Don’t blame marijuana for fentanyl sweeping the nation and endangering millions
Fentanyl has become the thing parents warned us about. Easily addictive, it can wreck a person’s life within a few months. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. From Oregon to Alabama, hot spots are cropping up and cities, police and healthcare are trying to figure out a response.
There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Both are considered synthetic opioids, both can be be deadly.
Anti-cannabis proponents in media and government say marijuana use leads to harder drugs including heroin and fentanyl. Science says it is not true and scientists are exploring what more medical marijuana can do as a benefit for humanity.
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Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in a fate overdose. Even in small doses, it can be deadly. Each day 150+ people die from fentanyl related overdoses. Recent cases are linked to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive, and more dangerous.
Marijuana is fully legal in 23 states and medically legal in 40. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there has yet to be a drug overdose death solely attributed to cannabis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also states that while symptoms of too much THC might include extreme confusion, emotional distress, increased blood pressure, heart rate, severe nausea, or unintentional injury, “a fatal overdose is unlikely.”
There has been reports of a marijuana laced with fentanyl, which is why you should purchase from legal retailer if possible.
Medical marijuana can be used as an effective and non-additive pain reliever over opioids. Invasive surgery is traumatic to the system resulting in significant pain. Opioids have been used, but medical marijuana has been shown to work effective and not be addictive, and helps with recovery. More research is being conducted to explore this approach.
But cannabis use is associated with reduced risk of exposure to fentanyl among people on opioid agonist therapy during a community-wide overdose crisis.
Marijuana is also recognized by the American Medical Association as having benefits for ailment as varied as nausea to cancer.
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