Ask Dr. Litinas is a column that publishes twice monthly as part of The MichiGanja Report—our free, weekly newsletter about all things marijuana. Click here to sign up.
MICHIGAN—Hospice care is not about curing disease.
It’s about comfort, dignity, and quality of life during one of the most intense and vulnerable periods a person and their family will ever experience.
In this context, cannabis can be a tool for improving quality of life. Like most tools in medicine, cannabis has a role, limits, and tradeoffs. When used thoughtfully, it can be a meaningful adjunct for some hospice patients.
The goal is not to replace hospice medicine—it’s to support the person.
Cannabis is not for everyone
First, it’s important to note that cannabis is not appropriate for every hospice patient.
Some individuals experience anxiety, confusion, dizziness, or worsening disorientation with cannabis. Others may have medical conditions or medication combinations that make its use less advisable or contraindicated. In end-of-life care, where comfort and clarity matter deeply, those risks must be taken seriously.
Hospice care works best when treatments are individualized. Cannabis should be viewed through the same lens: helping the individual patient.
Pain control: helpful, but not a replacement
Cannabis can reduce pain in certain situations, particularly neuropathic pain, inflammatory discomfort, and pain that has a strong emotional or anxiety-driven component. For some patients, it may allow for lower doses of conventional pain medications.
However, cannabis is not sufficient for all types or severities of pain. Many hospice patients require opioids or other conventional analgesics to achieve adequate comfort.
Where cannabis can be useful is as an adjunct—working alongside established hospice medications rather than attempting to replace them.
Appetite, mood, and emotional comfort
One of the clearest roles for cannabis in hospice care is symptom relief beyond pain.
Cannabis may help with stimulating appetite, reducing nausea, improving mood, decreasing anxiety (especially CBD), promoting relaxation, and improving sleep.
These effects matter. Eating a favorite food, laughing with family, or simply feeling less distressed can meaningfully change the experience of a patient’s final days.
For families, these moments often become lasting memories.
Consciousness, presence, and meaningful time
In my opinion, one of the hardest tradeoffs in hospice care for some patients is balancing comfort with alertness. High-dose opioids and sedating medications can effectively control pain—but they may also reduce wakefulness, clarity, and the ability to interact.
For some patients, cannabis offers an alternative or complementary approach: a way to tolerate pain without fully losing consciousness.
This does not mean cannabis prevents the need for opioids. It means that, in certain situations, it may allow patients to remain more present—able to speak, reflect, and share moments with loved ones during a time that is profoundly meaningful.
Presence has value. Memory has value. Being awake for a conversation, a story, or a goodbye has value.
Side effects and honest counseling
Cannabis is not without side effects, particularly in medically fragile individuals. These can include dizziness or falls, confusion or delirium, anxiety or panic, dry mouth, changes in blood pressure, and fatigue.
This is why education, careful dosing, and clear expectations are essential. Starting low, adjusting slowly, and monitoring response are not just best practices—they are acts of care.
A tool for quality of life, not a cure
Cannabis does not change the trajectory of terminal illness. Instead, its potential value lies in improving quality of life during a time when quality matters more than quantity.
When used thoughtfully, cannabis may reduce symptom burden, support emotional well-being, allow greater engagement with loved ones, reduce reliance on higher doses of sedating medications, and offer patients a sense of agency in their care.
For some patients, it will not be helpful. For others, it may be transformative.
The bottom line
Hospice care is about meeting people where they are—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Cannabis is not a cure. It is not a replacement for hospice medicine. But for some patients and families, cannabis can be a valuable tool—one that supports comfort, presence, and dignity during one of the most difficult chapters of life.
In end-of-life care, improving how someone lives matters just as much as acknowledging that life is ending. When used appropriately, cannabis may help do exactly that.
This content is for education, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before making any health decisions—especially when it comes to cannabis. Products are only for adults ages 21 and up.
READ MORE: Why edibles don’t affect Michiganders the same way every time
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