Medical Cannabis Significantly Reduced Use of Opioids and Other Rx Drugs
/By Pat Anson
A new survey of cannabis users in Germany found a significant reduction in their use of painkillers, sleep medications, anti-depressants and other prescription drugs after starting medical cannabis treatment.
Over 3,500 cannabis patients participated in the online survey, published by Bloomwell, which found an average 84.5% decrease in the use of medications overall. Over half of respondents (58.9%) said they stopped taking at least one medication completely.
The reduced consumption of prescription drugs led to a corresponding change in side effects. Over 60% of patients said they no longer had any medication-related side effects, while nearly 38% said their side effects were reduced.
Less than 2% said their side effects remained the same or intensified after they started using medical cannabis.
“Cannabis is often portrayed as dangerous and addictive, even though the most severe side effects and addiction potential have only been proven with other prescription medications,” said Julian Wichmann, MD, co-founder and CEO of Bloomwell, one of the leading providers of medical cannabis in Europe.
The reduced use of prescription drugs was associated with major improvements in quality of life and productivity. Most patients reported better concentration (67.8%), more social interactions (61.9%), and fewer days of missed work (53.9%) after they started using medical cannabis.
“Patients benefit significantly when they are able to replace other prescription drugs with medical cannabis. The often completely absent side effects are also associated with a marked improvement in quality of life and work performance. This is likely the most important finding of our survey,” said Wichmann.
The steepest reduction in the use of a prescription drug class was for sleep medications; 93.6% were able to reduce their use of sleeping pills by at least half, and 75.5% were able to discontinue them completely.
Patients who took the stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) reported an average reduction of 88.4% after starting medical cannabis, while 77.3% were able to discontinue it completely.
Patients were able to reduce their use of opioids by an average of 83.9%, while 61% were able to completely discontinue opioids.
That finding mirrors those of other studies in the US and UK.
A large 2022 survey of medical cannabis users in Florida found that those who have chronic pain were able to reduce or even stop their use of opioids. Patients reported less pain and better physical and social functioning once they started using medical cannabis.
A recent survey of UK adults prescribed medical cannabis for anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD and other mental health conditions found that 97% said it improved their well-being and happiness, while 68% said it enabled them to work.
Germany first legalized medical cannabis in 2017, allowing patients with certain medical conditions to access it with a prescription. In 2024, the German Narcotics Act declassified cannabis as a narcotic and allowed adults to possess and cultivate limited amounts for recreational use.
According to Bloomwell, cannabis reforms in Germany have led to significant reductions in the price of cannabis flowers and an increase in cannabis prescriptions.
Vertanical, a German pharmaceutical company, hopes to soon get regulatory approval in Europe and the UK for the first cannabis-based medicine for chronic pain. In clinical trials, the full spectrum cannabis extract provided better pain relief for low back pain in a head-to-head comparison with low doses of opioids.
