Syqe Medical’s randomized controlled trial demonstrates for first time that THC doses measured in micrograms relieve pain without significant side effects
In Summary
Microdosing – the act of consuming an extremely low dose of an active drug compound to treat various conditions – has been a widely accepted practice throughout the alternative medicine and cannabis community for years. Just this year, however, the first clinical trial was conducted to determine the precise dose of the cannabinoid THC that can offer pain relief without the common psychoactive side-effects.
Israeli med-tech company Syqe Medical came to the conclusion that just 500 micrograms of THC, consumed via inhalation, is all that is needed for a patient to experience pain relief. For reference, most medical cannabis patients consume up to 150,000 micrograms of THC (by consuming 1 gram of flower with a potency of 15% THC) per day. This news is encouraging for those who are interested in medical cannabis, but are worried about the undesired effects that cannabis can have like anxiety, appetite stimulation and a psychoactive “high” feeling.
Syqe has gone so far as to design an inhaler that can measure the precise dose of THC the patient consumes with each application. The device is being marketed by Israel pharmaceutical giant, Teva, with hopes for approvals in Europe and the US in the near future.