Strong on sources, weak on data: CBS story on using marijuana for painkiller addictions
Rating
Could marijuana help treat painkiller and heroin addiction?
Our Review Summary
This relatively thorough story discusses a major question: If we can substitute one drug (in this case, marijuana) for others that have a high risk of abuse, especially opioid painkillers. The story relies heavily on anecdotes from those who believe that cannabis can be an effective treatment. While these anecdotal benefits are weighed against the perspectives of outside researchers, we are never given much fine detail of what their actual research shows.
Why This Matters
This is very important public health question that needs a thorough discussion in policy circles as well as the media: If marijuana can be safely used, or substituted in people who have opioid or illegal narcotic addictions, is it possible to wean people off these more dangerous drugs?
Criteria
Not Satisfactory
The article does a disservice by not mentioning the costs of medical marijuana, even if it is hard to estimate it. If cannabis becomes a major substitute for opioids, the economic implications of this could be huge both for individuals and society.
Not Satisfactory
There are many mentions of research studies and evidence but very little detail in terms of quantified benefits. Even the mention of the 2014 JAMA study showing that “states with medical marijuana laws had nearly 25 percent fewer opioid-related overdose deaths than those without,” would have been more complete if we’d known what that amounted to in absolute terms. The implications are that a 25% drop in opioid overdoses would be huge, but we’re not really sure.
Not Satisfactory
There are some known or suggested harms of chronic marijuana use, yet there was not much mention of those harms in this story. The one harm mentioned is a significant one: marijuana also can be addictive.
However, the article didn’t mention others risks of inhaling marijuana, such as lung disease, as well as effects on motivation, and other cognitive issues, especially when the dose isn’t being well controlled when smoked.
Satisfactory
This report included plenty of commentary that suggested caution in interpreting findings from marijuana research in treating opioid-related pain or addiction. Good limitations are mentioned, such as when one interviewee, commenting on the Journal of Pain finding that chronic pain sufferers “reduced their opioid use when using medical pot.” He added that these findings “were limited because participants self-reported the data.” This is the kind of nuance that is important to mention.
Satisfactory
There is no obvious disease mongering in this story. Opioid addiction is real and very problematic.
Satisfactory
There sourcing is a strong point for the story. Also, there are no apparent conflicts of interest.
Not Satisfactory
Alternatives were not adequately discussed. There are a wide range of alternatives for pain control other than opioids and marijuana treatment options, such as non-opioid analgesics and physical therapy. Also, the prescription drug Marinol is a medicine with the active ingredient of marijuana (THC) that’s approved to treat the nausea of chemotherapy and for appetite stimulation in HIV patients, and the dosing can be better controlled.
Not Satisfactory
The article adequately discusses that availability varies widely from state to state.
Satisfactory
This story establishes that using marijuana for opioid addiction is a relatively new idea that’s not yet properly understood by medical research.
Satisfactory
Due to the wide range of interviewees quoted, this story does not appear to rely on a news release.
Total Score: 5 of 10 Satisfactory
Comments
Please note, comments are no longer published through this website. All previously made comments are still archived and available for viewing through select posts.
Our Comments Policy
But before leaving a comment, please review these notes about our policy.
You are responsible for any comments you leave on this site.
This site is primarily a forum for discussion about the quality (or lack thereof) in journalism or other media messages (advertising, marketing, public relations, medical journals, etc.) It is not intended to be a forum for definitive discussions about medicine or science.
We will delete comments that include personal attacks, unfounded allegations, unverified claims, product pitches, profanity or any from anyone who does not list a full name and a functioning email address. We will also end any thread of repetitive comments. We don”t give medical advice so we won”t respond to questions asking for it.
We don”t have sufficient staffing to contact each commenter who left such a message. If you have a question about why your comment was edited or removed, you can email us at feedback@healthnewsreview.org.
There has been a recent burst of attention to troubles with many comments left on science and science news/communication websites. Read “Online science comments: trolls, trash and treasure.”
The authors of the Retraction Watch comments policy urge commenters:
We”re also concerned about anonymous comments. We ask that all commenters leave their full name and provide an actual email address in case we feel we need to contact them. We may delete any comment left by someone who does not leave their name and a legitimate email address.
And, as noted, product pitches of any sort – pushing treatments, tests, products, procedures, physicians, medical centers, books, websites – are likely to be deleted. We don”t accept advertising on this site and are not going to give it away free.
The ability to leave comments expires after a certain period of time. So you may find that you’re unable to leave a comment on an article that is more than a few months old.
You might also like