Research on Medical Marijuana Vs. Prescription Medication
There has been a huge debate surrounding prescription medication and medical marijuana use. The federal laws in the United States consider marijuana illegal. From the 1970s, the authorities restricted its use as they believed the plant was addictive and didn't have medical benefits. With more than thirty states legalizing the medical use of this herb, the statement seems outdated.
In contrast, despite the dangerous effects of prescription medications, residents use them freely. Besides the adverse effects, these medications are usually expensive. Reports show that American residents spend an average of $1100 annually on prescription medication, with the country's expenditure exceeding the $600 billion mark.
While these drugs have various benefits, they also result in adverse effects, including addiction to opioids or life-threatening conditions. With these life-threatening complications or effects, many individuals are turning to medical marijuana as a safer and more effective alternative.
This article provides insight into the latest influential studies or research on marijuana.
Research Report on Whether Medical Marijuana is Better than Prescription Medication
It's hard to tell the better option, as the functionality of the drugs depends on various factors, including the individual, ailment you're treating, etc. Experts argue that medical marijuana is effective and a better option when alleviating minor disorders and issues that can qualify you for the MMJ in marijuana-legal states.
Researchers made these suggestions in a certain 2017 study published in the Journal of Pain Research. The researchers focused on comparing marijuana with other drugs, like painkillers. During the survey, the researchers surveyed more than 2700 participants who have been using marijuana for the past 90 days. The results showed that approximately 46% of the participants considered cannabis a substitute for prescription drugs, while 35.8% used it to replace opioids.
While the researchers didn't investigate marijuana's efficacy in alleviating these diseases, the study showed that most patients preferred marijuana. The Harm Reduction Journal supported these results with another research report that suggested that 59 percent of the respondents had reported total opioid cessation, as marijuana helped them to quit.
While the question of whether medical cannabis is better than conventional treatment depends on the individual and the conditions, it seems that most patients will always prefer marijuana.
Let's look at more details on how cannabis can help patients.
Painkillers vs. Marijuana: Treating the Disease Vs. the Symptoms
The main issue with most prescription drugs is treating symptoms only. In contrast, several pieces of evidence show that marijuana can address the root cause. Marijuana has more than 110 cannabinoids that act or interact with the endocannabinoid (ECS).
Scientists discovered the ECS in 1992 as a system that regulates various functions in the body, including sleep, pain response, mood, appetite, and sleep. Marijuana cannabinoids like CBD and THC mimic the makeup and chemical behaviors of some endocannabinoids. These cannabinoids interact with the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors present in the immune system, brain, and central nervous system. While interacting with the receptors, these interactions regulate neurotransmitter release, which is vital in managing pain levels.
In contrast, opioids act on the opioid receptors in the brain to stimulate feelings of pleasure and euphoria. Manufacturers create these drugs with a chemical structure that resembles the brain's natural transmitters. Instead of enhancing lasting relief or healing, these drugs only mask the pain. In addition, most opioids are very addictive, to the point that most individuals turn to marijuana to get themselves off these drugs.
Cannabis Can Save You From the Opioid's Deadly Grip
Scripps Research Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine conducted a joint study in 2015 focusing on the impacts of marijuana on opioid users. Studies show that cannabis activates some neurotransmitters in the human brain. These neurotransmitters modulate or regulate the rewarding effects of some addictive drugs.
Experts reveal that cannabinoid receptors are in brain parts controlling pleasure and reward. When you experience dysfunction in this area, marijuana components send a message to the cells to make them halt the process, helping to break down the drug-seeking message or communication.
Researchers from the University of Georgia conducted another study and published it in the Internal Medicine Journal. The study focused on opioid usage in participants using marijuana. The findings showed a 14% decrease in opioid use over the past five years in States having a medical marijuana program.
In addition, the Bachhuber et al. study of 2014 concluded there was a 25% decrease in opioid overdose cases and deaths in 13 states that had legalized medical marijuana between 1999 to 2010. The study reveals that legal marijuana saved approximately 1700 lives in these states in 2010.
Prescription Drugs and Increased Violence
Most marijuana opponents claim that the drug links to increased crime rates. While there are few marijuana crime rates, it's due to the federal states considering the drug illegal. For instance, authorities report increased cases of illegal marijuana sales that residents bring from Colorado.
