Australian Study Reports Efficacy of Cannabis for Pain Therapy

It seems that Australia is slowly but steadily softening its hard-line stance against medical cannabis, which is currently completely illegal in the country.

A study recently released by scientists at the University of New South Wales’ National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre illustrated that cannabis users reported significant pain relief from cannabis. The curative effects were even more pronounced when used in tandem with prescription opioids.

The study also found that while roughly 5% of the general population reported using cannabis, that number jumped to 13% when counting those who used it for medical purposes. Many of the survey participants relayed that, if they had legal access to cannabis, they would use it regularly for their pain.

The authors of the study are quick to point out that researched evidence of cannabis as a medicine are limited, but that there does seem to be a meaningful number of people who report increased pain relief from cannabis.

It would appear that, as in America, the illicit status of cannabis prevents any deep research from happening. If I were a researcher legitimately trying to find better pain management solutions, I would be beyond frustrated with government officials who enforce idiotic and unscientific laws that directly interfere with my ability to explore this plant.

In a purely scientific mindset, can anything really be “off limits” from exploration? It is completely antithetical to the pioneering mission that scientists evince. After all, it was in that spirit that we first discerned that the earth was not the center of the universe and that blood letting and leeches were not the greatest thing to do to a sick person.

I would go so far as to say that it is the duty of scientists to set down their preconceptions and prejudices, challenge conventional wisdom, and constantly seek that horizon of discovery.

One researcher of the study commented, “It may be that cannabis use provides some additional therapeutic benefits for those not benefiting from usual treatment approaches. However, there is often a complex relationship between pain and other health issues, such as mental health, sleep and substance use, and much more research is required to disentangle the effects of cannabis use in chronic pain sufferers.”

To that end, I suggest exploring how cannabis affects their mental health and sleep patterns. I can speak from my own experience with medical cannabis — one of the main reasons I find relief through cannabis is expressly because it helps me sleep and calm my mind. Sound mental health and consistent rest has completely changed my life for the better.

So then the question becomes, does it really matter how cannabis works its magic? Sure, I’m curious about why, chemically, physiologically, it works. But with almost zero risk or danger and amazingly positive benefits, I don’t really need to know.

Throngs of people are reporting that cannabis is a game-changing substance in their quest for health. And why is it illegal? What good reason is there to keep this wonderful plant lingering in the same pools as heroin and meth? There is none. Certainly not in a world where tobacco, alcohol and firearms are legal.