Could Medical Cannabis Break the Painkiller Epidemic?

[n2doc]

A body of research suggests yes, but scientists are having to fight red tape to study whether medical marijuana could substitute for opioid drugs
By Jeremy Hsu

Six days before Prince died, the iconic pop star was hospitalized after possibly overdosing on Percocet. His death on April 21 involved overdosing on another painkiller, fentanyl. Both are among the prescription opioids that alleviate the pain of millions of Americans every year—often at the price of their needing ever greater amounts and the risk of overdose. The U.S. “is in the midst of an unprecedented opioid epidemic,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Prescription opioid overdoses killed more than 165,000 Americans between 1999 and 2014, and the health and social costs of abusing such drugs are estimated to be as much as $55 billion a year. The problem has led experts to scramble for a less dangerous alternative for pain relief—and some research points to medical marijuana.

As early as 15 years ago physicians began hearing that patients were using cannabis instead of prescription opioids for pain. These anecdotes inspired a research team led by Marcus Bachhuber, assistant professor of medicine at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, to examine whether some states' legalization of medical cannabis had affected the number of opioid overdose deaths. Published in 2014, the study revealed an intriguing trend: between 1999 and 2010, states that permitted medical marijuana had an average of almost 25 percent fewer opioid overdose deaths each year than states where cannabis remained illegal.

Bachhuber's research could not prove that medical cannabis use directly led to fewer opioid overdoses. In addition, the overdose count included both prescription opioids and illegal heroin. But the study opened the eyes of many researchers to a possible relation between marijuana and painkiller use. “I think medical cannabis could fall into the category of alternatives for treating chronic pain so that people don't use opioids or use a lower dose of opioids than they otherwise would,” Bachhuber says.

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http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/could-medical-cannabis-break-the-painkiller-epidemic/

[kestrel91316]

1. It sure has helped me to avoid going down the opiate road altogether.

I have chronic pain from an ancient skiing injury to my neck. Ever since I started availing myself of medical cannabis 4 years ago, I've been like a new person.

I had been using a lot of naproxen with zero results and just didn't want to start with any opiates EVER. They are notoriously useless for neuropathic pain.

[SunSeeker]

2. K & R

[Warpy]

3. That's the hope, anyway

I'm sure it would allow me to lower my own dosage with improved relief. The problem is that Ultram doesn't have much of a buzz and cannabis does. The buzz is something I'd really like to avoid since it makes me put things in places where I can never find them again.

I don't use any pain control at night, which means I wake up a lot in pain. I can see cannabis being a wonderful nighttime medication for me, inducing sleep and keeping it a lot less painful.

Whether it's an adjuct or a primary medication for pain, it should be available. I want to see the plant legal, period. Things like refined oils and edibles need to be a little more controlled since people can run into temporary trouble with them.

[womanofthehills]

15. High CBD, low THC cannabis might work for you

More NM dispensaries are working on high CBD strains and oils. Very slight buzz but cuts the pain.

[AllyCat]

4. Would be great if we could do some STUDIES to find out or just let people find out for

themselves. Marijuana is not addictive like opioids. If I had a condition that would benefit, I would certainly want to use all reasonable options available. The opiod epidemic is killing our people, destroying lives, and hurting our economy. We need some options. Marijuana seems a great thing to try and side effects are already well known by the tens of millions who use it, legally or illegally.

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. Side effects....only positive.....I prefer edibles...don't like coughing.

Prefer a body high as opposed to mind altering high.

[Chakaconcarne]

5. It absolutely can!

I had a biking accident...taking percocet 4 times per day. It helped the periphery of the pain I had, but when I added cannabis, the combination reached deep where the Percocet could not. It could certainly keep people away from the more potent and addictive opioids.

[forest444]

6. Big Pharma will never allow it - not on a massive scale.

This is why Ganja will probably never be rescheduled.

[sorefeet]

7. How many testimonies do they need

people have been saying for 5000 year, "yep it works". What the fuck more do you need, to say, well maybe there is something to this stuff. I have SEVERE neuropathy from 30 years of solvent poisoning. AND IT WORKS.

[mrmpa]

8. I've been on vicodin going on 8 years..........

2 a day, supplanted with Ultram if needed. A few times a year I call upon a nephew to buy me some pot. It is so wonderful, I smoke it before I go to bed, wake up nearly pain free, I don't have to reach for a vicodin until I've been up for about 5 hours vs. almost immediately having to take it upon waking when I don't smoke any.

My 86 year old mother also uses vicodin, 3 a day is the ususal, but she is prescribed 4 a day. I asked her if she would like to use pot for her pain. She said "when it's legal." I said "from your mouth to God's ears."

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. Prescription opioid overdoses killed more than 165,000 Americans between 1999

and 2014, and the health and social costs of abusing such drugs are estimated to be as much as 55 billion a year... Things that make you go hmmm.

[jtuck004]

12. First we have to break free of our superstitions. n/t

[Raster]

13. Not if Big Pharma has anything to say about it.

[womanofthehills]

14. marijuana saved medicare $165 million

and that amt will probably keep increasing