{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/opioids/2","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2702-markdown","title":"Big Pharma & Cannabis: 5 Trends to Watch ","slug":"big-pharma-and-cannabis-5-trends-to-watch","content":"The pharmaceutical industry has long been an opponent of cannabis legalization. It’s no surprise, because when people turn to marijuana for medical purposes, they often turn away from pharmaceuticals. But now, as more states remove hurdles for recreational marijuana use, the trend is shifting—with Big Pharma starting to make forays into the cannabis industry. \n\nThere are a lot of questions about the drug industry’s apparent about-face regarding cannabis. How is Big Pharma changing its strategies to mainstream manufactured cannabis products? How are synthetic cannabis pharmaceuticals legally hitting the market when marijuana is still illegal federally? How will Big Pharma’s pursuits likely impact local marijuana growers and small cannabis businesses? \n\nYou’ll find the answers to these and other questions in the following five trends we see with Big Pharma getting in on the green rush. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### 1. Big Pharma Taps the Global Cannabis Market\n\nStrategic partnerships between cannabis producers and Big Pharma have the potential to expand global access to cannabis. The Canadian cannabis market offers an interesting case study to explore the benefits of collaboration with unlikely allies. \n\nIn the first formal agreement of its kind, [cannabis licensed producer (LP) Tilray and pharmaceutical giant Canada Sandoz are working together to develop new non-combustible cannabis products](http://business.financialpost.com/cannabis/big-pharmas-first-foray-into-cannabis-arrives-with-sandoz-tilray-deal). These include gel caps, edibles and sprays—even though they’re not yet legal in Canada. Along with new products, Tilray and other LPs are looking to pharmacies to officially distribute their new cannabis products. \n\nWhat does all this mean for consumers? It means that cannabis will probably be exported and distributed in more global markets—as a biotech product. In addition, Big Pharma is entering the ring as an industry player, rather than as an opponent—meaning, they’re looking to expand access to cannabis, not thwart it. \n\nTilray’s Chief Executive Officer Brendan Kennedy thinks this is a good thing. In a recent interview with _VICE News_, Brendan comments that as Canada builds its reputation as a “safe and reliable source of medical cannabis,” [it can use the considerable resources of a global pharmaceutical company to educate medical providers about marijuana](https://news.vice.com/en_ca/article/ywxzdw/big-pharma-has-officially-entered-the-canadian-cannabis-industry). This will in turn make cannabis more accessible to patients around the world.  \n\nOr so the thinking goes.  \n\nTime will tell if these types of partnerships bring about more education and access, or if they’ll simply lead to more outrageous profits for Big Pharma at the expense of smaller cannabis producers and patients alike. \n\n### 2. Synthetic Marijuana Qualifies for Schedule 2 & 3 Classifications \n\nBig Pharma’s two-pronged approach to entering the mainstream cannabis market relies on industry partnerships and producing its own cannabis products. This is interesting given Big Pharma’s history in blocking marijuana legalization on the state level.\n\nLet’s not forget what happened in Arizona, when a pharmaceutical company called Insys paid $500,000 to [halt a measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana](https://hightimes.com/news/shady-pharma-company-sabotages-legal-weed-and-gets-dea-approval-for-synthetic-thc/). This happened just as Insys prepared to launch its own drug made with synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). \n\nSo far, the FDA has approved three lab-made, THC-based drugs: Marinol, Syndros and Cesamet, all to help reduce nausea, vomiting and weight loss associated with cancer and HIV/AIDS. These pharmaceutical companies’ products are receiving a Schedule 2 or 3 rating by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).\n\nThis in turn makes it easy for Big Pharma to enter the mainstream drug market with laboratory-produced cannabis—much easier than marijuana producers growing botanical cannabis, which is still classified as a [Schedule 1 substance](https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml).  \n\n### 3. Marijuana Research & Clinical Trials Take Place Overseas \n\nSo, we know that Big Pharma is actively producing synthetic cannabis, and companies are investing millions of dollars in research and development (R&D) to create cannabis-based medicine. According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, \"Study of marijuana in clinical trial settings is needed to assess the safety and effectiveness of marijuana for medical use.\" \n\nBut how is this happening when cannabis is still a Schedule 1 substance? It turns out the clinical trials for these synthetic marijuana drugs aren’t carried out on American soil where federal cannabis prohibition remains firm. Instead, many drug companies are [running the first two phases of their cannabis clinical trials in places like Israel](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/how-booming-israeli-weed-industry-is-changing-american-pot-w499117).\n\nIsrael has policies to support researchers in investigating many aspects of the cannabis plant and its effects on the body. So, some American pharmaceutical companies are starting their R&D process in Israel, then completing phase 3 of their trials in the U.S. for quicker FDA approval. \n\nAn early adopter of this trend is GW Pharmaceuticals. This U.K.-U.S. company just received a [green light from the FDA for its new epilepsy drug, Epidiolex](http://www.businessinsider.com/marijuana-epilepsy-drug-approval-2018-4). If approved by vote in June, it will be the first cannabidiol (CBD)-based pharmaceutical on the market. \n\n### 4. Big Pharma’s Profits Will Decrease Slightly as Legalized Cannabis Sales Go Up \n\nOnce the federal government finally allows medical marijuana to become a legitimate part of the health-care industry, those pharmaceutical companies not invested in cannabis could suffer financial losses. According to a 2016 report using data from the University of Georgia, [Medicare prescriptions decreased significantly in states where medical marijuana is legal](https://www.salon.com/2017/05/27/medical-marijuana-could-cost-big-pharma-4-billion-a-year_partner/).\n\nAnalysts predict that legal marijuana use for ailments from chronic pain to epileptic seizures to glaucoma may cost Big Pharma about $5 million dollars. However, seeing as the drug industry makes about $425 billion per year, this isn’t going to affect Big Pharma’s bottom line that much. \n\n### 5. Politicians Recognize Marijuana as Part Solution to the Opioid Crisis\n\nMarijuana is often stigmatized as a “gateway drug” for other more addictive and harmful substances. Yet [two-thirds of drug deaths in 2017 were caused by opioids](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opioid-fentanyl-overdose-deaths-us-life-expectancy-drops-for-second-year/). According to a 2018 Centers for Disease Control & Prevention report, opioid abuse is on the rise in nearly every segment of American society, claiming 115 lives every day.\n\nRELATED: [MARIJUANA TAKES ON BIG PHARMA ON THE OPIOID FRONT](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/578e5cb0687e76000700000c/marijuana-takes-on-big-pharma-on-the-opioid-front)\n\nEvidence-based research shows that marijuana consumption can help decrease prescription drug use. Cannabis’s healing properties make it a viable alternative to anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication, anti-seizure medication, painkillers and sleeping pills. According to a recent _Journal of Health Economics_ study, “marijuana is a far less addictive substance than opioids and the potential for overdosing is nearly zero.” \n\nLegislators are using federally funded research to take a stand against anti-legalization lobbying groups, including Big Pharma. In response to a [question posed to her on “Good Day New York” about marijuana being a gateway drug, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said](https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2018/02/23/senator-calls-out-big-pharma-for-opposing-legal-marijuana/#50f2385a1bac), \"I don't see it as a gateway to opioids. What I see is the opioid industry and the drug companies that manufacture it, some of them in particular, are just trying to sell more drugs that addict patients and addict people across this country.” \n\nIt’s time for marijuana’s efficacy as an alternative treatment to further come into the light through federally funded, peer-reviewed research. In order to disrupt the grip of Big Pharma and ultimately decrease opioid addiction, more supportive data and collaboration among physicians, lawmakers and influential players within the cannabis industry are sorely needed. Ironically, it’s the R&D investment and start-up capital from Big Pharma that could help push the ball forward on necessary research. \n\n### Will Big Pharma’s Entry Into Cannabis Help or Harm the Industry?\n\nBig Pharma’s presence in cannabis is inevitable (despite its best early attempts to sabotage marijuana businesses to protect their own interests). On the up side, strategic partnerships between cannabis producers and pharmaceutical companies will likely expand access to marijuana-based healing. And while this may produce a marketplace that’s more limited than that of a completely legal whole-plant cannabis market, having these partnerships will also drive innovative research that will hopefully further spur the FDA and DEA to re-evaluate federal laws around cannabis regulation. \n\nAs always, there can be major cons when big businesses co-opt production and distribution. One concern is over the quality of synthetic cannabis therapies. Many assert that synthetics aren’t as effective as whole-plant marijuana is. That said, these pharmaceuticals do provide relief for many, especially children suffering from epilepsy and other health conditions.\n\nAnother worry is that drug companies will come in and capture the lion’s share of the profits—after all, they have their shareholders’ best interests in mind. This profit motive will put the squeeze on small, local growers who lack the resources that Big Pharma has. \n\nBig Pharma’s involvement in cannabis will be both good and bad for those of us who’ve come to rely on the plant’s many medicinal benefits. Whether the bad will outweigh the good, or vice versa, has yet to be seen.\n\nPhoto credit: [Chris Potter](https://www.flickr.com/photos/86530412@N02/)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101]( https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/f28e0/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.jpg","srcSet":"/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/f836f/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.jpg 200w,\n/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/2244e/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.jpg 400w,\n/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/f28e0/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.jpg 468w","srcWebp":"/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/be191/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/61e93/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.webp 200w,\n/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/1f5c5/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.webp 400w,\n/static/278143fd32a8e6e75c26ae6857535257/be191/bdd751495325517767373e1cc8449150.webp 468w","sizes":"(max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2631-markdown","title":"Studies Back Cannabis as a Way Out of the Opioid Crisis","slug":"studies-back-cannabis-as-a-way-out-of-the-opioid-crisis","content":"As has been addressed numerous times on HelloMD, cannabis can be a viable replacement or supplement to opioids, and there are studies to support this: HelloMD and UC Berkeley released a study in 2017 that found [97% of respondents were able to decrease their opioid use with cannabis](https://www.hellomd.com/articles/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-release-study-on-cannabis-use-as-a-substitute-for-opioid-and-non-opioid-based-pain-medication), and 81% believed that cannabis was more effective on its own for chronic pain.\n\nThese findings, while striking, already confirm what many folks involved in the medical marijuana community intuitively know: that cannabis’s pain-fighting properties may be able to curb the opioid epidemic by helping folks reduce or stop their opioid intake. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en) \n\n### Opioid Use Declines With the Introduction of Cannabis\n\nThis phenomenon isn’t new: [A 2016 survey of patients at a medical marijuana dispensary in Michigan found similar results](https://www.focusstandards.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Journal-of-Pain-study.pdf). Researchers used an online questionnaire to survey 244 medical marijuana patients with chronic pain from November 2013 to February 2015.\n\nAlmost two-thirds (64%) of study participants were able to decrease their opioid use; they also saw a decrease in the number of medications taken and side effects associated with medications. Meanwhile, 45% said that cannabis had improved their quality of life. \n\nResearchers also noted a decrease in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antidepressant use, possibly due to the pain-sparing effects of cannabis. “One theory as to why this occurs is that cannabis has a synergistic effect with opioids, so patients need to take fewer opioids to get the same amount of pain relief,” says HelloMD’s Chief Medical Officer Perry Solomon, M.D. \n\nRELATED: [HOW CANNABIS CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF OPIOID ABUSE](https://hellomd.com/articles/how-cannabis-can-break-the-cycle-of-opioid-abuse)\n\n### Chronic Pain Sufferers Find Relief With Cannabis\n\nThe Michigan study draws similar conclusions to that of the HelloMD-UC Berkeley study: Chronic pain patients are finding that by substituting or supplementing their intake of opioids with cannabis, they’re able to achieve similar or better benefits with fewer side effects.\n\n“The obvious conclusion with these types of studies is that with a decreased amount of opioid intake, the chance of an overdose is minimized,” says Dr. Solomon.