Do you know what killed 106,000 people in the United States in just one year? 

In 2021, that many people died from drug-involved overdoses including illegal drugs and prescription opioids (over 75%), according to data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The worst part about these statistics is the fact that the number of overdose deaths in 2021 was over six times the number in 1999. In just one year alone, from 2020 to 2021 the number of drug overdose deaths increased by more than 16%. 

How did this happen? What led to such a serious crisis in the United States? Are there any alternatives to opioid pain medicine that can help curb these devastating rates? 

While the answer to the first question is complex with various experts in the field agreeing that a multi-system failure of regulation, including over-prescribing, big pharma power and politics played an important part, the answer to the second one might be a bit simpler. Over the past several years, there have been studies showing medical marijuana's potential in various pain treatments, while also revealing it can help curb opioid use. 

For example, the largest-ever Canadian-supported study published in January viewed 90 randomized controlled trials involving 22,028 participants. The research concluded that marijuana provided similar pain relief benefits as opioids but without negative consequences. 

See Also: Cannabis Can Help Reduce Unregulated Opioid Use And Manage Cravings, Study Finds

Benzinga wanted to learn more about cannabis as an alternative to opioids and other medical marijuana benefits, so we reached out to Robin Fowler M.D., a board-certified anesthesiologist with a fellowship in pain management from Emory University in Atlanta. Fowler is also a founder of Botanical Sciences, a physician–owned medical marijuana dispensary where a team of physicians prescribe cannabis over traditional opioids for pain management. 

"After treating pain patients in an outpatient surgery setting for 10 years, I was ready to explore new ways to help my patients," Fowler told Benzinga. "The Georgia Cannabis Program gave me the opportunity to do just that, allowing me to treat patients' chronic pain with THC. From there, Botanical Sciences was born and we're now producing medical cannabis at our 130,000 square foot manufacturing facility in South Georgia." 

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What sets apart Botanical Sciences from other dispensaries is that it’s Georgia's first physician-owned medical marijuana provider that is vertically integrated from seed to sale, he explained. 

"We cultivate, process, distribute, and dispense all from our facility in Glennville, Georgia. We take the most scientific healthcare approach using evidence-based formulations in our products that are most beneficial to the patients."

Fowler's first experience with medical marijuana was during his shoulder reconstruction surgery, when as a physician becoming a patient he was able to appreciate an alternative to opioids even more. His first educational experience was at a pain fellowship in 2005 where the "learning curve took off once the medical program became closer to fruition in Georgia," Fowler recalled. 

"The properties of medical cannabis for medical implications are in the early stages of being utilized as a therapeutic modality. We are fortunate to have a Schedule A license with a patient pool of 20,000 to further our current studies. Throughout the last fifteen years of practice, I wish it was an available option as I consider any reduction in opioid use a success." 

20-40% Reduction In Opioid Use

How helpful is cannabis in reducing opioid use? 

"Overall, medical cannabis use supports a 30-40% reduction in opioid consumption," says Fowler. "Not only does it control patients’ pain but it is also beneficial for gastrointestinal and pulmonary function." 

Fowler is also working on opioid reduction investigations and ways to determine the origin of a patient’s pain. 

"The electronic medical record kept on pain patients since 2007 gives us a great data pool to do analysis. With over 20,000 patients, we're able to cross reference medical cannabis impact on Morphine Milligram Equivalents (MME). Additionally, other significant areas useful for patients and clinicians include all-risk surgeries performed, back pain, medical cannabis and implants. These areas have been vastly under-studied and I hope we can provide some valuable information." 

Aside from pain management, what else can medical marijuana potentially treat?

In the state of Georgia, there are 17 health conditions that can qualify a patient for medical marijuana treatment. Among these are cancer, neuromuscular diseases, Sickle cell disease, autism spectrum disorder, AIDS, PTSD, and more. Fowler adds that, "there is a growing need for medical cannabis to be used to treat insomnia, some gastrointestinal diseases, and other debilitating conditions." 

See Also: Most Important Medical Potential Of Marijuana? Cannabis For Pain Relief Says Biotech CEO

A Thin Line 

While the marijuana industry is often broken into two markets – medical and recreational, some experts believe that the line is thinner than it may seem at first glance. This is because the majority of recreational users are actually consuming it to deal with various conditions whether extreme or mild. Fowler agrees that the line is very thin, explaining that many people nowadays self-diagnose with the help of the internet. 

"That being said, when somebody has a condition such as pain or anxiety, they can treat that with over-the-counter products and that creates a very parallel situation with cannabis, specifically THC. Then as diagnoses become more complex, such as neurological and psychiatric disorders, I believe medical professionals are best utilized to guide patients. This requires education and experience with medical professionals which are improving each day." 

While Fowler doesn't see cannabis becoming its own boarded-specialty, like internal medicine, he thinks requiring certifications and expert knowledge would be likely. He says he’d be delighted to see more education on shared research and clinical experience. 

"I think there needs to be more emphasis on generating awareness and educating the public on the benefits of cannabis in treating disease and other debilitating conditions," Fowler concluded. 

Now read: Jordan Tishler, MD Talks About Medical Cannabis, Success Rates, Side Effects, And That It Should Be A Specialty Field Of Its Own

If you’re interested in learning more about the vast marijuana industry including both recreational and medical spheres, don’t miss the opportunity to join us at the 19th Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago this October 8-9. Engage with top executives, investors, policymakers, experts, and advocates to explore the future of the industry. Secure your tickets now before prices increase by following this link.

Featured photo: Courtesy of gabriel12 via Shutterstock