An opioid is a drug related to morphine, which is mostly prescribed by physicians to treat moderate pain like dental pain to severe pain like an injury-related one.
According to a study conducted by researchers from the American Journal of Public Health, they found out that adults between ages 21 to 40 decreases the rates of opioid use if they are under the medication of medical marijuana. Especially if the person is just close to a cannabis dispensary or s/he can plant and grow on their own. As compared to places that did not have yet license to operate a program in growing plants legally for people to obtain it.
If the marijuana has a promising result to adults who use opioid for the specified age range, on the contrary, it didn't have a good result if applied to adults with ages 40 years and above. Even though these locations have legalized operational medical marijuana programs, the herb didn't take effect on this groups of people.
Below are some of the benefits of medical marijuana versus opioids users in states that allow the legalization and possession of marijuana for medical purposes.
- According to a study in 2014 published in JAMA Internal Medicine, it was reported that medical cannabis in U.S. states appears to be connected with lower ratio of deaths per year.
- Another study done by June H. Kim of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, stated that "This medical discovery seems like to back-up the claim that this Indian hemp plant with dried leaves, stems and flowers may offer an alternative for opioids in 21 to 40 years old adult who commonly experience severe or long lasting pain."
Even though marijuana or Cannabis sativa contains a substance that can be mind-altering resulting to changes in moods and behavior, the medical industry proves its benefits on the reduction of opioid use in adults.
