Cannabis Study Finds Medical Use To Lower Need For Opioids

HelloMD and UC Berkeley recently released the results to their landmark medical cannabis study. The study examined the use of cannabis to substitute opioid and non-opioid based pain medication. As opioid-related deaths in the United States continue to rise cannabis advocates believe that medical use could help stop the epidemic.

To gather results for this study on the matter, HelloMD surveyed their huge database of medical cannabis patients regarding their use of cannabis and how it has affected their opioid usage. The survey included 3000 medical cannabis patients and came to some interesting conclusions.

cannabis study

The study was run by  Amanda Reiman, PhD, MSW, Lecturer in the School of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley and Perry Soloman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of HelloMD as well as Mark A. Welty, Ph.D., NCC, LPCC-S, LSW, Kent State University, Adjunct Faculty, Welty Counseling and Consulting, CEO, The Village Network, Director of Research and Innovation, The Ohio Patient Network, Board of Directors.



    When asked about the study Reiman poignantly stated, “The treatment of pain has become a politicized business in the United States. The result has been the rapidly rising rate of opioid-related overdoses and dependence.”


The study cited some key findings:

    97% “strongly agreed/agreed” that they could decrease their opioid use when using cannabis
    92% “strongly agreed/agreed” that they prefer cannabis to treat their medical condition
    81% “strongly agreed/ agreed” that cannabis by itself was more effective than taking cannabis with opioids. The results were similar when using cannabis with non-opioid based pain medications.

    Reiman continued, “Cannabis has been used throughout the world for thousands of years to treat pain and other physical and mental health conditions. Patients have been telling us for decades that this practice is producing better outcomes than the use of opioid-based medications.”

While many still believe the ‘reefer madness’ gossip about the plant, many are beginning to understand its healing properties. This cannabis study and the others that are slowly emerging from legal states helps de-stigmatize the cannabis plant. Without the stigma, more patients will have access to quality cannabis.

    As Reiman put it, “It’s past time for the medical profession to get over their reefer madness and start working with the medical cannabis movement and industry to slow down the destruction being caused by the over prescribing and overuse of opioids.”  http://terpenesandtesting.com/medical-cannabis-study-opioids/

Cannabinol (CBN) is a cannabinoid that develops after dried flowers are overexposed to the elements.

CBN is actually a product of decarboxylated CBNA. The cannabinoid develops as THCA breaks down from being exposed to open air for too long. Exposure like this can turn the THCA into CBNA. And as we mentioned, when decarboxylated CBNA becomes CBN.
This is a psychoactive cannabinoid. It is a partial agonist to CB1 receptors but mostly interacts with CB2 receptors. Because CBN is formed by degraded THCA, it is commonly found in low grade baled cannabis and traditionally created hashish. Since degraded cannabis is generally higher in CBN modern cultivation and production processes minimize the formation of the cannabinoid.

Though it is currently not listed in any of the schedules set out by the United States or the United Nations, it is still considered an analog of THC which is very clearly listed as Schedule 1. For this reason, one could be prosecuted in most states if found in possession of the cannabinoid despite it not being officially scheduled.
Despite the government technically considering this cannabinoid illegal, many studies from other countries have concluded that it is valuable as medicine. One study done on rats in the UK concluded that CBN was a valuable appetite stimulant. Other studies show that CBN may even have anticancer properties. Until more studies and clinical trials are done we won’t be able to do any work to free this plant for patients. There are nonprofit organizations raising money for this research, check out more about that in our May/June Issue.
Studies have shown CBN to be valuable:

• Appetite Stimulant
• Antibiotic
• Potential ALS Medicine
• Pain Reliever
• Anti-Asthmatic
• Sedative
• Lower Ocular Pressure

Formula‎: ‎C₂₁H₂₆O₂

CAS Number‎: ‎521-35-7

Solubility in water‎: ‎insoluble in water soluble in …

Melting point‎: ‎77 °C (171 °F)

Terpenes: Geraniol C10H18O

 terpene profile

Geraniol terpenes are commonly used in flavoring and perfumery for their delightful aroma.

Molecular Weight: 154.253 g/mol

Boiling Point: 230 °C (446 °F; 503 K)

Density: 0.889 g/cm3

This terpene is a primary part of rose oil. It is also important in the biosynthesis of other terpenes. Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and alcohol. Honey bees actually produce this terpene from their scent glands. In acidic solutions, it is converted to the cyclic terpene alpha-terpineol. The bees then use Geraniol to mark nectar-bearing flowers to help make gathering honey more efficient. The insects also use the terpene to mark the entrance to their hives. It is also considered a severe eye irritant and is classified as a D2B using the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).
Geraniol is found in some cannabis strains and:

    Rose
    Lemon peel
    Citronella
    Lemon grass
    Geranium
    Peach
    Passion Fruit
    Blackberry
    Blueberry
    Coriander
    Nutmeg
    Bergamot
    Carrot



There have been a lot of studies done on the various effects Geraniol can have on the mind and body. A study was done on mice to determine how effective it could be with pain relief. The number of Fos-positive cells was significantly changed in the dorsal raphe nucleus. This directly mediated the activation of the pain neuron sites in the brain without negatively affecting motor skills. Another inquiry revealed that applied topically Geraniol could deter mosquitos. It can also enhance the skin’s ability to absorb cannabis topicals. The terpene is even confirmed toxic against multiple bacteria species. Lastly, Geraniol proved effective in preventing inflammation. It is possible that it could help treat mevalonate kinase deficiency.

terpenes
Currently, this terpene is being studied for its ability to work as a(n):

    Anti-inflammatory
    Analgesi
    Antibacterial
    Topical Drug Enhancer

Do you have suggestions for which terpene we should profile next? There’s so many terpenes we could take any suggestions at all. I’d love to hear them in the comments.