Los Angeles, CA: Opioid-dependent subjects report that cannabis reduces their drug cravings and mitigates withdrawal symptoms, according to data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports .
Los Angeles, CA: Opioid-dependent subjects report that cannabis reduces their drug cravings and mitigates withdrawal symptoms, according to data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports .
Investigators affiliated with the University of Southern California conducted 30 one-on-one semi-structured interviews with people who inject drugs (PWID).
Researchers reported , “PWID described that cannabis co-use assisted in developing patterns of reduced opioid use in a number of ways. … Participants reported using cannabis substitution or co-use to manage the pain from withdrawal symptoms, such as body aches and generalized discomfort, which led to decreased opioid injection frequency. Participants emphasized low-barrier access due to legalization and numerous dispensaries as a resource that facilitated co-using cannabis for reduced opioid use. These findings support the extant literature on cannabis and opioid co-use for pattern changes among vulnerable populations.”
Prior studies have similarly suggested that the consumption of either cannabis or CBD can play a role in managing opioid withdrawal symptoms. According to a 2020 review paper : “Growing pre-clinical and clinical evidence appears to support the use of cannabis … to combat OUD [opioid use disorder]. The evidence … demonstrates the potential cannabis has to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms, reduce opioid consumption, ameliorate opioid cravings, prevent opioid relapse, improve OUD treatment retention, and reduce overdose deaths. … The compelling nature of these data and the relative safety profile of cannabis warrant further exploration of cannabis as an adjunct or alternative treatment for OUD.”
Full text of the study, “Cannabis co-use as a facilitator of decreased opioid use among people who inject drugs in Los Angeles, California,” appears in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘ Relationship Between Marijuana and Opioids .’
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