Date of Award

8-13-2024

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Physician Assistant Studies (PA)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

First Advisor

Vanessa Bester

Abstract

Background: Approaches to opiate addiction focus on abstinence and/or a harm reduction model that often utilizes substitute medications. Methadone and suboxone are the most prescribed drugs for opiate maintenance therapy. The long-term side effect profile and health consequences are undesirable. Research is looking for healthier alternatives.

Purpose: Opiate maintenance therapy participants have a mortality rate greater than twelve times that of the normal population, we seek to discover if cannabis can be a useful/safer alternative.

Methods: Following a comprehensive literature review a 7-question online survey was designed with SurveyMonkey to gauge current Augsburg students’ perception of cannabis as an alternative to opiates. This class-based project was designated IRB-Exempt from Augsburg University IRB, #2023-06-04. The survey was sent to current Augsburg students via mass email titled “Augsburg A-mail”. To qualify participants must have been current Augsburg students, age eighteen or older, and be living within the United States. Data was collected via survey monkey for approximately 5 weeks.

Conclusions: Upon review of the literature, it is reasonable to conclude that cannabis has some efficacy in the setting of opiate maintenance, as well as other therapeutic uses. Based upon this study’s research, cannabis perception among students was positive and reflected the themes of the literature. Putting this all together, cannabis is likely effective in harm reduction, however perceptions and knowledge vary. More research and work around awareness is recommended to establish this as viable therapy.

Identifier

SC 11.PAS.2024.Furlong.C

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