Post-Operative Cannabis use can help keep you off Opioids, recent study finds

An investigative team from the University of Denver and Johns Hopkins University have found that perioperative (and post-operative) cannabis consumption can reduce the likelihood of long-term opioid use, 

A study of patients who underwent total joint arthroscopy (TJA) has reinforced the research and findings from dozens of previous studies showing that consumption of cannabis around the time of, and following surgery, can significantly reduce the opioid dependency in a 90-day post-operative timeline.

While cannabis has long been believed to assist in recovery and pain remediation, authors of the study are calling for further study into cannabis for pain management, specifically looking to examine the different preparations (cannabinoids), frequency, dosage, and administration (ingestible vs inhalable vs topical).

With a growing number of pain-management patients developing a dependency on opioids to continue with the activities of daily life, finding a plant-based medicine with limited side-effects could prove to radically change modern medicine.

As the world continues to fight the War on Drugs, it should be noted that nearly 15,000 US Citizens perished at the hands of Heroin in the 12 months leading up to June 2020 (Department of Health & Human Services, USA). Now, if you are not familiar, opioid medications are derived from the opium poppy, the same source material used in the production of Heroin. For those unfortunate enough to become addicted to opioid medication, Heroin is often the next progression – either when pills lose their efficacy (humans develop a tolerance to opioids), or health insurance no longer covers prescription treatment.