Cannabis Consumption Is Associated With Lower Opioid Usage Rates
Cannabis opponents have historically portrayed the cannabis plant as a ‘gateway drug.’ Members of the mainstream media have also perpetuated this stereotype, as have film makers going back as far as the 1930s.
However, a growing body of scientific evidence is proving that the ‘gateway drug’ talking point is false. Many public health advocates and researchers have found that the use of many other substances, including the misuse of household items and pharmaceutical drugs, often predates cannabis use in society.
A recent study conducted in Canada found that cannabis consumption is associated with decreased rates of opioid usage, demonstrating that cannabis may actually be an ‘exit drug’ and not a gateway drug. Below is more information about the study and its findings via a news release from NORML:
Vancouver, British Columbia: Polydrug consumers are more likely to cease using non-prescription opioids if they consume cannabis, according to data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review.
Researchers affiliated with the University of British Columbia assessed the relationship between the use of cannabis and unregulated opioids among people who use drugs (PWUD) living with chronic pain.
They reported that the daily use of cannabis was positively associated with opioid cessation, particularly among males.
“Participants reporting daily cannabis use exhibited higher rates of cessation compared to less frequent users or non-users,” the study’s authors concluded. “Our findings add to the growing evidence supporting the potential benefits of cannabis use among PWUD, underlining the need for further research.”
The findings are consistent with prior data suggesting that cannabis use can mitigate opioid-related cravings and manage withdrawal symptoms.
Full text of the study, “Cannabis use and illicit opioid cessation among people who use drugs living with chronic pain,” appears in Drug and Alcohol Review. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids.’
