New study reinforces that the use of cannabis can decrease the use of opioids for chronic pain
Research conducted by the University of Michigan School demonstrates that 65% of the research participants had good results with the use of cannabis
Curation and editing by Sechat Content, with information from American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine
The results of a new study support previous evidence that cannabis can be an effective substitute for millions of patients using opioids while suffering from chronic pain.
Researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School concluded that individuals using cannabis for chronic pain management reported reductions in opioid and other pain medication use.
Over 1000 people participated in the study, with 53% substituting opioids with cannabis and 22% with benzodiazepines. Over 65% of the substitutes reported discontinuing the use of opioid-derived medications due to better symptom control and fewer side effects.
The authors state that the poor performance of many pain medications leads many patients to seek alternatives with greater analgesic efficacy, as well as fewer side effects and risk of dependence, such as cannabinoids.
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They also report that physicians can incorporate evidence-based medicine practice, creating a synergy between available scientific facts and clinical experience observed in day-to-day patient care.
Despite the lack of strong clinical trials providing explicit dosage guidelines, physicians can still provide strong clinical oversight through:
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- Developing treatment plans that take into account patient expectations/goals and include symptom tracking;
- Employing harm reduction strategies (e.g., avoiding smoking, exercising daily, eating properly, etc.);
- Ensuring that patients are aware of the limits of evidence and the current regulatory system, especially for CBD products, which are often mislabeled and do not undergo rigorous safety testing.