Can medical marijuana help limit the opioid epidemic?

22. 12. 2025

The rate of opioid regulations remains very high even today, when we know their negative side effects. Is there an effective replacement for these strong pharmaceuticals? Could medical marijuana be an alternative to opioids?

Study Results Claim Replacing Opioids is Possible

New findings suggest that access to medical marijuana can reduce the need for opioids, as patients admit they prefer using cannabis to relieve pain rather than medications.

"There is substantial evidence that marijuana can alleviate pain without the risk of addiction - unlike opioids, with virtually no risk of overdose" said study lead Hefei Wen, an assistant professor of health management and policy at the University of Kentucky's Public Health department in Lexington.

In one study, Wen and his colleague Jason M. Hockenberry analyzed opioid prescription rates between 2011 and 2016 for Medicaid enrollees - a population with relatively high risks of chronic pain and opioid dependence.

They found that opioid prescription rates in states that legalized medical marijuana dropped by an average of 5.9 percent annually.

Can Medical Cannabis Replace Opioid Treatment?

Medical Cannabis vs. Opioids

Studies show that cannabinoids - substances in cannabis plants - can be effective in relieving certain types of pain. Many patient testimonies suggest that those who started using medical marijuana for chronic pain need fewer opioids. This was confirmed by Dr. Kevin Hill, a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the studies.

Using Medical Cannabis in Opioid Treatment

As we mentioned, opioids are still often used for pain relief. Medical cannabis could significantly reduce this rate of opioid use. It can be integrated into the treatment process in 3 ways or phases:

Introduction - only for patients who have not yet started using opioids. After medical consideration, medical cannabis is placed first as the primary pain medication. Patients can thus avoid unnecessary development of opioid dependence and the risk of overdose.
Complementary treatment for patients already using opioids to reduce chronic pain. This method can gradually reduce opioid dosage, decrease cravings for additional doses, and consequently reduce risks inherently associated with opioid use.
Assistance in opioid addiction treatment. Patients who recognize their addiction and seek help are commonly given methadone or suboxone as part of opioid replacement therapy. Medical cannabis can be combined with this withdrawal regimen, helping patients especially during relapse - the moment of willpower failure and return to opioid use.

Medical Cannabis Could Replace Opioids in 3 Phases During Typical Opioid Treatment, or Even Before Its Initiation

What is the Substitution Effect?

The substitution effect is a concept dealing with the mutual influence of simultaneously used drugs. Specifically, taking one type of drug factually affects taking another drug. When discussing intoxicating substances, a change in usage can occur for economic reasons such as price changes, legislative changes, or due to changes in the drug itself, such as its potency.

How Does Opioid Addiction Develop?

Opioids are a type of strong pain medication, including drugs like OxyContin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen). Opioids bind to opioid receptors in the body and cause euphoric feelings. They are highly addictive and can lead to drug abuse, serious complications, and death by overdose.

The mechanism of action for opioids and cannabis differs fundamentally. Cannabinoids do not change the function of cannabinoid ECS receptors. They merely modulate them for better performance. Thus, cannabis fights pain completely differently from opioids. Moreover, cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory properties, another way they reduce pain and nerve system sensitivity in affected areas.

Opioid Addiction Represents a Major Problem.

Cannabis is Not a Panacea!

Clinical studies so far suggest that medical cannabis is particularly effective in alleviating chronic pain, neuropathic pain (pain caused by nervous system damage), and uncontrollable and continuous muscle contractions associated with multiple sclerosis.

Although it may seem that "nothing beats cannabis", it is necessary to remain objective and grounded. Medical cannabis offers an enormous number of undeniable therapeutic effects, however, it cannot be considered a cure-all. And it is certainly not advisable to stop taking standard medications prescribed by the attending physician and specialist.