Cannabis for chronic pain: Perspectives on navigating the health care system

With recreational cannabis now legalized in Canada, it’s likely that more people in pain will consider it for pain relief. In this episode, Clinical Pharmacist Terri Betts and her daughter Nikki, who lives with chronic pain, share their story about navigating the health care system after Nikki decided to pursue medical cannabis to manage her pain. She had previously tried a variety of pharmaceutical medications, including opioids, without much success. Throughout our discussion, the two touch on the bodies of evidence available along with other key resources that helped them throughout their decision-making process.Please note that as with any other treatment method, we advise anyone wishing to pursue medical cannabis for pain to first consult with a licensed health care professional.Helpful resources:- The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, January 2017. https://nationalacademies.org/CannabisHealthEffects- Canadian Pharmacists Association references on medical cannabis - https://www.pharmacists.ca/advocacy/medical-cannabis- Allan GM et al. Simplified guideline for prescribing medical cannabinoids in primary care. Canadian Family Physicians, 2018 Feb; 64:111-20.- How Medical Cannabis Works: https://www.liveplanbe.ca/pain-education/medications/how-medical-cannabis-works- Medical Cannabis: Monitoring Your Treatment: https://www.liveplanbe.ca/pain-education/medications/medical-cannabis-monitoring-your-treatment- Medical Cannabis: Dosing, Strains and Choosing a Licensed Producer: https://www.liveplanbe.ca/pain-education/medications/medical-cannabis-dosing-strains-choosing-a-licensed-producer- Health Canada page on cannabis for medical purposes under the Cannabis Act: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/medical-use-cannabis.html- Health Canada page on getting cannabis from a licensed producer: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/getting-cannabis-from-licensed-producer.html