Use of Pharmaceutical Analgesics Versus Cannabis or Cannabidiol-Tetrahydrocannabinol Oils to Reduce Pain

Objective: Pain is a common symptom among opiate substitution patients. We surveyed those who recently attempted to control their pain with cannabidiol (CBD)-tetra hydrocanabinol (THC) oils or via cannabis.

Materials and Methods: 18 patients in a methadone/suboxone clinic participated (age 29 to 56 years, mean=38.9, SD=7.8; 13 males, 5 females). Their mean number of years on pharmaceutical analgesics was 7.5 (SD=5.2, range 1 to 20). Their average severity of pain (rated on a scale from 0=no pain to 10=extreme pain) was 7.6 (SD=1.7, range 5 to 10). All 18 patients completed our questionnaire about their use of pharmaceutical analgesic medications, smoked or edible cannabis, CBD-THC oils, and the respective outcomes.

Results: The average analgesic success rate (rated by the patients from 0=no relief to 10=pain eliminated) was 3.2 (SD=2.8) for pharmaceutical analgesics, 6.5 (SD=2.7) for smoked or edible cannabis, and 7.1 (SD=2.0) for CBD-THC oils. In our group of patients, the pharmaceutical analgesics reduced pain significantly less than CBD-THC oils (t=4.5, df=13, p<.001, 2-tailed) and also less than smoked or edible cannabis (t=3.3, df=13, p=.006, 2-tailed). The difference between smoked/edible cannabis and CBD-THC oils was not significant (p>.05). The majority of patients (62.5%) were able to stop their pharmaceutical analgesics when on CBD-THC oils. The more days on the oils, the longer lasted the relief (Spearman rho=.75, p=.013).

Discussion: The duration of relief via cannabis might be more short-lived than from CBD-THC oils. Future studies need more control over the dose and composition of such oils.

Conclusions: The CBD-THC oils are promising analgesics for further research and clinical work.

Keywords: pain, cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol, analgesics, methadone, opiates.