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A recent review concludes that there is no link between the use of cannabis and a person's use of illicit opioids. The study challenges the notion that cannabis serves as a gateway drug influencing individuals to try narcotics. It also also dismisses the idea that weed is effective in helping individuals overcome opioid addiction. The findings have significant implications for U.S. opioid treatment programs. Some of these programs mandate abstinence from cannabis for treatment, while others use marijuana as a means to address opioid addiction.
The researchers, led by Gabriel Costa from the University of Ribeirão Preto in Brazil, emphasized the importance of understanding how cannabis and opioids interact to equip healthcare professionals for evidence-based addiction treatment. With approximately 120 people dying each day from drug overdoses related to opioid addiction and the economic cost of opioid use disorder exceeding $1 trillion annually in the U.S., the study challenges the practice of enforcing cannabis abstinence as a condition for offering medications for opioid use disorder.
The study combined the results of 10 previous studies involving nearly 8,400 people prescribed medication for opioid use disorder, such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone. The researchers tracked non-medical opioid use and cannabis use over an average 10-month period, finding no significant link between weed use and rates of illicit opioid use. The researchers suggest adopting individualized treatment approaches that consider each patient's circumstances, addressing cannabis use disorder, pain management needs, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions. However, they also call for more clinical trials to thoroughly assess the safety and effectiveness of cannabis in easing symptoms of opioid addiction.
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