Con
“Cannabinoids are no more effective than codeine in controlling pain and have depressant effects on the central nervous system that limit their use. Their widespread introduction into clinical practice for pain management is therefore undesirable. In acute postoperative pain they should not be used…
The best that can be achieved with single dose cannabis in nociceptive pain [pain resulting from tissue damage] is analgesia equivalent to single dose codeine 60 mg, which rates poorly on relative efficacy compared with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs or simple analgesics. Increasing the cannabinoid dose to increase the analgesia will increase adverse effects…
We found insufficient evidence to support the introduction of cannabinoids into widespread clinical practice for pain management.”
July 7, 2001