According to a study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, medical marijuana and opioids were “equally effective” in reducing pain intensity for patients with chronic pain. However, cannabis provided a more “holistic relief” by improving sleep, concentration and emotional well-being.
Researchers say their findings support that medical marijuana (MC) “alleviates the pain by holistically altering pain experience”, rather than “only focusing on pain intensity”.
The report states that “the results of this study support the hypothesis of MC’s effects on pain being more holistic than opioids.” “MC may reduce pain by affecting a wide range of pain-related experiences, such as relaxation and improved sleep, mood, the ability to not react to pain, as well a feeling of control.”
The nine-person Finnish group, led by Abo Akademi University psychologist Jussi Jylkka examined a sample consisting of 201 chronically ill patients. Of these, 40 used medical marijuana to treat their pain, while 161 used opioids. About 45 percent of patients who use medical marijuana also report using opioids to treat their pain, and approximately 4.3 percent of opioid-users have used medical cannabis.
Researchers compared the scores of both groups after subjects completed retrospective surveys that assessed the “positive and negatively phenomenological” effects of the drug.
The authors state that “neither MC nor opioids were first-line treatments for pain but they are both commonly used when other treatments do not provide enough pain relief.” They also note that people who use cannabis or opioids to treat conditions other chronic pain “were specifically asked to refrain from participating in the study.”
Researchers concluded that the self-reported information showed that opioids and medical marijuana “were perceived as equally effective in reducing pain intensity,” but MC also positively affected broader factors related to pain, such as emotion and functionality.
The study states that “both MC and opioids are perceived as reducing pain intensity equally,” The participants said that the side effects of the two treatments were “not different” but rated medical cannabis’ overall effects as being more positive.
The study found that the strongest differences between two groups were a deeper relaxation, better sleeping, an improved mood, and the ability to feel pain without reacting, all of which were reported more frequently by the medical marijuana group.
The authors concluded that “the results support the notion of the psychoactive effects MC is relevant to its therapeutic impact on pain in accordance with previous literature.” However, we don’t mean ‘psychoactive,’ as in something that alters one’s perception and cognitive processes. We’re talking about something that changes consciousness holistically in a positive way, towards normality. ‘”
They also noted that “there were no indications” that MC was perceived as distorting cognitive processes despite its holistic effect on consciousness. Instead, it was perceived to improve clarity of thought, memory and focus.
Researchers say their findings are in line with previous research that has shown that medical cannabis users can experience additional benefits. For example, a 2017 study found that medical marijuana users experienced “substantially less depression and anxiety” than opioid users. A separate study from 2018 found that “cannabis didn’t affect perceived pain intensity but made the pain more bearable and less unpleasant.”
The study cites research conducted in 2016, 2017, and 2022.
It says that “this previous research supports the hypothesis MC exerts its therapeutic effect by altering pain in a holistic way than traditional painkillers.” This means that MC, along with having an antinociceptive (i.e. removing or reducing pain), may also affect the pain experience in a more broad way, by influencing factors like mood and emotion.
In past studies, the authors noted that patients who consumed whole cannabis flowers rather than synthetic THC and isolated cannabinoids appeared to have better outcomes. In literature reviews published in 2021 and 20, for example, the authors noted that “only 6 of the 20 included studies dealt with whole plant products, which were all superior to placebo.” In contrast, isolated and synthetic cannabinoids showed mixed results in both studies.
The researchers concluded that “the current results add to the cumulative evidence that whole plant cannabis flower could be an analgesic.”
Separate research has recently shown that the “entourage” effect of whole plant marijuana produces a more potent and long-lasting psychoactive impact than pure THC.
The team from Finland acknowledged that the limited availability of marijuana within the country was a barrier to research.
The special status of MC is a major limitation in the current survey study. The study explains that although MC is legal in theory, it’s very difficult to obtain a prescription. Recent research illustrates this trend.
The study “The holistic effects on medical cannabis compared with opioids on the pain experience of Finnish patients with chronic Pain” comes at a time when more research is being done to examine the possibility of using marijuana, or certain derivatives of it, as a safer alternative to opioids.
Another study published in the Journal of Dental Research this month found that pure hemp CBD can relieve acute dental pain as effectively as an opioid formula, which is commonly used in dentistry.
The authors of the study wrote that “our results indicate that CBD can be as effective as analgesics currently used and that it can effectively manage dental emergency pain.” They added that this was “the first randomized trial testing CBD to treat dental emergency pain” and that their research could lead to FDA approval for CBD.
In a separate study conducted last month, allowed people to buy CBD legally. This resulted in a significant reduction of opioid prescription rates.
A second study published in the journal Cannabis this summer linked medical marijuana to reduced pain levels, and decreased dependence on opioids, and other prescription medication. Participants reported decreased pain and anxiety as well as improved mental and physical functioning. They also reported better moods, sleep and quality of life, and less dependence on prescription drugs, such as opioids and benzos.
Study: Medical Marijuana Users Experience Lower Anxiety, Pain and Depression after Three Months of Use, According to the Study
The post Marijuana and Opioids are ‘Equally Effective’ in Reducing Pain with Cannabis Offering Additional Holistic Benefits, Study Shows first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
