How Can Medicinal Cannabis Use Help Reduce Opioid Dependence?

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine analyzed how participation in the New York State medicinal cannabis program influences opioid consumption among adults with chronic pain. 

The research followed 204 patients using opioids who were certified to access medicinal cannabis products between 2018 and 2023. 
Over 18 months, researchers monitored the monthly dispensing of cannabis and the volume of prescribed opioids, measured in daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME).

Reduction in Opioid Use

The results show a consistent decrease in the use of these medications. The initial average was 73.3 MME/day, dropping to 57.4 MME/day at the end of the follow-up. The study identified that months in which participants picked up a 30-day supply of medicinal cannabis were associated with a reduction of 3.53 MME per day, indicating that regulated access to cannabis may help reduce the need for opioids in chronic pain management.

Impact for Patients and Study Limitations

For many patients, this reduction represents not only pain relief but also reduced exposure to the risks of opioids, such as dependence, adverse effects, and increasing tolerance. Although the study points to a relevant association, the authors emphasize that this is an observational analysis, meaning more studies are still needed.

Nevertheless, the results reinforce the potential role of medicinal cannabis as an ally in chronic pain control, especially in contexts facing crises related to opioid overuse.

With information from Marijuana Moment.