Author Interviews, Cannabis, JAMA, Opiods / 13.11.2025
Cancer Patients May Be able to Manage Pain with Cannabis Instead of Opioids
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Victoria Bethel[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Victoria Bethel, MSN
Department of Public Administration and Policy
University of Georgia, Athens
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: From the same pool of commercially insured patients, we found that cannabis dispensary openings were associated with reduced opioid prescribing among patients with non-cancer pain.
For this study, we examined whether cannabis dispensary openings were also associated with reduced opioid prescribing among commercially insured patients who do have a cancer diagnosis.
Similar to patients without cancer, we estimated reductions in opioid prescribing after medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries open. These findings may suggest that patients who experience cancer pain are able to manage their pain with cannabis instead of requiring opioids, although we cannot directly observe substitution.
Victoria Bethel[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Victoria Bethel, MSN
Department of Public Administration and Policy
University of Georgia, Athens
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: From the same pool of commercially insured patients, we found that cannabis dispensary openings were associated with reduced opioid prescribing among patients with non-cancer pain.
For this study, we examined whether cannabis dispensary openings were also associated with reduced opioid prescribing among commercially insured patients who do have a cancer diagnosis.
Similar to patients without cancer, we estimated reductions in opioid prescribing after medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries open. These findings may suggest that patients who experience cancer pain are able to manage their pain with cannabis instead of requiring opioids, although we cannot directly observe substitution.