New research suggests cannabis may reduce pain, depression, and opioid use among cancer patients
Anew study has found that the use of medical marijuana decreased the intensity of pain experienced by cancer patients, and provided a safe and effective alternative to opioids for some.
The use of cannabis was also found to have a positive effect on anxiety relief, mood elevation, and the alleviation of depression—which are significant quality-of-life issues for people dealing with cancer.
he study, The Effectiveness and Safety of Medical Cannabis for Treating Cancer Related Symptoms in Oncology Patients, was published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Pain Research on May 20. It’s the first study to analyze the possible benefits of medical cannabis for cancer-related pain, according to author David Meiri, assistant professor at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.
An alternative to opioids?
Cancer pain is intense and complex. Traditionally, opioids are perceived as the most effective treatment for cancer pain. But opioids come with risks. An emphasis on opioid treatments can increase the risk of opioid abuse, misuse, and dependency among oncology patients.
Opioids may also amplify a patient’s suffering by exacerbating cancer’s associated comorbidities—conditions such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
For decades, medical marijuana has been used by patients fighting cancer to quell the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy. But cannabis has known analgesic (pain relieving) qualities, too, and some cancer patients have used it to deal with both conditions, nausea and pain. Until recently, though, there’s been a lack of research on the effectiveness of cannabis in decreasing cancer pain.