Is cannabis a reliable substitute for prescription pain medications when treating patients for chronic pain? Medical cannabis advocates have long said ‘yes’. There is a growing mountain of evidence suggesting they are correct, including a recently released study from the New York Department of Health.
The New York data suggests that chronic pain patients are less likely to use prescription opioids when they are given access to medical cannabis to manage their pain. Knowing what we know about certain types of prescription painkillers, any data in support of replacing those medications with medical cannabis should not be ignored.
Cutting Opioids in Half
Researchers from the New York Department of Health analyzed patient data involving some 8,000 people enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program. They looked at patient use of prescription medications in relation to medical cannabis consumption and noted that daily opioid use was cut in half among chronic … Read the rest
