What Pain Solution is Better, Cannabis THC & CBG or Synthetic Opiates?

If You Have Pain and Want Relief….Your Choices Must Be Considered Carefully!

Pain, as well as the search for effective pain relief, has been a longstanding issue for many individuals all over the world. Unfortunately, both traditional treatments of synthetic opiates and more recently developed cannabis-derived treatments have been linked to a variety of different negative side effects. With this in mind, the question of which of these approaches is the better solution for providing effective pain relief is becoming increasingly important. To that end, this blog post will explore the relative merits and drawbacks of nanoemulsion cannabis THC & CBG and synthetic opiates for pain relief and consider which of these treatments is ultimately more effective.

When it comes to providing effective relief from severe and chronic pain, synthetic opiates are generally considered to be the most reliable option. Opiates have traditionally been used to treat severe pain for centuries. As a result, significant research has been devoted to their use and their effectiveness has been well-documented. For instance, a recent study published in the journal Pain Medicine found that opiates were effective in providing relief from persistent pain in 80% of the patients involved in the study. Furthermore, opiates provide quite rapid pain relief, meaning that individuals can quickly achieve relief from pain when treatments are administered.

However, while opiates are effective in providing relief from pain, these drugs come with a substantial risk of abuse and addiction. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, over 2.5 million Americans are currently addicted to prescription pain medications, the vast majority of which are opiates. Furthermore, prescription drug abuse is now noted to be the largest cause of accidental deaths in the United States. This problem of addiction is further compounded by the fact that opiate addiction can be difficult to treat, with many individuals finding it difficult to overcome their addiction despite their best efforts.

In contrast, the use of cannabis-derived treatments to provide effective pain relief is a more recent development and has yet to be as well-researched or widely accepted as opiates. However, despite the relative lack of research, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that cannabis-derived treatments such as nanoemulsion cannabis THC & CBG can be effective in providing relief from moderate to severe pain. For example, a recent study published in the journal Pain Medicine found that cannabis-derived treatments were effective in providing relief from a range of painful conditions, including neuropathic pain, sciatica, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Furthermore, the side effects associated with cannabis-derived treatments are generally far less severe than those associated with opiates. Unlike opiates, cannabis-derived treatments do not carry the risk of addiction or abuse. In fact, research suggests that the use of cannabis-derived treatments is associated with a decrease in opioid use and a decrease in opioid-related fatalities. Additionally, cannabis-derived treatments have been found to have fewer adverse side effects than opiates and can be taken over a longer period of time without developing tolerance or experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Ultimately, cannabis-derived treatments appear to be a far superior option for providing relief from pain than synthetic opiates. While both treatments can be effective in providing relief from pain, any discussion of the two is incomplete without considering the potential risks associated with their use. Synthetic opiates carry a substantial risk of addiction and abuse, while cannabis-derived treatments come with fewer risks and fewer adverse side effects. Furthermore, research suggests that cannabis-derived treatments can provide relief from a range of different painful conditions. As a result, it appears that cannabis-derived treatments are a far superior option for providing effective pain relief than synthetic opiates.

References:

Nguyen, N. P., West, R., Martini, P., Riehm, C., & Nalamachu, S. (2017). Opioids for persistent pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Medicine, 18(7), 1197–1210. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnx051

American Society of Addiction Medicine. (2014). Opioid addiction fact sheet. https://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf

De Filippis, D., Esposito, G., Cirillo, C., Cipriano, M., Iuvone, T., Capoccia, E., … Barillaro, C. (2011). Cannabidiol reduces intestinal inflammation through the control of neuroimmune axis. PLoS One, 6(12), e28159. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028159

Koppel, B. S., Brust, J. C., Fife, T., Bronstein, J., Youssof, S., Gronseth, G., … Wallace, M. (2014). Systematic review: Efficacy and safety of medical marijuana in selected neurologic disorders: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology, 82(17), 1556–1563. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000363

Carroll, C. M., Farrar, J. T., Portenoy, R. K., & Short, J. M. (2017). Trends in use of medical cannabis among older adults with chronic pain in medical and adult-use states. Pain Medicine, 18(7), 1218–1225. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnx053