{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/opioids/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_3104-markdown","title":"Is Ibogaine a Solution to the Opioid Epidemic?","slug":"is-ibogaine-a-solution-to-the-opioid-epidemic","content":"**The Opioid Epidemic**\n\nOver the next ten years, over [500,000 Americans will die ](urlhttps://www.statnews.com/2017/06/27/opioid-deaths-forecast/) of an opioid overdose. Today, opioid overdoses kill more Americans annually under the age of 50 than guns or traffic accidents. In the ’90s the opioid crisis was nascent, and prescribers and doctors assured patients that opioids were not addictive. At that time, even with a lack of data, pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketed the use of opioids for ‘non-cancer related pain’.\n\nToday, chronic pain is the primary indication for opioid prescriptions. As the epidemic has grown, the [CDC has responded by issuing guidelines](https://www.poison.org/articles/opioid-epidemic-history-and-prescribing-patterns-182) for opioid prescribing, saying that, “ non-opioid treatments are the preferred first step for treatment of chronic pain. Opioid medications should only be added after careful assessment of pain control and followed by regular evaluations of their continued need.” Some alternatives to opioids are over-the-counter medicine such as ibuprofen (Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin (Bayer), and steroids. Beyond these conventional alternatives, some people find success with physical therapy, acupuncture, surgery or injections and nerve blocks.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\n**Addiction to Opioids**\n\nEven with the alarming statistics, millions of prescriptions for opioids are written every year, contributing to widespread addiction and, in some instances, overdose. Taking opioids for any length of time comes with the risk of addiction as they trigger the release of endorphins and dopamine, your brain’s transmitter for your feel-good neurotransmitters. Through this process, your overall perception of pain is decreased yet, the longer you take opioids, the more you need to recreate this sense of well-being. Once opioid addiction occurs, the brain becomes altered and begins to function normally when the drug is present and abnormally when the drug is removed. As use is prolonged, a person generally will:\n\n- Increase in the overall amount of opioids consumed\n\n- Be unsuccessful in attempts to control consumption\n\n- Have cravings and increased desire to consume\n\n- May not feel “normal” when not on the drug\n\n- Continue use despite social problems and interruption of work\n\n[Medications currently used](https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/effective-treatments-opioid-addiction/effective-treatments-opioid-addiction) within the United States for opioid treatment are buprenorphine, methadone, and extended-release naltrexone \n\n**What is Ibogaine**\n\nIbogaine is a psychoactive substance that has shown great potential in interrupting patterns of addiction with opioids, alcohol, and methadone, among other substances. Ibogaine is found within iboga, a West African plant, and is a member of the Apocynaceae family. Ibogaine has been used in traditional healing ceremonies and rituals for centuries by indigenous tribes. \n\nRELATED: [CAN PSILOCYBIN REPLACE TRADITIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS FOR DEPRESSION & ANXIETY](https://hellomd.com/articles/microdosing-101:-cannabis-psilocybin-and-lsd/)\n\n**Ibogaine as a Treatment for Opioid Addiction**\n\nIn larger doses ibogaine has [proven effective in helping people manage withdrawal from opioids](https://maps.org/research/ibogaine-therapy), helping to eliminate opioid-related cravings temporarily. As a psychedelic, it also works at a deeper level, helping people to look at their lives through a different lens and approach their addiction with a sense of reflection. Patients typically experience relief from withdrawal and addiction after one or two doses. Small traces of ibogaine remain in the body for months after the initial treatment, which may also stave off cravings.\n\nAlthough lacking in clinical trial data, initial observational studies on ibogaine seem promising. Two studies conducted by [MAPS](https://maps.org/research/ibogaine-therapy) in Mexico and New Zealand found significant long-term reduction of withdrawal symptoms in 20% and 50% of participants, respectively. Research indicates greater success when ibogaine is combined with psychotherapy following treatment. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine conducted a study that indicated ibogaine was able to reduce opioid use withdrawal symptoms in 80% of participants. 30% of the participants noted longer-term effects and abstinence from opioid consumption. \n\nBut, is ibogaine more effective than more standard treatments? One 2004 ibogaine study conducted at the Sunshine Coast clinic in British Columbia indicates it may well be. In this study, 20 participants were given ibogaine, and of that 20, 13 were found to be abstaining from opioid use after an average of six months. That study puts the success rate at 65%, whereas more conventional treatment programs find an average of 10% success in abstinence. \n\n**Is Ibogaine Safe?**\n\nAccording to [Global Ibogaine](https://www.ibogainealliance.org/ibogaine/therapy/safety/), between 1990 and 2008 there were 19 deaths “temporally associated with the ingestion of ibogaine.” Safety concerns to be considered before treatment with ibogaine are as follows:\n\nHistory of heart conditions including cardiac arrest, congenital defects, deep vein thrombosis, or irregular heart rhythms.\nA history of psychiatric conditions\nImpaired liver or kidneys\nIf a person is actively in withdrawal with alcohol or benzodiazepines\nIf a person is consuming opiates at the time of treatment\nIf a person continues substance abuse immediately after treatment, the possibility of overdose is higher\n\n**Legal Status**\n\nIbogaine has been illegal in the US since 1967, and is currently classified as Schedule 1 drug. Within the European Union it is scheduled in 9 countries, and in much of the world, it is mostly unregulated. Ibogaine is currently legal in Australia, Brazil, Gabon, Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and South Africa.\n\nPhoto Credit: [K State Research & Extension](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ksrecomm/40542895134/in/photolist-24LCWem-29sShUj-JgfXKn-b5Z15P-b5YV4H-29sSiFu-29sSiWj-24XiCUH-MpkCPy-29sSiBb-26Mde5u-26MddXf-29sSjRL-26MddiE-28rFEN7-28abZnr-MpkChw-Jzj1sS-4WCpmX-DoENg5-DoEL75-DqZk62-CZKwrp-CZKCGR-CAJFRb-CZKLWg-CARN4B-p9aXGN-DvWiXm-CZKHsc-CZKZdk-CZKrZP-DoEQVy-CARL8x-CAKc9Q-DoEJ6w-CZKkpp-DqZfKP-DvWdf9-28rFCxf-DqZikD-eC6Hoj-CARZpH-CZKXwK-TB3LdZ-HRk8QR-Sf36yW-Sf37gY-Sf36Eh-6ts6Ac)\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.36986301369863,"src":"/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/14b42/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg","srcSet":"/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/f836f/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg 200w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/2244e/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg 400w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/14b42/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg 800w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/47498/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg 1200w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/0e329/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg 1600w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/729f3/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.jpg 2300w","srcWebp":"/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/58556/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/61e93/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp 200w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/1f5c5/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp 400w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/58556/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp 800w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/99238/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp 1200w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/7c22d/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp 1600w,\n/static/3d05e6006fb173aa5c0c953989ffda4b/62d71/2633b246819cf2c5aed01bae43973a6e.webp 2300w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3042-markdown","title":"CBD’s Effect on Curbing Cravings & Addiction","slug":"cbds-effect-on-curbing-cravings-and-addiction","content":"About [40 million Americans are struggling with addiction](https://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhLbDj-iM4wIVHx6tBh2aHAkmEAAYASAAEgIBZfD_BwE). That’s more than the number of people with heart conditions, diabetes and cancer combined. \n\nWhether it involves a physical dependence on heroin or a devastating dependence on gambling or shopping, addiction to substances and behaviors takes a toll on lives, jobs and families.  \n\nBut a [recent study published in the journal _Frontiers in Psychology_](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30837904) suggests that the cannabis compound [cannabidiol (CBD) could help break the cycle of addiction](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29686308) thanks to its effects on the brain’s pathways for pleasure, reward and learning.\n\n### Addiction Has Complex Physical & Psychological Aspects\n\nAddiction can take many forms and affect people very differently. One person can enjoy an alcoholic drink on a social occasion, while for someone else, that single drink is the first step toward an uncontrollable binge. Chocolate cake can be a fun occasional treat for some, but for people with eating disorders, it’s impossible to stop at just one slice.\n\nMany substances can cause severe physical dependency and even death. But behaviors can be addictive, too. \n\nDocumented behavioral addictions can include:\n\n* Gaming\n* Shopping\n* Gambling \n\nJust about any activity that disrupts a person’s life and relationships can be considered an addiction.  \n\nBecause addictions can have both physical and psychological aspects, and people experience addiction in many different ways, finding effective treatments can be challenging. \n\nRecent research shows that addictions of various kinds are driven by compulsion, a complex circuit of responses that involve the brain’s mechanisms for:\n\n* Pleasure\n* Learning \n* Problem solving\n\nWhen the brain receives any kind of input that’s perceived as pleasant, it releases a surge of dopamine, one of a group of neurotransmitters called feel-good chemicals. \n\nIn response to the spike in dopamine, an area of the brain called the hippocampus stores a memory of the pleasant event. Then, another brain region called the amygdala encodes a response to that stimulus, signaling whether to repeat the experience. \n\nFor example, if a person drinks alcohol and likes it, the memory of that pleasurable moment can lead them to drink again. \n\nBut in addiction, other brain chemicals affect the pleasure-memory loop. Addictive substances cause a much more intense surge of dopamine than normal. That dopamine interacts with glutamate, an abundant neurotransmitter associated with learning and motivation. \n\nThis adds another component to the pleasure pathway—the drive to repeat whatever action produces the surge of dopamine. This leads to compulsion—the urge to repeat the pleasurable action again and again, even in the face of negative consequences. \n\nOver time, the brain’s pathways can become distorted and overwritten with compulsive patterns, so that stopping the substance or behavior creates psychological stress. Many substances also hijack the body’s normal processes, so that stopping the drug causes the serious physical symptoms of withdrawal.  \n\nBut many of the processes that create conditions for addiction are driven by the endocannabinoid system (ECS). And this is why CBD can intervene to break these cycles that lead to addiction.