Until recently, your options for treating pain were relatively limited. You had weak, over-the-counter solutions like ibuprofen and acetaminophen or you could choose heavy-duty prescription opioids. There was little middle ground in getting pain relief.

As a result, most healthcare practitioners have defaulted to prescribing opioid medications when it comes to pain conditions. These medications do provide powerful relief of most pain, but they also come with a host of side effects and significant risks. Patients have long wondered if there’s a better treatment option out there.

Recent research shows cannabis could be the treatment patients have been dreaming of. It’s likely the reason more people are turning to cannabis for pain relief.
It’s Effective
The first question anyone asks when it comes to cannabis for pain relief is how effective it is. After all, if there was a better …show more content…
Research on its medical uses was precluded by its illegal status. Now, as more countries roll back criminal cannabis laws, research has been able to proceed. Studies are showing some great results regarding its effectiveness in providing pain relief.

Cannabinoids, the active ingredients in medical marijuana, act on the human endocannabinoid system to produce wide-ranging effects. Pain relief is comprehensive. Both the mind and body are relaxed. Cannabis even appears to have anti-inflammatory properties.

The research shows medical marijuana is as effective as opioid medications, if not more so. As more people discover just how effective cannabis is for pain relief, more people are choosing it.
It’s Safer
Opioids are highly addictive. Lawmakers, doctors, and medical researchers have known that for a long time. It’s one reason many opioid substances are illegal and most are available only with a prescription. Best practice in medicine is usually to take people off opioid prescriptions as soon as