Yale Experts Say Cannabis Could Help Solve Opioid Overdose Crisis In The US
Cannabis could offer solutions to the opioid overdose crisis in the U.S., experts from Yale School of Medicine assert.
João P. De Aquino, assistant professor of psychiatry and medical student Gabriel P. A. Costa say the role of cannabis in opioid use disorder treatment needs to be looked at seriously.
“We have failed to thoroughly investigate the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids while disqualifying people from opioid treatment programs based on its use,” they wrote in Springer Nature Scientific American. “This shortsighted policy potentially blocks thousands of individuals from receiving care—and overlooks the possibility that some constituents of cannabis may have therapeutic benefit. To address the opioid crisis, it is essential to reassess our stance on cannabis to ensure more inclusive and effective treatment approaches, as well as to rigorously assess risks and benefits in a balanced manner.”