Opiod Epidemic and The Pursuit of an Effective Pain Treatment

A pharmacist dispensing a medical marijuana prescription. Chronic pain effects a large portion of the population, limiting their ability to partake in meaningful daily activities and reducing their quality of life. For years, doctors have turned to prescription opioids to help their patients cope with the pain and regain some quality of life. Although opioids were marketed as effective pain killers, there remains a lack of evidence for their efficacy in treating chronic pain. It appears there are effective alternatives to opioids, but barriers often prevent doctors from prescribing these medications to their patients. For example, medical marijuana has been shown to not only effectively treat chronic pain, but also reduce the underlying inflammation which often exacerbates said pain. Unfortunately, due to the illegal classification of cannabis and legal classification of prescription opioids, as well as the potential for profit for pharmaceutical companies, research regarding medicinal marijuana has lagged behind that of other treatments for chronic pain. Ultimately, this limits doctor’s ability to prescribe medical marijuana in an appropriate and effective manner. Further, legality limits many patients’ access to medical marijuana.


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