Medical marijuana is often an effective medicine that can help treat a lot of conditions and counteract some of the side effects of medical treatments, like chemotherapy. Many patients benefit from the pain relief marijuana can provide for a variety of conditions, too. If you're considering obtaining a prescription to treat pain, then here are four helpful statistics regarding prescription marijuana for pain relief.

1. Marijuana Seldom Triggers Dependency

The potential for dependency is something that rightfully concerns many people when it comes to most prescription pain medications. Fortunately, there is only a very small risk of marijuana dependency, which usually only happens due to heavy daily use for several months or more. According to the CDC, marijuana dependence affects less than 10% of people who use marijuana. Those who follow their doctor's instructions for using medical marijuana to treat pain have almost no reason to concern themselves with potential marijuana dependency.

2. Most States Have Medical Marijuana Programs

According to JAMA Network, 36 states and the District of Columbia had active medical marijuana programs as of April 2022. More states are considering making medical marijuana legal with a prescription from a medical doctor. The proliferation of legal medical marijuana to treat pain and other medical conditions makes it a lot easier for patients to fill their prescriptions with quality marijuana that undergoes lab testing and quality control to ensure it's safe for consumption.

3. Almost a Third of People With Chronic Pain Used Marijuana

Chronic pain refers to ongoing pain that lasts for several weeks, months, or longer. The causes could be many, including suffering painful injuries in car accidents, ongoing back pain, and other conditions. According to WebMD, 31% of those surveyed used pain relief marijuana treatments to manage their chronic pain at some point during their lives. Michigan Medicine researchers surveyed 1,661 adults in the 36 states allowing the use of medical marijuana.

4. Nearly Two-Thirds of Medical Marijuana Treats Pain

Chronic pain is the most common reason for people obtaining medical marijuana prescriptions. According to U.S. Pharmacist, more than 2 million U.S. citizens have medical marijuana prescriptions with 62% using it to treat chronic pain. The non-addictive nature of marijuana makes it better to use than opioids when possible.

You can call the professionals at Relief Clinic LLC to learn more about the pain relief marijuana provides for particular ailments and other medical benefits. You also can schedule an appointment to see if you qualify for a medical marijuana prescription.