According to the results from a recent survey, marijuana is as effective as opioids in treating neuropathy symptoms. The majority of patients who suffer from this painful condition use cannabis that contains more than 20% THC. This raises questions about previous studies which relied on marijuana grown by the government, which is usually lower-potency.
NuggMD, a company that connects patients with doctors to get medical cannabis recommendations surveyed 603 patients, who stated that neuropathy was their primary or second reason for using marijuana. Neuropathy can cause pain. Patients rated the level of pain they experienced before and after cannabis treatment on a 1-10 scale.
Marijuana Moment was the only company to receive these results. They showed that there were clear signs of relief. The study revealed that “the average pain level prior to cannabis use was 7.64 and the average level of pain after cannabis use is 3.44.” This amounts to an average pain relief of 4.2/10 for the participants.
According to previous research, this is the same level of pain relief or even more than what’s typically experienced with conventional treatments like prescription opioids. In a 2017 randomized study, neuropathy patients gave oxycodone/acetaminophen a pain-relieving rating of 4.4. They also gave ibuprofen/acetaminophen a score of 4.3. Codeine/acetaminophen scored 3.9. Hydrocodone/acetaminophen received a score of 3.5.
As the new survey shows, only ten states list neuropathy explicitly as a qualifying medical condition for marijuana.
Researchers also noted that, while “increasing dosage of cannabinoids does not necessarily lead more effective relief,” it was generally recommended to patients–and they benefited from–higher potency marijuana in excess of 20% THC. This could explain why previous studies on marijuana and neurological disorders that used lower THC cannabis didn’t match NuggMD findings.
Our survey results showed that people who used high-THC marijuana found significant relief from their neuropathy, the study’s researchers said. They added that “much research on cannabis for neuropathy relies on low-quality cannabis that has low THC levels or focuses on CBD.”
A majority of those surveyed (58.6%) reported that they used marijuana flower with a THC content greater than 20 percent. Concentrates (26.3%), which contain higher concentrations of THC and are more intoxicating, flower below 20 percent (11.1%) and non-inhalables (3.9%) were used by a smaller proportion.
Most patients who describe cannabis as a treatment are using products with higher potency, which is common in many state-legal market and significantly more potent that government-grown marijuana for research purposes.
The authors of the new study write: “Accordingly, our survey found that the most consistent variable was the use high-potency marijuana with a THC level of at least 20 percent.” This is an important finding because most research into the efficacy and safety of cannabis in treating pain has used cannabis products that have a THC content below 20 percent. These studies are often used to claim that THC does not work for pain relief.
For decades, federally-approved research on marijuana required that scientists use only cannabis grown by a single farm approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Experts have long criticised the quality of this “research grade” marijuana. One study revealed that the chemical profile for the cannabis sold by the government was closer to industrial hemp than marijuana found on the commercial market.
The monopoly of marijuana cultivation for research has been broken, as DEA approved more manufacturers to grow a diverse array cannabis varieties. The new survey suggests that previous research on the effectiveness of cannabis in treating neuropathy could have been compromised by using only low-THC products.
The authors stated that “these products are often used for research and are not representative of the medical cannabis available on recreational or medical markets.”
Congressmen have expressed concern about the lack of marijuana available to scientists that is comparable to what’s found in licensed dispensaries. The policy has been the subject of several attempts in both chambers, but none have yet succeeded. While President Joe Biden had signed a bill last year to streamline marijuana research, the House version did not include provisions that would allow scientists to purchase retail cannabis to conduct research.
Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances Act’s (CSA), has said that this restriction — in addition to the fact marijuana is classified under Schedule I drugs– has stymied the research into the benefits and risks of cannabis.
The results of the NuggMD study, which cautions that “it does not provide causal proof of cannabis being effective for the treatment of neuropathy pain”, also reveal how strongly patients favor medical marijuana over alternative treatments.
When asked what they would do if they didn’t have access to medical cannabis, more respondents chose to take nothing and endure the symptoms (128) than to use opioids (112). Another 36 patients indicated that they would use alcohol, despite the fact that drinking can be associated with neuropathy.
In a recent statement, NuggMD Chief medical officer Brian Kessler stated that “Neuropathy” is a chronic disease that requires long-term care. I hear from patients who are concerned about severe side effects or dependence when taking opioids or drugs such as gabapentin for extended periods. Medical marijuana is a safer option for many patients that can improve their quality of living.
The study adds to the growing body scientific literature that identifies benefits of medical cannabis as a substitute to traditional pharmaceuticals.
A separate study, published earlier in the month, showed that marijuana consumption is associated with an improved quality of living, including better job performance and sleep, as well as increased energy, appetite, and motivation.
One study from the University of Colorado found that regular cannabis use was associated with better cognition and less pain in cancer patients and chemotherapy recipients.
In a study published this month in the International Journal of Drug Policy, it was found that States that legalized medical cannabis have experienced significant reductions in their health insurance rates as compared to those states where cannabis remains completely illegal.
GOP Congressman Pushes DEA Head For Update On Biden’s Marijuana Scheduling Review
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The post Patients Say Marijuana Treats Neuropathy Just as Well As Opioids And Most Report Using High THC Cannabis, New Study Finds first appeared on Marijuana Minute.