Evidence shows that prescription medicine from Big Pharma causes more damage. In 2015, a PLOS study found that individuals between 15 to 24 years in Sweden who took specific SSRIs had more chances of sex and murder convictions than other individuals without any prescription.
Another study that researchers published in the PLOS, 2010, suggests that FDA data reveal that individuals who use antidepressants are likely to engage in violent crimes. Reports show that law enforcers are currently tracking prescription drug-related violence in every state. Despite these statistics, the law allows physicians to prescribe these drugs.
Painkillers Vs. Marijuana: Cannabis has Fewer Side Effects
Individuals against marijuana use claim that most users usually go crazy after consuming the herb. Marijuana use, especially THC-high varieties, may cause some side effects, like anxiety and paranoia. However, marijuana has fewer and less severe side effects than prescription drugs, which makes the product list in the product description.
In fact, a certain Cleat Sheet publication shows that some common prescription medications or drugs have an extraordinary number of adverse effects. The resource shows that Vasotec, a drug to treat cardiovascular complications, can cause liver function and may lower your blood pressure.
In addition, Xanax use can result in addiction and even death from overdose. Nevertheless, marijuana for anxiety doesn't have a history of addiction or overdose.
What Reasons Make Medical Marijuana Better than Prescription Medications?
Marijuana proponents reveal various reasons that make the drug better than pharmaceutical drugs. Let's look at the seven popular arguments that show medical marijuana as a better and safer option.
Marijuana has properties that make it a better replacement for the harmful options
Reports show that medical cannabis could be a better and safer replacement for opioids. Besides being an effective pain reliever, studies show that some individuals are using it effectively to wean off opioids. Multiple scientific reviews of most individuals with opioid use disorders have found marijuana to be the best way to cut these addictive painkillers from their lives.
Fewer adverse effects
Using marijuana comes with fewer and less severe side effects than opioids and other medications. Reports show that approximately 50 to 80% of individuals using opioids have at least one side effect. Addiction and overdose are the most problematic side effects of taking opioids. In contrast, the WHO reports that marijuana is the drug with the lowest potential for addiction and abuse.
It benefits senior citizens in many ways
Havard authors wrote in a certain blog post about the rise in the number of seniors using medical cannabis. While there are some risks to seniors using marijuana, it provides more benefits.
With studies linking marijuana to alleviating inflammation, pain, sleep, and anxiety, it could remedy for older adults to tackle various issues. Besides these health benefits, we've got other potential uses of marijuana that can make it worth it for seniors. Remember, marijuana may not have the same side effects as opioids and prescription drugs for seniors.
Easy to adjust or tailor the dose
With marijuana usage increasing, there are numerous ways you can use to consume this herb, including edibles, smoking a joint, or drinking the content in coffee. In addition, we've got numerous strains available, making it easy to adjust the dose to suit your preferred effects.
You can get the best guide or direction on the best strain with properties to suit your needs by consulting staff at the dispensaries. The budtenders can also guide you on the best consumption methods.
In contrast, most prescription medications are usually size-fit for treating various diseases. Most pills will have a set amount, making it hard to adjust the content or dose to alleviate your conditions or suit your needs.
Marijuana provides holistic benefits
Experts provide various motivations for individuals to use medical marijuana. The long qualification list shows the vast health benefits of this drug. Thus, you might feel a holistic approach to health and well-being when taking marijuana than taking a drug to deal with one condition.
There are multiple ways to consume marijuana
We've got a wide array of ways to take or consume marijuana. You can consider the following ways to consume cannabis vapes, smokables, edibles, topicals, inhalers, beverages, and vapes. The vast list allows you to choose your preferred and appropriate methods.
However, pharmaceutical methods have limited ways patients can take the drugs. With big pharma creating and approving only one or two consumption ways, it leaves you with limited options. Most experts refer to medical marijuana as a patient-focused treatment experience, as it allows you to choose the dose and consumption method that'll work best for you.
Offers a personalized experience
Summarily, medical cannabis offers a more personalized experience. The treatment therapy allows you to choose when and how to consume your medical marijuana products, making the treatment more effective. Marijuana's effectiveness and offering of a personalized experience make individuals ditch opioids for medical marijuana.
