Can you ask your doctor for medical marijuana instead of painkillers and opioids?

Be skeptical about prescribed painkillers. The opioid crisis in America continues to claim countless lives as many other people live with a subtle addiction to drugs for pain.

If you have an injury or need surgery, you will most likely be in pain. You may also not want to deal with a pain reliever that can be addictive and may want to turn it down when offered. As previously reported, marijuana can serve as an excellent substitute for opioids. But what are the chances that your doctor will prescribe you weed instead of painkillers?

Healthcare professionals can’t really tell you to use weed since THC in cannabis is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the federal government. Simply put, your doctor cannot just throw away your prescription for opioids and issue you a new prescription for medicinal cannabis. However, depending on the condition you are in, the doctor may be able to help you recover by using cannabis as a medicinal treatment

Be honest with your doctor

You gain nothing by not being straight or trying to lie to your doctor. They can easily spot when you are lying as they have a wealth of knowledge and experience dealing with patients. If you want to use medical marijuana instead of any other pain reliever, just consult them. Talking to your doctor about medical marijuana may seem awkward at first, but it’s worth a try to see what he thinks.

It’s no secret that the current opioid problem in the United States scares many people, especially the elderly. A doctor is likely to be far more open with a patient who honestly says they prefer using the marijuana route to opioids. If you have concerns about the negative side effects of opioids or the danger they pose, speak up. This won’t ensure you get a medical marijuana card, but there is room for discussion about other treatments.

Being truthful about your cannabis use can also help you before surgery and during treatment. You must tell your doctor if you use cannabis and if so, how much. “In order to know which medications to use and how often, you also need to let your doctor know in advance how often you use cannabis and how much you use,” Harvard said.

Make your results realistic

As you prepare to ask your doctor to approve cannabis prescriptions to relieve your pain, you should be educated on the subject. This can be a difficult task as medical research on cannabis continues to be difficult as it is still illegal at the federal level. This lack of research is part of what is preventing doctors and organizations from fully embracing medicinal cannabis today.

For example, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has stated that “although pain control is one of the most common reasons people in the United States report medicinal cannabis use, there is little evidence that cannabis is effective in treating different types of chronic diseases.” or acute pain.” This suggests that approaching your doctor with research, information, and adequate defense of your desire to use cannabis in place of another pain reliever is a good system to prevent your doctor from telling you that there is simply not enough information to support it .

Doctors are very knowledgeable, but remember that medicinal cannabis and its benefits is still a very new science and only a few medical professionals will have up-to-date information on the latest developments.

Take your doctor’s advice

Finally, you have to remember that your doctor is offering you an informed opinion and you shouldn’t dismiss it and insist it’s an MMJ card or nothing. Treatment plans and medical advice should be followed to avoid unnecessary risks. Take this advice seriously if your doctor doesn’t recommend cannabis as an alternative to painkillers.

Keep in mind that even if your doctor doesn’t support your preference for using medicinal cannabis, you may be seeking a different opinion. After all, NORML said more than half of medical professionals believe cannabis can be used medicinally.

However, if you find that a second opinion says no to medicinal cannabis, you should listen to their advice. In any case, cannabis is not a panacea. Some medical conditions require specific treatment plans that don’t include marijuana.

Some doctors welcome it

One of the doctors who approved medical marijuana for patients in Missouri, Dr. Patricia Hurford has long been skeptical about the benefits of medicinal cannabis. Hurford said that she felt it was likely a gateway drug or that there simply wasn’t enough science to support its use.

Hurford also practices in Illinois. After trying federally approved medical marijuana in 2013, she started looking at things from a different angle. Her patients often suffered from chronic pain and asked her about the application. Hurford eventually agreed to try marijuana after standard drug therapies failed to help one patient. Hurford explained that she could not manage her pain with either opioids or non-opioids. After this patient was certified, she saw a dramatic change in the patient’s quality of life.

It is crucial for Hurford to investigate how to reduce the use of potentially addictive analgesics in her patients. She began by believing marijuana to be a much safer and more beneficial alternative given the number of complications she had with opioids and the number of patients who became addicted to opioids.

Although not required by the state, Hurford makes sure patients are provided with a list of the likely side effects and dangers of marijuana use, such as: B. Lung diseases, allergic reactions and memory problems.

bottom line

Medicinal cannabis is a relatively new concept with no solid scientific evidence to suggest it is a safe cure or a perfect alternative to painkillers. Although there have been cases here and there to support the claim that medical marijuana is a better way to cure pain, some doctors will not give in to the hearsay-only trend, fearing that cannabis as a drug is a could be a gateway drug. which means patients can easily become addicted to it.

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