TY - JOUR
KW - Analgesics, Opioid/poisoning
KW - Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination/therapeutic use
KW - Drug Overdose/prevention & control
KW - Evidence-Based Medicine
KW - Harm Reduction
KW - Humans
KW - Medical Marijuana/therapeutic use
KW - Methadone/therapeutic use
KW - Narcotics/therapeutic use
KW - Opiate Substitution Treatment
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy/psychology
KW - Public Health
KW - Public Policy
KW - Addiction
KW - cannabis
KW - Marijuana
KW - Opioids
KW - Substitution
AU - P. Lucas
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: North America is currently in the grips of a crisis rooted in the use of licit and illicit opioid-based analgesics. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in Canada and the US, and the growing toll of opioid-related morbidity and mortality requires a diversity of novel therapeutic and harm reduction-based interventions. Research suggests that increasing adult access to both medical and recreational cannabis has significant positive impacts on public health and safety as a result of substitution effect. Observational and epidemiological studies have found that medical cannabis programs are associated with a reduction in the use of opioids and associated morbidity and mortality. AIMS AND METHODS: This paper presents an evidence-based rationale for cannabis-based interventions in the opioid overdose crisis informed by research on substitution effect, proposing three important windows of opportunity for cannabis for therapeutic purposes (CTP) to play a role in reducing opioid use and interrupting the cycle towards opioid use disorder: 1) prior to opioid introduction in the treatment of chronic pain; 2) as an opioid reduction strategy for those patients already using opioids; and 3) as an adjunct therapy to methadone or suboxone treatment in order to increase treatment success rates. The commentary explores potential obstacles and limitations to these proposed interventions, and as well as strategies to monitor their impact on public health and safety. CONCLUSION: The growing body of research supporting the medical use of cannabis as an adjunct or substitute for opioids creates an evidence-based rationale for governments, health care providers, and academic researchers to consider the implementation and assessment of cannabis-based interventions in the opioid crisis.
AD - Graduate Researcher, Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, 2300 McKenzie Ave, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada. plucas@uvic.ca.; Social Dimensions of Health, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada. plucas@uvic.ca.; VP, Patient Research & Access, Tilray, 1100 Maughan Rd, Nanaimo, BC, V9X1J2, Canada. plucas@uvic.ca.
BT - Harm reduction journal
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 1
CY - England
DO - 10.1186/s12954-017-0183-9
IS - 1
JF - Harm reduction journal
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - BACKGROUND: North America is currently in the grips of a crisis rooted in the use of licit and illicit opioid-based analgesics. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in Canada and the US, and the growing toll of opioid-related morbidity and mortality requires a diversity of novel therapeutic and harm reduction-based interventions. Research suggests that increasing adult access to both medical and recreational cannabis has significant positive impacts on public health and safety as a result of substitution effect. Observational and epidemiological studies have found that medical cannabis programs are associated with a reduction in the use of opioids and associated morbidity and mortality. AIMS AND METHODS: This paper presents an evidence-based rationale for cannabis-based interventions in the opioid overdose crisis informed by research on substitution effect, proposing three important windows of opportunity for cannabis for therapeutic purposes (CTP) to play a role in reducing opioid use and interrupting the cycle towards opioid use disorder: 1) prior to opioid introduction in the treatment of chronic pain; 2) as an opioid reduction strategy for those patients already using opioids; and 3) as an adjunct therapy to methadone or suboxone treatment in order to increase treatment success rates. The commentary explores potential obstacles and limitations to these proposed interventions, and as well as strategies to monitor their impact on public health and safety. CONCLUSION: The growing body of research supporting the medical use of cannabis as an adjunct or substitute for opioids creates an evidence-based rationale for governments, health care providers, and academic researchers to consider the implementation and assessment of cannabis-based interventions in the opioid crisis.
PP - England
PY - 2017
SN - 1477-7517; 1477-7517
SP - 017
EP - 9
EP - 58+
T1 - Rationale for cannabis-based interventions in the opioid overdose crisis
T2 - Harm reduction journal
TI - Rationale for cannabis-based interventions in the opioid overdose crisis
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 28821296
U3 - 10.1186/s12954-017-0183-9
VL - 14
VO - 1477-7517; 1477-7517
Y1 - 2017
Y2 - Aug 18
ER -