The article “Changes in Prescribed Opioid Dosages Among Patients Receiving Medical Cannabis for Chronic Pain, New York State, 2017-2019” by Trang Nguyen reports on a study conducted to examine changes in prescribed opioid dosages among patients receiving medical cannabis for chronic pain in New York State between 2017 and 2019.
The study analyzed data from 8,165 patients who had chronic pain and were certified to use medical cannabis in New York State between 2017 and 2019. The study used a retrospective observational design and collected data on patients’ demographics, medical conditions, and medication use.
The study found that patients who used medical cannabis for chronic pain had a significant reduction in their prescribed opioid dosages. At the end of the 8 month follow-up period, there was a 47% to 51% reduction in average opioid dosages. Patients who used medical cannabis were more likely to have their opioid dosages reduced than those who did not use medical cannabis. There was also a decrease in the number of patients who were prescribed high-dose opioids (defined as an average daily morphine equivalent dose of 90 mg or more) after starting medical cannabis.
The study suggests that medical cannabis may be a promising alternative to opioids for chronic pain management. The findings suggest that medical cannabis use was associated with a significant reduction in opioid dosages and a decrease in the number of patients prescribed high-dose opioids.
