Cannabis for the Prophylactic Treatment of Migraine

Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of moderate to severe headache, often accompanied by sensory sensitivity and nausea. Migraine can be very disabling and often interferes with social and occupational functioning. Given the high prevalence of migraine and the significant burden it places on the individual and society, it is an important condition to study and manage optimally. This is especially true because current migraine treatments often result in only marginal improvement and are frequently associated with intolerable side effects. For this reason, there is a need for new migraine treatments. The endocannabinoid system is an important potential treatment target as it is involved in pain processing and overlaps with some mechanisms of migraine pathophysiology. Cannabis was legalized in Canada on October 17th, 2018. As a result, the consumption of cannabis products for migraine treatment may increase. However, at this time there is limited evidence for the safety and efficacy of cannabis for the treatment of migraine. As a result, there is a need for further study and research in this area. Thus, we propose a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to study cannabis (specifically cannabidiol) as a preventative therapy for patients with chronic migraine.