A new study from researchers at Murdoch University and the Perth Pain Management Centre in Australia provides further evidence that marijuana can serve as an effective substitute for opioids in chronic pain management.
Published in the journal Pain Management on Monday, the study followed two patient groups over the course of a year. One group of 102 patients with chronic non-cancer pain was co-prescribed marijuana alongside their opioid treatment, while a second group of 53 patients received only opioids. At the start of the study, patients in both groups were taking an average of around 40 mg of opioids per day. After 12 months, the marijuana group had significantly reduced their daily opioid intake to a median of 2.7 mg, while the opioid-only group remained at approximately 42.3 mg per day.
“The introduction of marijuana can produce useful reductions in opioid consumption in real-world settings, with additional benefits for disability and insomnia,” the study authors said. “However, this treatment is tolerated by only a subgroup of patients.”
Beyond reducing opioid use, the marijuana cohort also reported improvements in sleep quality and physical activity, indicating broader benefits for patient well-being. Researchers emphasized that these findings highlight marijuana’s potential role as part of an integrated approach to pain management, particularly for patients struggling with long-term opioid use.
The study aligns with a growing body of international research suggesting marijuana may help address the opioid epidemic. For example, earlier studies have found that legal access to marijuana reduces opioid prescriptions, lowers overdose deaths, and even decreases monetary payments from opioid manufacturers to physicians specializing in pain. Other research in U.S. states such as Utah and Oregon has similarly shown that chronic pain patients reduce opioid use when marijuana is available.
Recent reports also indicate that marijuana may provide comparable relief to opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, while presenting fewer risks of dependence or adverse side effects. A 2023 study published by the American Medical Association found that patients who used marijuana for over a month experienced significant reductions in prescribed opioid use, and more than half of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain reported marijuana as more effective than other analgesics.
Researchers concluded that expanding access to marijuana could be a critical tool in reducing opioid dependence and improving patient outcomes, particularly in jurisdictions facing high rates of opioid-related harm.
“With growing evidence supporting marijuana as a substitute for opioids, healthcare providers may have an additional strategy to safely manage chronic pain while helping patients reduce reliance on potentially addictive medications,” the study authors said.
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