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A recent study challenges the requirement for OUD patients to abstain from cannabis to receive life-saving medications like methadone and buprenorphine. The study found no significant link between cannabis use and relapse on non-medical opioids among patients receiving MOUD, prompting reconsideration of this policy. The research analyzed 10 longitudinal studies involving 8,300 individuals with OUD, concluding that cannabis use did not significantly affect the risk of returning to non-medical opioids among participants receiving MOUD.

The study emphasizes the need for individualized opioid use disorder treatment plans that go beyond blanket cannabis restrictions and allows clinicians to consider comprehensive pain management, mental health conditions, and cannabis use disorder to effectively treat the patient. Dr. Scott Hadland stressed the importance of patient-centered treatment and the need to support positive changes in cannabis use seeking to reduce unnecessary barriers to much-needed medications.

This study challenges the notion that cannabis hinders recovery for individuals with OUD, paving the way for more flexible and individualized treatment approaches. It does not endorse cannabis as a treatment for OUD, but rather advocates for evaluating and treating patients in a way that meets them where they are. Meanwhile, drug overdose deaths, mainly due to fentanyl produced and smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico, continue to rise, with over 107,000 Americans dying from a drug overdose in 2021.

The opioid epidemic continues to be a critical issue with the rise in opioid-related drug overdoses and deaths. By reconsidering the policy that requires OUD patients to abstain from cannabis, there is an opportunity for more individualized and effective treatment approaches, potentially saving lives and reducing unnecessary barriers to much-needed medications. This article was created using artificial intelligence tools and reflects the views and opinions expressed by the author.



Read more: Cannabis Use Does Not Impede Opioid Addiction Recovery, According To Major Study