An evidence-based guide to using cannabis to enhance pain relief safely, effectively, and economically while reducing the risks of opioid addiction

Opioid addiction has exploded to epidemic proportions in the U.S. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death. In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids-more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills. Uwe Blesching, author of The Cannabis Health Index, clearly and thoroughly lays out the overwhelming benefits of using cannabis-not only to reduce the nation's dependence on opioids-but also to manage the craving and withdrawal symptoms of opioid addiction, and especially to address the pain that leads to drug use and addiction in the first place. Citing statistics showing that states allowing legal access to cannabis have seen a 25 percent drop in opioid-related deaths, Blesching explains how precision applications of cannabis can alleviate the mental and emotional aspects of pain by modulating numerous neurotransmitters and their emotional counterparts. He presents a convincing case for the powerful benefits of cannabis in reducing the risks of addiction and overdose, cutting monetary costs, and restoring a sense of balance and control to those who struggle with pain.