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European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience

19.03.2024 | Original Paper

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

verfasst von: Nina Kim Bekier, Ulrich Frischknecht, Katharina Eidenmueller, Franz Grimm, Patrick Bach, Manuel Stenger, Falk Kiefer, Derik Hermann

Erschienen in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience

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Abstract

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.

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Titel: Does cannabis use substitute for opioids? A preliminary exploratory survey in opioid maintenance patients
verfasst von: Nina Kim Bekier
Ulrich Frischknecht
Katharina Eidenmueller
Franz Grimm
Patrick Bach
Manuel Stenger
Falk Kiefer
Derik Hermann
Publikationsdatum: 19.03.2024
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Print ISSN: 0940-1334
Elektronische ISSN: 1433-8491
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-023-01718-3

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