International researchers estimate that migraines are the second leading contributor to the global burden of neurological diseases, with as much as 14% of the global population experiencing at least one migraine per year. A migraine is a severe headache associated with intense throbbing pain or a pulsing feeling, often on one side of a person’s head.

Pharmaceutical products like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are often used by migraine sufferers to treat their condition. Medical cannabis is also used by some patients, with many of them reporting positive outcomes after incorporating medical cannabis therapies.

A team of researchers based in the United Kingdom and affiliated with various health and academic institutions recently conducted a study examining medical cannabis use by patients suffering from refractory migraines. The longitudinal study’s findings were published in the journal Brain & Behavior.

“This case series utilizes data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Primary outcomes included changes in Headache Impact Test 6 (HIT-6), Migraine Disability Assessment Test (MIDAS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), Single Item Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), and EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels (EQ-5D-5L) from baseline up to 24 months. Adverse events (AEs) and their severity were recorded. A p-value < 0.050 was statistically significant.” the researchers wrote about their methodology.

Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) were “associated with improvements in health-related quality of life measures up to 2 years,” according to the researchers, and were “relatively well tolerated.” The researchers found that “higher THC doses were associated with a greater likelihood of improvement on migraine-specific measures.”

“Findings indicate utility of CBMPs for migraine, but randomized controlled trials are required to establish causation.” the researchers concluded.

According to a market analysis by Grand View Research, “the global migraine drugs market size was estimated at USD 6.81 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 13.34 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.9% from 2025 to 2030.”