Researchers have found that after people start using cannabis for medicinal purposes, that many of those patients will end-up reducing their opioid consumption and other medications, as well as taking fewer antidepressants and alcohol.

Instead of turning to pills, to try and help their sleep issues, pain, anxiety etc, more numbers are turning instead to cannabis. These substances have been known to contribute to thousands of deaths, but the same surely cannot be said for cannabis.

Though this research does look promising, scientists still assert that more investigation is needed to corroborate these findings, based on self-reports, in the hopes of better understanding why people are making the switch.

The study involved more than 1500 participants who were required to complete an online survey detailing their cannabis experiences and medical history.

Over 76 percent reported that they had reduced their opioid use after embracing cannabis.

The use of antidepressants declined 37.6 percent and for alcohol the decline was 42 percent. As for anti-anxiety, migraine, and sleep medications, participants also reported that they had reduced their use of all of those by more than 50 percent.

For those who used medicinal cannabis regularly, the most preferred method of consumption was joints, pipes, or bongs.

Vaporizing is also growing in popularity as an alternative method, followed by edibles or tincture use. And other researchers have also discovered similar findings when investigating the connection between cannabis and opioids, alcohol, and tobacco etc.

There is a growing body of research which supports the notion that increased access to medical or recreational cannabis can result in a decrease for opioid use, alcohol use, and subsequent harms associated with other substances.

A growing number of patients have demonstrated that they would prefer cannabis to pills, and every single patient should have the freedom to make that choice for themselves. Rather than being left to suffer, in regions where cannabis is still aggressively restricted, quality of life should be prioritized and people shouldn't be prohibited from accessing a substance that has the potential to provide true healing and comfort.

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The information that is posted above is not intended to be used as any substitute for professional medical advice, or diagnosis or treatment. The above is posted for informational purposes only.