805 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project focuses on adults aged 21 and older who have advanced cancer or are cancer survivors experiencing pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have cancer pain or who are not interested in cannabis as a pain management option may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
Many people with cancer experience pain, and some states now allow cannabis for pain relief. This project wants to understand if these cannabis laws lead patients to use cannabis instead of or alongside opioid medications. We will explore how these laws influence pain management choices and overall health for people living with cancer. The project will gather information from patients and healthcare providers to get a full picture of these changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us understand how cannabis laws affect cancer pain management, potentially leading to better guidelines and more informed choices for patients.
How similar studies have gone: While cannabis use for cancer pain is common, this project takes a novel approach by specifically examining the impact of state cannabis laws on patient outcomes using mixed methods.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Check, Devon — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Check, Devon
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Impact of Cannabis Laws on Cancer Pain in Patients
A mixed-methods study exploring how state cannabis laws affect cancer pain management and outcomes for adults with cancer.
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Cancer Pain Management for Asian American Breast Cancer Survivors with Depressive Symptoms
A technology-based program helps Asian American breast cancer survivors with depressive symptoms manage chronic pain more effectively from home using a web app and mobile tools.
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Safe, digitally-enabled cancer pain care for patients and survivors
A nationwide Mayo Clinic-led program tests a digitally-supported, team-based approach to managing cancer pain that may help patients and survivors receive better, safer pain care.
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Safe, comprehensive digital cancer pain care (ASCENT)
A digital care program aims to help adults with advanced cancer get safer, more complete pain treatment.
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Tech-based pain support for Asian American breast cancer survivors
This project is building an easy-to-use web and mobile program to help Asian American breast cancer survivors with chronic pain and depression get personalized information and coaching.
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Training healthcare providers to use hypnosis for managing cancer pain
This study is teaching cancer care providers how to use hypnosis to help reduce pain for cancer patients, making their treatment experience more comfortable and improving their overall quality of life.
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.