\n\nStudies are already starting to corroborate this connection: A 2015 study found that the [legalization of cannabis in Colorado was associated with a short-term decrease in opioid-related deaths](http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304059?journalCode=ajph&). As the opioid epidemic rages on, it’s vital that more research be conducted to validate these findings. \n\nPhoto credit: [e-Magine Art](https://www.flickr.com/people/emagineart/)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101]https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/14b42/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg","srcSet":"/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/f836f/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg 200w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/2244e/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg 400w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/14b42/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg 800w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/47498/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg 1200w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/0e329/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg 1600w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/eecc5/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.jpg 3652w","srcWebp":"/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/58556/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/61e93/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp 200w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/1f5c5/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp 400w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/58556/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp 800w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/99238/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp 1200w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/7c22d/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp 1600w,\n/static/678ca70e2bb7b50264ca9a32ab88b818/0dca4/4709b2ca4762bf11f6f30433d529c6e7.webp 3652w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2614-markdown","title":"Cannabis: A Better Alternative to Benzodiazepines","slug":"cannabis-a-better-alternative-to-benzodiazepines","content":"While the opioid epidemic has been grabbing headlines nationwide for its staggering impact on lives and productivity, [prescriptions of benzodiazepines, another class of potent drugs, have also been soaring](https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2016.PP3b2?code=psychnews-site). Between 1996 and 2013, the number of adults filling a prescription for some type of benzodiazepine, or benzo, jumped by 67%. These powerful medications for anxiety, insomnia and a number of other conditions are implicated in roughly 8,000 overdose deaths a year. But just as it does for opioids, cannabis could be an exit drug out of benzodiazepine dependency and abuse, because of its ability to affect the same neural pathways in the brain.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### What Are Benzodiazepines?\n\nBenzodiazepines are a large [class of lab-synthesized drugs](https://www.rxlist.com/benzodiazepines/drugs-condition.htm) that includes:\n\n* Diazepam (Valium) \n* Lorazepam (Ativan) \n* Clonazepam (Klonopin)\n* Alprazolam (Xanax)\n\nThese [medications are widely prescribed](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/demystifying-psychiatry/201505/how-many-people-take-benzodiazepines) for conditions such as:\n\n* Anxiety \n* Insomnia \n* Nervousness \n* Panic disorders \n* Seizures \n* Muscle spasms \n\nSometimes they’re also used for sedation during surgery, and to treat premenstrual syndrome and the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. \n\n### The Many, Sometimes Deadly Side Effects of Benzodiazepines\n\nLike opioids, benzodiazepines are intended largely for short-term use, because they act relatively quickly. This means they’re prescribed for acute situations, such as calming a patient before a surgical procedure or easing the anxiety of a traveler before a flight. But also, similar to opioids, these drugs are frequently prescribed for long periods of time, which can lead to a number of serious side effects and addiction. \n\nBenzodiazepines alone are only rarely responsible for overdose deaths. But because they depress the central nervous system, which controls respiration, heart rate and other autonomous functions, they can contribute to death by overdose when they’re taken along with other kinds of central nervous system depressants such as alcohol or opioids.  \n\nThough they’re not likely to be fatal, these drugs do have a long list of side effects. The more minor of these include:\n\n* Dizziness\n* Confusion\n* Problems with memory and concentration\n* Gastrointestinal problems\n* Poor balance\n* Fatigue \n\nBut serious effects can also occur, such as:\n\n* Jaundice\n* Severe low blood pressure\n* Elevated heart rate\n* Musculoskeletal problems\n* Cognitive decline and dementia (especially in older people who take them for long periods of time)\n\n### How Do Benzodiazepines Work?\n\nScience still hasn’t clearly established the exact reasons benzodiazepines work, but recent research points to their ability to affect a network of receptors in the brain related to the body’s production and use of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid that inhibits the transmission of nerve impulses in the central nervous system. Because GABA slows neural activity, and benzodiazepines have been shown to enhance the effects of GABA, this relationship appears to account for benzos’ calming, slowing effects that reduce anxiety and promote sleep and muscle relaxation. \n\nMalfunctions in the GABA receptor system seem to play a role in a number of psychological and neurological conditions such as:\n\n* Anxiety\n* Panic\n* Insomnia\n* Epilepsy\n\nSome research suggests that schizophrenia and other psychoses might be related to GABA deficiency. Though GABA receptors are found in many areas of the brain, they’re especially prevalent in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala, areas related to managing emotion, cognition and coordination.  \n\nBenzodiazepines can bind to GABA receptors to boost their inhibitory activity. But so can cannabis—and the relationship between the GABA receptor system and the body’s large network of endocannabinoid receptors reveals why cannabis products can be safe and effective alternatives to benzodiazepines for just about every condition these drugs are used to treat.\n\n### The Cannabis/GABA Connection\n\nEndocannabinoid receptors are found in organs and tissue throughout the body, binding both to cannabinoids produced internally and to those from outside sources such as spices and cannabis. The [cannabinoid receptor CB1 occurs widely in the \nbrain](http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/23/9506?utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=JNeurosci_TrendMD_0), especially in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala—areas that are also rich in GABA receptors.  \n\n[Anandamide](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a949d06f24d1300077ccb66/eating-anandamide-the-bliss-molecule) and 2-AG, the body’s natural cannabinoids, also promote feelings of calm and relaxation—and recent research indicates that [they can affect processes\nthat reduce the release of GABA](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00213-017-4648-z), just as benzodiazepines do. And because cannabinoids from cannabis, particularly cannabidiol (CBD), bind to the same receptors as natural cannabinoids do, they support those processes, too. \n\n### Cannabis Offers Benzo Benefits—Without the Risks\n\nCannabis products of all kinds, especially those high in CBD, can be effective—and far safer—alternatives for benzodiazepines. Although endocannabinoid receptors are found in relatively large numbers in many areas of the brain, they’re notably absent in the brainstem—unlike receptors for both opioids and GABA. For that reason, cannabis is extremely unlikely to cause or contribute to an overdose death.   \n\nRELATED: [TOP 10 HIGH-CBD MARIJUANA STRAINS FOR ANXIETY](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57f2b7f12b1e99000a671ac3/top-10-high-cbd-marijuana-strains-for-anxiety)\n\nWhen used for long periods of time, benzodiazepines can override the body’s own expression of GABA. These medications can become addictive, and when stopped, they can trigger a series of potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. The risk of benzodiazepine addiction is so high that a majority of drug rehab programs now include treatment for them alongside protocols for opioids and other kinds of drugs.\n\nBut stopping cannabis causes few, if any, physical withdrawal symptoms. And because cannabis affects all of the functions of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), it brings with it other positive effects such as immune system support and relief from pain and the symptoms of a long list of health conditions.\n\nRecent research on cannabis as a substitute for prescription medications reveals that an [overwhelming majority of cannabis consumers were able to reduce or stop using not only opioids, but also other medications](https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/survey-pain-patients-overwhelmingly-prefer-medical-marijuana-over-opioids) including benzodiazepines, by using cannabis. \n\nThe documented benefits of cannabis include relief from anxiety, insomnia and depression, as well as the symptoms of epilepsy and other disorders that are currently treated with benzodiazepines. In all its forms, cannabis works with the brain’s GABA pathways just as benzos do—and it just might be an exit drug from this burgeoning addiction epidemic, too.\n\nPhoto credit: [Thought Catalog](https://unsplash.com/@thoughtcatalog)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/14b42/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/f836f/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg 200w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/2244e/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg 400w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/14b42/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg 800w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/47498/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg 1200w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/0e329/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg 1600w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/0cde8/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.jpg 3671w","srcWebp":"/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/58556/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/61e93/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp 200w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/1f5c5/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp 400w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/58556/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp 800w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/99238/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp 1200w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/7c22d/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp 1600w,\n/static/4bf290492e24a284c177d3093d87e627/2bed0/f91d21380072882e5728c4f5267e65ad.webp 3671w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2621-markdown","title":"Cannabis: A Workplace Solution for Chronic Pain","slug":"cannabis-a-workplace-solution-for-chronic-pain","content":"The opioid epidemic claims lives and impacts American society in many ways, but recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveal that the [greatest financial stress of opioid misuse and addiction are felt by employers](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/02/13/585199746/cost-of-u-s-opioid-epidemic-since-2001-is-1-trillion-and-climbing). Lost productivity, workplace accidents and injury are among the costs affecting employers of all kinds when workers use these powerful prescription painkillers. \r\n\r\nA growing body of evidence shows that cannabis is a safer and more effective alternative to opioids—one that can save billions by keeping workers on the job. But employers who want to include cannabis in a workplace wellness strategy will need to overcome challenges including legal issues, prevailing myths about cannabis and the reluctance of network doctors to recommend the plant as treatment. \r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### How Do Opioids Affect the Workplace?\r\n\r\nEven though they’re initially prescribed for legitimate pain conditions, opioids are recommended for short-term use only. In fact, studies suggest that they may not even be particularly effective in the long term. But a majority of doctors generally prescribe them for longer periods, or indefinitely. \r\n\r\nWhether prescribed for a condition outside of work or as a result of a workplace injury, opioid misuse can lead to poor productivity, absenteeism and workplace accidents. Employees struggling with addiction and the side effects of opioids miss more work than their peers, and a significant number of people who use opioids while recuperating from a workplace injury never actually return to work at all. That results in higher costs and lower revenues for companies in a variety of sectors.\r\n\r\nMany [solutions for supporting people with legitimate chronic pain while avoiding the very harmful consequences of taking opioids have been proposed](http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/Prescription-Nation-White-Paper.aspx). These include more stringent drug testing, seeking out doctors with a more conservative approach to opioids and providing support for employees struggling with addiction. But both insurers and the CDC have suggested [recommending alternative methods of pain management](http://www.constructionexec.com/article/a-prescription-for-reducing-workers-comp-costs)—and for many people, cannabis can be the most effective option. But to make cannabis a viable solution for workers in pain, employers must advocate—and educate.\r\n\r\n### Challenging the Myths About Cannabis\r\n\r\nCannabis has a fearsome reputation as an illegal substance with no medical applications. For many people, including employers, the idea of using cannabis conjures up images of stoned employees moving through the workday at half speed, dealing drugs on the premises and a host of other undesirable behaviors. Others are doubtful about the medical benefits of marijuana and cannabis’s ability to relieve pain and the symptoms of a wide range of health conditions.