America’s opioid epidemic has claimed countless lives and has also contributed to the number of heroin users across the nation.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), as much as 80 percent of heroin addicts claim they misused opioids before developing an addiction to the drug.

On a more positive note, cannabis could be the answer to both America’s opioid epidemic and heroin addiction.

Prescription medications for heroin addiction treatment

Buprenorphine and methadone are two types of medication prescribed to heroin addicts in rehabilitation centers. These opioid medications work by reducing cravings for the drug. Naltrexone is an alternative type of medication used to manage opioid dependence. It works by blocking opioid receptors. Although these prescription medications can be used successfully, they also have a high risk of abuse.

Cannabis, on the other hand, is non-addictive. This all-natural treatment option is now readily available in places that have legalized cannabis for medical purposes. Doctors are now considering cannabis as a replacement for typical medications, thanks to the plant’s ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

Study proves cannabis’ efficacy as a treatment for opioid addiction

Heroin falls under an umbrella term called “opiates” or “opioids” alongside other painkillers like morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone.

Using cannabis to treat heroin addiction is an idea that was first brought to public attention by Dr. Gary Witman, of CannaCare Docs in New England.

The clinic that he works at has previously treated 80 patients with opioid addictions using cannabis. An impressive 75 percent of study subjects experienced a successful outcome from the one-month rehabilitation program.

Based on the findings of a 2014 study published in the journal JAMA, opioid overdoses fell by 25 percent in states that have legalized medical cannabis. This particular study analyzed data from all 50 U.S. states from 1999 to 2010.

A separate study conducted in 2009 and published in the Journal of Neuroscience explored the potential of cannabis’ non-psychoactive compound CBD (cannabidiol) to treat people with heroin addiction. The results showed how “CBD may be a potential treatment for heroin craving and relapse.”

It seems that cannabis’ psychoactive compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) could also prove beneficial for people suffering from heroin addiction. Back in 2015, a Drug and Alcohol Dependence study investigated how Dronabinol influenced opioid withdrawals. Dronabinol is a synthetic form of THC.

“Dronabinol reduced the severity of opiate withdrawal during acute detoxification,” the study concluded.

From this, we can learn that THC may be an effective treatment for opioid withdrawal, what with THC’s reaction with the body being exactly the same as Dronabinol.

You can’t overdose on cannabis

While the subject of using cannabis to treat heroin addiction may be a controversial one, scientific research is opening up a window of opportunity for the replacement of opioids. Unlike opioids, cannabis does not have a lethal dose and will not cause addiction. 

Methods of cannabis consumption are diverse, enabling patients to consume the drug conveniently, privately and in controlled doses. This makes the prospect of using cannabis to treat heroin all the more appealing. What’s more, since medicinal-grade cannabis must be lab-tested for potency and contaminants, patients can feel confident that they are not harming their health.