Chronic pain patients reduce opioid use with medical cannabis – study

A study found that chronic pain patients, who use medical cannabis products, managed to decrease their use of opioids and benzodiazepines

A study on chronic pain patients, published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, found that those taking medical cannabis products under their doctor’s authorisation were able to decrease their use of prescription painkillers.

Researchers from the Rothman Orthopedic Institute at Thomas Jefferson University determined prescription drug consumption among a group of chronic pain patients. They noted the amount before and after they started the state-licensed medical cannabis products.

The patients included were experiencing chronic lower back pain, multifaceted pain from fibromyalgia or neuropathies, neck pain, and joint pain.

The data was collected through Pennsylvania’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program for six months before and after the patients started medical cannabis.

Chronic pain study results

The researchers found that the majority of the patients at 73 per cent were able to decrease or stop their opioid consumption. A further 69 per cent of patients on benzodiazepines were able to reduce their use or stop taking them completely.

The participants also included reduced pain, improvements to their physical and mental health. This was combined with better overall of quality life following medical cannabis.

The authors wrote: “In patients with chronic musculoskeletal non-cancer orthopaedic pain, cannabis reduces pain, improves mental and physical health, and improves the quality of life. Our results show an objective association between the initiation of cannabis therapy and the reduction of both opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions. Our results support the use of cannabis as an effective analgesic and prescription drug-sparing therapy.”

The study noted that 52 per cent of pain patients did not experience intoxication as a side effect of medical cannabis. The results were also recorded within three months of starting cannabis therapy before stabilising at follow-ups.

Previous studies

The findings from this study are consistent with previous studies on prescription pain killers for chronic pain patients.

An earlier study from Florida revealed that 65 per cent of medical cannabis patients had been able to reduce their medication use over time. A further 18 per cent reported they were able to stop taking opioids for chronic pain while another 18 per cent stopped using anxiolytics. Patients also reported being able to swap their NSAIDS.