Should cannabis be made available as a secure substitute for prescription opioids? Due to the drug’s prohibition in the majority of states, there have only been a few studies done in the past looking at how well it treats pain (and still illegal on a federal level). But now that yet another recent study has confirmed the effectiveness of marijuana in treating pain, it may be time to reconsider the drug’s place in medicine. Here are some ways that marijuana can be utilized to relieve pain and illness. Don’t overlook these as you read on to ensure your health and the health of others.
1
How Medical Cannabis Enhances Life Quality
In addition to assisting cancer patients with pain management, medical marijuana also improves overall quality of life and offers a safe alternative to opioids, according to a study published by Israeli researchers. Patients reported a 22% decrease in anxiety and a 20% decrease in discomfort. According to the report, “Studies have demonstrated that quality of life in patients with a serious illness like cancer has a significant influence in treatment adherence and success.” Furthermore, it was previously proposed that factors including quality of life, disability, sleep, anxiety, and others that have a multifactorial impact on chronic pain comorbidities may indirectly influence the observed decrease in pain intensity.
2
Could Medical Cannabis Substitute for Opioids?
One intriguing finding of the Israeli study was that, among the 324 cancer patients who received medical marijuana treatment for six months, nearly half entirely ceased using other painkillers. According to researcher David Meiri from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, “Traditionally, cancer-related pain is primarily treated by opioid analgesics, but most oncologists consider opioid treatment as harmful, thus alternative approaches are required.”
3
Cannabis Is a Highly Effective Painkiller
According to Dr. Peter Grinspoon, pain management is medicinal marijuana’s most popular usage in the US. “Cannabis is highly effective for the chronic pain that afflicts millions of Americans, especially as they age, even though it is not strong enough to treat severe pain (such as post-surgical pain or a broken bone). One of its allures is that it is unquestionably safer than opiates (it is impossible to overdose on and significantly less addictive) and can substitute for NSAIDs like Advil or Aleve if patients are unable to take them owing to kidney, ulcer, or GERD issues.”
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Cannabis Is Not a Cancer Treatment
While marijuana has shown promise in alleviating the side effects of chemotherapy and cancer, it cannot treat cancer and should never be used in this way. According to Donald Abrams, an oncologist and professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco who has long advocated for medical marijuana, “the saddest and most frustrating thing for me is to meet patients who have delayed coming in for six months because they heard marijuana treats cancer and they wanted to try it first.” “Proven treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation that prolong and preserve lives are too late for some.”
5
Is the Law Needed to Change?
The majority of U.S. states have legalized medicinal marijuana, but the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved it, making it challenging for doctors to recommend it. Dr. Grinspoon offers the following advice to medical professionals: “Whether you are for, against, or neutral toward medical marijuana, patients are embracing it. Despite the lack of rigorous research and ‘gold standard’ proof of the advantages and disadvantages of medical marijuana, we need to learn about it, be open-minded, and most importantly, be non-judgmental.”