\n\nRELATED: [6 WAYS CBD GOES TO WORK IN YOUR BODY](https://hellomd.com/articles/taking-cbd-to-boost-your-bodys-antioxidant-levels/)\n\n### The Endocannabinoid System & Addiction\n\nThe human body is equipped with a system of receptors called the ECS. The ECS responds to cannabinoids, both the ones we produce naturally and ones we consume from outside sources, particularly those coming from the cannabis plant. \n\nThe ECS plays a major role in regulating many essential subsystems in the brain and body. Natural cannabinoids, cannabinoids from marijuana plus cannabinoids from a few other plant sources can activate ECS receptors. And ECS receptors are found on cells throughout the body and brain.  \n\nCannabinoid receptors are abundant in the midbrain, home of the pleasure-reward-learning circuits that can also drive addiction. This explains why cannabis can calm anxiety and ease the symptoms of depression. It also explains why tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can cause a pleasant, relaxing high. \n\nAnd because CBD can affect not only these receptors, but also other processes that modulate addiction responses, [research suggests that this cannabis compound could be an effective treatment for addictions](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16483675) to a wide range of substances, including:\n\n* Opioids\n* Nicotine\n* Alcohol \n* Prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines\n\n### How CBD Works in the Body to Address Addiction\n\nAlthough the researchers reporting in _Frontiers in Psychiatry_ aren’t entirely sure how it happens, CBD appears to reduce the craving for an addictive substance and block the development of new memories related to positive experiences with the substance.  \n\nCBD has a moderate effect on the endocannabinoid receptor CB1, which plays a role in the development of addictive behaviors. But CBD also seems to act on the systems that produce dopamine and serotonin, another of the feel-good chemicals. \n\nCBD can also protect against the effects of high levels of glutamate, the excitatory neurotransmitter that boosts compulsion and craving. And it can also support the production of the natural cannabinoid anandamide, which produces positive, calming feelings. All of these effects combine to disrupt the pleasure-reward-memory loop involved in driving addictive behavior. \n\n### Can CBD Help With Opioid or Alcohol Addiction?\n\nOpioid drugs, which include both illegal street drugs like heroin and prescription pain medications, pose a special challenge. The body and brain have a system of opioid receptors, too—and these receptors respond quickly and intensely to these drugs. \n\nBut opioid receptors also exist alongside natural cannabinoid receptors. This means that [CBD may be especially useful in treating opioid addiction](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22048225) and the withdrawal symptoms that these drugs can cause.  \n\nSome research also suggests that [CBD can be useful in treating alcohol addiction](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31214036) as well as limiting the damage alcohol can do to the brain and liver.\n\nSo far, research on CBD for addiction issues has been limited, and researchers acknowledge that more work needs to be done. But now studies are documenting the benefits of this cannabis compound in relieving the symptoms of many health conditions, including those that are caused by substance addiction. \n\nIn addition, CBD works with the body’s own systems. This means it can be a safer and more effective way to help address addictions of all kinds.\n\nPhoto credit: mis.uma/Shutterstock.com\n\nWant to try CBD, but don’t know where to start? [Shop our selection of high-quality, lab-tested CBD products](https://hellomd.com/) and have them shipped to your door. And if you have questions about CBD, [ask them](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers/) and our community will answer.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/14b42/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg","srcSet":"/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/f836f/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg 200w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/2244e/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg 400w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/14b42/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg 800w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/47498/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg 1200w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/0e329/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg 1600w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/ffa36/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.jpg 1773w","srcWebp":"/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/58556/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/61e93/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp 200w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/1f5c5/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp 400w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/58556/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp 800w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/99238/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp 1200w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/7c22d/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp 1600w,\n/static/5a3dc7b3ebb803db6aeb7cee057c97ac/d1528/8dd546c2b63b4720fcfa683310129fa5.webp 1773w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3008-markdown","title":"Can Opioids & Cannabis Combined Reduce Cognitive Problems?","slug":"can-opioids-and-cannabis-combined-reduce-cognitive-problems","content":"There’s a [pain epidemic in America](https://med.nyu.edu/anes/pain-medicine/capital-campaign/pain-epidemic). According to the Centers for Disease Control, 30% of Americans live with chronic pain. This is more than the number of people with heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined.  \n\nThe pain crisis is a driving force behind another skyrocketing public health emergency: the opioid crisis. We all know about the rising rates of addiction and overdose deaths related to these powerful prescription painkillers. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\nBut recent research shows that cannabis can relieve pain, too—and cannabis and opioids combined can relieve pain more effectively than either one can do alone.\n\nThis is good news. But it raises another concern around the well-documented side effects of opioids, which include:\n\n* Confusion\n* Memory problems\n* Drowsiness  \n\nPeople can experience similar effects with cannabis, too, especially if it’s high in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). If cannabis and opioids are more effective together for pain, could this combination cause even more cognitive problems than either opioids or cannabis alone? \n\nAn unusual study by [researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio](https://www.inverse.com/article/54709-combining-opioids-marijuana-pain-relief) set out to find the answer—and came away with surprising results.  \n\nThe 2014 study tested combinations of synthetic opioids and cannabinoids on a group of monkeys who were given a series of tasks to do. At the end of the study, researchers concluded that a combination of opioids and cannabis actually caused fewer signs of cognitive impairment than either did when consumed individually.  \n\nThe study was small and involved animals, not humans. So, there’s much more research needed to understand exactly why the opioid and cannabis combination didn’t cause the cognitive deficits researchers expected to see.\n\nBut it reveals more data showing that cannabis can work with opioids to provide safer pain relief with fewer side effects. \n\n### Cannabis & the Brain: A Complex Relationship\n\n[Cannabis has a complex and contradictory relationship with brain functioning](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323673.php). This is thanks largely to the presence of [THC, the compound in marijuana that causes many people to experience a sense of euphoria](https://www.analyticalcannabis.com/videos/how-thc-effects-your-brains-neurotransmitters-299336). But under some circumstances, and in some people, cannabis can have the opposite effect, causing feelings of anxiety and even paranoia. \n\nNumerous studies have also shown that heavy or long-term use of cannabis can cause problems with memory and cognition, especially in young consumers whose brains are still forming essential neural connections.  \n\nBut other research suggests that cannabis can protect brain cells from damage caused by trauma and brain disorders such as:\n\n* Alzheimer’s disease\n* Prion diseases\n* Other kinds of dementia  \n\nIn these situations, cannabis can support cognitive health, rather than impair it.\n\nRELATED: [HOW CANNABIS WORKS TO PROTECT & REPAIR THE BRAIN](https://hellomd.com/articles/how-cannabis-works-to-protect-and-repair-the-brain/)\n\nAll of these contradictory effects are the results of the interaction of various cannabis compounds with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS)—a rich network of two kinds of receptors, called CB1 and CB2. These receptors are found on cells throughout the body, and especially in certain parts of the brain. \n\nCB1 and CB2 receptors respond to cannabinoid-like neurotransmitters that the body produces naturally, called endocannabinoids, as well as to cannabinoids from external sources, especially the _Cannabis sativa_ plant itself.  \n\nAlthough everyone has an ECS, the number and location of the receptors can vary, and so can the strength of their responses. This helps explain why cannabis can have different effects on different people.\n\nFor example, cannabis can activate receptors in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which regulates appetite and some hormone functions. This explains why many people feel hungry when they consume cannabis. \n\nOr, cannabis may trigger receptors in the amygdala, the seat of the fear response. This kind of interaction with the plant can make a person feel overanxious and paranoid.  \n\nCannabis can also activate receptors in the neocortex and hippocampus, which play important roles in higher cognitive functions, memory and concentration.  \n\nThe [composition of cannabis also plays a role in what happens to the brain](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experimentations/201801/neuroimaging-cannabis-and-brain-performance-function). Cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids can affect the powerful outcomes of THC reacting with the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain. \n\nCBD along with other select cannabinoids don’t bring on a high  like THC can. Plus, they can moderate the effects of THC so that they don’t get out of hand and trigger anxiety and distress. The combination of THC and other cannabinoids can often be more effective in relieving pain, anxiety and other conditions than a single compound can in isolation.\n\nRELATED: [TURNING TO CANNABIS IN THE FACE OF THE OPIOID CRISIS](https://hellomd.com/articles/turning-to-cannabis-in-the-face-of-the-opioid-crisis/)\n\n### Opioid & Cannabinoid Receptor Systems Can Interact\n\nJust as cannabinoids trigger responses in the body’s ECS, opioid medications have a strong, immediate effect on the body’s system of opioid receptors. These receptors respond not only to natural opiate-like chemicals, but also to opioids like:\n\n* Morphine\n* Heroin\n* Oxycodone\n\nOpioid receptors are highly concentrated in the brain, particularly in areas that are responsible for responses to mood and pain signaling, as well as the cycle of pleasure and reward. This explains why opioids can relieve pain—and also why they can become quickly and powerfully addictive.\n\nBoth endocannabinoid and opioid receptors appear in areas of the brain that regulate:\n\n* Pain signals\n* Mood\n* Pleasure responses\n\nThis is why taking both cannabis and opioid medications together can relieve conditions like:\n\n* Pain\n* Anxiety \n* Depression \n\nAnd this is also the reason why both of them together can offer better relief than either substance can do individually. Consuming cannabis alongside opioids can also mean that people can take lower doses of opioids and experience the same level of relief, which reduces the risk of overdose.\n\nThe [interconnectedness of the opioid and cannabinoid receptor systems](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22048225) may also help explain why pain relief increases when someone consumes cannabis and opioids together. It may also be the key to why the cognitive problems that both these substances can cause appear to decrease when they’re combined. \n\nSome research on the effects of cannabis and cognition has revealed that cannabis is a natural neuroprotectant  capable of protecting brain cells from damage caused by trauma and dementia-related conditions. And many cannabis consumers also report that certain marijuana strains, especially ones that are high in CBD, can help with focus and concentration.