Marijuana and Pain Treatment - The Fallacy of an Alternative to Opioids

Introduction: Marijuana legalization was promoted to the public, among other things, as an effective alternative to opioid pain medication.  But again, the facts, evidence, and science were absent from the discussion.

Fact Facts on Marijuana and Pain Treatment:  Here are some important facts regarding the efficacy of marijuana use for pain management:

1.       Lancet Public Health is a very respected medical journal.  Lancet conducted a four year prospective study of noncancer chronic pain patients and found no evidence marijuana use mitigated pain severity or had any effect on opioid prescribing or the discontinuation of opioid use.[1]

2.       To the contrary, there is evidence showing chronic marijuana use is associated with poor control of pain.[2]

3.       There have been two large studies in Australia, the results of which very much undermine the notion marijuana is effective against chronic pain.[3]

4.       Much like alcohol, marijuana is an intoxicant first, and pain relief is very much secondary to its primary effect.[4]

5.       Marijuana’s effect as a pain reliever is more often compared to a placebo rather than even over the counter pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil.[5] 

 Conclusion:  While marijuana’s promotion as a safe and effective alternative to opioids was used as a propaganda technique during referendum votes, this false narrative continues to exist which creates an increased danger to our community as use rates continue to rise (as do ALL of the negative consequences of increased used of marijuana). 

[1] Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., Smoke Screen: What the Marijuana Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know, (Forefront Books, 2021), p. 130, 223.

[2] Id. at 223.

[3] Alex Berenson, Tell Your Children the Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence, (First Free Press Paperback Edition, February 2020), p. xviii.

[4] Id. at 108-09.

[5] Id. at xviii.