WeedLife News Network

Can marijuana help solve the opioid epidemic?

The most common reason that people seek out medical marijuana is for chronic pain.

Physicians organize to seek marijuana regulation, not prohibition.

If you suffer from a chronic medical condition and have not found adequate relief from pain and other symptoms using traditional medicines, you may be thinking about trying medical cannabis (also commonly referred to as medical marijuana) as part of your treatment strategy.

NORTH STONINGTON — After discovering the benefits of medical marijuana for her patients suffering from chronic conditions, a local physician hopes to bring relief to patients who live in remote areas or cannot travel using telemedicine.

In the United States, 25 states have legalized medical marijuana, including 19 that let patients with a prescription buy pot from dispensaries. Proponents argue that expanding the availability of medical marijuana reduces opioid abuse and overdose deaths because it gives people an alternative for pain relief.

We rarely worry about marijuana. So why is it still a Schedule I drug?

Because the topic still is not usually covered in medical school, seasoned doctors, as well as younger ones, often consider themselves ill-equipped.

Physicians like Francis D’Ambrosio have substantial reason to believe that cannabinoids may indeed be effective medical treatment.

A group of more than 50 physicians, including a former surgeon general and faculty members at some of the nation's leading medical schools, has formed the first national organization of doctors to call on states and the federal government to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana in the interest of public health.

Medical marijuana industry advocates and observers say a dearth of doctors willing to recommend patients is among the hurdles Illinois’ fledgling industry needs to overcome.