Because previous studies had shown that the endocannabinoid system is involved in colonic inflammation, researchers in this 2011 study decided to see if patients with inflammatory bowel disease were using marijuana to self-medicate. They surveyed almost 300 patients who were suffering from either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. They found that roughly half of the patients were either currently using marijuana or had in the past, and that patients were more likely to use if they had undergone abdominal surgery and often relied on painkillers. Many of those patients expressed an interest in taking part in therapeutic trials using marijuana, and the authors were of the opinion that this warranted further research.
