Cannabis Found Not to Be a Substitute for Opioids
There has been interest in cannabis being used as a replacement drug for people with opioid use disorder, but research at McMaster University has found it doesn’t work.
The research team looked at all research on the effects of cannabis use on illicit opioid use during methadone maintenance therapy, which is a common treatment for opioid use disorder, and found six studies involving more than 3,600 participants.
However, a meta-analysis of the studies found cannabis use didn’t reduce illicit opioid use during treatment nor did it retain people in treatment.
The study was published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
“There is limited evidence that cannabis use may reduce opioid use in pain management, and some high-profile organizations have suggested cannabis is an ‘exit drug’ for illicit opioid use, but we found no evidence to suggest cannabis helps patients with opioid use disorder stop using opioids,” said senior author Dr. Zainab Samaan, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at McMaster and a Hamilton staff psychiatrist.
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4 Comments
I have had a very long history with prescription meds, such as, opiates, benzos, different types of uppers, like ritalin and adderall. Along with caffeine and nicotine. I am now over the age of 50, and I have successfully taken as directed, bupernorphine along with a medical marijuana card, to purchase legally in my home state. These choices that we’re doing together as a family that’s very educated and devoted to both mentally and physically. My life is now something that I can be proud of.
I read a very similar (same( article in another publication last week, the huge difference between the two is that the article last at least had written at the very bottom that no, i repeat NO Cannabis was used in the study. So my question is this, if i do a study about driving nails and i use only information about how useful metal pipes are for driving nails, is it conclusive evidence that hammers are not good for driving nails? After all both metal pipes are made of metal and both have the ability to be swung in such a manner as to hit nails. This article is absurd and is meant to mislead people who do not understand the subject matter or only read the false headline. This is not based on proper factual unbiased science. Unless of course you actually believe the counsel for addiction, which is who sponsored the study, is truly capable of being unbiased on a study about cannabis. Especially a study that did NOT use any cannabis in the study. Do you?
Very interesting reading As a woman who has suffered with chronic pain for over 40 yrs I have both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis I am allergic to Asprin so cannot take NSAIDs
I am going to investigate what cannabis treatments if any would be helpful to me
Very interesting reading As a woman who has suffered with chronic pain for over 40 yrs I have both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis I am allergic to Asprin so cannot take NSAIDs
I am going to investigate what cannabis treatments if any would be helpful to me