Medical cannabis is increasingly used as a treatment for chronic pain, and there is initial evidence that medical cannabis may lead to a subsequent decrease in prescription opioid use. The objective of the current study was to conduct a retrospective, naturalistic examination of medical cannabis use (i.e., dose, frequency, type) and subsequent changes in prescription opioid use among a sample of treatment-seeking chronic (non-cancer-related) pain patients (N =277). Data from the electronic medical record (EMR) was paired with information from the State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and collected at time of initial certification and at six months post-certification. Results indicated that 91% of patients used their certification to buy medical cannabis at least once within the first six months. Heterogeneity in purchase patterns was observed (range of total doses purchased = 5 to 417, mean = 64.5, SD = 67). High THC:low CBD and vaporization-based products were the most common formulations purchased. A total of 37% of all patients who purchased medical cannabis at least once evinced a clinically significant reduction (i.e., ≥ 30% MME) in prescription opioid use by six months post-certification.
","abstract_html":"<p>Medical cannabis is increasingly used as a treatment for chronic pain, and there is initial evidence that medical cannabis may lead to a subsequent decrease in prescription opioid use. The objective of the current study was to conduct a retrospective, naturalistic examination of medical cannabis use (i.e., dose, frequency, type) and subsequent changes in prescription opioid use among a sample of treatment-seeking chronic (non-cancer-related) pain patients (N =277). Data from the electronic medical record (EMR) was paired with information from the State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and collected at time of initial certification and at six months post-certification. Results indicated that 91% of patients used their certification to buy medical cannabis at least once within the first six months. Heterogeneity in purchase patterns was observed (range of total doses purchased = 5 to 417, mean = 64.5, SD = 67). High THC:low CBD and vaporization-based products were the most common formulations purchased. A total of 37% of all patients who purchased medical cannabis at least once evinced a clinically significant reduction (i.e., ≥ 30% MME) in prescription opioid use by six months post-certification.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kosiba, Jesse"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Joseph W. Ditre"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-08-23T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-08-23T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:55:57Z","subjects":["chronic pain","marijuana","medical cannabis","prescription opioids","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1233","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Joseph W. Ditre"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kosiba, Jesse"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["chronic pain","marijuana","medical cannabis","prescription opioids","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1233"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Medical cannabis is increasingly used as a treatment for chronic pain, and there is initial evidence that medical cannabis may lead to a subsequent decrease in prescription opioid use. The objective of the current study was to conduct a retrospective, naturalistic examination of medical cannabis use (i.e., dose, frequency, type) and subsequent changes in prescription opioid use among a sample of treatment-seeking chronic (non-cancer-related) pain patients (N =277). Data from the electronic medical record (EMR) was paired with information from the State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and collected at time of initial certification and at six months post-certification. Results indicated that 91% of patients used their certification to buy medical cannabis at least once within the first six months. Heterogeneity in purchase patterns was observed (range of total doses purchased = 5 to 417, mean = 64.5, SD = 67). High THC:low CBD and vaporization-based products were the most common formulations purchased. A total of 37% of all patients who purchased medical cannabis at least once evinced a clinically significant reduction (i.e., ≥ 30% MME) in prescription opioid use by six months post-certification.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["MEDICAL CANNABIS USE AMONG CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH PRESCRIPTION OPIOID USE: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Joseph W. Ditre"],"dc:creator":["Kosiba, Jesse"],"dc:description.abstract":["Medical cannabis is increasingly used as a treatment for chronic pain, and there is initial evidence that medical cannabis may lead to a subsequent decrease in prescription opioid use. The objective of the current study was to conduct a retrospective, naturalistic examination of medical cannabis use (i.e., dose, frequency, type) and subsequent changes in prescription opioid use among a sample of treatment-seeking chronic (non-cancer-related) pain patients (N =277). Data from the electronic medical record (EMR) was paired with information from the State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and collected at time of initial certification and at six months post-certification. Results indicated that 91% of patients used their certification to buy medical cannabis at least once within the first six months. Heterogeneity in purchase patterns was observed (range of total doses purchased = 5 to 417, mean = 64.5, SD = 67). High THC:low CBD and vaporization-based products were the most common formulations purchased. A total of 37% of all patients who purchased medical cannabis at least once evinced a clinically significant reduction (i.e., ≥ 30% MME) in prescription opioid use by six months post-certification.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1233"],"dc:subject":["chronic pain","marijuana","medical cannabis","prescription opioids","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["MEDICAL CANNABIS USE AMONG CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH PRESCRIPTION OPIOID USE: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:55:57Z"}