Natural cannabinoids cannot kill – opioids can, and do
Opioid overdoses can be fatal and most are due to respiratory arrest. This does not happen with Cannabis sativa. There is no respiratory arrest, even if taken at very large dosages.
Aspect: Medical
Cannabis as a recovery treatment
Cannabis as a recovery treatment is controversial, not least because there is conflicting research about whether cannabis is or is not addictive.
Addiction
Addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences.
Cannabis and chronic pain
Medicinal cannabis can reduce or even eliminate opioid use in patients with chronic back pain and osteoarthritis. Medical cannabis may also be considered for patients experiencing neuropathic (nerve damage), inflammatory (nociceptive), nociplastic and mixed pain.
Cannabis and cancer
Even after years of frequent use, cannabis smoking is not associated with any permanent lung harms, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), emphysema or reduced lung function.
Cannabis and mental health
There is no compelling evidence that cannabis causes some psychiatric disorders in otherwise healthy individuals. Most tellingly, rates of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses have remained flat even during periods when cannabis use rates increased.
Long-term effects on the brain
Some short-term effects may include immediate changes in thoughts, perceptions and information processing. There’s no convincing evidence even heavy, long-term cannabis use by adults permanently impairs memory or other cognitive functions.