Analysis: NIH Database Now Includes Over 53,000 Cannabis-Related Studies

OG article by NORML

December 12, 2025

For the fifth year in a row, global researchers published over 4,000 scientific papers on cannabis, its components, and effects, per a National Library of Medicine/PubMed keyword search. NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano emphasized that despite perceptions of insufficient study, scientific interest has surged in the past decade, enhancing knowledge of the plant, its mechanisms, and societal impacts. He urged politicians to base discussions on evidence rather than unknowns. Since 2015, over 37,000 papers have emerged, driven by focus on therapeutic uses and legalization effects. Over 70% of all peer-reviewed cannabis papers appeared in the last ten years, with 90% since 2002. PubMed now lists over 53,000 marijuana-related studies from 1840 onward, freely accessible since 1996 for biomedical literature searches. NORML provides summaries of over 450 studies on cannabis and cannabinoid safety and efficacy in various patient groups. This growing body of research supports informed marijuana reform policies, highlighting the plant's potential benefits and real-world outcomes of regulatory changes. The trend reflects evolving attitudes and increased investigations into cannabis's role in health and society.