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHY MARIJUANA IS SAFER THAN OPIOIDS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a453281100a820006562f3f/the-science-behind-why-marijuana-is-safer-than-opioids)\r\n\r\nA workplace campaign to promote cannabis as a way out of opioid use needs to be able to address these issues, and that begins with education. Workplace trainings can draw from the growing body of research that shows how cannabis for medical purposes is very different than recreational cannabis use. Many people who use cannabis medically rely on the non-psychoactive compounds in the cannabis plant for pain relief, most famously cannabidiol (CBD). \r\n\r\nEmployee assistance programs designed to help workers with addiction and other issues could include cannabis as an option to reduce dependence on opioids—or eliminate them altogether. But even if employees learn about medical cannabis, they can still have problems getting access to it.\r\n\r\nOn the federal level, cannabis is still an illegal substance on the most restrictive Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. And although many states have legalized cannabis in some form, those laws aren’t consistent—and they don’t apply across state lines. In states where medical cannabis is available, not all health conditions are considered eligible, and not all doctors are willing to recommend it or refer patients to dispensaries.\r\n\r\n### Managing the Medical Perspective of Cannabis\r\n\r\nSome opioid reduction plans proposed by workers’ compensation representatives and workplace safety advisers also recommend that employers either work with doctors to reduce the amount of opioids being prescribed for workplace injuries, or seek out doctors who generally prescribe fewer opioids.  \r\n\r\nOverall, a large number—76% in one survey—of [American doctors are in favor of using cannabis for medical purposes](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/survey-76-percent-of-doctors-approve-of-medical-marijuana-use/), at least in theory. But many medical professionals still maintain that cannabis is a dangerous substance with limited research supporting its medical benefits.  \r\n\r\nSome doctors say that prescribing cannabis is risky because it can be difficult to standardize doses, and individual responses can vary widely. Others doubt the medical applications of a substance so popular for recreational use and fear that users could simply substitute one addiction for another. And for some, prescribing opioids is simply easier and more lucrative.  \r\n\r\n### Next Steps if You Think Medical Cannabis Is Right for Your Workplace\r\n\r\n* Encourage employees to [talk about cannabis with their doctors](https://patriotcare.org/talk-doctor-medical-marijuana/)—and encourage doctors to [talk about it with their patients](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085). This can help nudge companies towards considering cannabis as a workable alternative for pain management and a way to reduce the liabilities caused by opioids.\r\n\r\n* Present recent research on [cannabis as an effective pain reliever](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569620/) as doctors and insurers like hard data. Recent studies show that large numbers of people have been able to [reduce their use of opioids with cannabis](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/595413ae914ae4001b40307a/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-release-study-on-cannabis-use-as-a-substitute-for-opioid-and-non-opioid-based-pain-medication), or stop using opioids entirely.\r\n\r\n* Enlist the support of medical cannabis professionals who can help create programs to introduce cannabis as a workplace treatment for chronic pain—and protocols to safely get employees off opioids and back to work.  \r\n\r\nCannabis offers a way out of the opioid epidemic at work—and with the help of medical cannabis experts and solid research, the cannabis alternative can help companies of all kinds reduce the workplace costs of runaway opioid use. \r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Joshua Ness](https://unsplash.com/@theexplorerdad)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's private, easy and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/14b42/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg","srcSet":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/f836f/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/2244e/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 400w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/14b42/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 800w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/47498/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 1200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/0e329/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 1600w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/727f7/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 2491w","srcWebp":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/58556/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/61e93/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/1f5c5/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 400w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/58556/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 800w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/99238/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 1200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/7c22d/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 1600w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/a510a/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 2491w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2604-markdown","title":"How Cannabis Relieves Pain Better Than Opioids Do","slug":"how-cannabis-relieves-pain-better-than-opioids-do","content":"Pain is a universal reality that we all have to deal with in some form or another. While pain may strike on occasion for some—such as the random headache or pulled muscle, for many of us, pain is a daily chronic situation. In fact, according to the National Institute of Health, [pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined](https://report.nih.gov/nihfactsheets/ViewFactSheet.aspx?csid=57). Pain is a leading cause of disability, and the most common reason Americans go to the doctor.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nUnfortunately, many with chronic pain turn to dangerous prescription painkillers like opiates. While pain is a huge problem that can leave a patient unable to lead a normal life, the painkillers themselves might be even worse. [Opiates alone kill over 33,000 each year](https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html), and the rates are only increasing.\n\nYou may think over-the-counter painkillers like non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a safer choice, but estimates for [deaths from NSAIDs hover over 15,000 a year](http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/deadly-nsaids), and hospitalization for complications caused by NSAIDS (like GI bleeding or liver damage) are in the 100,000 range. \n\nIn this article, part of our series geared towards folks new to cannabis, we get into how cannabis may be a safer and better option for chronic pain patients. Many report significant pain relief from cannabis, and [in states that allow medical cannabis, deaths from opiate overdoses have gone down by 25%](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25154332).\n\n### Ella’s Success Using Cannabis to Ease Her Pain\n\nElla is one patient whose relied heavily on cannabis’s pain-relieving abilities to get her through the day. Ella has a genetic condition called [thalassemia](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thalassemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354995). This inherited blood disorder is characterized by a deficiency in red blood cells and hemoglobin. In severe cases like Ella’s, regular blood transfusions are required as treatment.\n\nElla has been having blood transfusions every few weeks since she was one month old. In addition, this challenging condition has caused Ella problems like liver enlargement, bone inflammation and congestive heart failure. These issues along with the many surgeries and painful procedures Ella has gone through have left her in need of some serious pain management. \n\n“The cannabis just helps me so much with the pain and the surgeries,” says Ella, adding that her mother had first suggested cannabis five years ago as an alternative to the Percocet and Vicodin that she was taking. These prescription painkillers were not only addictive, but they were compounding her liver problems, causing her liver to double in size. \n\nThankfully, cannabis provided Ella a safer alternative. “Because I was taking cannabis for my pain, my liver was able to shrink down to normal size.” she explains, saying that anyone with her condition should try out cannabis. “I recommend it, because it's not a narcotic that can damage your organs, and it's just a wonderful medicine.”\n\n### Becky’s Success Overcoming Her Pain With Marijuana\n\nBecky is another patient who uses cannabis for pain relief. The 42-year-old uses cannabis for a connective tissue disorder that affects her eyes, heart, muscular system and skeletal system. This condition leaves Becky with a lot of daily chronic pain. That pain can really get in the way of her work as a hairstylist. While some doctors suggested she get into a new line of work, Becky is passionate about what she does and wanted to continue.\n\n“I had to figure out ways to make myself feel better and still be able to function.” she says, sharing a long line of medications she experimented with before making her way to medical cannabis.\n\nBecky tried everything from Tylenol and OxyContin to muscle relaxers, but nothing seemed to help. Then she thought back to times she had used cannabis recreationally. “I realized that any time I smoked cannabis, it was because I was struggling with physical pain or with something emotional. It always helped.” \n\nWith approval from her doctor, Becky began to use cannabis medicinally, and it has transformed her life. “I truly, deeply feel like if I didn't have cannabis in my life, I wouldn't be the same person I am now.” she says. “I might not even be here.” \n\nStill, Becky says she had to do some work to find the right kinds of cannabis for her. “Not everything affects me the same way it affects everybody else,” she explains. “There are some indicas that make me really 'go go go.' There are some that caused me massive anxiety. There are some sativas that make me sleepy. I had to figure that all out.” \n\nHaving finally worked out what her best cannabis options are, Becky’s now well enough to continue her work in the hair salon. She has become a vocal advocate of cannabis, telling all of her clients about the wonders it has worked in her life. \n\n### Many Are Finding Pain Relief With Cannabis \n\nBecky and Ella aren’t the only ones using cannabis for pain. In one study, [97% of medical marijuana patients said they use the plant primarily for chronic pain](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3998228/).\n\nThe science supports these patient’s claims that cannabis is a potent painkiller. In fact, in a study by UC Berkeley and HelloMD, [81% of patients reported that cannabis alone was more effective at relieving their pain than opioids were](http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/can.2017.0012), with similar results reported for patients using non-opioid painkillers.\n\nCannabis helps treat pain by sending cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to stimulate the body’s endocannabinoid system. This system is the body’s natural pain reliever. When stimulated, pain relief is quick and potent, but without the numbing and desensitized feelings that can come with traditional painkillers. \n\nIf you suffer from chronic pain and think cannabis might be right for you, the best first step is to talk to a doctor. You can [consult with one of HelloMD’s knowledgeable doctors](https://www.hellomd.com/); it's easy, private and 100% online. Whether you have a medical marijuana card or live in a state where you can purchase through recreational means, you’ll want to start exploring which strains and methods of using cannabis are best for you.\n\nStay tuned for our next installment of the Cannabis for Newbies guide, where we’ll delve into how cannabis can help manage stress.\n\nPhoto credit: [Nick Karvounis](https://unsplash.com/@nickkarvounis)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/14b42/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg","srcSet":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/f836f/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/2244e/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 400w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/14b42/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 800w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/47498/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 1200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/0e329/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 1600w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/bea71/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 3641w","srcWebp":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/58556/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/61e93/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/1f5c5/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 400w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/58556/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 800w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/99238/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 1200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/7c22d/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 1600w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/79ff7/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 3641w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2619-markdown","title":"Cannabis in the Workplace: A Plan for Productivity","slug":"cannabis-in-the-workplace-a-plan-for-productivity","content":"The United States has just over 4% of the world’s population, yet its doctors prescribe more than 80% of the world’s oxycodone. [The opioid epidemic of abusing oxycodone and other prescription pain medications has cost the country more than a trillion dollars](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/02/13/585199746/cost-of-u-s-opioid-epidemic-since-2001-is-1-trillion-and-climbing) since 2001—and the greatest financial burden of the crisis is in the workplace.