Even though there is little evidence that they are effective for the long term, chronic pain patients are commonly treated with opioids. The purpose of this study was to determine if using medical cannabis (marijuana) for chronic pain changed individual patterns of opioid use.
A survey of 244 medical marijuana patients with chronic pain was conducted in Michigan between November 2013 and February 2015. Researchers collected various data including changes in opioid use, quality of life, medication classes used, and medication side effects before and after initiation of cannabis usage.
Medical marijuana use was associated with a 64% decrease in opioid use, and 45% reported an improved quality of life. There was also an associated decrease in number of medications and a decrease in side effects from medications.
This study suggests that many chronic pain patients are substituting medical marijuana for other medications because of the reduced side effects and increased benefits.
