For anyone out there who still needs to be convinced that cannabis can reduce opioid prescribing AND reduce public and private healthcare costs, here’s a brand new Canadian study (linked here) that I was fortunate to be a part of.
Our findings support the hypothesis that easier access to cannabis for pain may reduce opioid use for both public and private drug plans.
Overall the findings are very encouraging, although I do worry that patients are increasingly turning to the non-medical cannabis system for access. While cannabis has a superior safety profile compared to most other medications, there are contraindications & drug interactions that patients need to be aware of. Working with a licensed healthcare professional is crucial to ensuring patient safety--particularly when you’re talking about weaning things like opioids, benzodiazepines, etc.
This is yet another reason why we need to #CoverCannabis in Canada for patients who could benefit. Please help us continue to spread the word by sharing your own #CoverCannabis stories on social or sharing this post. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!