Cannabis Did Not Reduce Opioid Use or Real-Time Pain in Chronic Pain Patients
Real-time monitoring of chronic pain patients found no opioid-sparing effect of cannabis and no momentary pain reduction from cannabis-opioid co-use, though retrospective reports suggested greater perceived relief.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Using 30-day ecological momentary assessment, neither cannabis-opioid co-use nor sole use of either substance reduced pain in the next moment. However, participants retrospectively reported the highest perceived pain relief from co-use. There was no evidence of an opioid-sparing effect. The discrepancy between real-time and retrospective reports suggests recall bias.
Key Numbers
46 participants; 30-day EMA; no momentary pain reduction from co-use; no opioid-sparing effect; retrospective reports showed perceived relief from co-use (possible recall bias)
How They Did This
Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study of 46 adults with chronic pain using both opioids and cannabis, recruited online, completing 30 days of real-time surveys on pain, cannabis use, and opioid use.
Why This Research Matters
The "opioid-sparing" effect of cannabis is widely discussed but rarely tested with real-time data. This study challenges the narrative by showing no moment-to-moment pain reduction or opioid dose reduction from co-use.
The Bigger Picture
The disconnect between real-time data (no effect) and retrospective reports (perceived relief) is a cautionary tale for cannabis pain research that relies on patient recall rather than momentary assessment.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample (46 participants). Online recruitment may select for specific populations. EMA compliance varies. Cannot control cannabis/opioid dosing or timing.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is the perceived pain relief from co-use driven by mood effects rather than actual analgesia?
- ?Would specific cannabinoid formulations show different results than the naturalistic cannabis used here?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- No opioid-sparing effect in real-time data
- Evidence Grade:
- Novel EMA methodology provides real-time data, but small sample and naturalistic use patterns limit definitive conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022
- Original Title:
- Real-Time Monitoring of Cannabis and Prescription Opioid Co-Use Patterns, Analgesic Effectiveness, and the Opioid-Sparing Effect of Cannabis in Individuals With Chronic Pain.
- Published In:
- The journal of pain, 23(11), 1799-1810 (2022)
- Authors:
- Mun, Chung Jung(7), Nordeck, Courtney, Goodell, Erin M Anderson, Vandrey, Ryan, Zipunnikov, Vadim, Dunn, Kelly E, Finan, Patrick H, Thrul, Johannes
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04088
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis reduce the need for opioids in chronic pain?
This real-time monitoring study found no evidence of an opioid-sparing effect. Daily opioid consumption was not lower on days when cannabis was co-used, despite participants perceiving greater relief retrospectively.
Why did patients think co-use helped if real-time data showed no effect?
The study suggests recall bias. When asked to look back, patients reported the most relief from co-use, but moment-by-moment data showed no pain reduction. Cannabis may affect mood or memory of pain rather than pain itself.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04088APA
Mun, Chung Jung; Nordeck, Courtney; Goodell, Erin M Anderson; Vandrey, Ryan; Zipunnikov, Vadim; Dunn, Kelly E; Finan, Patrick H; Thrul, Johannes. (2022). Real-Time Monitoring of Cannabis and Prescription Opioid Co-Use Patterns, Analgesic Effectiveness, and the Opioid-Sparing Effect of Cannabis in Individuals With Chronic Pain.. The journal of pain, 23(11), 1799-1810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2022.06.009
MLA
Mun, Chung Jung, et al. "Real-Time Monitoring of Cannabis and Prescription Opioid Co-Use Patterns, Analgesic Effectiveness, and the Opioid-Sparing Effect of Cannabis in Individuals With Chronic Pain.." The journal of pain, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2022.06.009
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Real-Time Monitoring of Cannabis and Prescription Opioid Co-..." RTHC-04088. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mun-2022-realtime-monitoring-of-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.