Medical Marijuana for Chronic or Debilitating Pain in Kentucky

Patients With Chronic Pain Qualify for Medical Marijuana in Kentucky

With medical marijuana legal in Kentucky, individuals living with chronic or intractable pain are eligible for treatment with medical marijuana. Chronic pain is described as pain that is either chronic and severe or intractable. This means that anyone suffering from recurring pain, be it headaches, migraines, IBS, any form of arthritis or inflammation, or any other ailment that yields high pain, will be able to qualify for medical marijuana treatment in Kentucky. This is also great news as medical marijuana provides Kentucky residents access to a safe alternative to opiate-based treatment. Since the opioid crisis has hit Kentuckians pretty hard, finding alternatives to opioid treatment is key to reducing the number of overdoses and deaths throughout the state.

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What Is Chronic Pain?

It seems that everyone deals with pain at one time or another. The pain that someone experiences often fall in one of two general categories, “chronic” or “acute” pain. Chronic pain, which is the type that is eligible for medical marijuana in Kentucky, is defined as pain lasting for more than 12 weeks.  

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Living in pain for this amount of time is debilitating and negatively impacts the quality of life. Oftentimes, the most basic of activities can become challenging, whether that be getting out of bed, or putting on a shirt. This type of pain and stress not only takes a physical toll on your body, but it is often draining on an emotional level. As a result, many sufferers of chronic pain often find themselves depressed or lacking the motivation to complete their daily routines.

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Treatment Options for Chronic Pain

Due to the nature of chronic pain, it is often difficult to treat. In recent years, many doctors and patients have ended up using powerful opioid-based pain medications to alleviate symptoms. This has been disastrous, as these medications are highly addictive and have fueled the U.S. opioid epidemic. 

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Medical cannabis is a promising alternative for treating chronic pain. Research has shown that THC is an effective pain reliever for cancer patients and they also found that it lacked the toxic side effects found in many traditional medicines. Patients have reported relief from a wide variety of types of pain, in particular, individuals with pain related to the nervous system have seen significant benefits. With opiate addiction ruining lives and devastating communities across the country, cannabis has grown into a trusted alternative for individuals suffering from pain on a daily basis.​