A recent study found that 80 percent of medical cannabis users replace it with prescription pain medications, such as opioids.
Of these, 88 percent reported that cannabis had helped their pain a lot or a little.
Marijuana is currently legal in 11 states and in Washington, DC, and decriminalized in 15 other states.
This month, Hawaii became the fifteenth state of the United States. UU. In decriminalizing marijuana. 11 other states and Washington, D.C. They have already legalized marijuana.

Of course, there are defenders and opponents of the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis.

But for many people with chronic pain, these legal changes have provided them with an alternative way to control their pain, as some people use cannabis instead of prescription medications such as opioids.

The new Hawaiian law allows people to possess up to 3 grams of cannabis without danger of going to jail, although they can still receive a $ 130 fine. However, repetition of crimes and possession of larger amounts can result in more severe sentences.

Replacing cannabis with opioids.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 20.4 percent of US adults. UU. Reliable source has chronic pain and 8 percent have chronic pain intense enough to frequently limit life or work activities.

Increasingly, research shows that many people with chronic pain are turning to cannabis for relief.

A study published earlier this month in The Journal of Pain found that approximately 80 percent of the 1,321 medicinal cannabis users reported replacing it with prescription pain medications: opioids or benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Valium.

The main reasons they gave for consuming cannabis is that it had fewer side effects and helped them better control their pain.

In fact, 88 percent of people who substitute cannabis reported that their pain had improved a lot or a little.

Although most of the research in this area focuses on medical cannabis users, Michelle St. Pierre, a PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of British Columbia, said some people who get recreational marijuana in adult use clinics They can also use it for pain and other health problems.

"We should not assume that someone who does not have a medical authorization is simply using cannabis for fun," he said. "Many of these people are treating illnesses and improving their quality of life."


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Can cannabis help with pain?
St. Pierre said that since pain is a subjective experience and influenced by our psychology, general statements about the effects of cannabis on pain are difficult to make.

"Overall, however, cannabis helps make the pain less frightening," he said. "It can also induce some improvements in mood and can help with sleep."

In general, many studies show that cannabis has a moderate effect on chronic pain.

In a 2018 review, a group of Australian researchers combined and analyzed 104 previous studies that analyzed the use of cannabis and cannabinoids for chronic non-cancer related pain.

Cannabinoids are compounds found in cannabis, of which there are more than 100 different. The most useful from a medical point of view are THC, the compound that makes people "tall" and non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD).

The review authors found that 29 percent of people taking a cannabinoid had a 30 percent decrease in their pain. But so did 25.9 percent of people who take an inactive compound, known as a placebo.

It seems unlikely that cannabinoids are "highly effective" for chronic pain unrelated to cancer, the authors write.

Of course, cannabis may not work for everyone. And not everyone can tolerate it.

People also need to weigh the benefits against the risks.

Side effects that rely on the source of cannabis use include lung diseases (when they smoke), cardiovascular diseases, injuries during work or high driving, and long-term effects on the brain. Marijuana can also be addictive.