\r\n\r\nOpioids cost billions every year in lost productivity, workplace safety issues and workers’ compensation claims. But cannabis can provide the solution employers need to restore the productivity and revenue lost to the opioid crisis.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### Many Plans, Few Solutions for the Opioid Crisis\r\n\r\nEmployees bring opioid use to the workplace when they take these medications for pain from off-work accidents or chronic conditions like arthritis. But the workplace can also create opioid use and dependence when someone suffers a workplace injury and opioids are prescribed. \r\n\r\n[Workers using opioids can cause accidents, miss work and cost far more in workplace compensation claims](http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/prescription-painkillers-for-employers.aspx) than their peers in similar situations who don’t use opioids. To combat the problem, entities from the federal government to workplace-related bodies such as workers’ compensation insurers and safety councils have [proposed solutions that focus heavily on limiting access to opioids](http://www.constructionexec.com/article/a-prescription-for-reducing-workers-comp-costs), rather than finding safer alternatives for treating the pain opioid users legitimately feel.\r\n\r\n[Plans proposed by the National Safety Council (NSC)](http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/Prescription-Nation-White-Paper.aspx) and some workplace insurers emphasize tighter control of prescriptions and penalizing overprescribing doctors. [Other recommendations](http://www.talenteconomy.io/2017/09/05/can-employers-fight-opioid-epidemic/) include wider drug testing in the workplace to spot opioid users, workplace education programs and expanded employee assistance programs to help with dependence and addiction.  \r\n\r\nSome agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and NSC also suggest advocating for alternative methods of pain control including chiropractic treatments, physical therapy and acupuncture. But conspicuously absent from those options is a true medical alternative that can manage pain without the harmful and dangerous side effects of opioids: cannabis. \r\n\r\n### Cannabis Controls Pain, Not Lives\r\n\r\nRecent studies support the claims of many cannabis users that [cannabis products can treat pain](https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/755388) as well as, or better than, opioids can. And these cannabis products don’t cause the impairment, addiction and risk of overdose that opioids can. That’s because the [cannabinoids in cannabis work very differently](https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2014/01/5-surprising-things-you-need-to-know-about-prescription-painkillers/index.htm) in the body than opioids do.\r\n\r\nThe body contains receptor networks for both cannabis and opioids, and both types of receptors can be activated to block pain signals to the brain. But the endocannabinoid receptor network—receptors for cannabinoids (the compounds found in the marijuana plant) and naturally occurring endocannabinoids—affects nearly all of the body’s processes to promote immune responses, lower inflammation and a variety of other benefits. By comparison, the opioid receptor network is limited, and its receptors are found largely in the brain, particularly the brainstem, and the digestive system. \r\n\r\nOpioid receptors in the brain are responsible for the powerfully addictive nature of these medications—and also the potential for death by overdose. Opioids depress autonomous functions in the brainstem such as respiration and heartbeat, and when a person takes too many, or takes opioids in combination with other sedatives, these functions can be depressed to the point of stopping.\r\n\r\nBut the number of cannabinoid receptors in the brain is negligible, eliminating the risk of an overdose death.  To put it another way: Because of where the different receptors are located in the body, opioids can cause death—but cannabis can’t. \r\n\r\nStopping the use of opioids can be stressful and risky, too, thanks to the surge of norepinephrine that occurs when opioids are no longer in control. Withdrawal symptoms can be severe, and potentially life-threatening; this plays a role in keeping people addicted. But while it’s possible to become psychologically addicted to cannabis, stopping its use doesn’t cause the same wrenching physical symptoms, because cannabis doesn’t affect norepinephrine production in the brain.  \r\n\r\n### Separating Myth From Medicine\r\n\r\nCannabis is now being more widely used to control pain and the symptoms of many other diseases and conditions. But it still faces barriers thanks to its fearsome and legendary reputation as “marijuana,” a substance that’s still classified as a Schedule 1 restricted drug along with heroin and LSD. And anti-drug campaigns have for generations portrayed cannabis as a dangerous way to get high and a gateway to abusing harder drugs.  \r\n\r\nBut cannabis products for medical uses such as pain control can contain relatively minimal amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient responsible for the “high,” in comparison to cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabis compound that activates cannabinoid receptors related to managing pain and inflammation.\r\n\r\nEmployees using high-CBD cannabis for pain control aren’t likely to be high at work, cause accidents or take large amounts of sick leave due to opioid-related issues. In fact, they may experience greater focus and energy, and be less susceptible to the stresses of the workplace.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [CANNABIS: AN EXIT DRUG FOR THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59f0d5d6453ba8000f3478d6/cannabis-an-exit-drug-for-the-opioid-epidemic)\r\n\r\n### Introducing Cannabis as an Opioid Alternative\r\n\r\nBecause cannabis is a safer and less addictive alternative for pain control, incorporating it into plans for combatting opioid abuse can save lives and reduce or eliminate the many problems associated with opioids in the workplace. Employers can encourage doctors associated with their insurance and workers’ compensation programs to prescribe cannabis when possible, or at least discuss it with patients. Training that covers the risks of opioids can include cannabis as another alternative for pain management along with other natural remedies.  \r\n\r\nOpioid misuse and dependence robs employees of wages, careers and health—and costs employers billions every year. Cannabis can change that picture—and medical cannabis specialists can work with employers of all kinds to develop pain management protocols for keeping workers healthy, and workplaces safer and more productive.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Rawpixel.com](https://unsplash.com/@rawpixel)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAOABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGAAAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQCAwb/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABofzrImRE/8QAGhAAAQUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgABAwQxIv/aAAgBAQABBQKk5jJbMXhLWyxwa//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABD/2gAIAQMBAT8BP//EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABD/2gAIAQIBAT8BP//EABoQAQADAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAEBECMVH/2gAIAQEABj8C0HI77Sx4HVf/xAAaEAEAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABABEhQWEx/9oACAEBAAE/IRCDKQPsrTiK9iHBk7j5TLOHA63yM//aAAwDAQACAAMAAAAQIz//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEP/aAAgBAwEBPxBn/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP/aAAgBAgEBPxA//8QAHBAAAgMAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITFBYYFx/9oACAEBAAE/ELMvwoBQBwXGNgZTCb6PHkaVIgJRJIAbA/INcXMKwOn2an//2Q==","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/14b42/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/f836f/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/2244e/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 400w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/14b42/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 800w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/47498/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 1200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/0e329/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 1600w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/e0e30/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 3660w","srcWebp":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/58556/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/61e93/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/1f5c5/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 400w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/58556/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 800w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/99238/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 1200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/7c22d/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 1600w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/46196/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 3660w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2566-markdown","title":"Opioids Take a Toll on the Workplace—Can Cannabis Help? ","slug":"opioids-take-a-toll-on-the-workplacecan-cannabis-help","content":"More than $78 billion a year—that’s how much The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate the economic burden of prescription opioid use and misuse to be. That figure includes not only costs to society, but also costs to the workplace. Lost productivity, health-care expenses, workers’ compensation claims and on-the-job risks are among the opioid-related issues facing employers everywhere. \r\n\r\nA number of strategies have been proposed to combat the problem of opioid use in the workplace, but these plans fail to offer an alternative solution for managing pain. Safer and more effective than opioids, cannabis can provide that alternative, with benefits for employee health and a company’s bottom line.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### What Are Opioids?\r\n\r\n[Opioid pain medications](https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2014/01/5-surprising-things-you-need-to-know-about-prescription-painkillers/index.htm) such as Vicodin and OxyContin belong to a class of powerful painkillers that includes heroin and morphine. These medications block pain signals in the brain, but they also depress the central nervous system, causing breathing and heart rate to slow. When a person takes too many opioids, or combines them with other sedatives or alcohol, those automatic functions can be depressed to the point of death.  \r\n\r\nThe CDC warns that [opioids are intended only for short-term use](https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis) to relieve acute pain from injuries or surgery. After only a few days of use, opioids can become addictive. But a majority of doctors who prescribe opioids do so for longer than 60 days—even though these medications aren’t very effective for chronic pain. All of these factors combine to raise the risk of misuse, addiction, and harm to self and surroundings.\r\n\r\n### Opioids in the Workplace Raise Risks & Costs\r\n\r\nOpioid use can negatively affect the workplace in a number of ways. A worker might be using opioid medications prescribed for something unrelated to the workplace, such as an off-time injury or pain from a chronic condition. But if that employee is overusing the medications, or has become addicted to them, work performance and productivity can suffer.  \r\n\r\nPrescribing information for opioid drugs typically warns against operating machinery or other activities requiring precision and concentration until users know how the medication will affect them. Opioid users in jobs requiring these kinds of tasks can cause serious workplace accidents, or errors that create a cascading series of problems.  \r\n\r\nPeople who misuse opioids may also miss work more often, leaving essential tasks undone or forcing others to take on their workload. Opioids can also cause a long list of secondary health problems including constipation, depression, and a heightened risk of bone fracture, all of which can lead to more sick days and difficulty performing job duties.\r\n\r\nBut many people who end up misusing or becoming addicted to opioids do so because of a workplace injury that leads to a prescription for at least one opioid drug for pain, typically for 60 days or more. When long-term use of opioids is involved, the [cost of workers’ compensation claims can skyrocket](https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2017/12/07/281919.htm).\r\n\r\nAccording to a 2012 study, workers who received even one opioid medication for a workplace injury had [claims costs that were four to eight times higher](http://www.lockton.com/whitepapers/Opioids_Wreak_Havoc_on_Workers_Compensation_Costs.pdf) than claims incurred by workers who didn’t take opioids. Meanwhile, the Workers Compensation Research Institute found that the cost of time lost for workers using opioids averaged $117,0000—roughly 900% higher than the cost of time taken off by workers who didn’t take opioids.\r\n\r\nAdditional research reveals that workers taking opioids for more than 90 days aren’t likely to go back to work, both because of dependence on the drugs and the side effects and secondary diseases related to using them.   \r\n\r\n### Proposed Strategies to Combat Opioids in the Workplace Miss the Point\r\n\r\nTo reduce harm to the workplace and reduce costs related to workers’ compensation and insurance claims, employers in several industries are working with insurers and claims managers to [find ways to limit the prescribing of opioids in workplace injury cases](http://www.constructionexec.com/article/a-prescription-for-reducing-workers-comp-costs), and reduce problems caused by opioid use on the job. \r\n\r\nRELATED: [HOW CANNABIS CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF OPIOID ABUSE](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a14b5edeea891000897e26c/how-cannabis-can-break-the-cycle-of-opioid-abuse)\r\n\r\nSuggested strategies include:\r\n\r\n* Working closely with doctors to monitor opioid prescriptions \r\n* Instituting drug reviews and educating claims managers on red flags for opioid misuse \r\n* Instituting random drug testing \r\n* Encouraging doctors to recommend other solutions for managing pain, such as non-opioid pain relievers, physical therapy or acupuncture \r\n\r\nConspicuously absent from these solutions, though, is cannabis—a demonstrably safe and effective approach to managing chronic pain without the risks associated with opioid drugs.