\n\nResearchers at the University of Texas acknowledge that more research needs to be done to understand why consuming cannabis and opioids together causes fewer problems with memory and cognition than either would individually. But their limited study sheds more light on the connections among cannabis compounds, opioid drugs and the complex cognitive functions of the brain.\n\nPhoto credit: Roxana Gonzalez/Shutterstock.com\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/) index of articles. And if you have questions about cannabis, [ask them](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers/) and our community will answer.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/14b42/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/f836f/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg 200w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/2244e/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg 400w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/14b42/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg 800w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/47498/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg 1200w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/0e329/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg 1600w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/ffa36/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.jpg 1773w","srcWebp":"/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/58556/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/61e93/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp 200w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/1f5c5/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp 400w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/58556/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp 800w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/99238/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp 1200w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/7c22d/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp 1600w,\n/static/7cb8c908ad4881143f7035c143cfa200/d1528/f3e0fe5d9ebacaa9d8077fe95e07c28d.webp 1773w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2975-markdown","title":"Turning to Cannabis in the Face of the Opioid Crisis","slug":"turning-to-cannabis-in-the-face-of-the-opioid-crisis","content":"Fentanyl is the new face of the American opioid crisis. This [potent painkiller](https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/21/health/fentanyl-deaths-increase-study/index.html)\nis a synthetic opioid drug that’s up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.  \n\nFentanyl is [now a contributing factor in nearly half of all overdose deaths nationwide](https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/fentanyl-other-synthetic-opioids-drug-overdose-deaths), and it’s directly responsible for nearly a third of these deaths.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\nBut according to some exciting research, cannabis could be a powerful tool to help reduce fentanyl addiction and overdose deaths.\n\n### What Is Fentanyl?\n\nFentanyl belongs to a class of drugs called opioids. This class also includes:\n\n* Morphine\n* Heroin \n* Hydrocodone\n* Oxycodone\n\nSome opioids such as morphine and heroin are natural, derived directly from the opium poppy plant. But like other prescription opioid medications, [fentanyl is a synthetic drug](http://www.drugpolicy.org/what-are-synthetic-opioids-fentanyl), created in the laboratory to be purer and stronger than its natural counterparts are. The idea was to create something to provide fast, consistent relief from many kinds of pain. \n\nIn this way, [fentanyl is a “super opioid,”](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a605043.html) capable of delivering quicker, more powerful pain relief than other opioids, because it delivers a fast jolt to the brain’s network of opioid receptors.\n\nBecause fentanyl is so potent at such small quantities, doctors can legally prescribe it only to treat a specific kind of pain in people who have cancer. “Breakthrough” pain is sudden and severe pain that strikes cancer patients from time to time even if they’re already receiving regular doses of an opioid pain reliever. Fentanyl can act quickly alongside other medications to treat that kind of pain, but only under tightly controlled circumstances—and its use must be monitored closely.\n\nFentanyl’s prescribing information states that it shouldn’t be used to relieve short-term pain such as:\n\n* A migraine headache\n* Chronic pain from conditions like osteoarthritis\n* Pain arising from injury\n\nBut doctors frequently prescribe it for these kinds of conditions, too. Addiction experts point out that this kind of off-label prescribing contributes considerably to the [high rates of addiction and overdose](http://interactive.fusion.net/death-by-fentanyl/intro.html) associated with fentanyl.\n\nFentanyl has a long list of risks and side effects. These can include:\n\n* Stomach distress and nausea\n* Drowsiness\n* Dizziness\n* Confusion\n* Abnormal thoughts\n* Problems with coordination and balance\n* Depressed or slow breathing\n\nAll opioids depress activity in the autonomic nervous system that’s responsible for regulating automatic functions such as heartbeat and respiration. But fentanyl is unique among opioids in that it specifically depresses respiration, not heart rate—and the wrong dose can stop a person’s breathing in less than a minute.\n\nThe risks of taking fentanyl increase if it’s taken along with a large group of other drugs that include:\n\n* Commonly used antibiotics\n* Antifungal medications\n* Benzodiazepines for mood regulation \n* A number of other drugs for conditions as varied as HIV, schizophrenia, nausea and insomnia \n\nUsing alcohol and street drugs while taking fentanyl also raises risks.\n\n### Fentanyl Creates a New Opioid Crisis\n\nFentanyl has been called the [“third wave” of the ongoing opioid crisis](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/21/704557684/fentanyl-linked-deaths-the-u-s-opioid-epidemics-third-wave-begins). \n\nThe first wave came with the widespread overprescribing and overuse of prescription opioid drugs like oxycodone. When tighter regulations on pharmacies and physicians began to make these drugs harder to get, heroin use increased, creating the second wave. \n\nNow, fentanyl is becoming increasingly popular as a way to get a fast, potent high—often in combination with heroin or other kinds of street drugs.\n\nFentanyl has made its way from doctors’ offices to the streets, and experts say this shift is fueling the spiraling rates of fentanyl addiction, overdoses and deaths. When prescription medications became too hard to get, consumers turned to heroin. And as heroin becomes less available and less appealing, more and more people are turning to fentanyl. \n\nBut the fentanyl that’s most easily available comes not from a doctor’s prescription, but from illegal sources. Most street fentanyl is made cheaply and quickly in China and then smuggled into the U.S. through Mexico and waterways on both coasts.\n\nIllegal fentanyl can be an unknown quantity. It’s usually mixed with a wide variety of other drugs like oxycodone, heroin and cocaine. Adding too much of these other drugs can make the mixture far more potent than users expect. And like other opioids, fentanyl is highly addictive. All of these factors contribute to the high rates of fentanyl addiction and overdoses.\n\n### Cannabis Can Be a Safer Alternative to Opioids\n\nFentanyl and other opioids work by activating a network of receptors in the brain geared to respond specifically to opioids. These opioid receptors are found in the mesolimbic area of the brain. This area contains neural pathways that relate to:\n\n* Pleasure\n* Learning\n* Pain signaling \n\nFentanyl can cross the blood brain barrier faster and trigger more intense responses in opioid receptors than other opioid medications can. But [cannabis can also activate responses in the pathways for pleasure, reward and pain signaling](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6135562/).\n\nJust as the body has a natural network of receptors that responds to opioids, it also has a system that responds to cannabinoids. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a rich network of receptors found in almost every part of the body. Cannabinoids produced naturally by the body as well as the very similar ones found in cannabis activate these receptors. \n\nCannabinoid receptors are also found alongside opioid receptors in the midbrain and mesolimbic area. This explains why cannabis can trigger pleasure and reward responses that are similar to the effects of opioids.\n\nCannabis can also affect pain signaling, so that it can provide effective relief for chronic pain from a number of different health conditions, just as opioids do.  \n\nMany cannabis consumers say that marijuana has helped them reduce their use of opioids, or even eliminate them entirely. And the research seems to say that along with activating ECS receptors in the brain’s pleasure-reward-learning pathways, [cannabis  can provide “synergistic analgesia.”](https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/study-to-test-cannabis-in-head-to-head-trial-with-fentanyl-to-find-alternative-for-severe-pain/)\n\nSynergistic analgesia means that when cannabis and an opioid like morphine or oxycodone combine for pain relief, this mixture can relieve pain more efficiently than either an opioid or cannabis alone. This allows people to use lower doses of opioids. It also reduces the risk of dependence and addiction on these kinds of medications.\n\nECS receptors are found throughout the body, but virtually no ECS receptors exist in the brainstem, which is where the autonomic nervous system lives. This means that cannabis can’t depress respiratory activity to harmful or fatal levels as fentanyl can. And while cannabis activates responses in the brain’s pleasure pathways, it doesn’t trigger the processes that create physical dependence and potentially life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.\n\nFentanyl works fast—and it can kill fast, too. Experts are struggling to find solutions for the fentanyl crisis. But research seems to confirm that cannabis may be the secret weapon that helps relieve pain and save lives.\n\nPhoto credit: nokturn/Shutterstock.com\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/) index of articles. And if you have questions about cannabis, [ask them](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers/) and our community will answer.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/14b42/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg","srcSet":"/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/f836f/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg 200w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/2244e/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg 400w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/14b42/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg 800w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/47498/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg 1200w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/0e329/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg 1600w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/3823d/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.jpg 1771w","srcWebp":"/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/58556/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/61e93/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp 200w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/1f5c5/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp 400w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/58556/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp 800w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/99238/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp 1200w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/7c22d/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp 1600w,\n/static/cdbcec96f37678a2be3b02c0f32065c5/25963/6726c21b380079b0f2b2c9778c42f8f9.webp 1771w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2873-markdown","title":"New Cannabis Inhaler Targets the Opioid Epidemic","slug":"new-cannabis-inhaler-targets-the-opioid-epidemic","content":"\nOpioid overdose continues to cause nearly 100 deaths in the U.S. daily. Nearly half of those involve prescription medications for powerful painkillers such as oxycodone, fentanyl and morphine. A growing body of research reveals that [taking cannabis allows a majority of pain patients to reduce or even eliminate their use of opioids](https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/06/survey-pain-patients-overwhelmingly-prefer-medical-marijuana-over-opioids/). \n\nDoctors have been reluctant to embrace medical cannabis, citing worries about consistent dosing and monitoring. But now, a cannabis startup from Israel called Syqe is taking on the American opioid crisis with the [Syqe Inhaler—a medical grade cannabis inhaler](https://www.syqemedical.com/) that offers both consistent dosing and tools for doctors and other health professionals to keep track of patients’ cannabis use.