Marijuana Seems To Reduce Opioid Use Among Chronic Pain Patients, Meta-Study Finds

Legalization advocates have long argued that marijuana represents a potentially effective treatment option for chronic pain and could serve as an alternative to opioid-based painkillers—and according to a new scientific meta-analysis, they may be onto something.

Analyzing nine published studies on the subject, a team of graduate students at the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health found that patients reported a 64-75 percent reduction in opioid dosage when used in combination with medical cannabis.

“This review found a much higher reduction in opioid dosage, reduced emergency room visits, and hospital admissions for chronic non-cancer pain by [medical cannabis] users, compared to people with no additional use of [medical cannabis],” the authors wrote.

“There was 64%-75% reduction in opioid dosage for MC users, and complete stoppage of opioid use for chronic non-cancer pain by 32%- 59.3% of MC users, when compared to patients without additional use of MC.”

They noted, however, that design flaws and other limitations of the available research make it impossible to draw more detailed conclusions. Of nine available observational studies on the issue, the team wrote, many had “serious risk” of bias due to missing data or poor outcome measurement and the reliance on patient self-reports, while others failed to adequately describe their research methods or “had no clear study objectives.”
Read More