New Study: Nearly Half of Medical Marijuana Users Cease Using Opioids After Twelve Months
- Olivia Castro
- Feb 25, 2021
- 2 min read
Opioid Use For Chronic Pain Goes Down by Half!
A study was just published this past month in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, which makes some significant contributions to the medical marijuana community. The goal was to study patients that use medical marijuana for chronic pain. Since chronic pain is one of the main reasons why patients use medical marijuana, this study is of high significance. The study looked at the long-term effectiveness of medical marijuana for chronic pain, the patterns of use, and overall demographics.
The patients were enrolled in the study between September 2015 and July 2018 from medical marijuana clinics in Ontario, Canada. Pain intensity and pain-related inference were the two main variables that were studied using a validated questionnaire that was given at the beginning of the study, then again at three, six and twelve months.
Medical Marijuana Shows Significant Effects Reducing Chronic Pain
It was found that there was a significant reduction in pain intensity and pain-related interference over time when using medical marijuana for chronic pain. There have been many other studies done that support this conclusion. This study adds to the legitimacy of using medical marijuana for chronic pain.
The most exciting news of this study was that opioid use for chronic pain went down by nearly half! At the beginning of the study, 40.8% of patients were using opioids for pain management and by month twelve that number was down to 23.9%.
The results of this research study point to a couple of conclusions. One, medical marijuana is a legitimate treatment for pain management and is backed by solid research studies. Second, the effectiveness of medical marijuana seems to be beneficial over a long period of time, so tolerance may not play a significant role as long as the treatment is stable over time.
Lastly, medical marijuana can be a viable substitute for opioids when used for pain management which is a much safer solution long term.
Get Your Virginia Medical Marijuana Card Today!
If you are a Virginia resident suffering from a medical condition you think may benefit from cannabis, you're likely eligible for medical marijuana treatment.
Click here to learn more about what Virginia Marijuana Card's state-certified medical marijuana doctors can do for you. Or, give us a call at (888) 633-5808 and our friendly support team can walk you through the entire process and schedule you for an evaluation appointment.
A 48% drop in opioid use after twelve months is genuinely striking data, and the implications for chronic pain management could be significant. What I'd add though is that cannabis substitution works best as part of a broader strategy, not a standalone solution. Many people developing fentanyl addiction started with legitimate prescriptions for chronic conditions, and by the time they're physically dependent, swapping substances rarely works without medical supervision. The findings here support harm reduction, but anyone already deep into opioid dependency needs structured detox and ongoing therapy alongside any alternative pain approach. Cannabis might prevent some cases from developing, yet existing dependencies still require dedicated clinical treatment.