According to research conducted by the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, medical marijuana seems to be helping lots of people reduce or eliminate the need for prescription pharmaceuticals. The prominent academic journal’s report from January 2019 states 42% of survey respondents said they stopped taking a pharmaceutical drug due to the medical use of cannabis. Moreover, 38% of respondents attributed medical marijuana to reduced use of at least one prescription drug. Could cannabis be the key to reducing drug-related deaths?
Is Medical Marijuana the Solution to the Opioid Crisis?
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reported in 2014 that states with legalized medical marijuana had 25 percent fewer prescription drug overdose-related deaths annually. Another study published in 2016 by Health Affairs, a highly-regarded, peer-reviewed healthcare journal, found that prescriptions for opioid painkillers dropped significantly among Medicare beneficiaries living in states with medical marijuana laws. These indisputable facts could be bad news for the pharmaceutical industry, but is excellent news for the rest of Americans at a time when prescription painkillers are wreaking havoc on our communities.
Who Should Use Medical Marijuana Instead of Pharmaceuticals?
Medical marijuana is not a one-size-fits-all substitute for prescription drugs, as it is only helpful for certain conditions, and the effects vary from person to person. However, the list of conditions approved for medical marijuana in Philadelphia, PA, grows longer and longer as our understanding of the naturally-occurring remedy grows within the medical community. In the State of Pennsylvania, you can get a medical marijuana card for a broad range of moderate-to-severe health conditions, including terminal illness, Glaucoma, Opioid-Use Disorder, Autism, IBS, HIV/AIDS, and Neuropathies, just to name a few. Our qualified doctors can help you determine if medical marijuana is an adequate substitute for any prescription drugs that you are taking.
Can You Replace Prescription Drugs With Medical Marijuana?
If you are interested in finding a natural alternative to any prescription drugs you are taking, you can learn more about the qualifying conditions for medical cannabis in Philadelphia, PA. Our qualified and experienced doctors here at PA Medical Marijuana Doctor will gladly consult with you about your health condition(s) if you are unsure whether you should apply for a medical marijuana card. If you still have questions that we haven’t answered, feel free to visit or contact us anytime for additional information.
