Doctors pioneer pot as an opioid substitute

[n2doc]

Hundreds of opioid addicts are being treated with medical marijuana in Massachusetts, with advocates touting the new therapy as a life-changing alternative to a deadly epidemic — and facing down critics who contend they are peddling junk science.

“We have a statewide epidemic of opioid deaths,” said Dr. Gary Witman of Canna Care Docs, a network of facilities that issue medicinal marijuana cards in seven states, including nine clinics in Massachusetts. “As soon as we can get people off opioids to a nonaddicting substance — and medicinal marijuana is nonaddicting — I think it would dramatically impact the amount of opioid deaths.”

Witman, who works out of a Fall River Canna Care clinic, says he has treated about 80 patients who were addicted to opioids, muscle relaxers or anti-anxiety medication with cannabis using a one-month tapering program. More than 75 percent of those patients stopped taking the harder drugs, Witman said.

Cannabis, Witman said, can treat the symptoms patients had been using opioids to manage, such as chronic pain or anxiety — and treat them far more safely.


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http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2015/10/doctors_pioneer_pot_as_an_opioid_substitute

[Ed Suspicious]

1. Now that is fan-fucking-tastic!

[NightWatcher]

2. Was this posted in the Boston Herald or Duh Weekly?

I was a stoner for a while in/after college like many people. I've also been injured since then and prescribed all kinds of pain meds. I also was given anti-anxiety meds during my first marriage (TMI), and all of those were a beast to kick.

After being diagnosed with a serious disease 4 years ago, I started taking chemotherapy meds and feeling like shit, as one does. I looked into cannabis and felt better. Now I am consuming indica nearly every day and it has helped in so many ways. It's good for what ails you, without having to get stoned out of your gourd. A few puffs does it for me.

Cannabis will save the world if we let it.

[Doctor_J]

3. This is a huge reason for the war on drugs.

Legalized weed would wipe out the prescription opioid cash cow. PHARMA is a big supporter of the war on drugs.

[hunter]

8. Not to mention the illegal opiate trade...

... which money laundering banks and dirty governments (including certain agencies of our own) are so fond of.

[Alkene]

4. An open secret.

Big pharma needs to fuck off: more weed, less greed.

[Helen Borg]

7. Yeah! Power to the people!

[mrmpa]

5. I'm a vicoding user.........

I use 2 a day to fight various pain. I also use 2 tramadol a day if needed if and when there is break through pain. I used pot in college and actually enjoyed it.

About a year ago I was able to get my hands on some pot and used it one day in lieu of the vicodin, and it worked wonderfully. I wish I was in this study. I would do anything to handle this pain without vicodin.

[mountain grammy]

6. Something us life long pot smokers have known for years..

I went though a bad period of anxiety attacks 20 years ago. As a pot smoker, I had never experienced episodes like that, but I stopped smoking pot after being told it was increasing my anxiety. I was prescribed xanax which did help, and helped me sleep, but, after a few months, it didn't work so well either, so back to pot. Started exploring different strains of marijuana (not so easy 20 years ago,) along with other herbal remedies, and got back to growing like we did in the 80's, but with more knowledge.

Now that we are legal in Colorado, it's possible to find marijuana for many ailments, and it's the only medicine I hope I'll ever need. Infused lotions and edibles are excellent.

[zazen]

9. is there a way to get the benefit without the mind-altering effects? seriously . . .

I'm one of those people who dislikes the "high" part. I like how it makes my body feel lighter, which helps with chronic pain, but the distorted thinking makes me paranoid.

When people say you can drive on it I'm aghast. I'd forget how to put my foot on the accelerator. I find it mentally disabling. I could drive better on a six-pack than one toke on a joint.

I don't judge other people who even take it recreationally for that effect, but I personally detest it. Would love the lightness without the rest.

[waddirum]

10. it's the THC that produces the euphoria/dysphoria

Most commercial strains are high THC because the greater demand is for the high.

Look for edibles or tinctures that are high in CBD and low in THC. The CBD will deliver many of the anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory benefits that you may desire.

[zazen]

11. thx! n/t

[Go Vols]

12. Try a sativa.

You can still function quite well with little pain and a little smile in my experience.Sounds like you were smoking a indica dominant strain.

[Pastiche423]

13. I don't believe it's the strain

Like the above poster stated. Pot with more CBD takes care of the pain better and w/o the head high.

Indica makes you relaxed

Stevia makes you more energetic.

For me stevia is like doing speed. Not good for me.