Quick answer
There is no single standard dose of medical marijuana for neuropathy. Clinical trials and clinician guidance point to the same method instead: begin with a low dose, most often 1 to 2.5 mg of THC or 5 to 10 mg of CBD, and increase by the smallest practical step every 3 to 7 days until pain drops or side effects appear. Oral products take 1 to 2 hours to work and peak at 2 to 4 hours, so dose changes need days, not minutes, to judge.
medical cannabis card for neuropathy
Neuropathy responds differently in different people. A dose that dulls burning feet in one patient may cause dizziness and sedation in another. Treat any published number as a starting point, not a target.
Prerequisites
- A written recommendation from a clinician licensed in your state
- A product label that lists THC and CBD content in milligrams per dose
- A dosing log with time, amount, pain score, and side effects
- A second person who knows your plan if you use high-THC products
How to dose, step by step
- Confirm which nerve pain you are treating, since diabetic, chemotherapy-induced, and idiopathic neuropathy follow different courses.
- Pick a CBD-dominant or balanced 1:1 product for the first trial, because CBD carries less intoxication risk than THC.
- Take your first dose at 1 to 2.5 mg THC, or 5 to 10 mg CBD if the product has little THC.
- Take that dose at the same time each evening for three days.
- Record pain on a 0 to 10 scale before the dose and again two hours after.
- Raise the dose by 1 to 2.5 mg THC, or 5 mg CBD, only if pain scores have not moved and side effects are absent.
- Hold each new dose for three to seven days before raising it again.
- Stop raising the dose once pain drops by about 30 percent or side effects appear.
- Keep the effective dose steady for four weeks, then review the log with your clinician.
Oral versus inhaled
Route changes the timing more than the total amount. Oral oils, capsules, and edibles absorb slowly and last 6 to 8 hours, which suits constant burning or tingling. Inhaled flower and vapor act within 5 to 15 minutes and fade in 2 to 3 hours, which suits flares.
- Oral: start 1 to 2.5 mg THC. Do not redose within 4 hours.
- Inhaled: start with one small inhalation and wait 15 minutes.
- Topical: no measurable systemic dose, so it does not replace oral or inhaled dosing.
Signs you should lower the dose
- Dizziness on standing, drowsiness, or slowed speech
- Racing heart or a spike in anxiety
- Nausea, vomiting, or a return of nerve pain at higher amounts
- Falls or unsteadiness, which matter most if neuropathy already affects your balance
What the evidence supports
Reviews of cannabinoid research rate chronic pain, including some neuropathic pain, as the strongest-supported use. Evidence for nerve pain specifically remains weaker than for chemotherapy nausea or spasticity. No cannabis product is approved by the FDA for neuropathy, and professional neurology groups still list the evidence as limited. That gap is the reason titration and a dosing log matter more than any fixed milligram target.