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/564935726915516/united-states/san-francisco-california/hellomd/)\n\nSyqe’s innovative new cannabis inhaler directly addresses the concerns many American medical professionals have about prescribing or recommending cannabis for pain management: Inconsistent dosing and no way to manage a patient’s use of cannabis from things like edibles, smoking and vaping.\n\nAnd so, this new inhaler technology could be the tool that disrupts the U.S. opioid crisis and brings cannabis for pain management into the medical mainstream.\n\n\n### Chronic Pain Drives the Opioid Epidemic\n\nAn epidemic of chronic pain is what drives the American opioid epidemic, which is essentially a cycle of abuse and dependence on opioid medications. That’s why people with a variety of health conditions seek relief in the form of these potent painkillers—medications that can become addictive in less than two weeks.\n\nBut a majority of U.S. doctors prescribe opioids for far longer than that, often indefinitely. And because opioids affect receptors in the body and brain, withdrawing from them can cause the same severe symptoms as withdrawing from heroin, which is an opioid, too.\n\nOpioids can relieve pain by interfering with pain signaling in the brain. They can also boost the production of some brain chemicals, such as dopamine, that promote positive feelings. \n\nBut they also depress the central nervous system, which is responsible for functions such as breathing and heart rate. This is why taking too many opioids, or taking them with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol or other prescription drugs, can depress breathing and other autonomous functions to the point of death.\n\nOpioids are easy to get and easy to abuse. But people who suffer from a wide range of painful conditions from chronic disorders like arthritis to pain from injuries and surgeries often find few other options for relief. \n\nOver-the-counter medications like aspirin and acetaminophen have their own risks and often aren’t strong enough to ease severe pain. This is why recent findings about the impact of cannabis on pain have given hope to many pain sufferers. \n\nRELATED: [CANNABIS: AN EXIT DRUG FOR THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC?](https://hellomd.ca/articles/is-cannabis-an-%22exit-drug%22-from-opioid-dependency/)\n\n### Cannabis Can Be an Effective and Safer Substitute for Opioids\n\nBut people who take cannabis for pain are often left to figure out their own protocols for getting the right dose in the right format. For a variety of reasons, U.S. doctors are leery of actively prescribing or recommending medical cannabis instead of opioids. Federal regulations still label marijuana as a dangerously addictive drug, so severe restrictions and outright bans on its use continue to apply in many areas. \n\nAnd even in places where medical cannabis is legal, doctors say it’s difficult to establish standardized doses—something they can easily do with prescription medications. There are so many varieties of cannabis and a range of ways to consume them, which presents numerous variables for doctors to consider. \n\nDoctors aren’t the only ones who struggle with issues related to taking cannabis for pain.  Patients, too, can feel reluctant to smoke a medicine or eat it in a candy bar form. But the search for standardized, medical-grade ways to dispense cannabis have been hampered in the U.S. by regulations and limits on research.\n\nThat’s not the case in Israel, which leads the world in cannabis startups and innovation. It’s also the home of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, a pioneering researcher whose work on cannabis compounds has paved the way for today’s studies on the benefits of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol [CBD] for health conditions of all kinds. Because cannabis is completely legal in Israel, [cannabis companies like Syqe have taken advantage of its support and resources](https://www.wired.co.uk/article/israel-cannabis-medicine-opioid-addiction-united-states) to produce an array of new cannabis products. \n\nTopping the list of current cannabis innovations is the medically modeled Syqe inhaler, which Syqe’s founders envision as a promising—and lucrative—new weapon for combating U.S. opioid abuse.\n\n### Syqe Inhaler Delivers Exact Amounts of Cannabis for Fast Pain Relief\n\nMany kinds of cannabis inhalers are already on the market, using a devise similar to inhalers for people with asthma or allergies. Inhalers bring cannabis compounds directly to the lungs, where blood vessels can carry them quickly to natural cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body. But typical cannabis inhalers aren’t specifically designed for pharmaceutical-grade cannabis delivery—but the Syqe inhaler is.\n\nAnd this is what makes it a potential game changer for patients seeking pain relief with cannabis—and for doctors who are uncertain about prescribing the plant. \n\nTel Aviv-based Syqe bills its cannabis inhaler as a device that’s capable of delivering “plant medicine” in the same way as rigorously tested traditional pharmaceuticals. Unlike other cannabis inhalers, the Syqe inhaler comes with preloaded cartridges containing a given amount of cannabis for metered dosing.\n\nThe pocket-sized inhaler also features lung monitoring—a sensor that responds to the way a consumer inhales, so that the appropriate dose is delivered every time. The Syqe inhaler also comes with a chip that links it to a medical database, so that doctors can monitor a patient’s use and make adjustments remotely—a feature designed to satisfy doctors’ concerns about standardizing and controlling patients’ access to cannabis.\n\nThe Syqe inhaler promises to bring cannabis into the medical mainstream—and into the fight against opioid addiction. But does it work? A study reported by the _Journal of Pain and Palliative Pharmacotherapy_ says that it can, [accounting for a 45% reduction in pain intensity just 20 minutes after use](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/15360288.2014.941130). That’s on par with established pharmaceutical standards for inhaled drugs in general.\n\nCannabis can be an effective pain reliever without the many side effects and overdose risks of potent opioid medications. But medical cannabis remains out of reach for many patients, because of legalities and doctors’ reluctance to prescribe a medication that lacks the features of standardized pharmaceuticals.\n\nThe Syqe inhaler and products like it could change all that—and help many more Americans find their way out of the opioid epidemic.\n\nPhoto credit: [Pixabay](https://www.pexels.com/@pixabay)\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/) index of articles. [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":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/14b42/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg","srcSet":"/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/f836f/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg 200w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/2244e/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg 400w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/14b42/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg 800w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/47498/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg 1200w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/0e329/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg 1600w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/1c990/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.jpg 3132w","srcWebp":"/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/58556/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/61e93/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp 200w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/1f5c5/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp 400w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/58556/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp 800w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/99238/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp 1200w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/7c22d/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp 1600w,\n/static/684943a56db3bfdec60eb3d10a187092/15f01/f3b2306a4028be77a24eea0e88d045c5.webp 3132w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2792-markdown","title":"HelloMD’s Pamela Hadfield Talks Trends at Wine & Weed","slug":"hellomds-pamela-hadfield-talks-trends-at-wine-and-weed","content":"HelloMD’s co-founder [Pamela Hadfield](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-hadfield-19a986?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F) joined a lively roster of industry insiders at the [Wine & Weed Symposium](http://wine-weed.com/nc/), held in Santa Rosa, CA last week. Pamela gave her take on the latest cannabis trends that she’s seen crop up over the past year or more.\n\nIntroduced by [David Downs](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrdowns), the new California bureau chief at [Leafly](https://www.leafly.com/), Pamela got rolling with some of the biggest trends such as cannabis going mainstream, what with politicians on both sides of the aisle identifying as pro-cannabis. And she shared personal stories along the way—including how her own decades-long pain as a migraine sufferer got her to see cannabis in a new light.\n\nFollowing are excerpts from her walk through the **top 10 emerging trends in cannabis**:\n\n![Hello1-min (31).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello1_min_31_9aec95fc52.png)\n\n### Trend #1: Cannabis Goes Mainstream\n\n“Some might say that cannabis has been mainstream for some time. I would argue that 2018 and 2019 are where we're going to see the tipping point in terms of the conversation around cannabis, the destigmatization of it … We have 30 medically legal states and Washington, D.C. And we have nine recreationally legal states. What this is doing is it's forcing the conversation across the country.\n\n“We also see that mainstream media is accepting cannabis. When we look at O magazine, and it does a large spread on cannabis, or we look at _Goop_, **Gwyneth Paltrow's** platform, and they're talking about cannabis so readily, it changes the conversation across the nation. … When you look at the _New York Times_, when you look at _Vogue_, when you look at _Forbes_ and their willingness to accept this and write about cannabis, that's going to change how we all accept it, because we're shaped by the media around us.”\n\n![Hello4-min (22).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello4_min_22_6ff20480bb.png)\n\n### Trend #2: Cannabis for Health & Wellness\n\n“Most people who come to HelloMD, I would qualify them either as having compromised health or as a lifestyle consumer. What's interesting is, if you start out as a lifestyle consumer, say somebody in their mid-30s who comes back to cannabis after not trying it since college, this lifestyle consumer maybe somebody who just wants to relax on a Friday night. That person will often cycle into using it more than for health and wellness concerns like insomnia or anxiety, and somebody like myself who wasn't truly medical but had compromised health would never have considered being a lifestyle consumer before.