A Third of U.S. Adults Would Use Medical Marijuana for Pain Management
Medical marijuana is currently legal in 25 states and Washington, D.C. Each state has its own list of qualifying medical conditions that can be treated with the help of medical weed. Weed can help back pain, seizures, nausea, a lack of appetite, etc. Some conditions, like PTSD or Parkinson's disease, are qualified for medical cannabis in about a half of the states with legalized medical weed. People with conditions like epilepsy or chronic pain, however, can become medical marijuana patients in almost every state that has a medical marijuana program. So, despite the continuing prohibition of cannabis on the federal level, more and more Americans consider the possibility of using marijuana as a medicine.
In fact, a recent nationally representative survey of 1,025 American adults conducted by Prevention shows that that over 30 percent of U.S. adults would likely use medical weed to manage their pain if advised by a doctor. Moreover, 75 percent of respondents support the idea that medical weed should be legalized nationwide.
How does marijuana help pain?
People who consider using medical marijuana as an addition to (or a substitute for) their standard medications ask the same question: does marijuana help with pain at all? And the answer is “yes.” Numerous studies show that medical weed may be helpful in managing various types of pain: from light headaches and migraines to severe chronic pain. Along with reducing pain, medical cannabis may help combat some other disturbing symptoms, including mood swings, trouble sleeping, and anxiety.
However, the biggest benefit of using medical marijuana for combating pain is the possibility of quitting opioid painkillers. Despite being understudied, marijuana is surely times less addictive and dangerous than modern opioid medicine. According to CDC statistics, 46 people in the U.S. die of an opioid medication overdose every day.
Just like traditional painkillers, marijuana has some contraindications and side effects, but it does not harm your body and your daily life as mush as opioids do. All you need to do is to find the best marijuana strain for pain that works for you, and manage your dosage responsibly.
Moreover, you do not have to smoke weed if you do not want to—there are many other (and arguably more pleasant) ways to medicate with marijuana. And for those who do not want to get high either, there are plenty of medical marijuana products rich with CBD—the non-psychoactive chemical that is extremely important for managing severe symptoms, like seizures or pain.
And remember: you should consult a doctor first before changing your current therapy.