\r\n\r\n### Cannabis: An Effective Solution for Chronic Pain\r\n\r\nResearch reveals that a majority of participants who used cannabis were able to reduce their use of prescription opioids—or stop using them altogether. Because cannabis affects the body in ways that are very different from opioids, a cannabis protocol can ease pain without the risk of addiction and withdrawal, or death from overdose. When used as an alternative to opioids for managing chronic pain, cannabis can restore lost productivity, reduce employer costs—and save lives.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Bradley Wentzel](https://unsplash.com/@bradleywentzel)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAPABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQGBf/EABYBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABzaCbooVFzR//xAAcEAACAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADBBIREyH/2gAIAQEAAQUCxwvYj7L4srbViw5FhE//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIf/aAAgBAwEBPwGn/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECFB/9oACAECAQE/AVR//8QAHBAAAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERISNBUWGB/9oACAEBAAY/Askx0WvCOBNCao0f/8QAGhABAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITFRof/aAAgBAQABPyGchLhF7rUPZ9OPwvLlcSeOMLCYpoqvZv/aAAwDAQACAAMAAAAQQw//xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARFBUf/aAAgBAwEBPxB2RGn/xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARFR/9oACAECAQE/EMSW/8QAHBAAAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITFRQWFx/9oACAEBAAE/EEgkQMaFdQWKi3g62Yg7d4wLhwHZwJGUfOYHkysZO5dCoE5N+z//2Q==","aspectRatio":1.36986301369863,"src":"/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/14b42/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg","srcSet":"/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/f836f/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg 200w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/2244e/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg 400w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/14b42/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg 800w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/47498/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg 1200w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/0e329/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg 1600w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/85195/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.jpg 2700w","srcWebp":"/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/58556/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/61e93/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp 200w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/1f5c5/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp 400w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/58556/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp 800w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/99238/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp 1200w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/7c22d/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp 1600w,\n/static/d44d7312ba8b4af5569eae4d6a48dff1/a9f42/be27e6203dd840a0413b1b2b16bccb16.webp 2700w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2583-markdown","title":"NY Proposes Cannabis as a Solution to the Opioid Epidemic","slug":"ny-proposes-cannabis-as-a-solution-to-the-opioid-epidemic","content":"Fast on the heels of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to study the feasibility of legalizing recreational marijuana, state lawmakers introduced legislation to the Senate and Assembly to allow the use of medical marijuana to treat “opioid use disorder.” Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell (D-Manhattan), who introduced the measure, got the bill approved by the Assembly Health Committee with a 23-1 vote last month.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n“We have an opioid crisis and people are dying, and this may be a path to keep people from dying and keep them from relapsing,” said O’Donnell to the [_New York Daily News_](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/n-y-lawmakers-fight-opioid-crisis-medical-marijuana-article-1.3784700).\n\nO’Donnell along with other supporters of the bill point to research that shows access to medical marijuana helps reduce opioid dependency, addiction and death. Medical marijuana, in fact, appears to be an “exit drug” from the opioid epidemic, which kills nearly a hundred Americans daily.\n\nSenator Diane Savino (D-Staten Island), who sponsored the medical marijuana legalization bill that went on to become law in 2014, is backing this bill with the hopes of getting it approved by June—when legislative sessions come to a close.\n\n### NY Could Be the First State to Recognize Marijuana for Opioid Use Disorder\n\nIf the bill passes the Senate and Governor Cuomo then signs the bill into law, opioid use disorder would further expand the list of New York’s qualifying conditions, which includes cancer, epilepsy, chronic pain and most recently [post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD. It would also make New York the first state to recognize medical marijuana as a possible solution for opioid dependency and addiction. And it could serve as a catalyst for other states to follow suit—while flying in the face of anti-marijuana rhetoric put forward by Chris Christie, who chairs the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.\n\nChristie continues to ignore a growing body of evidence that finds cannabis to be a safer alternative to opioids when it comes to relieving chronic pain. And he refuses to acknowledge that there might be something to the fact that [opioid-related deaths have dropped in Colorado where recreational marijuana is legal](http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304059?journalCode=ajph&).\n\nMeanwhile, public opinion has likely swayed Governor Cuomo, who once called cannabis a “gateway drug [that] leads to other drugs.” He’s since reconsidered his stance and is proposing a cost, benefit and risk analysis of legalizing marijuana for adult use.\n\nTime will tell if New York will take a page out of New Jersey’s book to move “full weed ahead” with recreational marijuana. In the meantime, getting opioid use disorder approved will be a good step towards further opening up the medical marijuana program, which currently includes 43,250 certified patients.\n\nPhoto credit: [Cindy Shebley](https://www.flickr.com/photos/cindyshebley/)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/14b42/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/f836f/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg 200w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/2244e/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg 400w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/14b42/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg 800w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/47498/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg 1200w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/0e329/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg 1600w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/0fb1f/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.jpg 1862w","srcWebp":"/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/58556/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/61e93/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp 200w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/1f5c5/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp 400w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/58556/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp 800w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/99238/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp 1200w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/7c22d/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp 1600w,\n/static/4bb0fa00e234515b957574dd00bc076f/dc633/765615c971a4d277f1882c3bf8b878ce.webp 1862w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2579-markdown","title":"Ex-NFL Player Eben Britton: Cannabis Can Save the League Millions","slug":"ex-nfl-player-eben-britton-cannabis-can-save-the-league-millions","content":"Eben Britton played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL): four years for the Jacksonville Jaguars and two years for the Chicago Bears. Like many players, he was given opioids and anti-inflammatory pills to cope with the pain from the injuries he sustained while playing the game. \n\nNow retired, he’s one of the few players to openly talk about his cannabis use while still in the league. Eben attributes marijuana to helping him manage the grueling mental and physical challenges of playing in the NFL. \n\nEben has now become an advocate for ending cannabis prohibition in the NFL. He also founded [Athletes for Care](https://athletesforcare.org/), a support network that helps former athletes of all creeds find their footing after their sports careers have ended. \n\nOn his career after the NFL he says, “Man, this is what I'm supposed to be doing.”\n\nDr. Perry Solomon, HelloMD’s chief medical officer, sat down with Eben over video chat. In front of an expansive mural of Los Angeles painted by his father, Eben recounted his days in the NFL, how cannabis helped him manage pain and overcome opioid dependence, and what he’s up to now.  \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Q: You’ve been open about your cannabis use during your NFL career. Can you talk about why you decided to use cannabis, even though it was (and still is) a banned substance?\n\nI think that to me, the more I'm out of the game, the more distance I've had from it, the more context behind it—it just becomes more and more clear to me that cannabis and football are really integrally related. \n\nI would say there's a clear correlation between my cannabis consumption and my football career. I played the offensive line—I was knocking heads. I was one of the guys dealing with those sub-concussive hits 80, 90, 100 times a day, five days a week. So to me, looking back on my career, looking back at my own personal cannabis use, I started consuming more cannabis the more football I played. And I believe that that was my body intuitively needing to be supported, basically thirsting for some sort of healing, some sort of cellular nourishment which came only from cannabis.\n\n### Q: How did cannabis help you manage the pain from injuries you sustained during your NFL career? \n\nI suffered a laundry list of injuries—from dislocating my shoulder multiple times, to concussions, to a herniated disc in my back, which created excruciating sciatic pain that ran down my leg.\n\nThis was dealt with—at least from a pain management perspective—with a lot of prescription pills and a lot of prescription anti-inflammatories, like Indocin and Cataflam. These types of drugs are very toxic, and they create pain in the gut. \n\nNFL players—including myself—were very much reliant on these drugs to be able to produce at 100%—or at least there was a time when I believed I needed to take these [drugs] to be able to play at 100%.\n\nRELATED: [HOW CANNABIS CAN HELP BREAK THE CYCLE OF OPIOID ABUSE](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a14b5edeea891000897e26c/how-cannabis-can-break-the-cycle-of-opioid-abuse)\n\nI felt many of the negative side effects that are so commonly associated with opiates. For instance, I remember after my first shoulder surgery, [I was] taking Vicodin at the time—the prescribed dosages—and I felt like my emotions, my anger and rage, all came billowing up to the surface. I was on a hair trigger—very out of control and irrational. I felt insane, felt severe discomfort throughout my body. I was in in the throes of withdrawal symptoms. … Juxtapose that to my experience with cannabis.\n\n[Cannabis] didn't really become something that I incorporated into my athletic career until I was in the NFL, and I was dealing with pain on a daily basis. … Time and time again it just brought me back to center. It helped not only ease the physical pain, but it was very calming and peace-inducing mentally. \n\n### Q: How did cannabis help your mental health when you were in the NFL? \n\n[In the NFL], you're stressed out about producing at a very high level in front of millions of people. It’s a highly competitive environment. The NFL work day starts at about 7 a.m. on the later end, the first team meeting starts at 7:30. You're in three hours of meetings; you've got about an hour weightlifting session to get in there somewhere; you've got a two-and-a-half-hour full-speed practice; you've got three more hours of meetings; you've got walkthroughs— this is all grinding the axe.\n\nBy the time you get home, you're exhausted—both physically and mentally. For me, cannabis really became this replenishing substance—something that I could come back to that would help me fall into a much more peaceful state of mind. I was calmed down from all the adrenaline, testosterone and cortisol I was running all day. \n\n![Ex-NFL player Eben Britton speaks out about cannabis](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/articles-5a724c2ff24d1300077ccb27-671191de-ac9c-4899-8f76-cb5581742603/original.jpg)\n\n### Q: How does cannabis fit into your life now that you’ve retired from the NFL?  \n\nI founded a company called [Be Tru Organics](https://betruorganics.com/). We do hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) products: an oral spray, pain relief cream and a daily vitamin. \n\nI use our pain relief cream every day. I think it's a fantastic method for anyone dealing with joint pain. My back hurts all the time—I don't have full range of motion in my neck. I use it on my neck and on my shoulders and before I lift weights. I think it's great for before and after exercise. Our pain relief cream is definitely something I wish I had when I was playing. \n\nI’ll also do high THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) concentrates—they help me go to sleep. I also like to do them occasionally for high-intensity workout or weight-training sessions. I feel like the THC primes me in a way that’s not quite like anything else. I have a vaporizer machine that I use—a VapeXhale. \n\n### Q: There’s unprecedented support for marijuana legalization across the nation. What’s the current environment like in the NFL in terms of marijuana prohibition? Do a lot of players presently use cannabis? \n\nIt's at least 50% of the guys in a locker room—that's extremely conservative. I would say even upwards of 75% of the guys, especially nowadays. I think they're becoming more aware of the positive medical benefits of cannabis, especially for football players. \n\nI think the owners are really beginning to understand the implications of ending cannabis prohibition in the league—or whether that's on a state-by-state basis. I think the league wants to avoid anything where one team gets a seeming advantage over another. For instance, guys on the Titans aren't going to have very easy access to cannabis (because Tennessee still deems cannabis as an illegal substance). Meanwhile, you've got the [Seattle] Seahawks or the [L.A.] Rams or the [San Francisco] 49ers all with easy access to cannabis. \n\nBut among the owners, there really seems to be a quiet, under-the-surface groundswell of support, and actual ownership moving towards taking cannabis off their banned substance list. I think it's smart—looking down the line this is going to save the league millions, if not billions of dollars in health-care costs. \n\nI feel as though we're all being a little naive that we don't think the NFL is already working on some sort of product—whether it's an inhalant, a vaporizer, a capsule, a tincture or creams. If that's not the case, they're falling way behind on an incredible opportunity to better the lives of their players and better the lives of athletes in the future. \n\n### Q: Do you think cannabis has medical applications in youth football? \n\nAbsolutely—that's something that's being navigated currently. High school is really the beginning of when these kids are developing their physical bodies to a point where they can really inflict damage on each other—and they’re taking it seriously. High school is really the initial minor leagues of the NFL—in America that's the farm system.\n\nIt starts in high school, it moves into college, and the best of the best are sifted out 'til they eventually get to the NFL. Those kids in high school who are serious about playing the game, who play at a high level, should be doing everything they can to protect their brains and mitigate as much of that damage as possible. \n\nI've studied a lot of plants and herbal remedies—ancient and Ayurvedic, traditional Chinese medicine—there's no other substance on this planet that I know of that has the same neuroprotective qualities that cannabis does. And from what I can tell, from what I've experienced, football does a lot of damage to the brain—that's what we're seeing. Cannabis seems to be a good start in mitigating that. \n\n### Q: Given the state of the NFL and football in general, would you let any of your children play the game?\n\nMy wife, she would say absolutely not. I wouldn't be encouraging it, but I wouldn't tell my son “no” if he truly wanted to play football. That's a tough one—it’s a sad realization. There are other games to play: There's basketball; there's track and field; there's a lot you can do that doesn't involve smashing your head and other people with you. \n\nI think Pop Warner football should probably be done away with completely. I don't think kids should be putting on helmets and playing full contact football until they're least 14 years old. People who started playing football before the age of 14 are seemingly at a much higher risk for developing CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) later in life. It's what a lot of the research and science has shown. \n\nI think that would do away with a lot of the damage right away—if we made that move. Young kids can play other sports: flag football, basketball, baseball—you can learn a lot from those games.\n\n### Q: You’re working to improve the lives of athletes, and cannabis is just one part of that—let’s talk about Athletes for Care. How did it come about and what do you hope to accomplish? \n\n[Athletes for Care](https://athletesforcare.org/) was inspired out of myself and Nate Jackson—my good friend and another former NFL player—talking about our experience dealing with injuries, and the positive effect cannabis really had for us compared to the opiates and the anti-inflammatories. We realized that there are a lot of guys that shared that story and a lot of guys who need to be educated, who are in really bad places—really struggling, really suffering. Their families are falling apart—they've had a really difficult time re-identifying themselves as people in their lives after sports.\n\nThat's why we created Athletes for Care. We wanted to create a resource for athletes—men and women of all ages. It's not only for former professional athletes, it's collegiate level and high school. It's about offering the support and resources necessary for re-identifying yourself in life after sports. We wanted to create a little hub and cannabis is just one component of that. \n\nThere are entrepreneurial programs; there's investment and financial support. We have an actual support group network: the Athletes Afterlife program, which is a network of men and women who have all been through this transition of moving from one career to the next.\n\nWe wanted to offer a support system where you can pick up the phone and call somebody who's been through something similar to what you've been through. … It's a preventative as much as anything. If [current athletes] are bringing this into their thought process, their transition to life after sports is going to be a much smoother.\n\nWe're really encouraging connection with the league right now. We've had some great phone calls with the NFLPA (NFL Players Association), the union. \n\n### Q: What are some other things—besides cannabis—that you incorporate into your lifestyle to stay healthy?  \n\nMeditation is number one. I think every single person on the planet should be meditating at this point. Other than that, I would say sticking to a ketogenic diet, a high-fat diet—low carb, high vegetable content. Eating as much organic, grass-fed foods as possible—sticking with real foods. \n\nI use curcumin on a daily basis—I think it's fantastic for inflammation. For my mental clarity, I also take a number of mushrooms—lion's mane mushroom has some fantastic neurological effects, as well as chaga and cordyceps. These mushrooms have profound neuroprotective qualities and anti-cancer qualities. [They] really affect my joint pain and keep me feeling good throughout the day.\n\nI do some sort of exercise just about almost daily—I'd say at least six days a week. It just makes me feel good—whether that's yoga or going on a hike, I'm getting out in nature. I still like to lift weights. I can be much more productive in the weight room these days and not tear myself down because I'm not trying to lift the world—I'm just trying to feel good. \n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/14b42/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.jpg","srcSet":"/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/f836f/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.jpg 200w,\n/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/2244e/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.jpg 400w,\n/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/14b42/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.jpg 800w,\n/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/2a6ad/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.jpg 1105w","srcWebp":"/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/58556/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/61e93/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.webp 200w,\n/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/1f5c5/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.webp 400w,\n/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/58556/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.webp 800w,\n/static/ead03adf17b9dafe084814b0a8ebc465/f2b5c/7d7d33d2badf3d7a19c6c9adff29b768.webp 1105w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2560-markdown","title":"Super Bowl Champ Marvin Washington Talks Cannabis & the NFL ","slug":"super-bowl-champ-marvin-washington-talks-cannabis-and-the-nfl","content":"Marvin Washington spent 11 years as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos; it was with the Broncos that he won the Super Bowl in 1998. During the course of his football career, Marvin sustained injuries that would affect him for the rest of his life. Like many players, he was given opioids to deal with his pain and to keep him out on the field. As players age, they face a number of challenges—among them, the realization that the painkillers they rely on can ultimately lead to a dead end. \r\n\r\n As a way out of this opioid dead end, many ex-NFL players, including Marvin, have turned to cannabis. The plant's anti-inflammatory, pain-fighting properties have helped these players manage their injuries with minimal side effects. \r\n\r\nThese players have also come to another realization—one that wasn't out in the open until a few years ago: that athletes involved in contact sports are vulnerable to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. This brain disease—which is caused by frequent head injuries—can lead to mood and behavioral disorders, and ultimately dementia, depression and suicidal thoughts. Studies are showing that cannabis's neuroprotective properties may help those with this disease. \r\n\r\nArmed with this knowledge, Marvin and other players are now calling on the NFL to change its policies towards cannabis use. The policies they're pressing for would impact how the league approaches pain, brain health and overall player wellness. \r\n\r\n![NFL star Marvin Washington on cannabis and pain relief](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/articles-5a6f94368425e40008273a42-a2037af0-3fd0-4da2-8627-b3a0c9b79120/original.png)\r\n\r\nDr. Perry Solomon, HelloMD's chief medical officer, sat down with Marvin to talk about his cannabis use and advocacy, and the future of football.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### Q: How has cannabis helped you address injuries you sustained in the NFL? \r\n\r\nI played 11 years in the NFL, and I had seven surgeries, some major some minor. These injuries were things that happened in the off season. I didn't miss any time. But as you retire, and you get up there in years—it's been about 18 years since I've played in the NFL—I can feel those injuries; it's not just bumps and bruises. … Playing football was fun, but after you finish playing the game, there's a price you have to pay. \r\n\r\nI was introduced to cannabis, this industry, this movement about four-and-a-half years ago on the CBD (cannabidiol) side. It helps me achieve homeostasis at the age that I am—I just turned 52. I work out every day that I can. I attribute CBD to making me active, to letting me have an active lifestyle. \r\n\r\n### Q: What CBD products do you prefer to use? \r\n\r\nEverything that I use is from [Isodiol](https://isodiol.com/). I have a joint venture that I did with Isodiol last year. Instead of getting our CBD from hemp or the cannabis plant, we're getting it from hops. The bioavailability of hops-derived CBD is 85%, and this is something that has been a game changer for me. I can tell the difference. … I've been having it for the past six to eight months, and they're phenomenal. \r\n\r\nWe have water, salves, pills. The pills are called [ImmunAG](https://isodiol.com/isodiol-international-announces-us-sales-launch-hops-derived-cbd-product-immunag/)—it's time-released and deposits in the lower intestines. It's like my supplement. Before I work out, I put on our cream. I still lift, and I still do ballistic training where I'm jumping and stretching, so it definitely helps. I take the oil after working out in the morning.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [THE NFL & MARIJUANA: ONE SHOULD ADOPT THE OTHER](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56bb8f39add826000c00001f/the-nfl-and-medical-marijuana-one-should-adopt-the-other)\r\n\r\n### Q: Can you talk about the NFL's opioid problem and how cannabis can help address these issues?\r\n\r\nNFL players are four times more likely to abuse opiates than the rest of society—that tells you what's happening with my peers and people that I played with. We're being introduced to these opiates and benzodiazepines at a younger age. Take a guy like me: I started this pharmaceutical regimen of pills—anti-inflammatories and pain pills—from July all the way until January, and I played for 11 years. I'm supposed to go cold turkey? It doesn't work that way for a lot of guys. \r\n\r\nMost of the guys are old, out of shape, not active, and they're sore—these football injuries have immobilized them. I say microdose with [cannabis], take it every day and see how you feel—it usually makes a difference. … Most of the people I know who are using cannabis are guys that have been addicted to the opiates and pharmaceuticals. There's a plethora of them: Ricky Williams, Kyle Turley, Eben Britton, Jim McMahon—cannabis helps them. … But when a guy has an opiate addiction issue, I can't just say, \"Here take this oil or this vape.\"\r\n\r\nI had an ex-teammate call me years ago—he was living with his mother, taking 12 Percocets a day, hadn't played football in 15 years. He was looking in the laundry room thinking about drinking bleach—that's how low he was. Me just giving him CBD wasn't going to do the deal. I have cannabis doctors and nurses that I consult with, so we went at it as a team. We were able to wean him off of the opiates, but he had to go to a facility in Texas that uses CBD.\r\n\r\n### Q: You only use CBD products—how do you feel about the use of cannabis products with THC by NFL players? \r\n\r\nI'm all about full-plant cannabis—THC, THCA, CBD, CBN. Some guys, the thing that has helped them has been THC. Particularly as an anti-inflammatory, particularly for anti-anxiety and particularly for pain management. The NFL medical program has something called TUD—therapeutic use exemption—where they let guys that have ADHD take Ritalin and Adderall, which are banned substances according to WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). The NFL lets these guys take it under doctor's orders. \r\n\r\nMy thing is in the states and municipalities where it's legal, do the same thing with cannabis. Instead of sending guys home after a hard practice with pain pills and anti-inflammatories, send them home with something that could be THC, CBD or a combination of both.