\n\n“But after cannabis solves some of my health issues, I now may consume it to feel a little bit better on a Friday night. If you end up taking some cannabis to decrease stress, that's for your health, that's for your own wellness. So people are starting to look at cannabis in a very different way—as a tool for wellness—and that's something I'm really excited about because I believe that this should be accessible to everyone for that reason.”\n\n![Hello6-min (7).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello6_min_7_74b6aad113.png)\n\n### Trend #3: Cannabis as the Exit Drug for the Opioid Epidemic\n\n“Seventy thousand people across North America are dying every year from opioid overdoses. HelloMD did one of the largest studies on chronic pain, cannabis, and opioids; 3,000 patients were surveyed about introducing cannabis into their treatment protocol. The fascinating thing was once they started to use cannabis, it actually increased the efficacy of the opioids, and they decreased their consumption. Ninety-seven percent of people indicated they decreased or eliminated use of opioids altogether. That's an amazing statistic.\n\n“And there's a lot of new research out there that's mimicking exactly what we found. The biggest hurdle I see in terms of the widespread adoption of cannabis as an exit drug to the opioid epidemic is not general consumers. It's the general practitioners who continue to not look at the research, to not accept cannabis as a valuable treatment. So I urge everyone in this room to talk to your doctor.”\n\n![Hello1-min (13).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello1_min_13_54fd85da01.png)\n\n### Trend #4: Big Pharma’s Move Into Cannabis\n\n“I see a lot of undercurrents of what's happening with Big Pharma in the cannabis industry. And my prediction is that within two to five years, assuming that federal law changes and cannabis goes out of Schedule 1 status, is that Big Pharma will swoop in. \n\n“The big pharmaceutical company that's betting on cannabis right now is GW Pharma, based in the U.K. The FDA just approved its antiseizure medication, Epidiolex. And I think the unique thing about that medication is that it’s actually using whole plants. The reason I mention that is because Big Pharma’s tendency is much more to go towards synthetic cannabinoids, developing synthetics out of barley, yeast, different things like that.”\n \n“Meanwhile, what’s feeding into Big Pharma is biotech companies that are creating these synthetic cannabinoids. For example, there's a company up in Canada that's been very successful at creating THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) out of, I believe it's a yeast. And so they’re going to be poised for acquisition by Big Pharma.”\n\n![Hello3-min (25).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello3_min_25_dbe4baa854.png)\n\n### Trend #5: One Size Does Not Fit All\n\n“When I walked into dispensaries about five years ago, what I noticed was that all of the products pretty much seemed the same. A lot of them would be almost entirely all flower and very, very high THC content. I would ask, ‘Do you have anything lower in THC? And they would actually laugh at me and say, ‘Nobody wants that.’ And I was like, ‘Well, I kind of need and want that.’ \n \n“Demand is now pushing innovation. We’re in a culture where we have one of the best product arrays available on the planet. We have incredibly innovative new products coming out all of the time, and a lot of them are lower in THC and high in CBD (cannabidiol), which is the non-psychoactive portion of the plant.”\n\n![Hello6-min (8).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello6_min_8_fe2e21717c.png)\n\n### Trend #6: Over-Regulation With Adult-Use Legalization in CA\n\n“I've heard from a lot of people who come from Canada and say, ‘We come down to California to look at your product selection. We come down to look and see what you guys are making.’ Since Prop 64 passed and since January 1, the cannabis industry has basically been decimated by overregulation. We went from having probably 1,500 dispensaries operating legally to about 300 in the state. We went from having over 1,000 brands to having just 150 or so compliant legal brands in the state today.\n\n“We also have what I think is the biggest travesty of overregulation, which is Californians were basically voting to have a legal system so that everyone could have access because that was the dream. That's what they were sold, but the reality is that 70% of the state right now is practically dry—70%.\n\n“Now, when you think about a patient, I think about myself. If I couldn't get access to medication, it would probably drive me to the black market. But when you look at all of these medical patients across California and patients who actually need access, they’re not given access because local municipalities have deemed it unsafe to have cannabis dispensaries or delivery within their jurisdiction.”\n\n![Hello4-min (24).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello4_min_24_8240521b5f.png)\n\n### Trend #7: Microdosing Cannabis\n\n“This has been on the rise for quite some time. Microdosing is the idea that you take the minimum amount of cannabis or any other substance to create the maximum overall beneficial effect. I like to compare microdosing to wine. If you drink a whole bottle of wine, most people won't feel very good. \n\n“Most people, when they start with cannabis, they have that macro-dose experience, and it scares them off of trying cannabis again. So, when you talk about microdosing and on-ramping people, this is like giving them that sort of half glass of wine, right? And just allowing them to try cannabis and try it safely and to titrate up.\n\n“So we're seeing an enormous amount of products by a variety of brands right now that offer very low-dose microdosed cannabis products.”\n\n![Hello2-min (31).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello2_min_31_35e907dddd.png)\n\n### Trend #8: Weight Management With Cannabis\n\n“The reality is cannabis consumers tend to have a lower BMI (body mass index) and a lower or a smaller waist size than non-cannabis consumers do. Now you could say that’s sort of negligible, but THC has many different components within it that actually changes your gut microbiome; it actually can help speed up your metabolism.\n\n“The other interesting thing is that CBD has been found in new research to also boost metabolism, but it will also convert white fat cells to brown fat cells. And brown fat cells actually burn energy.”\n\n![Hello1-min (19).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello1_min_19_7ffdcd5854.png)\n\n### Trend #9: Other Cannabinoids\n\n“There are now new cannabinoids—other than CBD and THC—that you can select on dispensary shelves and have delivered to your door. For example, CBG (cannabigerol), which promotes bone growth and is anti-spasmodic. And when you take the whole plant together, they have tremendous therapeutic value.”\n\n![Hello3-min (26).png](https://hellomd-cms.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Hello3_min_26_d232153610.png)\n\n### Trend #10: Terpenes\n\n“Terpenes are amazing. They’re part of the cannabis plant that creates that aromatic smell and have been shown to have incredible therapeutic value. Terpenes aren’t just in cannabis but are in many different plants.\n\n“You'll start to see people talking about terpenes in addition to cannabinoids when you buy products. A certain product will have linalool, and these are the effects. And this is the smell pinene, which is the smell of pine, and so on.”\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.\n\n### Get a Medical Marijuana Card Online\n\nIt's easy to get your medical marijuana document with the online [Telehealth service HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/get-started/). Register, pay, and receive an online medical consultation with a licensed practitioner and purchase medical cannabis today. You don't pay unless you're approved!","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/ee604/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.png","srcSet":"/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/69585/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.png 200w,\n/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/497c6/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.png 400w,\n/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/ee604/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.png 800w","srcWebp":"/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/58556/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/61e93/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.webp 200w,\n/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/1f5c5/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.webp 400w,\n/static/36435f2b99f7e9168ad889462df2f9ce/58556/c1e008e41ea6b82f821d4cc1015603b6.webp 800w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2788-markdown","title":"Can You Really Overdose on Marijuana?","slug":"can-you-really-overdose-on-marijuana","content":"Can you overdose on marijuana? It’s a frequent question that cannabis newbies ask. And the common response has been: “No one has ever died from taking too much cannabis.” This answer so far has proven to be true.\n\nYou can certainly overdo it when it comes to cannabis, but it won’t be the end of you. How do we know this? Well, in 1988, a judge from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sought to reschedule marijuana. In his ruling, he stated that you’d have to smoke about [1,500 pounds of cannabis in 15 minutes](http://www.ccguide.org/young88.php) to induce a lethal response—a feat no one could ever even attempt, let alone complete. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Overdosing vs. Overconsuming Marijuana \n\n“Overdosing in the traditional narcotic sense is when someone uses an opioid to the point where their respiratory rate decreases. This decrease in respiration can be accompanied by vomiting and choking, which can also lead to death,” says [Dr. Perry Solomon](https://www.hellomd.com/people/54cc02df6465320003000000/perry-solomon-md/articles), HelloMD’s chief medical officer. \n\nA decrease in respiration can ultimately lead to: \n\n* Brain damage\n* Cardiac arrest\n* Respiratory arrest\n* Coma or death\n\n“Cannabis doesn't cause this type of traditional overdose,” says Dr. Solomon. “People who have too much cannabis are having cannabis with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content that’s too high for them, specifically,” he says. \n\nRELATED: [5 TIPS TO REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF HAVING TOO MUCH CANNABIS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a5cfdb5c7e0180007a78273/5-tips-to-reduce-the-effects-of-having-too-much-cannabis)\n\nMost folks who’ve consumed cannabis are familiar with the symptoms of consuming too much THC. These symptoms include: \n\n* Anxiety\n* Paranoia\n* Increased respiration \n* Increased heart rate\n\nYou may be wondering about THC’s cousin, cannabidiol (CBD)—can you take too much of this molecule? “People are taking hundreds of milligrams of CBD, and I've never read or heard about any side effects that would be classified as an over usage or overdose of CBD products,” he says. \n\nDr. Solomon adds that you can take too much of anything, and that if you did somehow overdo it with CBD, you’d probably just be knocked out for a few hours. \n\nThis doesn’t mean that consuming large amounts of marijuana is completely harmless for everyone. Some research suggests that the plant can cause [complications in those with cardiac issues](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29218644) due to THC’s ability to increase heart rate. However, if marijuana were the cause of death in this circumstance, it wouldn’t qualify as an overdose in the traditional sense. \n\n### Why You Can’t Overdose on Cannabis, Scientifically Speaking \n\nCannabis and opioids bring about effects in our bodies by attaching to specific receptors located on our cells. The network of receptors that cannabis works on is called the endocannabinoid system (ECS). And while this system’s receptors can be found in the brain, they’re also found throughout the body in places like our gut, skeleton and immune cells.