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Millions of Americans choose to use cannabidiol (CBD) as a substitute for powerful painkillers and other drugs, according to the findings of a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego. The study, which was partially funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, found that nearly a third of consumers who use CBD say they use it as an alternative or supplement to at least one medication, often painkillers.
“Frequently replaced or co-administered medications included ibuprofen, Tylenol, and other over-the-counter analgesics,” the authors of the study wrote, according to a report from Marijuana Moment. “Only a small proportion of CBD users reported ever having a health problem they believed resulted from CBD use (2.4%).”
“CBD use as a substitute or adjunct to medications was common among US adults particularly for pain medications,” they added. “These patterns underscore the need for better evidence and clearer guidance on dosing, product quality, and co-use with other treatments.”
Researchers Surveyed More Than 1,000 CBD Users
To conduct the study, the researchers surveyed more than 1,500 U.S. adults from a random sample between October 25 and November 3, 2023. About 35% (1,008) of those surveyed said they had used a CBD product at some time in their life, while the remaining respondents said they had never used the cannabinoid. Those who said they had used CBD were also asked about their frequency of use, how they consumed the compound, and whether they took CBD as a substitute for or supplement to traditional pharmaceutical drugs.
The researchers determined that among the study participants who reported using CBD, the “conditions most frequently targeted” were musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders such as joint pain (10.1%), mental health conditions such as anxiety (7.4%), and general disorders or administration site conditions (6.8%).
Among the participants who had used CBD, 32% said they used cannabidiol as a substitute or supplement to another drug, with most citing supplemental use. The researchers noted that the study’s results illustrate one of the primary risks of taking CBD without the advice of an experienced medical professional.
“A key finding is the widespread use of CBD in combination with prescription or over-the-counter medications, highlighting a potential for adverse drug–drug interactions,” the researchers noted.
The researchers also noted, however, that while more information about the risks of taking CBD with other medications is needed, “it needs also to be acknowledged that commonly prescribed medicines, e.g., psychotropics for anxiety or opioids for pain, also have potentially severe adverse effects and risk for forming.”
“To the extent that CBD, which has very few side effects and likely very low risk of dependence at low to moderate doses, helps a consumer reduce anxiety and decrease or discontinue a medication with more side effects or risk for forming dependence, this might be viewed as a benefit,” it says.
To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a CBD drug only for the treatment of severe epilepsy. The researchers said, however, that the current regulatory status of the CBD “should not be interpreted as proof of no therapeutic potential for other endpoints, but rather as reflecting in part the difficulty of generating regulatory-grade evidence in a landscape where cannabis has long been federally controlled and clinical research has faced substantial structural barriers.”
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The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
