{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/prescription-medication/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"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"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2681-markdown","title":"What Happens When You Mix Cannabis With Prescription Drugs?","slug":"what-happens-when-you-mix-cannabis-with-prescription-drugs","content":"Cannabis has a long list of healing properties. That’s why many people report reducing their use of some prescription medications while consuming marijuana. But if you’re taking cannabis alongside standard pharmaceuticals, it’s important to remember that [cannabis can interact with more than 600 prescription drugs](https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/cannabis.html). This happens because of marijuana’s effects on a key set of liver enzymes that break down medications to make them available to the body and brain.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Why Is Cannabis Such Effective Medicine? \n\nResearch has revealed—and many consumers confirm—that cannabis can affect all kinds of processes in the body from relieving pain to fighting inflammation. This is because cannabinoids in the cannabis plant interact with the receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). These ECS receptors are found in our organs, tissues, brain and central nervous system. Cannabis triggers their activity in the same way as the natural cannabinoids produced by the body do.  \n\nIn conventional medicine, health conditions are typically treated by an array of very different drugs, each targeted to a specific process and a certain set of symptoms. For example, a person might take one medication for depression, another to relieve arthritis pain and a third for migraines.\n\nBut cannabis can relieve symptoms of all of these conditions. Because ECS receptors are in so many different parts of the body, marijuana can mimic results similar to a variety of prescription medications. People are starting to see that cannabis has similar effects to that of opioid painkillers, antidepressants, sleep aids and anti-anxiety drugs—but without many of the harmful side effects that these pharmaceuticals can produce.  \n\n\nRELATED: [CAN MARIJUANA HELP SOLVE THE HEROIN & PRESCRIPTION OPIOID CRISIS?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56d1f49c96c1a70008000011/can-marijuana-help-solve-the-heroin-and-prescription-opioid-crisis)\n\n ### How Marijuana Affects the Breakdown of Chemicals in the Liver\n\nTo understand how medications and cannabis interact, we have to look to the liver. Medications and other kinds of chemicals including alcohol, herbs and supplements are metabolized, or broken down, through the liver.\n\nOne aspect of this breakdown involves oxidation by liver enzymes. This is a process that makes these substances more water-soluble, so that the kidneys can filter them out more quickly. Marijuana can affect the behavior of these liver enzymes, which work hard to make medications bioavailable in the right amount and at the right time. \n \nAlthough it’s a complex process, one set of liver enzymes, collectively called Cytochrome P450, is mainly responsible for the oxidation of medications and other chemicals. And at least four of the [enzymes in the CYP450 family are known to be affected by cannabis](https://www.projectcbd.org/science/cannabis-pharmacology/cbd-drug-interactions-role-cytochrome-p450). The complex relationship between cannabis and the human body plays out in the ways cannabis either reduces or increases the activity of each of these liver enzymes. \n\nWhen cannabis inhibits the activity of a liver enzyme, it reduces the enzyme’s ability to oxidize certain chemicals. This means that higher levels of these chemicals enter the bloodstream and cause more intense effects. But when cannabis increases an enzyme’s activity, it boosts the enzyme’s ability to oxidize a chemical. In so doing, more of the chemical is processed out and less is released into the bloodstream, thereby weakening its effects. \n\nTo add to the complexity, not only do the enzymes in this group react to various chemicals differently in the presence of cannabis, they’re also responsible for metabolizing cannabis itself. This means that the various enzymes in this group act differently on cannabis compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), too. \n\n### THC, CBD, Liver Enzymes & How They all Work Together\n\nThe CYP450 enzymes that interact with cannabis include: \n\n* **CYP1A2:** Smoking cannabis increases the activity of the CYPIA2 enzyme, which lowers the amount of medications, including lidocaine and melatonin, released into the bloodstream.\n\n* **CYP3A4:** This enzyme is one of two known to affect the metabolism of THC and CBD. In the presence of several drugs including ketoconazole, an antifungal agent, CYP3A4 reduces the expression of THC, so that less of the cannabinoid is released into the bloodstream. But when a person takes medications such as the antibiotic rifampin along with cannabis, this enzyme increases the levels of THC in the blood.