\r\n\r\nWe're not talking about sending guys home with a blunt. There's all types of delivery systems: There's swabs, vapes, transdermal patches. There are plenty of ways these guys can medicate with cannabis, come back the next day and have no negative side effects.\r\n\r\n### Q: Does cannabis have medical applications in youth football? \r\n\r\nWhen you're talking about contact sports—especially football—I think it's a no-brainer. [Federal] patent 6630507 says that CBD is an antioxidant and neuroprotectant for the brain, in relationship to concussions. Why not CBD? It's non-psychoactive, not toxic, not addictive. Cannabis is being used with kids anyway, for epileptic strokes and seizures. \r\n\r\nConcussions happen in youth football; concussions happen in high-school football. [Raphael Mechoulam](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mvxde4/raphael-mechulam-father-cannabis-discover-thc) has said you can mitigate the symptoms of a concussion if within 30 minutes to an hour [you administer] a massive dose of CBD—this is what I'd like to see.\r\n\r\nThis is something that should be on every sideline of every football league from youth, to middle school, to high school, to college and definitely pro football. This is something that I think should be on the sidelines of any contact sport where there's a possibility of head trauma. \r\n\r\nI understand there will be trepidation from some parents about giving their kids THC. I would say use CBD, use very low doses of THC, but the thing with kids is that we're not giving them medical doses. I would say microdose with them. Give them oils or CBD gum—something they can take every day. \r\n\r\n### Q: Your cannabis advocacy goes beyond the NFL—let's talk about your lawsuit with Jeff Sessions. What do you hope to accomplish with that? \r\n\r\nWhat we hope to accomplish is for the highest court in the land to decide that cannabis as a Schedule I drug is unconstitutional. The government tried to get the case dismissed. We didn't get it dismissed—we got an expedited trial date for February 2018. I feel like we've won the first battle. \r\n\r\nFor me, being an African American, being an athlete and being in this space, when you look at the etymology of why Richard Nixon put it on Schedule I, he wanted to go after two groups: hippies, who were protesting the Vietnam war, and African Americans. \r\n\r\n[Nixon] had the [Shafer Commission](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shafer_Commission) that told him everything we're saying about cannabis now. He didn't go through a body of Congress or anything like that. He just put it on as Schedule I, so we're saying that it's unconstitutional and that it's racist—the etymology of [cannabis] being a Schedule 1 drug. \r\n\r\nI can't go to states that have a prohibition on THC, and I can't get an SBA (Small Business Administration) loan to start a business. Minorities already have an issue with lack of access to capital, but a lot of times the government steps in, and we can get these minority loans from the SBA, but we can't do that with cannabis being a Schedule I drug. \r\n\r\n### Q: Can you talk about social justice, diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry—what does that look like? \r\n\r\nEven though minorities and Caucasians use marijuana at the same rate, [minorities are] getting arrested five to 12 times more than the majority. \r\n\r\nI want to see—like they're doing in Oakland and Los Angeles—the communities affected most by cannabis's Schedule I status—with the arrests, incarcerations, breaking up of families, the devastating penalties of having a non-violent felony and being sent away for years—I want see those communities participate now that it's gone from the black market to the green market. I don't want us to continue to go to jail while everybody else is going to the bank. That's why I believe there has to be a social equity program for the communities most affected. \r\n\r\nI think it all ties together. We don't want to do business as usual and end up looking like Silicon Valley. We want to do a better business—and when I say a better business, I say a better business for minorities, a better business for women, a better business for people of a lower socioeconomic status. \r\n\r\nCalifornia is expunging records. That's going to affect a million people, not just for the cannabis industry—that's not withstanding. It's going to put [people] back into society so they can vote, get federal housing, [have access to] loans, because they don't have this felony on their record anymore. \r\n\r\n### Q: What are your opinions on the descheduling versus rescheduling of marijuana?\r\n\r\nI think medical marijuana is a no-brainer. When it comes to adult use, that's something you take to the people. We as a society have said that [certain] things with a social ill are acceptable—we regulate and tax them through the government. Alcohol, tobacco and gambling all have connotations attached to them, but we've accepted them as a people. Why can't we do this with cannabis?\r\n\r\n### Q: Can you talk about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the impact it might have on the future of the NFL and how cannabis can help?  \r\n\r\nSince the concussion lawsuit was filed in 2010, youth participation is down across the board. I believe people are aware of the head trauma that's associated with this game. Everybody is aware of orthopedic injuries that football players are going to have—my generation knew about them. I was willing to accept that, but I didn't know that there was a possibility that I could leave this game with a disease. \r\n\r\nThey just came out with a study that says it's not even about concussions, but the repetitive hitting, bashing of the head—especially if you're playing along the offensive-defensive line. Patient one of CTE was Mike Webster: He played 17 years as a center; a center leads with this head. He was getting his head hit 95% of the time he was on the football field. It's the repetitive hits, and then you have the concussions as well. That's going to build up a lot of tau protein. \r\n\r\nNow football moms and dads are aware of what can happen to their kids if they're playing this game. I wouldn't let my kid play football unless a football coach could come into my living room, sit down with me and say, \"I can guarantee you that little Marvin can play this game and he's not gonna get a brain disease.\"\r\n\r\nUntil you're able to do that with me, I can't let him play—and I think a lot of parents are there. No helmet or equipment stops a concussion. I think the thing that stops a concussion is going to come through science, and I believe that cannabis can go a long way in solving that issue for the NFL. \r\n\r\n### Q: Given the state of the NFL and football in general, would you currently let any of your children (or future children) play the game? \r\n\r\nI'd let them play Pop Warner; I'd let them play junior high—but not with helmets. Take the helmets off these kids until they're at least in high school. Your brain doesn't stop developing until you're 21, so what the hell are you doing out there with these kid in helmets at age 7?\r\n\r\nNick Buoniconti, an iconic NFL player, just came out with an initiative yesterday: He recommended that kids not have on helmets until the age of 14. You don't need to have helmets on these players to learn how to throw, to learn how to catch, to learn how to block, to learn how to tackle. In the '20s, '30s and '40s, nobody had on these helmets, but there was still a game of football. They were tackling the proper way. \r\n\r\nMy company is going to fund a league out of California. We have to find leather helmets that are durable, cost-efficient, etc. We're going to show kids how to play football. You can learn how to tackle and block the right way, instead of leading with your helmet. \r\n\r\nI'm not trying to kill football. I love the game of football. There are plenty of life lessons in football that are not in other sports—I'm only trying to make it safer. \r\n\r\n### Q: What can people do to combat cannabis's stigma? \r\n\r\nIf THC is working for you, show you're using it responsibly. Don't show that you're using it and feeding into a Cheech and Chong, Reefer Madness-type of stereotype. That's my biggest pet peeve with this industry. Everybody says, \"We're going to be different,\" but you go to conventions, and guys are walking around with full leaf marijuana suits and a hat—that's what the news people show. Let's show that this is responsible; let's show that this is a medicine.\r\n\r\nWe are just stewards and stakeholders, the dynamic athlete that's going to make this acceptable is probably in junior high school. In 2050, [cannabis] is going to be accepted everywhere, but we have to do it right—we can't have any setbacks.\r\n\r\nIf you're new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/14b42/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/f836f/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg 200w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/2244e/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg 400w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/14b42/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg 800w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/47498/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg 1200w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/0e329/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg 1600w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/7019e/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.jpg 1870w","srcWebp":"/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/58556/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/61e93/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp 200w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/1f5c5/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp 400w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/58556/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp 800w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/99238/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp 1200w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/7c22d/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp 1600w,\n/static/4931fe1d93931769e4d43e14821a6bde/c24b7/c9a3703dee4402ebfd66ceaced9f6e90.webp 1870w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2544-markdown","title":"How We Can Disrupt the Opioid Epidemic With Cannabis","slug":"how-we-can-disrupt-the-opioid-epidemic-with-cannabis","content":"On Jan. 11, I was honored to moderate the panel discussion hosted by Women Grow NYC, co-sponsored by HelloMD and New York medical marijuana dispensary PharmaCannis. The panelists—medical professionals, family therapists, nutritionists and cannabis executives—wanted to examine the ever-growing opioid crisis and the role cannabis could play in helping free us from this deadly epidemic. I shared some of my thoughts, including my personal experience replacing Vicodin with medicinal marijuana. \r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### The Reality of Pain, Opioids & Death in America\r\n\r\n[In 2016, nearly 65,000 people died in the United States from drug overdoses](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opioids-drug-overdose-killed-more-americans-last-year-than-the-vietnam-war/). Two-thirds of those deaths were attributed to the powerful class of drugs called opioids. It’s estimated that an average of 90 people a day are dying from opioid overdoses, and that number seems to be increasing every year. As the number of deaths climbs precipitously higher, the U.S. government acknowledged the depth of the problem recently and [declared the opioid epidemic to be a public “health emergency.”]( http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/donald-trump-opioid-epidemic/index.html) However, no additional federal funds have been allocated towards the problem. \r\n\r\n`embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmF1RwNWxN0`\r\n\r\nSome studies suggest that 110 million Americans will suffer from chronic pain—defined as pain that lasts for more than 90 days—at some point in their life. For the past 20 years, opioids have been the go-to solution for helping people combat chronic pain. Unfortunately, they’re highly addictive, often leading patients to take more and more as they affect the brain’s pleasure/reward system. Because of the number of opioid receptors in the brainstem, they can also be deadly when the dose is too high or if taken in combination with other drugs, such as sleeping pills.\r\n\r\n### How I Went From Vicodin to Cannabis to Treat Chronic Pain\r\n\r\nAs a life-long migraine sufferer, I dealt with my share of chronic pain. What I can tell you is that once you’re in pain, you’ll do whatever you can to get out of it. For this reason, after I went through much trial and error, I landed on Vicodin as my trusty solution for treating migraine-related pain. Although I wasn’t happy about using an opiate frequently, it was honestly the only drug that allowed me to remain semi- functional. However, as my usage of Vicodin went up, so did my concern about becoming addicted.\r\n\r\nA good friend of mine at some point came to me and said, “Why don’t you consider using marijuana for your migraines?” I scoffed at this suggestion and thought, “Maybe for other people, but that’s not me.” As with so many others, cannabis truly was my medication of last resort—I was out of options. Fortunately, I live in California where finding a medical marijuana dispensary is as easy as finding a Starbucks. \r\n\r\nAfter receiving my medical recommendation, I found myself at The Apothecarium, a high-end dispensary in San Francisco with a highly trained budtender named Aaron. He suggested I start on a protocol of high-CBD tinctures and vape pens. Within three months of starting treatment with cannabis, I was managing my pain effectively, and within six months I was preventing my migraines entirely. \r\n\r\nHappily, I can say that in the past three years I haven’t experienced a migraine. For me, cannabis was a silver bullet, and I was able to eliminate opioids entirely. However, most people aren’t as lucky when opioids are introduced into a chronic pain treatment protocol.