Medical Marijuana the pain management drug of the future now in many professional’s opinions. Medical Professionals who have been trained to evaluate patients for medical marijuana approval are saying that medical marijuana is the drug of the future that will be prescribed as a solution to many diseases and symptoms. For those who have been approved to use medical marijuana in states that have legalized the drug, the future is now! Many hospitals and Emergency Rooms, General Practitioners, and other medical professionals will no longer prescribe opioid medications or treat chronic pain. Is marijuana a miracle drug, or just a better option than opioids that have been taking far too many lives?
Is medical marijuana the answer to the opioid epidemic? We won’t know for sure until more testing, research, and clinical trials are performed. The marijuana train has left the station and science needs to catch up with it. Is medical marijuana the answer to the opioid epidemic? It seems the public has already decided.
Medical Marijuana Not the Answer for Everyone
Many pain-management doctors around the country are no longer prescribing opioid medications for chronic pain and related illnesses. Instead, these providers are recommending medical marijuana to their patients as an alternative. The problem is that medical marijuana does not provide pain relief for all patients; the results vary. Many patients on fixed incomes report that the cost of medical marijuana is very expensive, depending on the dispensary and the state. Insurance companies do not pay for medical marijuana. These individuals on fixed incomes and those with severe chronic pain are finding it very difficult to find pain-management doctors who are willing to provide continuing medication management with opioid medications.
Medical Marijuana the Pain Management Drug of the Future Now
The government has set guidelines for pain-management doctors, limiting the number of milligrams of opioids that can be prescribed per patient each month and the number of refills for opioid medications. Federal law-enforcement agencies have cracked down on physicians who prescribe opioid medications who are constantly prescribing large amounts of opioid medications above government standards. This is helping the movement of Medical Marijuana legalization as more and more states are coming on board.
Legalization of Marijuana Leaves Science Behind
The scientific community have not been included in many conversations and decisions by policy makers regarding the legalization of medical marijuana. The foundation for clinical trials are usually provided by years of structured scientific studies by preclinical models. Then years of evidence provided by the structured scientific studies are evaluated by federal agencies to determine if certain compounds should be approved for the treatment of specific diseases and their symptoms. When it comes to medical marijuana, the bar has not been met. The marijuana industry has been driving efforts to legalize medical marijuana. It is clear that the medical value of marijuana has been determined by the public and politicians, not physicians and science. It seems that the legalization of marijuana has left science behind. One thing is clear, when it comes to Medical Marijuana the pain management drug of the future is now.