Cannabis outperforms opioids yet again

In my view, it’s a complete tragedy that doctors still prescribe opioids. Because these notorious pain drugs aren’t just dangerous. They also don’t even work especially well. (And this is true even with steadily increasing dosages.)

In fact, as I’ve shared here before, opioid drugs have the opposite effect: They actually increase pain sensitivity over time.

This is incredibly convenient for Big Pharma, of course—but not so much for people battling chronic pain. And that’s one of the reasons why I’ve devoted so much of my time to tackling pain relief alternatives for my suffering patients—with a large focus on cannabis.

So when new research comes out supporting medical marijuana’s critical role in the struggle to manage pain without deadly drugs, you can count on me to share it with you…

Cannabis keeps pain in check  

A new study looked at pain intensity and tolerance among patients who use cannabis.

Researchers recruited subjects who use cannabis more than three times a week and compared them to people who don’t use it at all.

Then, scientists gauged pain responses using a cold-pressor task test—where subjects submerge their hand and arm in ice water for a set period of time.

Results suggested that regular cannabis use doesn’t increase pain sensitivity—a condition called hyperalgesia—the way opioid use does. And I think it’s safe to say that this is a pretty critical finding, given the lethal risks of overprescribing pain medications—a vicious cycle that leads directly to addiction, overdose, and death.

This finding also makes perfect sense when you consider previous research I’ve shared, which shows that cannabis can help cancer patients reduce their use of opioids.

In addition, population-based studies have also reported a sharp drop in overall opiate prescription rates in states where medical marijuana has been legalized. And clinical research backs up this trend…

In fact, one trial showed that patients who took cannabis at the start of the study reported lower pain scores when compared to controls. And more importantly, they didn’t require increased dosages of opioids to stay that way.

Not only that, but by the end of the six-month study period, nearly 50 percent of the controls had died… versus only 20 percent of the patients who took medical marijuana from the start.

A safer path to a pain-free life

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: What we have in marijuana is a true way out of the opioid crisis—through safe, natural, non-addictive, plant-based medicine.

That’s why I’ve devoted so much space to the incredible powers of cannabis—both here in Reality Health Check, and in my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives—in recent years.

I first tackled its promising role in pain relief last summer, in the July 2019 issue (“Is chronic pain holding you hostage?”). And more recently, in the July 2020 issue, I brought the conversation full circle to discuss how to purchase a safe and effective supplement from a growing body of questionable competitors.

So if you haven’t yet, as always, consider subscribing today. Because whether you struggle with chronic pain or just the occasional sleepless night, this is life-changing information you simply can’t afford to miss.

Source:

“Pain tolerance among cannabis users: Unlike opioids, long-term cannabis use does not increase sensitivity to pain.” Science Daily, 09/10/2020. (sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200910120105.htm)