The freedom allows you to take the drug in your preferred ways that don't affect your operations and routine life. Taking medical marijuana is interesting as you don't need to be told the component to take and the right time; you can easily set your treatment plan.
Medical Conditions You Can Use Cannabis to Treat
Reports show that the rate of prescription drug addiction has hit its all-time high in America. The CDC reports that 70% of Americans between 40 to 79 years have used at least one pharmaceutical drug or medicine in the last month. In addition, approximately 20% of the American population has used five prescription medications. With these statistics, it's unsurprising that the American pharmaceutical industry tops the chart in sales worldwide.
Prohibiting marijuana use federally has made it hard for researchers to carry out detailed or comprehensive research on how the drug treats various conditions. Nevertheless, the current studies show promising results. Let's look at five conditions that marijuana can help you treat.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common central nervous disorder affecting approximately 3.4 million Americans. Its unpredictable symptoms make it a hard or challenging condition to live with. Experts categorize it by intensity and number of seizures, loss of consciousness, or convulsions.
Reports show that most epilepsy medications are unable to suppress seizures successfully. Besides being ineffective, these drugs may cause some adverse effects, leading to distress and more physiological challenges. Evidence shows that the safety profile of most marijuana products is superior and more powerful than those of prescription drugs. It'll be good for more scientific studies and research to shed more light on the claim.
Most marijuana proponents reveal that most individuals are switching to medical marijuana due to the fewer adverse effects. Researchers have conducted more research or studies to check the effects of marijuana on epilepsy. Marijuana cannabinoids, especially CBD, have been more effective in reducing seizures than most pharma drugs.
Marijuana as a treatment option for epilepsy
Most cannabis studies focus on conditions like Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, which are predominant in children. The main symptoms of these conditions are severe or continuous seizures.
Studies show that CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid in marijuana or hemp, has shown positive progress in treating epileptic seizures. The non-intoxicating nature makes it suitable for kids. Thiele and other researchers conducted a study and published it in the Epilepsia Journal in 2019.
This study focused on how using CBD affected patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Researchers administered 100mg-highly purified Epidiolex ( the only CBD-infused pharmaceutical drugs the FDA approves for human consumption). The result shows that 88% of the caregivers or patients reported positive results in alleviating the overall condition. In addition, there was a median reduction of approximately 48% to 57% in the seizures over the 12 weeks study duration. The medication presented diarrhea as the only side effect.
Multiple sclerosis
It’s one of the common neurodegenerative diseases affecting approximately 400000 Americans. Importantly, the US Multiple Sclerosis Society views marijuana as a potential treatment alternative. The society reveals approximately 20% of Multiple Sclerosis patients use marijuana, especially CBD, to alleviate the condition and related symptoms. With many states lifting the restriction on marijuana, the number is likely to increase.
Experts reveal that this condition is unpredictable, as it occurs when the immune system starts attacking the central nervous system components, especially the fibers or cells. When having the condition, you’ll be feeling pain the whole body. You may also have the following symptoms; dizziness, balance problems, fatigue, and muscle spasms.
Marijuana as a multiple sclerosis treatment
Physiotherapy and pharmaceutical drugs are the main conventional treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite being popular, big pharma drugs are usually ineffective and have adverse effects. Marijuana has anti-inflammatory properties helpful for MS patients to reduce muscle spasms and stiffness.
Some studies show that marijuana can help combat neural tissue, a common symptom in MS patients. In addition, marijuana can help alleviate MS-related depression and digestive issues.
In June 2018, Frechin-Mallada conducted a study and published it in the Neurodegenerative Disease Management Journal. The study focused on how THC can help patients with MS. The researcher evaluated the different routine activities in MS patients. The patients used an FDA-approved oromucosal spray rich in CBD
and THC (Sativex) during the study. The findings showed that 97% of the patients or participants reported positive changes.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a wholesome term that describes or expresses feelings of tension, nervousness, and worries. It's usually reasonable and normal to feel anxious, but it becomes a cause for alarm if the condition affects your way of life. The main types of anxiety disorders include phobic anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, and GAD.
