Frequency of cannabis and illicit opioid use among people who use drugs and report chronic pain: A longitudinal analysis

PLoS Medicine

This study published in PLoS Medicine shows that, among people living with chronic pain, daily cannabis use is associated with less frequent use of illicit opioids.

The study included data from over 1,100 people living with chronic pain and residing in the Vancouver area between 2014 and 2017. The researchers found that people who were using cannabis every day, as compared to non-cannabis users, had half the odds of using illicit opioids every day. People who used cannabis occasionally were neither more nor less likely to use illicit opioids daily.

The researchers found that there may be an intentional therapeutic element associated with daily cannabis use. Some of the study participants reported using cannabis to address pain, stress, nausea, and poor sleep. The researchers propose that some people may use cannabis to decrease their use of opioids. This holds relevance in regions such as the province of British Columbia, where the study was conducted and a public health emergency has been declared due to drug overdoses.

For the original article, click here. 

Lake, S., Walsh, Z., Kerr, T. et al. Frequency of cannabis and illicit opioid use among people who use drugs and report chronic pain: A longitudinal analysis. PLOS Medicine.  Published: November 19, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002967