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Patients with chronic pain and mental illness would rather turn to cannabis instead of their prescribed opioid medication, according to new findings from the University of British Columbia and University of Victoria.
Their study tracked more than 250 patients with prescribed medical cannabis, including those with chronic pain, mental health and gastrointestinal issues.
Overall, 63% reported using cannabis instead of their prescription drugs, which included opioids for pain, sedatives and antidepressants.
“This study is one of the first to track medical cannabis use under the new system of licensed producers, meaning that all participants had physician authorization to access cannabis in addition to their prescription medicines,” said UBC associate professor Zach Walsh, co-author of the study.
Study lead Philippe Lucas said people likely switched to cannabis from prescribed medication because of reduced side effects, better symptom management and a feeling that cannabis is safer than prescription drugs.
Walsh said cannabis may have an important role to play in addressing the problematic use of pharmaceutical medications such as opioids.
In 2001, Canada became one of the first nations to develop a program to allow access to cannabis for medical purposes. As of August 2016, more than 30 federally authorized licensed producers of cannabis provided product to more than 65,000 patients.
“Further research into how well cannabis works compared to the accepted front-line treatments is warranted,” says Walsh. “Additionally, long-term research into the potential impact of the cannabis substitution on the quality of patient’s lives is ongoing.”
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