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Does cannabis use substitute for opioids?: a preliminary exploratory survey in opioid maintenance patients

Various studies showed that people with substance use disorder use cannabis to reduce withdrawal or dose of their main drug. Using a questionnaire about their cannabis use, 118 participants in an opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) in Germany were examined regarding this strategy. 60% reported to use...

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Main Authors: Bekier, Nina Kim (Author) , Frischknecht, Ulrich (Author) , Eidenmüller, Katharina (Author) , Grimm, Franz (Author) , Bach, Patrick (Author) , Stenger, Manuel (Author) , Kiefer, Falk (Author) , Hermann, Derik (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 2024
In: European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience
Year: 2025, Volume: 275, Issue: 2, Pages: 565-572
ISSN:1433-8491
DOI:10.1007/s00406-023-01718-3
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-023-01718-3
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Author Notes:Nina Kim Bekier, Ulrich Frischknecht, Katharina Eidenmueller, Franz Grimm, Patrick Bach, Manuel Stenger, Falk Kiefer, Derik Hermann
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Summary:Various studies showed that people with substance use disorder use cannabis to reduce withdrawal or dose of their main drug. Using a questionnaire about their cannabis use, 118 participants in an opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) in Germany were examined regarding this strategy. 60% reported to use cannabis. Of those, 72% were using cannabis in the suggested way. Cannabis was used to substitute for, e.g., heroin (44.8%) and benzodiazepines (16.4%). We also asked for an estimation of how good cannabis was able to substitute for several substances (in German school grades (1 till 6)); heroin average grade: 2.6 ± 1.49. Besides that we asked about the idea of cannabis as “self-medication”, e.g., to reduce pain (47%) and about negative consequences from cannabis use. Our results suggest to consider the use of cannabis by patients in OMT rather as a harm reduction strategy to reduce the intake of more dangerous drugs.
Item Description:Online veröffentlicht: 19. März 2024
Gesehen am 03.12.2024
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1433-8491
DOI:10.1007/s00406-023-01718-3

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