Fast Facts about Medical Cannabis and Opioids

Minimizing Opioid Use Through Cannabis

Authors

Gregory Smith, MD

Kevin Smith, MD

Description

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Helps nurses to provide the best and safest care for patients suffering from chronic pain

This is the first book to discuss the use of medical cannabis in helping combat the opioid crisis, relieving pain, and reversing opioid addiction rates. With information presented in short chapters with bulleted content, this concise resource delivers all the information healthcare professionals need to know about non–cancer-related chronic pain, the opioid crisis, and medical cannabis. Using the most up-to-date evidence available, it examines the varied causes of chronic pain and provides a succinct overview of how cannabis can be integrated into treatment plans.

Fast Facts About Medical Cannabis and Opioids delves into the epidemiology behind chronic pain, what the endocannabinoid system is, and how it works. It examines the complex interactions of opiates, cannabinoids, and the central nervous system, and answers key questions about different types of medical cannabis to promote open, honest conversations. Above all, this handbook provides the tools for obtaining unbiased, accurate information to share with patients.

Key Features:

Delivers a comprehensive overview of the opioid crisis in the United States and the benefits and drawbacks of medical cannabis as an alternative or supplement to opioids
Discusses dos and don’ts of recommending medical cannabis to patients
Provides the most up-to-date information on cannabis legislation
Covers the endocannabinoid system and its biology
Compares the use of opioids and medical cannabis for managing chronic pain
Presents key information in short chapters, bulleted content, and figures, plus Fast Facts boxes that highlight key information

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

1. Chronic Pain and Opioids

2. Current Costs of the Opioid Epidemic

3. Opioid Use Disorder

Part II OVERVIEW OF CANNABIS

4. History and Legality of Cannabis

5. Overview of the Endocannabinoid System

Part III CANNABINOIDS

6. Cannabinoids and Terpenes

Part IV MEDICAL MARIJUANA

9. Medical Marijuana and Bioavailability

10. Side Effects of Cannabis Use

Part V CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT

11. Causes of Chronic Pain

12. Treating Chronic Pain With Opioids

13. Treating Chronic Pain With Cannabinoids

Part VI CANNABINOIDS AND THE OPIOID CRISIS

14. Cannabinoid and Opioid Interactions

15. Cannabis as an Adjunct to Opioids

16. Opioid Sparing With Cannabinoids

Appendix A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

Appendix B. National Institutes of Drug Abuse Quick Screen and NIDA-Modified ASSIST Screenings for Opioid Use Disorder

Appendix C. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Calculating Total Daily Dose of Opioids for Safer Dosage

Index

Authors

Gregory L. Smith, MD, MPH, is a former major in the U.S. Army and has had extensive experience and education in the field of cannabinoid medications. Dr. Smith consults as a scientific and medical adviser on cannabis and cannabinoid therapeutics with over a dozen companies in four countries.

Kevin F. Smith, MD, MPH, is a board-certified physician, Dr. Smith’s 30-odd years’ experience has seen his broad skillset coalesce into sought-after expertise. He has provided leadership as the medical director and the director of medical operations (DMO) for multiple healthcare systems, including a large healthcare system in Northwest Ohio ranked as a top 50 hospital system in the United States.

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