\r\n\r\n### How Did Opioids Become So Pervasive Anyway? \r\n\r\nFor much of the ‘80s and ‘90s, the medical community had “opiophobia,” or fear of prescribing opioids. However, a small medical study published by two Boston University researchers named Porter and Jick altered how America viewed opioids. They declared in a one-paragraph letter to the editor in the _New England Journal of Medicine_ that [only four out of nearly 12,000 cases resulted in a narcotics addiction](http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM198001103020221). \r\n\r\nAlthough Porter and Jick’s study wasn’t peer reviewed or performed in a clinical setting, this one finding went on to be cited more than 900 times by medical and scientific journals. By 1996, when OxyContin was released on the market by Purdue Pharmaceuticals, our community at large was conditioned to believe opioids weren’t addictive, when in fact we now know the opposite to be true.\r\n\r\n### How Opioids Were Marketed to the Masses\r\n\r\nThe release of OxyContin into the market kicked off a massive marketing campaign to get America hooked. Not only was OxyContin more powerful than any other opioid to date, it was touted to give pain relief from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with only two daily doses necessary. The American people were marketed to on TV and in print and were told that:\r\n\r\n* the rate of addiction was less than 1%.\r\n* there were no serious medical side effects.\r\n* opioids don’t wear out; they keep on working.\r\n* they should be used far more for the treatment of chronic pain. \r\n\r\nFrom 1996 onwards, the mortality rate skyrocketed.\r\n\r\n### Can Cannabis Really Replace Opioids for Pain Relief?\r\n\r\nWe’ve been told for the past 20 years that opioids aren’t addictive—which they are—and that they’re the best option for treating chronic pain—and they’re not. The reality is, cannabis is far less addictive than opioids, and new research shows that it’s more effective in treating chronic pain. It also happens to be safer—marijuana has never killed anyone. It’s impossible to die by cannabis overdose.\r\n\r\nAlthough many people say that not enough research has been done to back the claim that cannabis is an effective alternative to other medications, there’s a mountain of evidence starting to surface. In the past year, The National Academy of Science stated, “[Adults with chronic pain are more likely to experience clinically significant levels of pain reduction when treated with cannabis or cannabinoids](https://www.nap.edu/read/24625/chapter/1#ii).”  \r\n\r\nAdditionally, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently funded [two studies exploring the relationship between marijuana legalization and adverse outcomes associated with prescription opioids](https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana/marijuana-safe-effective-medicine). NIDA found that “[a]ccess to medical marijuana dispensaries is associated with lower levels of opioid prescribing, lower self-report of non-medical prescription opioid use, lower treatment admissions for prescription opioid use disorders, and reduction in prescription opioid overdose deaths.” \r\n\r\nRELATED: [HOW CANNABIS CAN BREAK THE CYCLE OF OPIOID ABUSE](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a14b5edeea891000897e26c/how-cannabis-can-break-the-cycle-of-opioid-abuse)\r\n\r\n### HelloMD-UC Berkeley Study: Patients Prefer Marijuana to Opioids\r\n\r\nIn 2017, HelloMD conducted a study in conjunction with UC Berkeley which looked at [cannabis as a substitute for opioid-based pain medication](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/595413ae914ae4001b40307a/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-release-study-on-cannabis-use-as-a-substitute-for-opioid-and-non-opioid-based-pain-medication). Three thousand patients participated in the largest study of its kind done to date. The study was led by a trio of experts in their field: \r\n\r\n* Amanda Reiman PhD, MSW, of UC Berkeley and the Drug Policy Alliance \r\n* Perry Solomon, MD, chief medical officer of HelloMD\r\n* Mark A. Welty PhD, NCC, LPCC-S, LSW, of Kent State University\r\n\r\nAmong the study’s key findings were: \r\n\r\n* 97% strongly agreed/agreed that they could decrease their opioid use when using cannabis.\r\n* 92% strongly agreed/agreed that they prefer cannabis to treat their medical condition.\r\n* 81% strongly agreed/agreed that cannabis by itself was more effective than taking cannabis with opioids. The results were similar when using cannabis with non-opiate-based pain medications.\r\n\r\nIn states where [medical marijuana is legal and readily available, researchers have seen a 24.8% reduction in opioid-related overdoses](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1898878?__hstc=9292970.6d480b0896ec071bae4c3d40c40ec7d5.1407456000122.1407456000123.1407456000124.1&__hssc=9292970.1.1407456000125&__hsfp=1314462730). Yet, members of the medical community are still hesitant to refer patients\r\nto marijuana as a possible alternative to opiate use for chronic pain or many other medical conditions. \r\n\r\n### How to Disrupt the Opioid Epidemic With Medical Marijuana\r\n\r\nIn fact, PharmaCannis, a well-established medical cannabis provider in New York and Illinois, refers to\r\n“windows of opportunity” to get us out of the opioid epidemic. They describe three \r\nwindows of opportunity—before, during and after opioid dependency—where it’s possible to disrupt\r\nthe opioid epidemic with medical marijuana. \r\n\r\n**Before:** Prior to opioids being introduced, a patient can experiment with cannabis to see if it works\r\nfor their chronic pain.\r\n\r\n**During:** If a patient has been introduced to opioids, cannabis can be used as an opioid reduction\r\nstrategy. \r\n\r\n**After:** If a patient has become addicted to heroin or fentanyl, cannabis can be used as an adjunct\r\n anti-addiction therapy to replace treatments such as methadone.\r\n\r\n### Marijuana as “Exit Drug” From the Opioid Epidemic \r\n\r\nBased on recent findings, both through research and mounting anecdotal evidence, cannabis may be the exit drug to the opioid epidemic. Although mainstream America has yet to adopt cannabis en masse as the de facto replacement for opioids, there’s current momentum for a significant change in how we address the treatment of chronic pain—and cannabis as a solution. \r\n\r\nMy personal story of using cannabis in lieu of opioids, to both manage and prevent my chronic pain, was the birthplace of HelloMD. Since our founding, we’ve treated thousands of patients and have seen first-hand how effective cannabis can be in the treatment of chronic pain. \r\n\r\nCannabis has the potential to improve the overall quality of a chronic pain sufferer’s life. Studies and anecdotal evidence are starting to show that marijuana is more effective than opioids are—and it won’t kill 65,000 people a year. It’s time to take cannabis seriously as a medicine that can help millions of people.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.342281879194631,"src":"/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/ee604/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png","srcSet":"/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/69585/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png 200w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/497c6/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png 400w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/ee604/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png 800w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/f3583/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png 1200w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/5707d/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png 1600w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/df0ef/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.png 1885w","srcWebp":"/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/58556/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/61e93/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp 200w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/1f5c5/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp 400w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/58556/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp 800w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/99238/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp 1200w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/7c22d/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp 1600w,\n/static/5302426e85b0be3f931c6efeb3b5bd10/b8a28/4edc5ecf392307f9ac2b06c5606ccc0c.webp 1885w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2542-markdown","title":"Medical Marijuana a Safer Alternative to Opioid Painkillers","slug":"medical-marijuana-a-safer-alternative-to-opioid-painkillers","content":"Opioid addiction and overdose are two of the biggest health crises facing America today. In 2016, there were just [over 64,000 drug overdose deaths and three-quarters of those were attributed to opioids](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opioids-drug-overdose-killed-more-americans-last-year-than-the-vietnam-war/). To give you an idea of the scale of the problem, in 2015 nearly 34,500 people died as a result of auto accidents. At the height of the AIDS crisis, just over 50,500 individuals succumbed to the disease.   \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nAccording to the [Centers for Disease Control](https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html), those 2016 stats mean there’s been a quadrupling of opioid-related deaths since 1999. The opioid epidemic doesn’t discriminate either—[every American community is affected](https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/maps/rxrate-maps.html)—poor, rich, urban, rural and all races are represented in the data. \n\nDespite this alarming trend, opioids are still the most widely prescribed pain treatment by American doctors. So, what can be done to curb the increase in opioid drug deaths every year? \n\n### Medical Marijuana Linked With Fewer Opioid Hospitalizations\n\nA study by the University of California San Diego [looked at the relationship between opioid hospitalizations and medical cannabis](http://www.drugandalcoholdependence.com/article/S0376-87161730076-5/abstract). \n\nThe researchers analyzed hospitalization records from 1997–2014 in 27 states. Nine of those states started medical marijuana programs during these years—and the data showed a 23% decrease in opioid-related abuse and a 13% decrease in opioid overdose.\n\nThe study concluded, “Medical marijuana policies were significantly associated with reduced opioid pain reliever-related hospitalizations but had no associations with marijuana-related hospitalizations.” \n\nWhile this study doesn’t yet prove any causal links between medical cannabis and lower opioid rates, it’s a promising trend for states that pass medical cannabis laws.\n\n### Cannabis as an Alternative to Painkillers\n\nA landmark study conducted by the University of California Berkeley and HelloMD resulted in promising findings for the use of cannabis as a substitute for opioids. \n\nThe study surveyed 3,000 medical cannabis patients from HelloMD’s community. Of this group, 97% of patients said that they “strongly agreed/agreed” that they could reduce their reliance on opioids by treating their pain with medical cannabis instead.\n\nIn addition, 92% of patients said they “strongly agreed/agreed” that they would prefer medical cannabis to treat their medical conditions over opioids. And 81% of respondents said they “strongly agreed/agreed” that cannabis was more effective by itself than when used combined with opioids.\n\n### Using Cannabis as an Exit Drug\n\nUnfortunately, there’s a long history of viewing cannabis as a gateway drug that leads to the use of more dangerous and addictive alternatives. But the limited research out there suggests cannabis could be the exact opposite: an exit drug—an alternative to opioids for people who need pain relief but who don’t want to take opioids, as well as a way for people to decrease their current opioid use. \n\nAnd while some critics may say switching one “drug addiction” for another is not a solution, cannabis is magnitudes safer than alternatives (alcohol and tobacco included). The [United Nations couldn’t find a single instance of death by cannabis overdose anywhere](http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/06/28/united-nations-drug-office-cannabis-consumption/82564/) despite the wide use of the plant worldwide. \n\nDespite the terrifying reality of the opioid crisis, there’s hope. Cannabis shows promise as a safer alternative to the addictive medications so often prescribed and other dramatically more dangerous narcotics. \n\nPhoto credit: [Pina Messina](https://unsplash.com/photos/tOnloTwXXak)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.36986301369863,"src":"/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/14b42/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg","srcSet":"/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/f836f/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg 200w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/2244e/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg 400w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/14b42/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg 800w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/47498/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg 1200w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/0e329/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg 1600w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/ec8be/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.jpg 3552w","srcWebp":"/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/58556/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/61e93/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp 200w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/1f5c5/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp 400w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/58556/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp 800w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/99238/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp 1200w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/7c22d/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp 1600w,\n/static/84dfbf9f2a5e74f0f18fdfad77724101/db27e/dd1dfeab6ba879866c88c05e2de1883a.webp 3552w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":12,"numPages":6,"currentPage":2,"id":5590,"name":"Opioids","slug":"opioids","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}