Medical Marijuana > Opioids?

American Professors Find Less Opioid Use Where Weed Is Legal

By: WeedClub Team, Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 1:17 PM PT

A recent study conducted by three Florida International University professors found that patients residing in states where medical marijuana is legal are less likely to use opioids to treat chronic pain. 

The study's main goal was to examine the effects of cannabis policies on opioid use. The legalization of medical marijuana can persuade patients suffering from chronic pain to try cannabis before turning to opioids. While legalization of medical marijuana may influence new patients, the study found that it had no bearing on people currently abusing opioids.

In past studies cited within the paper, cannabis was found to be a more effective pain reliever that causes fewer and less serious side effects than opioids. Though it may come with minor side effects, many patients expressed a preference for cannabis over opioids. Given the large pool of patients suffering from chronic pain (over 116 million Americans) may be a potential alternative to opioids for chronic pain relief.

No wonder pharmaceutical companies tried to block cannabis legalization by contributing to groups that lobbied against the regulation of cannabis.  It is still early in the post-Prohibition world, however it is already becoming apparent that there are many medical secrets to unveil within the cannabis plant.  New chemicals are still being isolated as researchers begin to unravel this beneficial mystery.  

Less people dead from overdoses is one of many reasons for governments to enable easy access to legal weed.