Patients and healthcare professionals are becoming increasingly interested in the clinical benefits of medical cannabis for a variety of ailments, most notably pain relief. Some studies have concluded that medical cannabis may be an effective alternative to opioids and benzodiazepines in certain patient populations, whereas others have concluded that there is insufficient evidence. Get medical cannabis from a CBD store online for easier access to the same.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report in 2018 that estimated over 50 million US citizens, or just under 20% of the total population, suffer from chronic pain. Medical cannabis is thought to be beneficial in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions and symptoms.
The
legalization and expansion of medical cannabis have sparked heated debate in
the medical community. Adults are now permitted to use medical cannabis in the
majority of states. Pharmacists must now be prepared to provide pharmaceutical
care to patients who use medical cannabis while adhering to the law.
Why Opt for Medical Cannabis to Manage Chronic Pain?
Chronic
pain is common, costly, and difficult to treat. Many people suffering from
chronic pain have turned to cannabis as an alternative form of pain relief.
Furthermore, there is growing interest in the use of cannabis and cannabinoids
to treat chronic noncancer pain. This is due to their ability to reduce
benzodiazepine and opioid dose requirements. Some people's increased curiosity
is due to their increased safety. When compared to opioids and benzodiazepines,
their use has the potential to reduce both drug requirements via a drug-sparing
effect. Both of these factors are thought to contribute to fewer opioid and
benzodiazepine-related deaths.
Cannabis for Chronic Pain
Although opioid-based therapeutic agents have received attention for managing severe pain, the major concerns are their adverse drug effects and the mortality rate associated with opioid overdose. Evidence from clinical trials showed that cannabis, particularly delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinoids, reduced the intensity of neuropathic pain in a variety of conditions. Getting the same from a CBD store online makes the process simpler as you can get it from the ease of your home or from anywhere you are.
There
have also been reports on the use of cannabinoid combination therapies for
chronic pain management. The link between cannabis dependence and addiction has
been widely debated, with reports indicating that it may be lower than for
other substances such as nicotine and alcohol. More countries have decided to
legalize the use of cannabis and marijuana for medical purposes.
Healthcare professionals should stay current on the state of medical cannabis and its applications.
According
to new research published in the journal
Health Affairs, the majority of people who use medical marijuana do so to treat
chronic pain.
The
findings of the study add to the growing body of evidence that medical
marijuana may be a more effective and safer alternative to prescription opioids
in the treatment of chronic pain.
Why Are Benzodiazepines and
Opioids so Bad?
In 2019, benzodiazepines, a type of prescription sedative commonly prescribed for anxiety or to help with insomnia, were involved in 16% of opioid overdose deaths. These are medical conditions that can be treated with medical marijuana and its derivatives. Previous research has also highlighted the risks of combining opioids and benzodiazepines. A North Carolina cohort study discovered that the overdose death rate among patients receiving both types of medications was ten times higher than among those receiving only opioids.
This gives a straight correlation to how addictive and dangerous both these drugs can be.
Conclusion
Medical cannabis use was associated with clinical improvements in pain, function, and quality of life, as well as reductions in prescription drug use. 73% stopped or reduced opioid consumption, and 31% stopped taking benzodiazepines. Notably, only 52% of patients experienced intoxication as a side effect of cannabis therapy. Significant clinical benefits of cannabis were observed within three months of starting cannabis therapy and plateaued at subsequent follow-ups.
This
demonstrates a clear link between the start of cannabis therapy and objectively
fewer opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions.
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