Women with endometriosis using illegally sourced cannabis instead of prescription pot

A Western Sydney University study found some women with the condition were turning to pot to cut their reliance on high-risk opioids for pain management.

Almost three-quarters of women with endometriosis who use cannabis to treat the painful condition are using it illegally despite doctors being allowed to prescribe it.

The trend was revealed in a study from Western Sydney University’s NICM Health ­Research Institute and lead author Justin Sinclair said cannabis was found to significantly ease the pain of many endometriosis sufferers.

The agonising condition impacts one in nine Australian women and occurs when ­tissue, similar to lining of the womb, grows in other parts of the body.

The study found 31 per cent of respondents used cannabis to completely stop their reliance on high-risk opioids for pain management while 51 per cent were able to give up neuroleptic medication used for psychiatric disorders.

A crop of medicinal cannabis. Doctors have warned of the risks of illegally sourcing cannabis instead of using prescribed medicinal cannabis products for the painful condition.

A further 27 per cent of endometriosis sufferers quit anti-anxiety medication after using cannabis while 35 per cent no longer needed sleeping medication. The mental health medications are common among sufferers of the illness.

Mr Sinclair said although the effective use of cannabis in reducing pain was promising, he was concerned women were refusing to consult their GP before turning to the drug.

“There was a significant substitution effect where the women in the study were substituting cannabis for their normal pharmaceutical medicine,” he said. “But some of those medications should not be stopped cold turkey, maybe they need to be tapered down instead. That is why it is so ­important to discuss cannabis use with their doctor.

“(Cannabis products) THC and CBD are available in the legal markets at the moment but if so many people are using illicitly sourced cannabis they don’t know what’s in it. With illicit cannabis, you don’t know what you’re getting.”

One brand of medicinal cannabis used by an endometriosis sufferer.

He said social stigma around the drug was contributing to the underground use.

“A number of factors, ­including concern surrounding possible legal repercussions, judgment from either their doctor or society, or their doctors’ presumed unwillingness to prescribe legal medicinal cannabis were the main reasons for not talking to their doctor,” he said.

The trend was revealed in a study from Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute and lead author Justin Sinclair said cannabis was found to significantly ease the pain of many endometriosis sufferers.

The condition impacts one in nine Australian women and occurs when tissue, similar to lining of the womb, grows in other parts of the body.

The Australian and New Zealand study found 31 per cent of respondents used cannabis to completely stop their reliance on high-risk opioids for pain management while 51 per cent were able to give up neuroleptic medication used for psychiatric disorders.

A further 27 per cent quit anti-anxiety medication using cannabis.

Mr Sinclair said that although the effective use of cannabis in reducing pain was promising – it was concerning that women were refusing to consult with their doctor.

Originally published as Women with endometriosis using illegally sourced cannabis instead of prescription pot