\n\nOpioids, in contrast, work on a set of receptors confined to the brain, spinal cord and digestive system. These opioid receptors are particularly plentiful in the brainstem, an area of our brain that controls key life functions like breathing, heart rate and consciousness. \n\nWhen a person takes an opioid, the drug’s molecules attach to these receptors to bring about effects like pleasure and pain relief. However, when consumed in large amounts, these drugs can overwhelm these areas, which are responsible for important life processes. Ultimately, this disruption can have deadly consequences, like slowing or even stopping breathing. \n\nOn the other hand, ECS receptors are notably lacking in the brainstem. The absence of these receptors from this key area of the brain likely contributes to why it’s impossible to overdose on cannabis. \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.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/14b42/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg","srcSet":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/f836f/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 200w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/2244e/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 400w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/14b42/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 800w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/d708f/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.jpg 1141w","srcWebp":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/58556/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/61e93/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 200w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/1f5c5/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 400w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/58556/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 800w,\n/static/dd10ab1bee394a512f0bda4361dcb2e6/6abf0/b1452eec7584ab0630f8a8ff2b24c1e3.webp 1141w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2780-markdown","title":"NY Health Dept Allows Medical Marijuana to Replace Opioids","slug":"ny-health-dept-allows-medical-marijuana-to-replace-opioids","content":"Last month, the New York Department of Health filed an emergency measure allowing patients using prescription opioids to replace them with medical marijuana. This measure, which becomes official on Aug. 1, 2018, is an attempt to recognize cannabis “as an effective treatment for pain that may also reduce the chance of opioid dependence,” according to Dr. Howard Zucker, New York state’s health commissioner in a [press release](https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2018/2018-07-12_opioid_replacement.htm). \n\n\"Adding opioid replacement as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana offers providers another treatment option, which is a critical step in combatting the deadly opioid epidemic affecting people across the state,\" Zucker went on to say.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Opioid Overdoses & the Number of Opioid Prescriptions Handed Out Hit All-Time Highs\n\nIt’s estimated that [roughly 115 people die daily from an opioid overdose](https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/health/opioid-crisis-fast-facts/index.html). In 2016, a whopping 236 million prescriptions of opioid medications were given out to patients across the country. In 2012, that number topped out at 282 million.\n\nCurrently, chronic pain—which is typically linked with opioid prescriptions, use and abuse—is one of 12 conditions that qualify folks in New York for medical marijuana. However, the addition of opioid replacement as a qualifying condition also allows individuals with severe pain as well as opioid use disorder to qualify for medical marijuana. \n\n\n### No More Waiting-Now Doctors Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana for Severe Pain\n\n“While health care professionals will still have to provide the underlying acute condition that the patient is suffering from, they now won’t have to wait for the three-month qualifying timeframe that defines chronic pain. Instead, patients will be able to use cannabis immediately when injured if their doctor prescribes it to them,” says Dr.  Perry Solomon, HelloMD’s chief medical officer.\n\nDr. Solomon adds, “The awareness that cannabis can help decrease pain has been shown in an observational study with HelloMD and UC Berkeley. In this study, 97% of the nearly 3,000 patients who participated were able to decrease their opioid use with the use of cannabis. If only more states were as progressive as New York is, then deaths caused by opioid use and abuse could potentially be decreased even further.”\n\nOpioid replacement joins 12 conditions that qualify people in New York for medical marijuana. These include: cancer, HIV or AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy, Huntington's disease, PTSD and chronic pain.\n\nAs of July 10, 2018, there are 62,256 certified patients and 1,735 registered practitioners participating in New York State’s medical marijuana program.\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,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAPABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGQAAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBAgQF/8QAFgEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAB/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAHQ2Em6JQef/8QAGhAAAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMAAhAREv/aAAgBAQABBQIt1YOBM5EqnH//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEP/aAAgBAwEBPwFn/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAR/9oACAECAQE/ARV//8QAGBAAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAAIWH/2gAIAQEABj8CyAO1/8QAGhAAAwEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERIUExcf/aAAgBAQABPyGBEHExPp6KTzSna+CxRH//2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAEAcP/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREQ/9oACAEDAQE/EESGf//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEREP/aAAgBAgEBPxAVXP/EAB0QAQACAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAESExQVFhgfD/2gAIAQEAAT8QyAeROmHWs1r7uW0rBMCFjcZX4qgx6jDwAUT/2Q==","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/14b42/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/f836f/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/2244e/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 400w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/14b42/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 800w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/47498/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 1200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/0e329/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 1600w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/dbe5d/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 1633w","srcWebp":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/58556/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/61e93/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/1f5c5/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 400w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/58556/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 800w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/99238/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 1200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/7c22d/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 1600w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/a914d/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 1633w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2766-markdown","title":"Study Finds 96% of Cancer Patients Improved With Cannabis","slug":"study-finds-96-of-cancer-patients-improved-with-cannabis","content":"In a recently released Israeli study, an incredible [96% of cancer patients who took cannabis reported an improvement in symptoms](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29482741). The study was published in the _European Journal of Internal Medicine_ earlier this year and looked at 2,970 cancer patients with an average age of around 60. \n\nThis is yet another piece of evidence strongly suggesting that marijuana is an effective and relatively safe way to treat the painful side effects that affect cancer sufferers.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Who Conducted This Study Looking at Cannabis’s Effect on Cancer Symptoms?\n\nThe study was run by Tikun Olam, an Israeli-based medical marijuana producer and research company. Tikun Olam started in 2005 as a nonprofit organization to advocate for safe and clean cannabis for medical marijuana patients. It then moved into developing cannabis strains. In addition, it now makes cannabis-based products including tinctures, concentrates and topicals. \n\nAll of its products are derived from cannabis strains that Tikun Olam has developed itself. You may have heard of its proprietary cannabis strain called Avidekel, a strain rich in cannabidiol (CBD) that contains practically no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). People who want CBD’s anti-inflammatory and other healing properties without a head high give the strain rave reviews. \n\nThrough international subsidiaries and partners, Tikun Olam’s products are available in Canada, Australia and even here in the U.S. \n\n### What This Study Tells Us About Cannabis in Addressing Cancer Symptoms\n\nTikun Olam’s purpose was to see how cannabis could help in palliative care for cancer patients. (The Israeli ministry of health began to allow cancer patients to legally consume medicinal cannabis in 2007.) It didn’t set out to prove the plant could cure cancer, but rather to see how cannabis could help those dealing with the painful side effects of the disease and primary cancer treatments like chemotherapy. \n\nThose symptoms that affect nearly all cancer patients and were mentioned by participants in this study include:\n\n* Insomnia\n* Pain\n* Nausea\n* Weakness\n\nThe study found the participants had to deal with some side effects from cannabis consumption, but they were relatively minor and treatable. These included:\n\n* Sleepiness\n* Increased appetite \n* Psychoactive effects\n* Dry mouth\n\n### This Study & Many Others Find Cannabis Allows for a Reduction In the Use of Opioids\n\nBesides the 96% who reported an improvement in their symptoms, Tikun Olam also disclosed that within just six months of starting a marijuana protocol, 36% of subjects were able to stop taking the opioids they were prescribed. A further 10% of the study’s subjects were able to reduce the dose of opioids they needed. \n\nMany other studies and anecdotal evidence point to cannabis as an effective pain reliever for people, so much so that they’re able to reduce or stop their opioid intake altogether. In fact, HelloMD conducted a study on cannabis as a substitute for opioid and non-opioid-based pain medications and found that:\n\n* 97% of those surveyed “strongly agreed/agreed” that they could decrease their opioid use when using cannabis.\n* 92% of participants “strongly agreed/agreed” that they prefer cannabis to treat their medical condition.\n* 81% of subjects “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.\n\nWe’ve all heard of the damage that potentially addictive and deadly opioids can cause. And marijuana as a natural, non-addictive pain reliever is an exciting prospect as an alternative to opioids—or even as an [exit drug out of opioid addiction](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-an-exit-drug-for-the-opioid-epidemic).  \n\n### How to Begin Taking Medical Marijuana for Cancer Symptoms\n\nIf you want to try treating cancer symptoms with marijuana, it may take some time to figure out what works for you. With all things cannabis, some experimentation will probably be in order to find the right strain, consumption method and dose that gives you the effects you’re looking for. \n\nIt may be helpful to start with the symptom(s) you want to treat and work backwards from there to find the right cannabis regimen. So, for example, if you’re having trouble sleeping, you’ll probably want to start with an indica or hybrid marijuana strain with a cannabinoid/terpene profile that’s known for promoting sleep and relaxation. If possible, you’ll also want to choose a marijuana edible, since this form of cannabis is processed through the liver and though it takes longer to kick in, its effects last longer—hopefully through the night for those with sleep issues.