Cannabis has done a lot of good for medical patients. The first inklings of legal weed reform started with these people in mind. That was a sensitive time. Advocates screamed for access to a plant that many had been propagandized to be widely accepted as harmful. This sordid past has made it difficult to admit that cannabis could do any harm, but that is not reality. There are two sides to every coin, and while the good seems to greatly outweigh the bad, there are some side effects to watch out for.
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One of the most unfortunate adverse cannabis events can happen when someone quits. Weed withdrawal impacts many levels of cannabis consumers and could affect one particular group worse than others.
Many pain patients could be considered high needs. This means that they may require more cannabinoids more frequently than patients with other qualifying conditions. One study shows that this group could also experience harsh withdrawal symptoms.
Cannabis withdrawal in pain patients
Withdrawal from cannabis occurs in about half of regular consumers. After abstaining, people sometimes feel irritable, angry, aggressive, depressed, or anxious. They can experience a loss of appetite, restlessness, insomnia, intense dreams, headaches, sweating, tremors, and abdominal pain.
This study polled pain patients, but did not specify whether this group was receiving alternative pain treatment during their break from cannabis medicine. The return of chronic pain may play a role in the results.
Researchers analyzed data from over 500 chronic pain patients who sought a medical cannabis prescription. These patients were recruited in Michigan waiting rooms as they waited for their weed appointments. The cohort was 82 percent white and 49 percent male.
Researchers gauged a baseline in the first survey and then conducted checkups after 12 months and two years. Check-ins consisted of the Marijuana Withdrawal Checklist, a tool that asks the patient to rate their mood, sleep, craving to smoke, and similar information from “none” to “severe” on a scale of zero through three. That means zero for “none” and three for “severe” withdrawal symptoms.
They found that 41 percent of the cohort experienced mild withdrawal symptoms. This group was most likely to have the same adverse effects over two years. The moderate (34 percent) and severe (25 percent) withdrawal groups expressed a worsening of symptoms. Younger members of the cohort showed the most inclination to have more severe experiences that only grew over time.
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More research is required on weed withdrawal
The study explored withdrawal in chronic pain patients that might extend into other groups. This analysis illuminated a need for more research and support around the topic of cannabis withdrawal. Not everyone has unmanageable symptoms when they quit weed, but clearly, some do. The only way to learn how to help this group is to explore the concept, for better or worse.