\n\n* **CYP2C9 & CYP2C19:** CYP2C9 metabolizes THC, while CYP2C19 breaks down CBD. In the presence of cannabis, these enzymes boost the activity of numerous drugs including rifampin, the antipsychotic carbamazepine as well as the class of sedative drugs called barbiturates. That said, these enzymes inhibit the effect of many medications including the antifungal fluconazole and a variety of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories when taken with cannabis in your system.\n\nIt’s clear that all of these substances influence each other in unique and delicate ways. Compounding all of this is the fact that cannabis’s effects can vary tremendously depending on consumption method, a user’s weight and health, and even the unique makeup of each individual’s ECS. \n\nThe list of medications that interact with cannabis is a long one, and cannabis can replace or reduce the need for more than a few. But the nature of those interactions can sometimes be hard to predict. If you’re at all concerned with how one of your medications interacts with cannabis, be sure to consult with your doctor.\n\nPhoto credit: [Joshua Coleman](https://unsplash.com/@joshstyle)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/14b42/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/f836f/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg 200w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/2244e/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg 400w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/14b42/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg 800w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/47498/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg 1200w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/0e329/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg 1600w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/017f4/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.jpg 3630w","srcWebp":"/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/58556/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/61e93/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp 200w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/1f5c5/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp 400w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/58556/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp 800w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/99238/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp 1200w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/7c22d/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp 1600w,\n/static/583f1201e6a0d5cc8e579ca92d69c7ee/ef33f/c05dce7fbe6e43f96d08eb375d10eb0d.webp 3630w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2504-markdown","title":"The Rise of Opioids—and Cannabis’s Role in Their Downfall","slug":"the-rise-of-opioidsand-cannabiss-role-in-their-downfall","content":"The American [opioid epidemic accounts for more than 90 overdose deaths per day](https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis). In some states, the number of prescription opioid medications dispensed far exceeds the total population. People desperate for opioids often turn to heroin when they can’t get more prescribed to them. Meanwhile, heroin laced with the vastly more powerful fentanyl is responsible for many fatalities associated with opioids.\n\nResponding to pressure from a number of organizations and legislative bodies, President Trump declared the [U.S. opioid crisis a national public health emergency](http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/donald-trump-opioid-epidemic/index.html), prompting proposals for solutions ranging from increased scrutiny of prescribing physicians to making the opioid antidote naloxone available to everyone.  \n\nEven as public attention focuses on the soaring rates of opioid addiction, a potential solution is emerging: cannabis. Many people are turning to marijuana in a variety of forms for pain relief without the side effects and risks associated with powerful opioid medications.\n\nBut the movement to make cannabis more widely available is facing stiff opposition from both the government and a pharmaceutical industry committed to promoting—and profiting from—the sale of opioids.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### How Did Using Opioids Become an American Way of Life?\n\nThe [American love affair with \nopioid medications](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/09/29/the-greatest-drug-fiends-in-the-world-an-american-opioid-crisis-in-1908/?utm_term=.04b0ec8c4779)\ncan be traced back to the post-Civil War era of the 1860s and 187os. At that time, morphine, opium and the opium-based laudanum were widely used for pain relief by everyone from Civil War veterans coping with what today would be called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to wealthy, bored society ladies. The problem was so widespread that in 1908, President Teddy Roosevelt appointed the first drug czar, known as the “Opium Commissioner.” \n\nThis ushered in an era of increasing regulation of morphine, opium and other opium-based substances, including heroin—a morphine derivative developed in 1899 by the German pharmaceutical giant Bayer. But doctors continued prescribing opioids, encouraged by advertisements and even scientific studies claiming that opioids were not addictive and entirely safe for relieving pain of all kinds.  \n\n\nAs HelloMD’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Perry Solomon \nnotes, the current opioid epidemic can be traced to the mid- to late-1990s, when the medical community recognized the need to assess and treat pain as a condition all its own. After that, drug companies made it easy—and lucrative—for doctors to prescribe opioid medications that included not only morphine but also synthesized opiates like oxycontin, vicodin and oxycodone.  \n\n### How Pain Helped Shape the Opioid Crisis\n\nToday’s opioid crisis is also related to another phenomenon—an \n[epidemic of pain](https://nccih.nih.gov/news/press/08112015).\nChronic pain affects a growing number of Americans, and this pain is caused by conditions ranging from arthritis to cancer. Data collected by the National Institutes of Health reveal that nearly 25 million American adults experience chronic pain—and almost 40 million experience severe pain, which impacts their health, productivity and quality of life.  \n\nUnder pressure to provide relief, and encouraged by drug companies, doctors have enthusiastically embraced opioid painkillers—so much so that in the past decade alone, deaths from opioid overdose have outpaced accidental deaths from all other causes in some states. Addiction rates have soared, straining medical and social services and compromising whole communities where multiple generations live their lives on pain-related disability.\n\nThe opioid epidemic has also sparked an upswing in heroin addiction and overdose, as people turn to heroin when prescriptions become too expensive or hard to get. And because street heroin is often laced with even more potent synthetics like carfentanil or fentanyl, the potential for overdose and death becomes even greater. \n\n### Cannabis: Age-Old Pain Relief Is New Again\n\nIn some ways, the progression of [cannabis in American \nculture](https://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000026)\nparalleled the evolution of opioids. Just as people in years past turned to opium and its products for relief from pain and other conditions, many cultures embraced cannabis for the same reasons. But in the early years of the 20th century, cannabis, or marijuana, was seen largely as a vice of immigrants from Latin America, while the country worried about the widespread addiction to morphine and opium.\n\nIn the 1930s, familiar names in American pharmaceuticals such as Parke-Davis and Eli Lilly sold marijuana extracts as over-the-counter medicine, to be used for purposes including pain relief and sedation. But as opioids gained in popularity, they overtook the emerging medicinal marijuana industry and those products eventually vanished.\n\nBy the 1960s, marijuana was on the government’s radar once again, as it became the symbol of a defiant counterculture. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act was passed. Not long after, President Richard Nixon declared war on drugs, and cannabis landed on the Act’s highly restricted Schedule 1, along with heroin, LSD and other psychoactive substances—all deemed to have no redeeming medical qualities.\n\nIn the years since, cannabis has become the subject of intense scientific study as researchers work to validate the claims of cannabis consumers that it can control pain as well as, or better than, opioids.\n\n ### Marijuana Beats Opioids for Pain Relief\n\nRecent landmark research by HelloMD in partnership with the University of California at Berkeley is part of the current crop of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of cannabis for pain. That study revealed that out of nearly 3,000 respondents surveyed:\n\n* 97% agreed they could decrease their use of opioids by using cannabis. \n* 95% preferred cannabis to opioids.\n* 81% said that cannabis was more effective for pain relief than their prescription opioids.\n\nAs the opioid crisis continues to damage lives and communities throughout the country, cannabis continues to gain legitimacy as an effective pain reliever without the side effects, risks and addictive potential of opioids. But the federal government remains firm in its opposition to easing restrictions on cannabis.\n\nAnd according to HelloMD’s Dr. Solomon, the pharmaceutical industry remains dedicated to promoting opioid use with a lobbying budget that topped $800 million in the past decade—a figure that dwarfs the spending of the gun lobby.  \n\nIn years past, medical marijuana was developed for pain control, but it was pushed aside by the popularity of opioids. Now, the tables could be turning. Cannabis could lead the way out of the opioid crisis—but the twin obstacles of federal restrictions and pharmaceutical lobbying remain.\n\nPhoto credit: [Eric Norris](https://www.flickr.com/photos/sfxeric/)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/14b42/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.jpg","srcSet":"/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/f836f/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.jpg 200w,\n/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/2244e/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.jpg 400w,\n/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/14b42/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.jpg 800w,\n/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/16310/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/58556/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/61e93/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.webp 200w,\n/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/1f5c5/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.webp 400w,\n/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/58556/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.webp 800w,\n/static/9e390eee162e95dcb814dcd66ce669e8/cc834/076235970e41a6264d290dc220ac4c56.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2218-markdown","title":"Obama: Opioids Solution Missing Cannabis","slug":"obama-opioids-solution-missing-cannabis","content":"The focal point of President Obama's final State of the Union address --\nthe opiate epidemic -- appeared to highlight the urgency with which the\nadministration regards the problem. Yet when I took a closer look at the\nway the issue was framed, I noticed the discussion was clearly meant to\nfocus my attention on a specific aspect of this complex issue.\n\nIn the end, Obama's solution offers a narrow approach to the larger\nproblem. The proposed solution? Prescribing more synthetic opiates. Yes,\nI'm afraid this new war on drugs involves drugs and more drugs.\nMeanwhile, those suffering from chronic pain are left without effective\nremedies, despite the fact that a safe, natural and effective treatment\nfor chronic pain already exists. Why is the Obama Administration not\nreclassifying cannabis as part of the solution, when it is documented to\nhave [helped thousands of\npeople,](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56f5a323f763e40008000020/new-guidance-on-opiates-for-chronic-pain-but-there-is-a-solution)\nwithout the debilitating side effects and impaired quality of life that\ncomes with prescription opiate use?\n\n**The facts on opioid addiction**\n\nHow did so many Americans become addicted to opiates? The answer boils\ndown to pain relief: These people were in pain, and they sought relief\nfrom a doctor. Heroin grabs a lot of sensational headlines, but it is\nnot the greatest part of substance abuse. According the [American\nSociety of Addiction\nMedicine](http://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf),\nof the 21.5 million Americans who faced substance abuse and addiction in\n2014, only 586,000 used heroin. About 1.9 million Americans were\naddicted to prescription drugs. Four in five heroin users got their\nstart using prescription painkillers, and they only turned to street\ndrugs when they could no longer obtain prescription drugs.\n\nIn 2012, doctors wrote 259 million prescriptions for opiates, enough to\ngive each American a bottle of narcotics. It comes as no surprise to me\nto learn people are now dying in record numbers from unintentional\noverdoses. This number has spiraled steadily upward since 1999; in 2014\nthere were 47,055 drug overdose deaths in the United States due to\nprescription opioids.\n\n**Treating pain with more pain**\n\nPresident Obama released his first National Drug Control Strategy in\n2010, which emphasized the need for action to address opioid misuse and\noverdose, while also promising that individuals with pain would receive\nsafe, effective treatment. While the [new CDC prescribing\nguidelines](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6501e1.htm) do\nrecommend limiting and monitoring opiate prescriptions, they are unclear\nabout the effective, proven solutions for patients suffering from\nchronic pain.\n\nMonitoring, limiting and controlling prescription opiates may help\nprevent overdoses and future abuse, but it begs a few questions about\nwhat the problem really is. The biggest initiatives circulated by the\nadministration ignore the scope of the problem entirely and promote\nother synthetic drugs such as methadone and buprenorphine.\n\nBuprenorphine, approved in 2002, is similar to methadone, but it can be\nprescribed privately in a doctor's office. One key measure to the\nadministration's approach to the opiate epidemic is the mandate to\n*double* buprenorphine prescriptions.