\n\nIf you have questions about using cannabis to help with cancer symptoms, you can head over to our [Answers](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers) page to post your question and a knowledgeable member of the HelloMD community will give you some expert guidance. You can also choose to [consult with one of our doctors](www.hellomd.com) or health professionals to learn more about how medical marijuana could help ease your cancer symptoms. \n\nPhoto credit: [Foto Sushi](https://unsplash.com/@fotosushi)\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://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":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/14b42/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg","srcSet":"/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/f836f/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg 200w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/2244e/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg 400w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/14b42/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg 800w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/47498/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg 1200w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/0e329/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg 1600w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/11837/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.jpg 3621w","srcWebp":"/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/58556/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/61e93/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp 200w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/1f5c5/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp 400w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/58556/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp 800w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/99238/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp 1200w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/7c22d/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp 1600w,\n/static/1d906fe6c984cc2266e45fb50ec8a161/cbac0/95e3e9e7aca4d44a4a3fc8bad2ca574e.webp 3621w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2746-markdown","title":"Learning How Cannabis & Opioids Interact With Dr. Adie Poe","slug":"learning-how-cannabis-and-opioids-interact-with-dr-adie-poe","content":"Curious about the interactions between cannabis and opioids?\n\nMeet Dr. Adie Poe, Ph.D., a neuroscientist who has spent 13 years researching the synergistic relationship between these two controversial substances. Dr. Poe is a global leader in opioid and cannabis research. She’s one of the few neuroscientists in the U.S. to be consistently funded for cannabis research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Dr. Poe has received numerous awards for her cutting-edge work and continues to fight for research that will help patients find safe pain relief and an improved quality of life. \n\nDr. Poe is also the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of [Habu Health](http://www.habuhealth.com/), where she works on bringing personalized medicine to the cannabis space. She has also [recently partnered with Goldleaf on a new edition of its patient journal](https://shopgoldleaf.com/), a book designed to help patients track and improve their cannabis experience. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nWe interviewed Dr. Poe to get her expert opinion on cannabis and opioids. And to learn all about her projects helping patients find the right cannabis for their needs. \n\n### How did you get started in cannabis research? \n\n**Dr. Adie Poe:** It really began as an undergrad. My undergraduate degree is in psychology, and I was volunteering in a lab that studies opioid tolerance. I had also been spending a bunch of time in Vancouver, British Columbia, and noticed that the heroin problem was quite bad.\n\nBut the difference between where I was in school and British Columbia was that cannabis was decriminalized [in Canada], and all the illicit heroin and opioid users were also using cannabis. I knew that these drugs were both analgesic and that they actually had a synergistic analgesic interaction. They create better pain relief together than they do on their own. \n\nSo, I was interested in exploring that idea further. If these things are truly synergistic, could we use them in combination rather than opioids on their own? Could we reduce the requirement of opioids needed to achieve pain relief? I wrote a small grant as an undergrad, and it was funded. I eventually rolled that into my Ph.D. thesis and two additional grants from NIDA. \n\nThe central hypothesis of my work is that these things can be used in combination so that we can reduce the negative side effects of opioids while still having effective pain relief. That's still the nature of my work to this day. I've been very fortunate to be funded by NIDA for all of these years. \n\n### What are the next steps that need to be taken to help the current situation with pain management? \n\n**AP:** I think the single greatest barrier is cannabis's status as a Schedule 1 substance. The status quo right now is that cannabis can really only be studied under the umbrella of addiction one way or another.\n\nSo, my backdoor is that I'm reducing addiction through cannabis. When Schedule 1 goes away, researchers like myself can look at the beneficial properties of cannabis, not just the addictive properties or cannabis as an influence on addiction. When anyone can apply for any grant, for any purpose, that will dramatically shift things. \n\nPolicy-wise, I really liked what the state of Illinois has done. If you have a prescription for an opioid in your hand, you automatically qualify for the medical cannabis program in that state. \n\nThis is a no-brainer. If cannabis is an analgesic drug, and if you have a prescription for an analgesic drug, you should have the legal option to consume an analgesic drug that’s safer than the opioid prescription you have. \n\nI would love to see those kinds of policies rolled out immediately. We have an immediate problem that we need to do something about. Now.\n\n### Do you have any suggestions for patients who are struggling with opioids right now and considering cannabis? \n\n**AP:** People have very different requirements. Not all pain is the same. So, without giving any specific recommendations, what I can say is that people who are in pain report that they like cannabis better, and they prefer it over their opioids. The vast majority, more than 90% of patients, would rather consume cannabis than the opioids. The side effects are more manageable. Their lifestyle is better. \n\nOpioids are extremely effective at completely obliterating the bodily sensation of pain. But they're also obliterating your ability to feel connected with your family and your ability to function at work. It severely impairs people. It inhibits cognitive function. So, people report that their quality of life is better with cannabis, even if their bodily sensation of pain isn't completely eliminated by it. The overall quality of their life is enhanced because of all of those factors. \n\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)\n\n### What can you tell us about your work at Habu Health? \n\n**AP:** The mission at Habu Health is personalized precision medicine. People have different kinds of pain; people have different kinds of lifestyle needs; and the body's endogenous cannabinoid system is extremely variable from person to person. Fortunately, there are enough kinds of cannabis out there ,and there are enough ways to consume it that everyone could potentially have their health care needs met and their quality of life improved. \n\nPeople are already using this to improve their life, but very few people are tracking exactly what it is in these products. What is causing that quality of life improvement? So that's really what we're doing. We're applying scientific rigor to the naturalistic way that people already consume cannabis so that we can figure out what's best for whom. We're still in the startup phase, but we're developing software that will essentially allow us to track this.\n\n### Tell us about your collaboration with Goldleaf on its patient journal. What did you add to the journal that wasn’t in the last edition? \n\n**AP:** Really, the shift from the previous edition was in putting the emphasis on pharmacology. Pharmacology is about the ingredients in drugs and how they interact with the human body to produce a certain effect. \n\nThe previous edition was really focused on strain recommendations. What we know is that strain names are completely arbitrary. They have no predictive value whatsoever when it comes to a reliable medical result. Even if you're buying the same strain from the same cultivator, time after time, we know that there are chemical differences in that plant from harvest to harvest.\n\nSo, what's really important in this edition is that we've shifted the focus away from strains and put it on chemistry. What are the chemicals in your medicines that are causing you to have that effect? \n\n### Before we end, is there anything we haven’t talked about that you would like to share? \n\n**AP:** The thing that I have been really fired up about lately is the lack of useful medical products in the regulated market. I spend quite a bit of time in Oregon, and the vast majority of products are above the 20% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) mark. The market has created value for these things. Wholesalers pay more for products that are above 20% THC.\n\nBut that doesn't mean that those products have the most medical value. Just because they're valued by the wholesaler doesn't mean they're valuable to the patient. \n\nWhat we've really seen through the scientific literature and through surveys of medical patients is that really, we need a rich balance of cannabinoids and terpenes. We need diverse full-spectrum phytochemistry. But we need to limit intoxication. These folks still need to go to work and have functioning daytime lives.\n\nWhat I'd really like to see is more value placed on products that have true medical value, true value to the patients. Those that have a balanced ratio of THC and cannabidiol (CBD) or very little THC at all, but still contain all of those other beautiful terpenes and cannabinoids that have medical benefit. \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":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/14b42/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.jpg","srcSet":"/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/f836f/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.jpg 200w,\n/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/2244e/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.jpg 400w,\n/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/14b42/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.jpg 800w,\n/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/15e0c/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.jpg 1160w","srcWebp":"/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/58556/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/61e93/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.webp 200w,\n/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/1f5c5/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.webp 400w,\n/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/58556/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.webp 800w,\n/static/e3b930e7a020a0b8350fe059158fa6bc/66596/0b43bbfea258d3607057bd4243b7b973.webp 1160w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2727-markdown","title":"Cannabis, not Opioids: HelloMD’s Pamela Hadfield on NowThis","slug":"cannabis-not-opioids-hellomds-pamela-hadfield-on-nowthis","content":"HelloMD’s co-founder Pamela Hadfield is featured in a _NowThis_ op-ed video, “[Medical Cannabis Could Help Solve the Opioid Crisis](https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/op-ed-medical-cannabis-could-help-solve-opioid-crisis).” In the video, she shares how cannabis helped prevent the migraines that plagued her for 25 years. And she talks about how marijuana helped eliminate her consumption of opioids—for good.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nThis experience led her to start HelloMD, where she has seen firsthand how many people suffer from chronic pain and how that chronic pain often results in opioid addiction. She believes cannabis may be the exit drug to a nationwide epidemic of opioid abuse.