Marijuana has traditionally been a much-maligned plant. From ludicrous propaganda films like Reefer Madness to accusations of chromosome damage to its dubious, unproven reputation as a gateway drug, marijuana has borne a social stigma it probably doesn’t deserve. As we see the pendulum begin to swing the other way, some 17 states have legalized pot for recreational use. This leads to an interesting question: Are substance abuse rates higher in states that have legalized marijuana?
Marijuana in Medicine
Cannabis has been used for more than a century to treat seizure disorders. One of its compounds, cannabidiol or CBD, is now the ingredient in an FDA-approved seizure medication called Epidiolex. Evidently, it’s the CBD and not the THC in marijuana possessing the anti-seizure activity. Epidiolex is approved to treat a small number of rare, specific, grave seizure disorders, some of them genetic, that mainly affect young children. The medication appears to have few side effects and is quite effective in relieving these seizures when all other standard treatments have failed.
Marijuana has what is called an entourage effect. This means it works best when all of its compounds are used together rather than singly. It also contains substances called terpenes. These are aromatic compounds responsible for the characteristic odors of plants. Terpenes give an orange, a rose, marijuana and eucalyptus their scents. They’re also thought to be involved in some of the health benefits of botanical remedies in general.
Marijuana has long been used to relieve nausea, anxiety, insomnia and pain. It was once sold without a prescription in many patent medicines of the day in the 1800s and up through about 1914 or so. The Marihuana Tax Act, while not exactly forbidding the use of cannabis, still helped to seal its fate as an illegal remedy and further contributed to its unsavory reputation. In 1970, the DEA placed cannabis in its Schedule I, a classification reserved only for illegal drugs deemed to be both highly addictive and with no medical treatment value. Heroin, ecstasy and LSD are also in Schedule I. Cannabis remains there to this day. Although some states have legalized it for both medical and recreational use, it’s still technically illegal at the federal level. Legislation to legalize cannabis at the federal level is pending and the situation is likely to soon change, which is good. The discrepancy is silly and illogical.
Marijuana and Opioids: States See Decreased Substance Abuse
In states with legal recreational marijuana, levels of both opioid use and opioid overdose deaths are decreased. Since cannabis has long been used to treat pain, this isn’t surprising. If people have access to an effective, legal and affordable means to ease their pain without opioids, many of them will use the alternative method instead. We have seen the same phenomenon with kratom, a plant in the coffee family containing substances that may relieve pain, reduce anxiety and promote sleep.
Marijuana may be able to treat certain types of pain, such as nerve pain, not necessarily well relieved by opioids, so increased and legal access to marijuana may also explain the lower use of opioids in the states that have legalized it. Elderly people hesitant to break the law may be more likely to use the substance if it’s legal as well. Even though marijuana and opioids work in completely different ways in the body, there is some emerging evidence that THC may be able to at least partially activate the brain’s delta and kappa opioid receptors. The brain has three main opioid receptors: The mu, the delta and the kappa. The mu is most associated with analgesia, tolerance, euphoria and addiction. The delta and kappa receptors also produce some degree of pain relief. This may explain why marijuana relieves pain with a much lower risk and occurrence of addiction and without the reinforcing opioid euphoric effect from the mu receptor.
Marijuana also works in a completely different way: It binds to receptors located in the body’s endocannabinoid system, which opioids do not, providing yet another route of action for marijuana, especially THC. Many individuals may find that marijuana provides adequate pain relief by itself with no need for opioids at all. This would also support the evidence for lower opioid use in states with legalized marijuana.
Help is Available
If you have questions about marijuana and opioids and especially about using marijuana legally instead of prescription opioids, just call us anytime at 844-844-3463. Our professional counselors will be able to answer all your questions and also refer you to an individualized treatment facility near you if necessary. We’re here to listen and provide hope and help. We look forward to your call.