FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cannabis is safer, less addictive and non-fatal compared to other drugs. Seven (7) out of ten (10) Americans (70%) are on prescription drugs. Several million of these people are on opiates, the most dangerous, addictive drugs found on the US, DEA Controlled Drug Schedule. Opioid addiction is now a leading cause of death. Heroin addiction is on the rise as it is cheaper than the prevalent use of opioid prescription pain relievers; oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others. Opioids react differently to nerve receptors and cells in the brain and nervous system. However, cannabis is found to be different in terms of addictive patterns and outcomes. Around 467,000 adolescents are current nonmedical users of prescription opioid pain relievers, of which about 168,000 have an addiction. Cannabis addiction by adolescents and adults has fallen since 2014, coinciding with the formal legal sales of the plant in Colorado, Washington and now Oregon.

Addiction is a primary, chronic and relapsing brain disease characterized by an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. It is estimated that 23% of individuals who use heroin developed the addiction as a result of prescription opioid addiction. Women are observed to become reliant on on prescription pain relievers more quickly than men.

Research shows that people often share their unused pain relievers out of the lack of awareness about the dangers of opioid use. Most of the adolescents who misuse prescription pain relievers are given them for free by a friend or relative.

Research over the last twenty years, however, has suggested that there may be some therapeutic potential in cannabis and cannabinoids. These findings have, in part, encouraged more clinical research on the therapeutic potential of cannabis as well as state initiatives to further decriminalize it for medical use.

The following resources are intended to provide health care professionals and the public with evidence-based information about the risks, research, and policies associated with marijuana/cannabis. It is time to think about the freedom of choice for healthcare regarding the cannabis plant, simply by the virtue of human life.

About American Society Of Addiction Medicine (ASAM):
American Society Of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is the leading professional society representing physicians, clinicians and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine.

For more information, please visit http://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf

http://www.asam.org/quality-practice/practice-resources-(old)/marijuana