\n\nIn the op-ed video interview Hadfield cites:\n\n“The National Academy of Science published that adults with chronic pain are more likely to experience clinically significant levels of pain reduction when treated with cannabis or cannabinoids. What's more is when people are given free access to medical marijuana and legal states, prescription rates of opioids go down by about 25 percent overall use of opioids go down and drug related deaths go down. In other words, a lot less people die.” \n\nRELATED: [MEDICAL MARIJUANA A SAFER ALTERNATIVE TO OPIOID PAINKILLERS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a5959d4c7e0180007a78271/medical-marijuana-a-safer-alternative-to-opioid-painkillers)\n\n[![Pamela Hadfield on cannabis as an exit drug to the opioid epidemic](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-5d9b5ff4-4e22-4aa3-8c26-765b443a9f09/original.png)](https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/op-ed-medical-cannabis-could-help-solve-opioid-crisis)\n_[View the video](https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/op-ed-medical-cannabis-could-help-solve-opioid-crisis)._\n\nShe also talks about the benefit of incorporating cannabis into pain management and how cannabis has allowed others to reduce and/or eliminate their opioid consumption.\n\n“[HelloMD recently did a study in conjunction with UC Berkeley](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57d82d523b39eb000b732ea8/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-to-conduct-largest-study-on-cannabis-pain-and-opioid-abuse) with over 3,000 of our patients. It's the largest study done to date on chronic pain, opioids and cannabis.\n\n“Ninety seven percent of patients agree that they were able to decrease their opioid use when cannabis was introduced into the medication regime. And 81% agreed that cannabis was more effective than opioids when used for chronic pain. The bottom line: Cannabis should be considered a viable option by all doctors for pain management before an opioid is ever prescribed. Before the addiction cycle even has a chance to take root.\n\n“And one of the best parts: No one has ever died from consuming cannabis.”\n\n_NowThis_, a website and media company, was founded by two former executives from the _Huffington Post_, and has become a go-to news source for those typically between the ages of 18–34. \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/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/14b42/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg","srcSet":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/f836f/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/2244e/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 400w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/14b42/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 800w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/47498/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 1200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/01452/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 1434w","srcWebp":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/58556/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/61e93/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/1f5c5/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 400w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/58556/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 800w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/99238/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 1200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/99f96/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 1434w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2724-markdown","title":"How Do SSRIs & Other Drug Types Interact With Cannabis?","slug":"how-do-ssris-and-other-drug-types-interact-with-cannabis","content":"Cannabis has an abundance of healing properties. So many, in fact, that some people are able to reduce their use of many prescription medications while consuming cannabis. But it’s important to keep in mind that cannabis can interact with more than 600 prescription drugs. Here’s a look at how—and why—[cannabis can affect the way your body responds](https://doh.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/Medical%20Cannabis%20Adverse%20Effects%20and%20Drug%20Interactions_0.pdf) to some of today’s most commonly prescribed drugs.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Prescription Medications & Marijuana Can Activate the Same Neural Processes\n\nCannabis has two main pathways for interacting with other kinds of medications—the body’s system of natural endocannabinoid receptors, and the liver. In the liver, cannabis affects a specific family of liver enzymes responsible for metabolizing medications and other kinds of chemicals.\n\nBut cannabis’s effects on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) can explain why many people are able to cut back on their use of some prescription medications—or eliminate them altogether.  This far-flung system consists of receptors found in many areas of the brain, organs and tissues. These receptors are activated by cannabinoids produced by the body itself and by the very similar ones contained in cannabis.  \n\nMany medications work by targeting specific neural pathways in the brain and other parts of the body. Cannabinoids work the same way. These cannabis compounds can bind to endocannabinoid receptors in the same areas, so that they trigger the same responses in the brain as the pharmaceuticals do. \n\nRELATED: [WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIX CANNABIS WITH PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5aea91d6b869a600079658de/what-happens-when-you-mix-cannabis-with-prescription-drugs)\n\nBut because both cannabinoids and certain prescription drugs activate the same or similar neural processes, this creates the potential for an additive effect when both are used together. In that way, cannabis can intensify the effects of the medication. \n\nFor example, benzodiazepine medications like Xanax and Klonopin are sedatives that work by modulating levels of GABA, a brain chemical that calms activity in the central nervous system. These medications can have effects including:\n\n* Drowsiness\n* Impaired motor skills\n* Problems concentrating\n\nBut cannabis can also modulate GABA, which partly accounts for its calming and relaxing properties. Taken together, this combination can cause over-sedation and may intensify problems with coordination and speech.\n\n### Marijuana Influences the Way Medicines Are Metabolized\n\nThe liver is a hard-working organ responsible for metabolizing most medications and other chemicals. For these substances to become bioavailable, they need to be broken down by enzymes in the liver in a process called oxidation. This makes them more water soluble, so that they can enter the bloodstream and eventually be filtered out by the kidneys.\n\nOne set of liver enzymes, collectively called cytochrome P450 (CYP450), is mainly responsible for oxidizing medications. A variety of factors can affect this process. Cannabis is one of the factors that affect the ability of various members of the CP450 family to bio transform medications for use by the body.\n\nEssentially, a complex set of interactions between specific CYP450 enzymes, the drugs that affect them, and what marijuana compounds they respond to, is responsible for the effects of cannabis on a given prescription drug.\n\nThese processes are also affected by other factors including:\n\n* The way a person consumes cannabis\n* How much cannabis someone uses \n* What kind of marijuana a person consumes\n* The patient’s overall health \n\nOther medications can also play a role in how—or whether—cannabis will interact with a particular medication. This can make it difficult to find definitive answers about how marijuana interacts with common prescription drugs.\n\nRelatively little research has been done on the whole question of cannabis-drug interactions, so the exact effects on many drugs are still unknown. But studies on the ECS and the ways medications become bioavailable in the body can provide some insight into how cannabis interacts with frequently prescribed medications.\n\n### Common Prescription Medications & How They Interact With Cannabis \n\n#### CNS Depressants & Marijuana Could Produce Excessive Drowsiness\n\nCentral nervous system depressants (CNS depressants), work by slowing down activity in the central nervous system; this can reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. This class of drugs includes benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium as well as sleep aids like Ambien and Lunesta. Cannabis can produce similar effects, so that when they’re taken together, [marijuana and CNS depressants can produce excessive drowsiness and unresponsiveness](https://www.pharmacistanswers.com/questions/does-marijuana-interact-with-benzodiazepines), along with impaired thinking and coordination.\n\n#### Cannabis Can Increase Opioids’ Effects\n\nOpioids are a class of powerful pain medications that includes:\n\n* oxycodone\n* Vicodin\n* morphine \n* buprenorphine\n\nCannabinoids bind to many of the same receptor sites in the brain as opioids do, so that many people use cannabis as a way out of taking opioids. But [cannabis can have an additive effect with opioids](https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/755388), so that it can increase effects including drowsiness, impaired coordination and cognition, as well as slurred speech.\n\n#### SSRIs, SNRIs & Marijuana All Boost Serotonin Levels\n\nSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs like Prozac and Celexa are frequently prescribed to treat depression, anxiety disorders and other mood-related problems. So are serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs, such as Effexor and Cymbalta. These drugs work by boosting levels of serotonin in the brain for a calming effect. Cannabis supports serotonin levels, too, so that in some users who also take SSRIs or SNRIs, it might cause serotonin levels in the brain to fluctuate or rise too high.\n\n#### Beta Blockers With Marijuana Could Drop Blood Pressure Too Low\n\nMany people take beta blocker drugs like Inderal or Lopressor for hypertension and other kinds of cardiovascular problems. These drugs lower blood pressure and heart rate, and so does cannabis. [Marijuana can magnify those effects, causing irregular heartbeat and pushing blood pressure dangerously low](https://herb.co/marijuana/news/west-virginia-leagalizes).\n\nMost drug-cannabis interactions cause relatively minor problems, but more than 100 currently prescribed pharmaceuticals can have potentially severe interactions with cannabis. If you’re consuming cannabis alongside your prescriptions, it’s wise to talk with your doctor about potential issues with taking these very different medications together.\n\nPhoto credit: [oliver.dodd](https://www.flickr.com/people/oliverdodd/)\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":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/14b42/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.jpg","srcSet":"/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/f836f/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.jpg 200w,\n/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/2244e/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.jpg 400w,\n/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/14b42/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.jpg 800w,\n/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/0d55d/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.jpg 934w","srcWebp":"/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/58556/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/61e93/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.webp 200w,\n/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/1f5c5/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.webp 400w,\n/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/58556/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.webp 800w,\n/static/07e5d241e13a7042c878e3b68052143d/bf3e5/2bc5acee77fda4cbfcbea9dcd9605654.webp 934w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":6,"currentPage":1,"id":5590,"name":"Opioids","slug":"opioids","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}