Patients who use cannabis reduce their use in medications for pain, anxiety, migraine and sleep disorders

In an online survey of 1,513 patients, who receive cannabis from dispensaries, researchers from different scientific institutions across the USA revealed that a large number significantly reduced their use of several other medications.

Among respondents that regularly used opioids, over three-quarters (76.7%) indicated that they reduced their use since they started the medical use of cannabis. Approximately two-thirds of patients decreased their use of anti-anxiety drugs (71.8%), followed by medications for migraine (66.7%), sleep disorders (65.2%), alcohol (42.0%) and antidepressants (37.6%). Authors wrote that “a majority of patients reported using les opioids as well as fewer medications to treat anxiety, migraines, and sleep after initiating MC [medical cannabis]”.

Piper BJ, DeKeuster RM, Beals ML, Cobb CM, Burchman CA, Perkinson L, Lynn ST, Nichols SD, Abess AT. Substitution of medical cannabis for pharmaceutical agents for pain, anxiety, and sleep. J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Mar 1. [in press]

Source: IACM Bulletin