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Puerto Rico pain survey finds medical cannabis to be more effective than opioids
Painkiller addiction treatment has reached a new milestone, with cannabis once again proving it’s efficacy in the medical world.
The findings of a new study have revealed that patients with musculoskeletal disorders, such as fibromyalgia, found cannabis to be more effective than opioids for pain management.
Patients were found to perceive cannabis to be an effective pain management tool for these disorders.
The significance of the study took on a whole new dimension when the majority of those who took part said they found cannabis was a “better alternative” than opioids for pain control.
A team of Puerto Rican investigators surveyed 184 patients with chronic pain conditions regarding their use of medical cannabis. (Lawmakers legalised patient access to certain cannabis preparations in 2015.)
Respondents suffering specifically from musculoskeletal conditions reported an average reduction of 4.47 points on the Numeric Rating Scale following cannabis administration.
Eighty-nine percent of survey participants said that cannabis was “more effective” than opioids for pain management – a finding that is consistent with other studies.
A Better Option Than Narcotics
The authors of the study concluded: “This study showed that the use of medical cannabis among patients with musculoskeletal conditions effectively reduced pain levels based on their NRS reported scores.
In addition, most patients using medical cannabis considered that this drug represents a better option than narcotics (e.g., opioids) for adequate pain management.
Additional studies on medical cannabis should evaluate whether the experience and perspective presented through this study could translate into satisfactory and consistent clinical outcomes.”
Survey data from 2020 estimated that one in five Canadian patients battling musculoskeletal disorders used cannabis to ease their pain.
Among pain patients enrolled in medical cannabis access programs, most subjects report decreasing or even eliminating their use of opiates.
