Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
-
Review Meta Analysis
Systematic review and meta-analysis of cannabis treatment for chronic pain.
Cannabis preparations have been used as a remedy for thousands of years in traditional medicine. Clinical use of cannabinoid substances is restricted, due to legal and ethical reasons, as well as limited evidence showing benefits. ⋯ Currently available evidence suggests that cannabis treatment is moderately efficacious for treatment of chronic pain, but beneficial effects may be partially (or completely) offset by potentially serious harms. More evidence from larger, well-designed trials is needed to clarify the true balance of benefits to harms.
-
Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit drug in the United States. Its use, particularly in early initiates, is associated with subsequent development of other drug and alcohol use disorders. ⋯ Cannabis use is prevalent in patients prescribed chronic opioid therapy and is associated with opioid misuse. Further research is necessary to clarify the strength and the nature of the association between cannabis use and opioid misuse, and to address additional questions about the consequences of cannabis use in the context of chronic opioid therapy.