The opioid epidemic continues to worsen, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 81,000 overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020. Meanwhile, 19 American states have legalized recreational cannabis. Could cannabis be used as a substitute for opioids or help lessen the harms?
Cannabis legalization linked to decline in opioid-related emergency department visits
A recent study led by the University of Pittsburgh found that when recreational cannabis is legalized in a state, there was a short-term decline in opioid-related emergency department visits. People may use cannabis to manage pain and relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms, but it doesn’t directly treat opioid use disorder, write the authors.
The researchers found a 7.6 percent reduction in emergency visits in the four states studied that have implemented cannabis legalization: California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada. Twenty-five additional states acted as controls. The reduction was seen mainly in adults aged 25 to 44, and in more men than other people.
Medical cannabis could reduce prescription opioid use
Cannabis may reduce the use of prescription opioids and improve quality of life, found Canadian research published in Pain Medicine. The study included 1,145 medical cannabis patients at 21 clinics across Canada. Participants were 57.6 percent female, with an average age of 52 years.
After six months, there was a 78 percent reduction in opioid dosages used. Similar reductions were seen in four other types of prescription drugs being taken by participants.
Those with opioid use disorder may increase use when consuming cannabis
While cannabis may be used as a substitute for prescription opioids, research has also looked at the use of both by adults with problem substance use. Research published in Addiction found that opioid use approximately doubled on days when cannabis was also used.
Research developing around the use of cannabis as a replacement for opioids
The direct links between cannabis and opioid use are still unclear. But there is promising research around the use of cannabis to replace some prescription opioids to treat pain. Initial cannabis legalization has been connected to a decrease in emergency department visits. Cannabis has been shown in some studies to be used in the replacement of opioids, but this may not be the case for those with problem substance use or opioid use disorder.