A significant percentage of patients undergoing opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) acknowledge consuming cannabis to ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings. This is according to survey data published by German researchers with the University of Munich. They surveyed 128 opioid use disorder (OUD) patients receiving OMT.
Forty-one percent of respondents reported using cannabis. Of those, 59% said that they did so “to suppress cravings for other [controlled] substances”. Thirty-nine percent said they used cannabis “to suppress opioid withdrawal symptoms”.
The findings are consistent with prior studies involving opioid-dependent subjects. “These findings highlight a complex interaction between opioid treatment and cannabis use” the study’s authors concluded. “Further longitudinal and placebo-controlled trials are needed to investigate the clinical and pharmacological interactions between cannabis and OMT, including effects on craving, withdrawal and overall treatment outcomes”.
1 August, 2025