Marijuana as an anxiety treatment
The US Anxiety and Depression Association reports that approximately 18% of Americans have at least one anxiety disorder. The treatment options for anxiety range from transcranial magnetic stimulation and medication therapy. While they help treat the disorder, antidepressants and antianxiety drugs have multiple side effects.
The possible adverse effects are making most Americans switch to medical cannabis, as they believe it relaxes the mind and body. Turna and other researchers carried out a survey to check marijuana use behaviors and data on the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. The research team found that using cannabis helped alleviate anxiety disorder, and the participants revealed the ease of controlling its usage.
Chronic pain
Chronic or severe pain is one of the most debilitating and difficult conditions. Due to its long-lasting nature, most individuals usually overlook it. In addition, it's usually challenging to attribute severe pain to a certain disease or specific injury.
The condition is prevalent in the United States, as authorities report an increased opioid use from 1999 to curb the pain. However, America recorded more than 47600 opioid-related deaths in 2018. Marijuana remains a safe option as it doesn't result in overdosing.
Marijuana as a chronic pain treatment
Like epilepsy, scientists have conducted multiple research on the effects of marijuana on alleviating severe pain. The findings show that marijuana has properties that can reduce inflammation (a common cause of severe pain) in the body. Many experts support this claim.
In February 2019, Boehnke and other researchers conducted and published a study in the Health Affair Journal. The study looked at the different conditions that qualify you for medical marijuana in the US. The findings show that approximately 55% of MMJ patients use weed to treat chronic pain.
In addition, Palmieri and other researchers conducted a study to focus on the effects of Bedrocan on pain and published findings in the Internal Pharmacy Practice Journal in June 2019. Bedrocan refers to general marijuana preparation. In the study, the participants administered CBD oil to 20 participants twice daily for three months.
The researchers found that taking the treatment helps the patients to reduce pain. Thus, the study concluded that cannabis was therapeutically safe and effective in treating various symptomatic or chronic diseases.
Crohn's disease
It's an incredibly unpleasant condition affecting the intestines and results in inflammation and other debilitating side effects.
Researchers always discuss it alongside the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects more than 780000 individuals in the country. Below are some of the common symptoms of this disease.
● Fever
● Severe diarrhea
● Severe constipation
● Bloody stools
● Fatigue
● Severe abdominal pain
● Fever
Despite the vast results, researchers are yet to get more about the condition. Nevertheless, the main trigger of this condition is gastrointestinal tract inflammation, which leads to further complications as the body becomes unable to absorb important nutrients.
Marijuana as a Crohn's disease treatment
The anti-inflammatory effects of marijuana prove beneficial in treating this condition and other digestive complications, including IBS and IBD. Remember, conventional treatment tries to reduce pain or inflammation by suppressing immune functionality.
Despite helping to alleviate the pain, conventional medications have unbearable side effects. For instance, a consistently weak immune system makes the body vulnerable to various diseases. Medical marijuana alleviates the conditions without causing any adverse effects.
Mbachi and other researchers conducted a study in October and published it in the Digestive Diseases and Science Journal to check the association between marijuana use and Crohn's complications. The researchers compared approximately 615 weed users and non-users. The team found using marijuana would reduce or treat various complications related to the disease.
Bottom Line: Prescription Drugs Vs. Medical Marijuana
Evidence and research findings illustrate how dangerous prescription medication can be and the extolling benefits of medical cannabis. With weed still federally illegal, researchers and scientists find it hard to conduct further studies on the herb. Soon sense will prevail as the public is gradually understanding the health benefits of marijuana and the dangers Big pharma drugs can cause.
Many individuals die from opioid-related issues daily, which are rare when using medical marijuana. While pharmaceutical drugs treat the symptoms, they don't address the disease's root cause. Besides not being addictive like Fentanyl and Xanax, medical cannabis can help individuals wean off opioids. With the scientific backing and the numerous marijuana properties, marijuana is indeed a lifesaver.
Medical marijuana remains a safer and better alternative to prescription medication to treat various diseases. Getting a medical marijuana card will be vital to help you access these products in most states. HappyMD offers a straightforward and cost-effective process to get your medical marijuana card online. Get your MMJ card today and start purchasing your preferred medical cannabis herb to alleviate multiple diseases without causing adverse side effects.
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