Investigation of Cannabidiol for Reduction of NeuroInflammation in Chronic Back Pain

Inclusion Criteria: * age ≥ 18 and ≤ 75; * the ability to give written, informed consent; * ongoing pain that averaged at least 4, on a 0-10 scale of pain during a typical week, and present for at least 50% of days during a typical week; * fluency in English; * on a stable pain treatment (pharmacological or otherwise) for the previous four weeks. * Medical records confirming diagnosis of low back pain * Chronic low back pain, ongoing for at least 6 months prior to enrollment. Exclusion Criteria: * outpatient surgery within 2 months and inpatient surgery within 6 months from the time of scanning; * elevated baseline transaminase (ALT and AST) levels above 3 times the Upper Limit of Normal (ULN), accompanied by elevations in bilirubin above 2 times the ULN * any interventional pain procedures within 6 weeks prior to scanning procedure or at any point during study enrollment; * surgical intervention or introduction/change in opioid regimen at any point during study enrollment * contraindications to functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning and positron emission tomography scanning (including presence of a cardiac pacemaker or pacemaker wires, metallic particles in the body, vascular clips in the head or previous neurosurgery, prosthetic heart valves, claustrophobia); * current or past history within the last 5 years of major medical illness not affecting the central nervous system, other than chronic pain; * implanted spinal cord stimulator (SCS) for pain treatment; * any history of neurological illness or major medical illness affecting the central nervous system, unless clearly resolved without long-term consequences; * current or past history of major psychiatric illness; * PTSD, depression, and anxiety are exclusion criteria only if the conditions were so severe as to require hospitalization in the past year. * pregnancy or breast feeding; * history of head trauma requiring hospitalization; * major cardiac event within the past 10 years; * any use of recreational drugs in the past 3 months * any marijuana use, medical or recreational, in the past 3 months * an abnormal physical exam (e.g., peripheral edema); * routine use of opioids ≥ 60 mg morphine equivalents; * use of immunosuppressive medications, such as prednisone, TNF medications within 2 weeks of the visit; * current bacterial or viral infection; * Any other contraindications to CBD administration noted by the study physician. * If undergoing blood draws through an arterial line during scan, …