47. cannabis as a substitute for opioid-based pain medication: patient self-report

Can medical cannabis be a substitute for opioid-based pain medication?

Medical cannabis patients report that cannabis is just as effective, if not more, than opioid-based medications for pain. Materials and Methods: The current study examined the use of cannabis as a substitute for opioid-based pain medication by collecting survey data from 2897 medical cannabis patients.

Can cannabis help people with opioid addiction?

Ninety-seven percent of the sample "strongly agreed/agreed" that they are able to decrease the amount of opiates they consume when they also use cannabis, and 81% "strongly agreed/agreed" that taking cannabis by itself was more effective at treating their condition than taking cannabis with opioids.

How many people take nonopioid-based pain medications along with cannabis?

Sixty-four percent of the sample ( N =1751) reported taking a nonopioid-based pain medication (e.g., Tylenol) for their condition currently or in the past 6 months. Seventy-six percent of the sample reported taking a nonopioid-based pain medication along with cannabis currently or in the past 6 months.

Does cannabis have more tolerable side effects than opioids?

In addition, 89% “strongly agreed/agreed” that taking opioids produces unwanted side effects such as constipation and nausea. Ninety-two percent of the sample “strongly agreed/agreed” that cannabis has more tolerable side effects than the opioid-based medications they have taken.

How many people died from opioids in 2014?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention report that “[o]pioids (including prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin) killed more than 28,000 people in 2014, more than any year on record.”. Unfortunately, this statistic has done little to curb the prescribing and consumption patterns for prescription opioids.

What are the limitations of cannabis research?

One of the major limitations of cannabis research is the difficulty in determining how much cannabis participants are using. Variations in strength of product, size of vessel, and social use patterns all impact the reliability and validity of consumption measures. This survey did not ask participants to estimate their amount of consumption and therefore cannot comment on reported effective doses.

Is opioid use curbed?

At the micro level, there is a great deal of individual risk associated with prolonged use of opioids and perhaps even nonopioid-based pain medications. The prescribing of opioids has not been curbed in the United States, despite the growing number of fatal overdoses and reported dependence.

Is there a comparison group of pain patients who only have access to opioid-based medications or individuals solely using?

This is a study of patient self-report through online survey. The data for analyses are based on patient perception and not on objective measure of cannabis and opioid use. Furthermore, there is no comparison group of pain patients who only have access to opioid-based medications or individuals solely using over-the-counter medications for pain. Finally, the solicitation e-mail sent to potential participants included the title of the study which relates to cannabis use for pain. This may have biased the respondents toward those using for pain versus other conditions.

Is cannabis a good alternative to opioids?

Alternatives to opioids for the treatment of pain are necessary to address this issue . Cannabis can be an effective treatment for pain, greatly reduces the chance of dependence, and eliminates the risk of fatal overdose compared to opioid-based medications.

Is cannabis a pain treatment?

Providing the patient with the option of cannabis as a method of pain treatment alongside the option of opioids might assist with pain relief in a safer environment with less risk. A society with less opioid dependent people will result in fewer public health harms. Author Disclosure Statement.

What is the endocannabinoid system?

Endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been identified ever since cannabinoid, an active substance of Cannabis, was known to interact with endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid/eCB) receptors. It later turned out that eCB was more intricate than previously thought. It has a pervasive role and exerts a multitude of cellular signaling mechanisms, regulating various physiological neurotransmission pathways in the human brain, including the dopaminergic (DA) system. eCB roles toward DA system were robust, clearly delineated, and reproducible with respect to physiological as well as pathological neurochemical and neurobehavioral manifestations of DA system, particularly those involving the nigrostriatal and mesocorticolimbic pathways. The eCB–DA system regulates the basics in the Maslow’s pyramid of hierarchy of needs required for individual survival such as food and sexual activity for reproductive purpose to those of higher needs in the pyramid, including self-actualization behaviors leading to achievement and reward (e.g., academic- and/or work-related performance and achievements). It is, thus, interesting to specifically discuss the eCB–DA system, not only on the molecular level, but also its tremendous potential to be developed as a future therapeutic strategy for various neuropsychiatric problems, including obesity, drug addiction and withdrawal, pathological hypersexuality, or low motivation behaviors.

Is cannabis a good substitute for opioids?

Cannabis can be an effective treatment for pain, greatly reduces the chance of dependence, and eliminates the risk of fatal overdose compared to opioid-based medications. Medical cannabis patients report that cannabis is just as effective, if not more, than opioid-based medications for pain. Materials and Methods: The current study examined the use of cannabis as a substitute for opioid-based pain medication by collecting survey data from 2897 medical cannabis patients. Discussion: Thirty-four percent of the sample reported using opioid-based pain medication in the past 6 months. Respondents overwhelmingly reported that cannabis provided relief on par with their other medications, but without the unwanted side effects. Ninety-seven percent of the sample “strongly agreed/agreed” that they are able to decrease the amount of opiates they consume when they also use cannabis, and 81% “strongly agreed/agreed” that taking cannabis by itself was more effective at treating their condition than taking cannabis with opioids. Results were similar for those using cannabis with nonopioid-based pain medications. Conclusion: Future research should track clinical outcomes where cannabis is offered as a viable substitute for pain treatment and examine the outcomes of using cannabis as a medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence.

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

• Supporting the results of previous research, this study can conclude that medical cannabis patients report successfully using cannabis along with or as a substitute for opioid-based pain medication. Echoing the results of Ware et al. and Abrams et al., patients in this study who are using cannabis and opioids report that they are able to use less o...

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Limitations

Conclusions