\n\n**A new class of addict**\n\nAccording to their proponents, these drugs work to ease and mediate\nopiate addiction by providing a less dangerous alternative once a user\nis already ensnared in the opiate trap. In reality, though, methadone\nand buprenorphine are still dangerous and additive drugs, and both can\n[lead to abuse and\noverdose.](https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs10/10123/index.htm)\nSuch an approach seems more like a defense of our national prescription\ndrug habit than an attack on it.\n\nPrescription opiates were never a good solution for chronic pain, since\nthey formed a recipe for addiction. While the medical community\nbelatedly embraces this insight, it is unclear which remedies doctors\nwill have to relieve pain and suffering. In the face of such a crisis,\nthe reclassification of marijuana might help millions of [Americans who\ncope with chronic\npain](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/578da024fdc17e000700019d/microdosing-cannabis-stopped-my-chronic-pain),\nbut this solution is conspicuously absent from the solution. I ask you,\nWhy isn't this natural plant, known to be non-addictive and [not linked\nto a single\ndeath](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5660ceb8584a7100080000c1/death-score-opioids-16235-cannabis-0),\npart of the conversation?\n\n**Patient survey**\n\nHelloMD conducted a [survey of medical marijuana\npatients](https://www.hellomd.com/medical-marijuana-patient-survey) in\nJanuary 2016, as one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of\nits kind. Chronic pain topped the list of conditions from which people\nsought relief, and 84 percent of respondents strongly agreed that\nmedical marijuana effectively treated their symptom. In addition to\nrelief from their primary condition, respondents named many beneficial\nside-effects, including improved mental state, relaxation and better\nsleep patterns. There were few to no reports of negative consequences.\n\nAccording to the [National Institute on\nHealth](https://report.nih.gov/nihfactsheets/ViewFactSheet.aspx?csid=57),\npain impacts more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer\ntogether, and it is a top reason why people access the health care\nsystem. Pain is a leading cause of disability and has a major impacts on\nproductivity and quality of life.\n\nFurthermore, pain demands action. If people are unable to access\neffective treatment for their pain, they may turn to heroin and other\nillegal substances to find relief, and we may witness an even worse\nepidemic.\n\n**How federal funds should be used**\n\nThe federal government is asking Congress for $1.1 billion in funds to\nfight the opiate epidemic. This money could help doctors prescribe\nmarijuana to sufferers of chronic pain, and it could support growers and\nlabs and help produce an important body of research on this natural\nremedy.\n\nInstead, most of the new funding is earmarked to \"expand access to\nmedication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders.\" I'm sure this\nfunding will effectively function as a subsidy to the same\npharmaceutical interests that produced the drugs that created this\nepidemic in the first place.\n\nDoes this circular solution really make sense?\n\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/aftab/7752623632/in/photolist-cP5dUG-5zxTWj-5JEdrg-5JJtvy-8xwTLD-5XQERH-aHJDEv-5yKHLc-5V8tQk-5tLPEa-5neMq2-4xbK9L-5V8pxk-5ztK8g-4u4NJr-5rKgju-5pCtcn-5B3L4A-5VcQRo-5zvwGZ-6y3wG6-5oCFoa-cfW597-5V8nPT-cDGTPy-5rgqNK-5VdSDw-5V86SB-4Nw4wo-5W8X9w-aC3bur-7sABax-7Pv9Ue-5V8ghF-5V9ktT-7mRSqN-5VdqNN-5c8BnR-dt1tQr-5yQ2vY-5V846K-5VbSNd-5V92Vk-5TZcoz-dCZxpM-5utxhA-5ueBL9-6gKKLR-5JE6Fx-5xWB3n)\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.4598540145985401,"src":"/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/ee604/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.png","srcSet":"/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/69585/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.png 200w,\n/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/497c6/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.png 400w,\n/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/ee604/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.png 800w,\n/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/f219a/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.png 839w","srcWebp":"/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/58556/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/61e93/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.webp 200w,\n/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/1f5c5/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.webp 400w,\n/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/58556/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.webp 800w,\n/static/ddfd500e090ebf20e559fea66b6c6c82/9afd9/3e6a0f5a33f46008786a2e72c2cbbd84.webp 839w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5657,"name":"Prescription Medication","slug":"prescription-medication","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}