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A new study conducted in Canada has found that patients prefer cannabis over opioid medication to treat chronic pain and mental health issues. Researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria conducted the study.
Reported in Science Daily, “This study is one of the first to track medical cannabis use under the new system of licensed producers, meaning that all participants had physician authorization to access cannabis in addition to their prescription medicines,” says UBC Assoc. Prof. Zach Walsh, co-author of the study.
The study tracked over 250 patients with a medical cannabis prescriptions for things like conditions such as chronic pain, mental health and gastrointestinal issues.
63 percent of respondents reported using cannabis instead of their prescription drugs, which included opioids (to treat pain), benzodiazepines (sedatives) and anti-depressants.
Canada became one of the first nations to develop a program to allow access to cannabis for medical purposes back in 2001. By last August there were 30 federally authorised licensed producers of cannabis providing products for more than 65,000 patients.
More to follow tomorrow with a special UK report by our News Editor.
Direct study link: https://www.ijdp.org/article/S0955-3959(17)30013-0/abstract
